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Board reviews four‑year contract offer for non‑instructional administrators amid pushback over pay increases
Summary
Administrators described a negotiated four‑year contract (July 2026–June 2030) for five non‑instructional administrators with 4% annual raises and phased employee insurance contributions; several board members and commenters said they wanted comparables and arbitration‑risk analysis before approval given town budget uncertainty.
District negotiators summarized a proposed four‑year contract covering a small unit of non‑instructional administrators (five positions) that includes a 4% salary increase in each year of the contract, phased up employee contributions for health benefits, and additional language aligning sick‑time and insurance options with other administrative agreements.
Mr. Diaz, reporting the agreement, said the contract life would run July 2026 through June 30, 2030, and noted the negotiating team reviewed comparables in neighboring districts. The proposed cost‑sharing schedule starts at 0% in year one and increases by 0.25 percentage points in years two, three and four. Mr. Diaz said negotiators aimed to keep pay scales competitive for positions that include technology, plant operations, food service and security oversight.
Several board members and members of the public expressed concern about approving a multi‑year package while the town is finalizing its budget after a property revaluation. "I can't buy into a 4% for four years, 16% with the current fiscal situation in this town," one board member said during the discussion, calling the total increase hard to justify in the current environment. Dr. Gail Stanley asked for broader context, noting other public employees have different COLA and step schedules and requested facts about prevailing adjustments in comparable public‑sector contracts.
Board members requested additional documentation before any final vote: minimum and maximum salary ranges for each affected position, the comparable district data used in negotiations, and an assessment of the district’s odds in arbitration should the board reject the negotiated terms and the unit pursue impasse procedures. Several board members also cautioned that legal and arbitration costs could offset savings from contesting a bargained settlement.
Administrators said the due diligence in comparables was performed and that legal counsel reviewed contract language; they recommended returning with the requested comparables and arbitration analysis at a subsequent meeting. No binding vote on the contract was recorded at this meeting; board members directed staff to provide the additional materials.
