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Board directs superintendent to seek settlement with teachers’ union before arbitration amid coach shortage
Summary
Following public comment from the WBEA president about an outstanding grievance and concerns about coach recruitment, the board directed the superintendent to discuss a potential settlement with the WBEA before a scheduled arbitration hearing; the motion passed on a roll-call vote.
After public comment from the president of the Woodhaven-Brownstown Education Association urging the board to reconsider an outstanding grievance, board members discussed the case and the district’s lack of a varsity baseball coach. On Jan. 14 the board voted to direct the superintendent to discuss a potential settlement with the WBEA prior to the arbitration hearing.
Sue Neely, WBEA president, addressed the board during the hearing-of-the-public portion and urged the new board to rehear and reconsider the Corrie Farner grievance at the Jan. 28 meeting. Neely said the ongoing grievance and the anticipation of arbitration were draining district funds and staffing stability, and she raised broader concerns about the district’s reputation for how coaches are treated, teacher departures and student loss when labor disputes escalate.
Board members framed two considerations during discussion: the need to follow established grievance procedures to preserve consistency and legal compliance, and the practical impacts of a prolonged arbitration on athletics. Several board members said the baseball program faced immediate harm from the vacancy: the current schedule listed 23 games this year in lieu of a typical 38-game schedule, the season was starting in less than two months, and district officials said there were no qualified candidates for the varsity position at the time of the meeting. Administrators confirmed the position remained posted and that arbitration scheduling with the American Arbitration Association would proceed in parallel unless the parties agreed otherwise.
Board member Michael (Mister) Dobek moved — and Mrs. Thorney seconded — a motion directing the superintendent to discuss a settlement with the WBEA prior to the arbitration hearing. The motion passed on a roll-call vote recorded at the meeting. The board recorded five yes votes and one recorded opposition; the motion passed and the superintendent was authorized to pursue settlement discussions with the union, with any settlement returned to the full board for approval.
