WEATHERSFIELD 2 unions in school district extend contracts for a year

Employees also agreed to change health care plans to save the district $90,000.
By MARY SMITH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
MINERAL RIDGE -- The two unions representing 100 teachers and noncertified employees have agreed to extend their contracts one year and take a partial wage freeze to help Weathersfield School District save money.
Superintendent Rocco Adduci said both unions agreed to the plan last week. It includes switching to a different health plan.
Members of Weathersfield Teachers Association are working under a three-year contract which was to expire July 15, 2003. The contract for nonteaching members of Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 722 runs to June 30.
Adduici said teachers will still get their step increases, based on years of service, as required by the contract. He said between 40 percent and 50 percent of the district's teachers are at the top of the pay scale and won't get the increase. Only younger teachers will.
The move is expected to save the district $120,000, an amount already figured into $300,000 in cuts the board has made.
Facing deficit
The cuts are intended to help offset a deficit of $620,000 this year from a reduction in personal property tax paid to the district by RMI Titanium Inc.
The superintendent said the two unions have also agreed to switch their health insurance from a traditional plan to a Preferred Provider Organization, a managed health care plan, in January.
That is expected to save the district another $90,000 next year.
He said treasurer Angela Lewis is adding the new information to a report to the state Department of Education as the district prepares its paperwork to apply for two catastrophic grants from the School District Solvency Assistance Fund for fiscal 2004.
Adduci said coming up with an additional $220,000 in savings "should secure" the grant from the state.
"The teachers are not only helping the community, but are also giving a strong educational base" for pupils, he said.
RMI's tax reduction not only is costing the district $620,000, but the company wants a $400,000 to $500,000 refund on taxes paid over the past two years.
Adduci said the district is asking the state to pay that.