March 28, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Madawaska voters OK school budget increase> Action gives support personnel 3 percent pay hike

MADAWASKA — When the smoke cleared Tuesday night at the annual budget meeting for the Madawaska School Department, voters increased the school budget to give support staff a 3 percent pay increase next year.

The Madawaska School Board also backed down from hiring a professional to negotiate a contract with teachers.

The two issues raised the ire of teachers, the support staff and their supporters at a public hearing on the budget last week, and the discussion continued for 90 minutes Tuesday before voters approved a school budget.

Before the issues were settled, voters made and withdrew a motion to cut the school budget by $1,013,076; voted down a motion to increase the budget by $21,610; and finally passed a budget increased by $14,385, the amount needed to give 3 percent increases to support staff.

The $21,610 increase would have included money to give school department administrators a 3 percent increase as well. The lower amount leaves administrators with a 1 percent salary increase for 1997-98.

In the end, voters approved a $5,616,726 budget, an increase of $61,886 over last year, for Madawaska schools. The local share of the budget from property taxes is $3,390,784.

School directors supported their proposed budget, saying Madawaska voters approved a tax cap last year. They claimed the tax cap left directors in a bad situation and cuts had to be made. The support staff pay increase was one of those cuts.

The support staff sought a 3 percent increase, the same increase teachers were to receive. Support staff had received only a 1 percent increase this year when other school employees had received 3 percent. Support personnel include bus drivers and custodians, cafeteria workers, secretaries and other workers.

During the meeting, Lise Wood, a support staff member, told the school directors, “We got 1 percent last year, and you are proposing 1 percent this year.

“Where is the fairness when members of the support staff are the only ones getting a 1 percent raise?”

Teachers became irate when it was revealed two weeks ago that school directors had included $15,000 in the budget to hire a professional to negotiate a new teachers contract.

Robert Bellefleur, a local attorney, sought to amend the budget to allow the $15,000 for the professional negotiator to be used for a pay increase for support staff. Voters were told the school department could not be told how to spend the school budget because it is not a line-item budget.

Ginette Albert, a teacher, asked for a promise from school board members that a professional negotiator would not be hired. Others in the audience echoed her sentiments.

There was no response from school directors.

School Director Kurt Wickenheiser told voters to increase the budget the amount needed for a support staff pay increase. He promised the money would be used for the pay increase and nothing else.

Teachers pressed for the professional negotiator to be taken out of the budget. “What have we done that is so bad?” asked teacher Edward Marshall.

Marshall’s wife, Kathy, who teaches in another school department, called the expenditure “ridiculous. You were elected to negotiate these contracts.”

“What is it about us that makes you feel you need a professional negotiator?” asked Gisele Faucher, another teacher.

James Lavertu, school board chairman, said school directors needed the professional assistance because “we are at a disadvantage.”

“We are looking at the future of the school department,” he said. “We want a complete look at the teachers contract, and it is difficult for us to understand all of what is involved.”

Director Fran Gendreau denied that school directors are “working against teachers. We don’t want to trample anyone. We are not responsible for you feeling that way.”

Director Angela Cyr pointed out, “There is no experience on the [school] board to negotiate. Teachers have people with 20 years of experience negotiating.”

After the first vote against the budget, resident and teacher Vince Vanier told school directors the message was “people don’t want you to hire a negotiator.”

Bellefleur said, “You are dead wrong by turning to a negotiator, because you are creating an adversarial atmosphere. Don’t bring a hired gun into town. Face-to-face negotiations have to be with you. The message is we don’t like the idea of a professional coming in.”

School directors asked for a break to caucus. After their caucus, Lavertu told the audience the school department would not hire a negotiator.

Voters then approved the school budget, with money for the support staff.


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