[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6663058,"mediaKeyId","2391552-8e685976985c1b9623238732d61f1f30","parentId",2391552,"title","Saline board tables budget amendment, approves $60 million bond series and several bond-funded contracts","audioSeconds",65,"startMs",2573000,"endMs",2638000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2391552-8e685976985c1b9623238732d61f1f30&start=2573&end=2638","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2391552-8e685976985c1b9623238732d61f1f30/thumbnail_2573000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6663058/Michigan/Saline-board-tables-budget-amendment-approves-60-million-bond-series-and-several-bond-funded-contracts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663058-a1d94926c601cfa527ac08669b36e137/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452824&Signature=e0JiCJ5JZh5JND8jkLbYU95dDpgXdeYKy5BxIZq2mD37lXBul6LjRBu8nv28Pfg3oPhrcPDCBzlni4ZJDKjFFq4qi1D-IKrpNrTzATlJrlIH~yc~GB6iiMS0iaHxzoCDYQAMGt48pAWwPv-e8wS32q1-u0YU7IUmtjN41R0vbs5-viueo7Pyd4a1lArR~EfcT-kJrykAGMDCew3hYV0nC8R9or31AzjNKHPbxCW7LHocrfKQ9Co6pP-RpeWtBisNpTWZP-H2wZF5tRBC~-MGkwkB-B74EBuWRLXJij-AiX0BSQle47s2wn~ksYSKs2qQ2Jl486R5RlSk5ju~pWGY3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Saline Area Schools","date","2025-02-26T02:17:29.843Z","article","The Saline Area Schools Board of Education on Feb. 25 voted to table a proposed 2024–25 general fund budget amendment until its March 11 meeting so trustees and the finance committee could review details, but the board approved a separate resolution authorizing issuance of the 2025 school building and site bonds, series 2, not to exceed $60,000,000.

Assistant Superintendent Miranda Ousley presented the February budget amendment, explaining several state and federal revenue shifts and one-time items that complicate the district’s current-year projections. Ousley told trustees the amendment reflects changes in local receipts (+$554,000), intermediate sources (about +$2,800,000, tied to WISD pass-throughs), and a net reduction of roughly $1,500,000 on state and federal lines when one-time COVID-era funds fall away. She said a newly created ORS revenue line (referred to in the presentation as \"1 47 a 4\") is roughly $2,100,000 and that another ORS line was reduced by about $735,000; because parts of the ORS entries are treated on both revenue and expenditure sides, some items are effectively pass-throughs.

Ousley said special-education spending rose about $2,000,000 in FY 2023–24 and that the February amendment increases the district’s budgeted salary costs by roughly $2,500,000. \"When we take out the 1 47 pass-through, it gives a truer picture to the rest of all the benefits that we pay for staff,\" she told trustees.

Board members asked for more time and a deeper review by the finance committee of staffing changes, the special-education cost drivers and the ORS/pension adjustments enacted in Lansing. Trustees voted unanimously, 6–0, to table adoption of the February amendment until the March 11 meeting to allow more review.

Bond resolution and bond-funded contracts
The board separately adopted a resolution authorizing issuance of the 2025 school building and site bonds, series 2, not to exceed $60,000,000; that motion passed 6–0. The staff said the issuance is one of three planned series and matches timing needs for project cash flow. Troon Law Firm was identified in the packet as counsel preparing documents related to the issuance.

Several bond-funded contracts were approved during the same meeting. Votes recorded in the meeting minutes and transcript include:
- Award to Barton Malow (contractor) for AV, cabling, access control and surveillance work and project oversight, total $2,908,353.15 — approved with no opposition. District staff said the work will cover classroom AV standardization and cabling at multiple schools, middle-school renovation AV/security, and Liberty Recreation Complex infrastructure and is expected to occur over two summers.
- Purchase order to ANICOMPS TSG for classroom document cameras, $101,007 (approx.) — approved; staff said the cameras will be installed this summer to align with the standardization project.
- Approval of Saline High School furnishing packages from multiple vendors, totaling $1,465,903.92 — approved; trustees were told an auction and donation plan will be used to dispose of retired furniture.

Why it matters: The budget amendment would adjust the district’s current-year appropriations in response to timing-driven state aid flows and program spending; trustees elected to delay adoption to give the finance committee time for a deeper review. The bond authorization and contract awards move multiple construction and technology projects forward, using voter-approved bond dollars to fund school renovations and AV/IT standardization.

What to watch: The March 11 finance committee and board review of the amendment, additional details on pension/ORS changes from the state, and implementation schedules for the bond-funded projects.

Meeting evidence: The budget presentation and Q&A by Assistant Superintendent Miranda Ousley are on the Feb. 25 meeting record; motions and roll-call results for tabling the amendment, adopting the bond resolution and approving contracts are recorded in the meeting minutes and transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Saline Area Schools: Board of Education Meeting (02.25.2025)","oneSentenceSummary","The Saline Area Schools Board of Education on Feb. 25 voted to delay a proposed 2024–25 general fund budget amendment for further review but approved a resolution authorizing 2025 school bonds up to $60,000,000 and authorized several bond-funded construction and technology contracts.","taxTitle","Saline Area Schools, School Boards, Michigan","taxId",38490,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6663062,"Saline educators press board for pay increases as contract talks move to mediation",335,161000,496000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2391552-8e685976985c1b9623238732d61f1f30&start=161&end=496","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2391552-8e685976985c1b9623238732d61f1f30/thumbnail_161000.jpg","/articles/6663062/Michigan/Saline-educators-press-board-for-pay-increases-as-contract-talks-move-to-mediation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663062-85176143ba8dea875c69e8935d001fdc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452824&Signature=FQ0Qhwt6jpOmzHVon7ExXiqXl1lEWrAKJoEro2u5pLiISFZ1~0uPaR2mQHZ6vVlht-aaRhmjWRCSwlaqqNN-yUJD-VGWJqLriZt2lfqUMIHamUGNU5oGnCEl3Dcfzf4ELE~SJH3kXUjBTqRMR7lIRqMJe8~scb8eLNGHQi6Qg2cGaO70loeoU36c9Qfdry-bywJ92uxyhXFbtvU8puM4a-vH~rq7nIXD5VVnVDQivc-WtTX4GhMsrevKqBTI4DwZw6NS5kxOyrcqhNcNuqeTHE6We0trre-t2ClhRYVZhhrLo2G8Upz02-UnGGzD4sA8mH95-jNSinVsMsxHd5zuhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bridget Corey, president of the Saline Education Association, told the Saline Area Schools Board of Education on Feb. 25 that educators in the district deserve higher pay and that the union has requested mediation after contract negotiations stalled.

Corey said the negotiated collective-bargaining agreement expired Dec. 31, 2024, and that the district's initial financial offer included no increase to the salary schedule. \"My team deserves more than just recognition. We deserve to be compensated fairly for the incredible work we do,\" she said.

The remarks came during the meeting's extended public-comment slot. Corey, who identified herself as a parent and the association president, described the district's staff as the source of students' attachment to school and said that rising inflation and health-care costs have strained many educators.

Corey said the union sought mediation with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission after bargaining with the district's new administration failed to reach agreement on salary. \"We were willing to work with [the district] and prioritize the financial stability of the district,\" she said, adding that recent state revenue changes and a reduction in the district's pension liability should be considered in talks.

Board members listened but did not take formal action on the contract at the meeting. Assistant Superintendent Miranda Ousley and other district staff were present earlier in the agenda for budget items and later answered questions from trustees about state funding and the district's finances.

Why it matters: The outcome of the bargaining process will affect staffing costs, the district's ability to recruit and retain teachers amid a statewide teacher shortage, and the district budget. The union's move to mediation signals that negotiations have reached an impasse on pay.

Meeting evidence: Corey's full remarks were presented during the public-comment portion of the Feb. 25 meeting. The Saline Education Association's request for mediation and the board's subsequent budget and contract discussions were recorded in the meeting's minutes and audio transcript.

What comes next: The union and district will appear before the Michigan Employment Relations Commission for mediation; no final contract was presented or approved at the Feb. 25 meeting.","At the Feb. 25 Saline Area Schools board meeting, Saline Education Association president Bridget Corey urged the board to secure higher pay for staff after contract talks stalled; the union has requested mediation with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6663053,"Board delays decision on who interprets 'assault' in staff-student incidents after union grievance",1898,2746000,4644000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2391552-8e685976985c1b9623238732d61f1f30&start=2746&end=4644","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2391552-8e685976985c1b9623238732d61f1f30/thumbnail_2746000.jpg","/articles/6663053/Michigan/Board-delays-decision-on-who-interprets-assault-in-staff-student-incidents-after-union-grievance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663053-f12c36b63486934f6d3b4d36b0f06bc9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770452824&Signature=ebcu6mIFq7GnHneh946UiOddhi1JQDndp74CtPfa1pGEPWmLObzhvXLegwhCWEnYiJlui5AQxLXg2DzfK4EBcEP5D7Gy-MEVDLPN2WL3kKsqhvhzeTRT1boeeTa9XdiPv6~ppK26IMp3y4TrEvCwhY95fzTNCaiIPfHRK1biLdxupaK9NEy8e7RBdkaLTOq5GGulgVRrAydg7CiHim35MkMj6IMmBytoay7RXxMpKYTlSHyGs3-3a4hYHqYvQ16hdpaOtm2HTtmT7tMwL4Jewmoh1W9BjAM5kQR1-ImRRg7mHyLZBMMcSz5J3eV3fFn-aGr6OF-aMCNwB7GZR75JOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Saline Area Schools Board of Education discussed a grievance and a proposed designation on Feb. 25 that would make the superintendent the board’s representative for interpreting the definition of \"physical assault\" in incidents involving students and staff. After extended discussion about the meaning of \"intentional\" in the legal definition and the role of IEP and disciplinary teams, trustees voted to table a decision until their March 11 meeting.

The discussion began when a board member asked the board to formally designate the superintendent as the board’s representative in determining whether an incident met the statutory definition of physical assault. The request grew out of a specific grievance filed by the Saline Education Association about staff injuries and differences over whether particular incidents were intentional.

Board members and union representatives debated two distinct questions: whether to adopt the language of the Michigan statute that defines physical assault — as discussed in the meeting, \"physical assault means intentionally causing or attempting to cause physical harm to another through force or violence\" — and who should interpret the statutory term \"intentional\" in practice. The grievance chair told trustees the union’s concern was not to rewrite the statutory definition but to clarify who decides how the definition is applied in particular incidents.

Several trustees raised procedural and due-process concerns, including whether the board should retain authority or formally delegate it to the superintendent, and whether the decision should be handled through the contract grievance process or reviewed by the policy or grievance committees. Student Representative Thomas asked for clarification about whether teams (for example, an IEP team) would still evaluate whether conduct was a manifestation of a student's disability; district leaders said that teams would continue to perform manifestation determinations and that the board or its designee would address the legal threshold of intent in staff-assault evaluations.

Trustees requested more time and information, including additional background from both the union and district legal counsel. After debate, the board voted to table the item until March 11; that motion carried (recorded vote 5–1). No change to district policy or procedure was adopted during the Feb. 25 meeting.

Why it matters: How the district defines and determines whether student behavior constitutes an intentional assault affects disciplinary outcomes, the application of IDEA and manifestation procedures, employee protections, and the grievance process between the district and the union.

What to watch: Trustees asked for more information and expected further discussion at the March 11 meeting; the union's grievance status and any procedural language changes will be the subject of follow-up meetings between the district and SEA representatives.

Meeting evidence: The transcript records extended discussion of the grievance, the legal definition quoted from Michigan statute, and the board's 5–1 vote to table the decision until the next meeting.","The Saline Area Schools board discussed a grievance over how to define and interpret \"physical assault\" in incidents involving students and staff and voted to table a proposal to designate the superintendent as the board's designee until March 11.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Saline board tables budget amendment, approves $60 million bond series and several bond-funded contracts

Saline educators press board for pay increases as contract talks move to mediation

Board delays decision on who interprets 'assault' in staff-student incidents after union grievance