Teachers, union and community press board on pay; trustees move to closed session on negotiations

Public commenters, union representatives and teachers urged the Birmingham Board of Education on Sept. 16 to restore full step increases and increase pay for instructional staff, saying the district has the revenue to do so. After a series of public comments and a board statement about audits and fund balances, trustees voted unanimously to move into closed session to continue collective-bargaining negotiations.

The public comment period opened with Amy Wagner (Commenter) criticizing the district’s transparency during bargaining and saying the union’s original proposal was “rooted in the numbers provided by your CFO.” She told trustees: “Tonight, my team will demonstrate you have money, and you should be spending it on your instructional staff.”

Scott Worrall, executive director for the union (Union executive director), told the board the district’s revenues have increased in recent years and that Birmingham has the funds to pay teachers more. Worrall summarized district-reported revenue gains and said, “That’s an additional $11,000,000 in revenue over 3 years,” citing state reports and MDE filings. He also alleged the district has a history of underestimating revenue in recent years.

Eric Springer (Commenter) told the board the union delayed economic bargaining while waiting for results of the district’s early-severance buyout and repeated the union’s demand that the district honor full step increases. Springer referenced a Michigan Court of Appeals decision and PERA (Public Employment Relations Act) language, saying failure to present full steps can constitute an unfair bargaining practice.

Several classroom teachers spoke. Stacy Gotts, a fifth-grade teacher at Bingham Farms, said she and colleagues perform many extra duties and asked the board, “Are you invested in me?” Keeley Crimando, a property owner and parent, warned that inability to retain teachers could affect property values and community quality.

The board issued a statement during the public meeting emphasizing appreciation for teachers and saying Birmingham Public Schools has “received 3 consecutive years of clean, unmodified financial audits” and maintains a fund balance within board policy. The statement said administrators presented a financial proposal on Aug. 27 and that the district is awaiting final state revenue projections while citing stalled state-level budget negotiations.

After public comment and trustee remarks, the board voted 6-0 to enter closed session for “strategy and negotiation sessions connected with the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements.” Trustee Tejani moved to go into closed session; Trustee Angeloune seconded. The chair conducted a roll-call vote; Trustees Zammit, Angeloune, Hockemer, Spencer, Tejani and Ras voted yes. The board recessed to closed session at 7:53 p.m.

Discussion versus decision: The public comment period and speakers’ claims were discussion. The only formal board action on this topic recorded in the meeting was the motion and unanimous vote to enter closed session for bargaining strategy; no compensation agreements were adopted during the open meeting.

Next steps: Trustees said they planned a closed-session bargaining meeting after the public portion. The board also noted it had provided a financial offer to the union on Aug. 27 and received a counterproposal on Sept. 11, and that negotiations would continue in closed session.