HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 09-15 Board indicates fringe too high on proposal THE REVIEW indicates eqr
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by Scott Carlson groups are already in the middle of a percent, with full payment of insurance.
contract period and are receiving similar If the district paid a maximum of $30 a
A one year contract proposal between coverage. month on single hospital and health care
the North St. Paul-Maplewood school Gauvin, who brought the proposal insurance along with a maximum of$70 a
board and its principals association is before the board after he informed the month on family coverage the total
hung up on payment of fringe benefits. principals he had no further latitude to package would entail a 5.3 percent in-
The board,at its meeting last Thursday bargain, warned that the principals may crease.
night, indicated that it can not go along seek mediation if the proposal is rejected. While not dissatisfied with the actual
for paying in full the principals' health The principals' package would increase salary increase, the board pulled in its
and hospital insurance. Board negotiator salaries by an average of five percent, reins on the fringe coverages.
Donald Gauvin, assistant superintendent add two extra days of vacation and Board Chairman Art Meyer indicated
for personnel, reported that the require the district to pay in full fringe that the board will be hard-pressed to
premiums for these coverages alone will benefits, explain such healthy insurance premiums
equal$1,100 annually for each employee. The top salary,which would be paid to a for employees to the public while
Although he advocated board approval senior high principal, is proposed at programs are cut.
of the principals' proposal as a "fair $31,300 with the low end of the scale at "The per capita income(in the district)
salary proposal", Gauvin admitted that $26,800. The total district expenditure in isn't as high and the value of homes is
the $1100 figure for health and hospital salaries would equal about $510,000 with considerably lower," Meyer remarked.
insurance is a sobering indication of another $26,000 to $30,000 in fringe "These are the people the board is talking
rising insurance rates. benefits, depending on whether the to daily."
During its discussion, the board con- district pays for partial or total coverage. Board member B.J. Haak seemed to
;idered the possibility of cutting back the In a prior meeting, Gauvin told the agree.She said that all the people who are
'verage entirely but later concluded that board that principals in the district are unemployed or who may have sick kids
'would be unfair since some employee somewhat underpaid with those of can't always protect themselves with
• 1 I surrounding districts. But he admitted insurance. At the same time she
that such a straight line comparison is not recognized the district's obligation to its
entirely valid. employees.
"It's a dilemma but it's time we start
And at last Thursday's meeting,Gauvin being honest about it publicly," Haak
noted that the figures are affected by said.
longevity. A recent settlement in White The board, by consensus, instructed
Bear Lake,he said,came in at 6.7 percent Gauvin to negotiate for partial payment
overall. of fringe benefits.It also instructed him to
The District 622 settlement would be 5.8 not agree to two extra vacation days.