Munster holds public hearing on 2025 teacher collective bargaining; public comment limited to listening session

The School Town of Munster Board of Trustees opened a public hearing Aug. 12 to receive testimony on the 2025 teacher collective bargaining process required by state law, and officials stressed the session was for comment only with no responses or board action. Mr. Trippenfeldis, a district staff member who explained the process to the board, cited Indiana Code Title 20, Article 29, Chapter 6, Section 1 and said formal negotiations “begin on September 15 and conclude no later than 11/15/2025.” He told attendees that if the district and the Munster Teachers Association reach a tentative agreement, the board will present a summary at a public meeting, post the tentative agreement on the district website and, after at least 72 hours, hold a second meeting where the board may vote with public comment allowed before that vote. The superintendent, Doctor Hicks, and the Munster Teachers Association representative, Larry Hotzinger, co‑hosted the hearing, and officials emphasized that the hearing was a listening session. "This public hearing is only for the purpose of hearing public comment and testimony regarding collective bargaining. There will be no response from either party," Trippenfeldis said. During the hearing one parent addressed the board. "Teachers deserve a raise," the parent, Miss Dimockchak, said, adding that teachers’ pay has not kept pace with rising insurance costs and that newer hires are sometimes paid near the same level as mid‑career staff. Officials also told the public that if the district and teachers do not ratify a contract by November, the parties must follow impasse procedures under state law and the state employment relations board. Board action at the Aug. 12 meeting was limited to opening and then closing the public hearing; both motions passed on voice votes that carried 4‑0. The district provided instructions for public comment: comments on action items must be submitted by noon the day of the meeting; general public comment requires signing an index card with name and topic at the start of the meeting; individual remarks are limited to three minutes and each public comment section is capped at 30 minutes. No tentative agreement was presented at the hearing, and the board took no policy action on bargaining at the meeting.