Board reviews terms of three-year teachers'union deal; ratification moved, Selectmen review required
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Summary
Board heard highlights of a three-year contract between the Simsbury Board of Education and the Simsbury Education Association covering 07/01/2026'06/30/2029 (approx. 13.03% total increase); a motion to ratify was moved and seconded and staff said the agreement will next go to the Board of Selectmen per state statute.
Board leadership walked members through the main terms of a proposed three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Simsbury Education Association and put a motion on the table to ratify the contract for the period July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029.
A board presenter summarized high-level financial elements: an overall increase of about 13.03% across the three years, with larger increases concentrated at the top of the scale (3.4% in year one, 3.4% in year two, 3.5% in year three according to the presentation). The agreement includes a gradual increase in teachers' contribution to the health-insurance premium from roughly 21% currently to about 22.5% by the contract's end; stipends (coaching, advisers) would receive a 2.5% increase, and the professional hourly rate used for summer or curriculum work would rise by $1 per hour.
The presenter also described a modest enhancement to retiree benefits designed to assist employees who retire before Medicare eligibility and corrected an enrollment/eligibility wording issue for life and long-term disability sign-ups. The district said the teachers ratified the agreement and that it now must be presented to the Board of Selectmen, which, under state law, can act on it in December; if the Selectmen fail to act the contract can become effective or may send the parties back to arbitration, depending on statutory mechanics noted by staff.
A board member moved to ratify the proposed changes and another seconded. The transcript does not record a roll-call or recorded tally for that ratification motion during this meeting. Board members thanked negotiators and teachers for reaching an agreement and asked staff to bring the item to the Board of Selectmen as the next statutory step.
Staff emphasized that while the contract has been ratified by teachers, the town-level process and debt-service modeling will determine the town's ultimate scheduling and financing choices if the agreement is approved by all necessary bodies.
