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District declares impasse with teachers' association, board authorizes mediation
Summary
After months of negotiations, the board unanimously adopted a resolution declaring an impasse and authorized entering mediation with the Blaine County Education Association to finalize the master agreement.
The Blank County School District No. 61 board voted on June 9 to declare an impasse in bargaining and to proceed to mediation to finalize the master agreement with the Blaine County Education Association (BCEA).
Superintendent Fatty told trustees the district and BCEA had made substantial progress over several months of bargaining but agreed a third-party mediator could help finalize remaining items. Legal counsel advised the board that a formal resolution declaring an impasse would be the appropriate next step to pave the way for mediation.
A motion to approve proceeding with mediation was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote. Administration said both sides recommended the same mediation provider and that the district would work with legal counsel to schedule mediation sessions. Trustees also discussed reissuing employment contracts over the summer; staff cautioned that finalized bargaining outcomes could require reissued contracts if salary steps or lanes change.
What happens next: The superintendent and legal counsel will engage the agreed mediator, schedule sessions and return to the board with a mediation timeline and any necessary board-level decisions following mediation outcomes.
