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Commission voices concerns about health agreement
By JORDAN COHEN
NILES
The commission overseeing Niles City Schools’ efforts to recover from fiscal emergency approved the district’s new $3.94 million health care plan, which is projected to save more than $600,000 in administrative costs by the end of this year.
The commission, however, is leery about the long-term financial benefit because costs are fixed for only two years and could go up after that.
“I’m pleased with the savings, but I’m concerned about future rate increases,” said Bob Foss, commission chairman.
Expiration of the current plan with Anthem forced the commission to act Monday to avoid a rollover that would force Niles Schools to keep the more expensive plan, according to Atty. Megan Bair, the schools’ legal counsel. Instead, the district has contracted with Aetna, but the plan runs only until the end of this year, with costs to be reviewed for 2020.
Another complication is that health care provisions are usually included in three-year collective bargaining agreements with teaching and nonteaching employees. The latter, represented by the Ohio Association of Public School Employees, signed a memorandum of understanding accepting the new plan although its contract talks begin today. The commission tabled action on the OAPSE health care agreement.
“I’m confused about what they want us to do,” complained Ron Blatt, OAPSE state field representative.
Superintendent Ann Marie Thigpen said teachers rejected the same memorandum of understanding even though they have an agreement on a new contract effective Sept. 1, pending commission approval.
“The union’s perception is that [health care] is not separate,” Thigpen told the commission.
The teachers may be more concerned about a request from Barbara Mattei-Smith, a commission member representing the state Office of Management and Budget. She asked Thigpen to provide information on the ratio of teachers to students.
Thigpen said the district has a minimum staffing agreement with the teachers but is currently below it. The superintendent said the number of teachers has dropped from 180 to 167 and that retirees are not replaced.
Mattei-Smith indicated the commission may have to consider reducing the number of teachers depending upon the teacher/student ratio, its comparison with statewide averages and its impact on eliminating the projected deficits.
The commission needs to find out “what savings would be there,” Mattei-Smith said.
“We don’t have many areas where cost reductions can be made,” Foss said. “Two of the biggest are personnel and purchasing services.”
The commission’s next meeting is May 6, one day before the primary election and the vote on the district’s 5.6-mill renewal levy that would generate $1.3 million annually.