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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) Testimony during a Fact Finding Commission hearing between the Valley City school board and its teachers was respectful during a 3-hour hearing on Tuesday. A number of people who testified are worried that if an agreement isn’t reached soon it could tear the community apart.
Valley City Education Association president Kathy Lentz told the commission we have compromised on several key issues but the school board appears to be unwilling to negotiate on any issue. But neither side appeared to be willing to compromise.
(Far left VCEA members and school board members and representatives of the school district to the far right.)
A majority of the Valley City teachers at the hearing told the commission they were shocked that the school board is not honoring a salary step increase for teachers who have received advance education degrees, referring to a previous negotiated agreement.
(Far left VCEA president Kathy Lentz and school board spokeswoman Bismarck attorney Rachel Bruner-Kaufman far right address the fact finding commission.)
Lentz added that there was a better way for the school board to protect the interim fund which is a major sticking point over any proposed salary increases.
Bismarck attorney Rachel Bruner-Kaufman a spokeswoman for the Valley City school board says the board also wants to realign the health insurance funding committee to include two school board members and two members from the Valley City Education Association and the superintendent.
Bruner-Kaufman says the school board believes with the districts interim fund at 6.5 percent to low to approve any salary increases despite the announcement that the fund increased from $780,000 to $1.1 million from July 1 to September 30 this year.
Another differences over setting up a new health insurance funding formula and paying teachers for unused sick leave upon retirement.
And the final point to work on is that salary base increase of $200 for new teachers hired in the school district. The school board is holding steady at a zero percent increase for now.
Valley City resident Misti Kauffman told the commission that it’s time for the school board to realize they have some of the best teachers in the state and the board should reward them and treat them with respect and honor their negotiated agreement.
Valley City resident Jon Wagar told the commission that Valley City teachers are the 2nd highest paid teachers in the state with average salary approaching $54,000 including a retirement fund and health insurance package that’s one of the best in the state.
Valley City resident Rich Schueneman believes both sides need to get together and settle their differences so the community can move forward.
(Far left Fact Finding Chairman Dean Rummel and commission member Jerry Hieb of Valley City far right.)
Fact Finding Commission Chairman Dean Rummel says the commission has until October 28 to present their non-binding recommendation to both sides. He says the school board and the teachers association has another 20 days after that to work out an agreement or accept or reject the commission’s findings.
The 3-member state Fact Finding Commission includes chairman Dean Rummel of Dickinson, Jerry Hieb of Valley City and Barb Evanson of Bismarck. The three listened closely to members of the Valley City School Board committee and the Valley City Education Association over their differences.