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CSEA representative urges board to reverse 'zeros' offer, cites surplus and aid increase
Summary
A Civil Service Employees Association official told the board the district proposed zero raises for three noninstructional units covering three years and urged trustees to reconsider in light of claimed unassigned fund balance and higher-than-budgeted state aid.
Liam Russert, identified in the transcript as the region director for the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), used the meeting’s public-comment period to press the Board of Education on contract negotiations for several noninstructional units.
Russert said three units have been without a contract for three years and that, he said, the board or board direction was proposing to give them “zeros” for those years. “They were out for 3 years, and we were so close to completing a contract, but we're being told that the board doesn't wanna give them anything for the last 3 years, that it's a board direction to give them zeros,” Russert said.
He urged trustees to reconsider, arguing the district is no longer in fiscal distress and pointing to what he described as an abundance of unassigned funds. “There is an abundance of money that is unassigned in the general fund. Over $8,000,000 from year to year. And this year, they actually got a hell of a lot more in state aid than they had budgeted for… foundation aid alone… is over $11,000,000,” Russert said. He added the district received “over $6,000,000 more than what they budgeted for” in state aid, according to his remarks.
Russert asked the board to meet with the union and reconsider the zero-offer approach. He framed his appeal as concern for members who worked through the COVID period and said administration did not receive zeros while represented noninstructional employees were being asked to accept no increases.
The public-comment clock limited speakers to three minutes; the transcript records Russert’s assertions but does not show a board vote or a formal response at the meeting. The board adjourned following public input.
Why it matters: Contract settlements affect employee compensation, district labor relations and budget plans. Russert’s remarks included specific financial figures as statements by a union representative; those figures were recorded in public comment and are presented here as claimed by the speaker, not as verified district accounting.
