ROCK SPRINGS – The newest proposal between the Sweetwater County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees and the Sweetwater Education Association was presented to the public Monday night.

The is the third proposal in this year’s negotiations with the previous two proposals being defeated. 

The main issue between the two sides has been the SEA President’s leave pay which has a price tag of $74,000.

Under the existing agreement, the SEA President takes leave from their teaching position to fulfill the responsibilities of their new role.

The district argued sound fiscal policy requires the $74,000 expenditure to be eliminated. 

The association argues it could not assume the liability.

Mediation

A mediator was brought in to talk to both sides. A report was issued, and both sides resumed negotiations. On June 30th, a new draft proposal was drawn up and on Monday this proposal was presented to the membership.

SEA Spokesperson Carol Jelaco said the membership would start the voting process, and it will continue through the upcoming week. They are hopeful to have an answer soon.

If the SEA membership votes to approve the new proposal, it will then go before the entire Sweetwater School District No. 1 Board of Trustees for a vote. Board member Lenny Hay said he is also hopeful the board will have the proposed contract soon.

Changes

In the current proposal, the SEA leave has been eliminated. In its place, the proposed contract states all days, with a combined maximum of 25 days per school year, will be paid in full by the Association at the current substitute cost.

The SEA President would be granted professional leave to attend meetings required by policy or granted by the superintendent. Finally, the SEA and/or the district may fund a SEA president halftime release for district-association business.

Another issue which was part of the negotiation was a special education piece. Staff members and members of the public spoke at school board meetings concerned that they added workload would be too much for current staff to handle.

The district has started the process to hire new special education teachers in hopes this will take away from the increased workload the new piece will add.

The Proposal

Health

1. Offer additional insurance plan for poster 65 retirees as recommended by the insurance committee, Post 65 retirees electing the non-grandfathered Medicare supplement type plan are not to be allowed to switch back to the grandfathered plan.
2. In the event an eligible employee does not submit the election of a health plan to the business office by Aug 31, the employee shall be enrolled in the $2,500 deductible plan, if qualified.
3. Beginning August 31, for all eligible employees, pre-65 retirees, and post-65 retirees, if an enrollment change form different from their then current plan is not received in the business office by Aug. 31, employee or retiree shall be enrolled in their then current plan.

Salaries

1. Honor the education steps on the certified employee salary schedule {horizontal moves].
2. Payment totaling 1.2 percent (based on 2014-2015 base salary) for certified staff topped out on the salary schedule to be paid through the bi-monthly payroll for the 2016-2017 school year.

Policy

1. Policy DL/HG – beginning with the first contract day and ending on the last contract day monthly payroll dates for certified personnel are set on the 5th and the 20th of each month during the school year. If the 5th or 20th falls on a weekend or a holiday, the payroll will be Friday or the day preceding the weekend of the holiday. Any remaining contract will be paid by the last calendar day of the school year.
2. Policy GCPC/HG – Retirement of professional staff members. Remove No. 3 in its entirety and renumber.
3. Policy GCBF/HG – Sick Leave Bank. Members must make application for sick leave bank days to the Director of Human Resources/Superintendent.
4. Policy GCBDA/HG – Professional Staff Leave and Absences Short-Term Leaves. Request forms should be submitted to the building principal at least one week in advance, if possible, indicating the day(s) intended to be absent. Personal leave request forms may not be submitted after May 1.

Notes Sections

1. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the Superintendent and the SEA President (or their respective designees if any individual is unable to attend) will meet monthly to discuss and address matters pertinent to district stakeholders.
2. Wyoming Retirement Increases for 2016-2017. District to pay the 0.25 percent increase in the employee share of retirement. Total employee contribution remains at 2.055 percent.
3. Sick leave incentive payout for certified staff. Offer a one-time sick leave buy-out for an early notice of retirement of $40 per day, up to a gross amount of $5,000 per person, not to exceed a total gross amount of $75,000.The director of Human Resources/Superintendent will accept written notices of retirement from 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 1 through Dec. 22 at four p.m. effective at the end of the contract year. This one-time incentive is available only for those certified staff members or administrators who complete their contract for the 2016-2017 school year and provide written notice of their intent not to return for the 2017-2018 school year. This one-time early notice of retirement is on a first-come basis until the maximum amount of funds in exhausted. This incentive will be paid by separate check at the end of the contract year. This is a one-year offer for the 2016-2017 contract year to assess the fiscal impact of the sick leave payout on the substitute budget.