Negaunee Public Schools
November 19, 2007
Minutes of the
Regular Meeting of the Board of Education, Negaunee Public Schools, City of
Negaunee, County of Marquette, and State of Michigan, held on November 19,
2007, at the Negaunee High School Library.
Members Present:
Fae Collins, Dan Hintsala, Virginia Paulson, Martin Renaldi, Dave Rice and
Martin Saari
Member
Absent: Osmond T. Kemp
Administrators
Present:
James Derocher,
Superintendent
Bob Bonetti,
High School Principal
Dan Skewis,
Middle School Principal
Joe Meyskens,
Lakeview Elementary School Principal
Mary Kay
Johnson, Administrative Aide for Finance
Julie Dompierre,
Recording Secretary
85. The meeting
was called to order by President Martin Renaldi at 7:00 p.m.
86. A quorum of
the board was established.
87. Motion
by F. Collins, supported by M. Saari, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried 6-0.
88. Public
Comment:
Gerald Anderson, Band Director, discussed how changes in the
girlsÕ and boysÕ winter sports has also affected the schedule for the
band. The band members will now
play at 5 boys and 5 girls basketball games. He also passed out a schedule of upcoming band performances
to the Board.
89. Motion by
V. Paulson, supported by D. Rice, to approve the minutes of the
regular meeting held on October 15, 2007. Motion carried 6-0.
90. Motion
by D. Rice, supported by D. Hintsala, to approve the Consent Items as
presented. Motion carried 6-0.
91. Payment of
Bills and Financial Reports:
A. Motion
by D. Rice, supported by V. Paulson, to approve the payment of bills totaling
$639,601.85. Motion carried 6-0.
B. Motion
by F. Collins, supported by D. Hintsala, to approve the Financial Report from
the Administrative Aide for Finance, Mary Kay Johnson. Motion carried 6-0.
92. Written
reports were received from the Community Education Director, and the High
School Athletic Director. Oral
reports were received from Bob Bonetti, High School Principal, Dan Skewis,
Middle School Principal, Joe Meyskens, Lakeview Elementary School Principal,
and Superintendent Derocher.
93. Correspondence
- None
94. Old
Business:
A. Aaron
Grove, the Wolgast Project Manager, updated the Board on the Lakeview School
construction project. A brief
question and answer session followed.
The Board thanked Aaron for his support with the addition. No action necessary.
B. Superintendent
Derocher informed the Board that
he and Mary Kay Johnson had meet with Superintendent Piereson, and his Business
Manger, in order to discuss the consolidation of business services between the
Negaunee and Ishpeming School District.
Superintendent Derocher explained that software is being reviewed to
make any consolidation of services more practical. A brief question and answer period followed. No action necessary.
95. New
Business:
A. Superintendent
Derocher informed the Board that John Blemberg, Auditor, from the firm of Anderson, Tackman and Company,
P.L.C. would be at the December Board meeting to review the 2006-07 audit, which
the Board received in the November Board packet. No action necessary.
B. Motion
by D. Hintsala, supported by F. Collins,
to pass the resolution to hold a Public Hearing on December 17, 2007, at
6:30 p.m., before the regular Board meeting, to designate the general election
date. Roll call vote 6 ayes, 0
nays. Motion carried.
C. The
Board held the first reading of the following Board Policy
revisions/updates: 2421, 5136,
5460, 5540, 7440, and 9211. The
Board discussed policy number 5136 Cell Phones and Electronic Communication
Devices. They asked that
Superintendent Derocher review this policy further. No action necessary at this time.
D. Superintendent Derocher discussed the
fall parent-teacher conference reports.
No action necessary.
E. Superintendent
Derocher reviewed the number of School of Choice students with the Board. A brief question and answer period
followed. No action necessary.
F. Coleen
Allen, MESPA President, addressed the Board concerning a Seniority Class Action
Grievance. Ms. Allen stated that
two employees were not given their seniority on the list (per page 30 in the
MESPA Contract.) She indicated
that these individuals were awarded retirement hours but did not advance on
both classification lists, even though they worked 1,020 hours. She stated that this concern was
brought up at contract negations.
Ms. Allen said that Kelly Ball worked 229 hours as a
Non-instructional Aide, however, she did not advance on the Non-instructional
Aide Seniority list. Ms. Allen indicated
that these hours were not recorded.
She also said that Kelly Ball and Mary Smith have worked full time in
the past and they had advanced at the same rate on the seniority list. However, Lori Carlson was hired at the
same time as Kelly and she is now shown higher on the listing. She stated that the language on the
contract had not changed since 2002, but she was not involved in previous
negations. At this point Bonnie
Stott, Aide/Union Representative, was consulted concerning past negations.
President Renaldi asked how is the seniority level determined when
employees are hired on different dates of the same year? Coleen said that seniority is
determined by birth dates.
President Renaldi asked if that would be considered age
discrimination? He then again
checked with Coleen concerning the lost 229 hours. She confirmed that seniority was not given on the seniority
list for these hours, which is how
Lori passed Kelly on the list.
Coleen passed out documentation, to the Board, concerning the seniority
list. Coleen said that due to the
start time of school, that some of
the Aides are losing 15 minutes each day.
Coleen also stated that Mary Smith's Non-instructional time has not
changed on the seniority list since 1991. Marty Saari said the seniority list
was clearly distinguished between the two classifications.
Superintendent Derocher confirmed, with the union, what contract
language they were actually disputing.
Was it Article 11 Section IB 4?
Ted O'Dell, MESPA Union Respective, said yes. Superintendent Derocher then addressed the Board regarding
the 229 hours that seniority was not received on. He stated that the hours were reported to the retirement
system. Superintendent Derocher
explained that the contract language is very clear on this issue. Seniority is only accrued on a position
if 10 hours or more are worked per week. Superintendent Derocher said that contract language
states if 1020 hours are not reached seniority is prorated in the primary
classification. Superintendent Derocher
also confirmed that the 1020 hours worked was used to calculate the employeeÕs
step in determining their rate of pay per Section II. Fae Collins questioned why the difference between Lori
Carlson and Kelly Ball?
Superintendent Derocher said that Lori had accrued more hours in
her primary classification. He
explained that the Aides hours are set before the school year on the
PrincipalÕs recommendation. However,
hours are subject to change.
Superintendent Derocher said that the Aides are to mark their timecards
indicating in what classification the hours are being accumulated. These cards are approved by the
building Principals and reviewed by Sue Koskey, Payroll Clerk.
Coleen indicated that Aides were not given a work schedule of
Instructional and Non-instructional hours. She feels that teaching begins when the Aides walk through
the door. Superintendent Derocher
stated that according to contract language Article 3 states that management has
the ability to change the work assignments of employees. Mr. Meyskens, at the beginning of the
school year, had informed the Superintendent that the 15 minutes before school
started would not fall into the Instructional Aide Classification. Coleen said
the unionÕs interpretation of the contract language is that the secondary job
classification will receive seniority no matter how many hours are worked in
that classification. Marty Saari
commented that contract language is understood by what is actually written and
is not to be interpreted. Dan
Hintsala commented that the administration and union cannot interpret the
language but must follow what is actually written. Coleen said that the union feels that the seniority list
should be changed because the way it stands someone may lose their job.
Motion by D. Hintsala, supported by F. Collins, to deny changing
the Seniority List - Grievance #1.
Motion carried 6-0.
Grievance #2 - MESPA - Mileage Issue - Coleen Allen informed the
Board that past practice, for a Secretary, was to pay that individual for
travel reimbursement between buildings.
She indicated that when an Instructional Aide had requested travel
reimbursement she was denied. The
union believes that a precedent had been set because of this payment.
Superintendent Derocher stated that, yes, in error, this employee
was reimbursed. However, mistakes
happen and the contract does not stipulate any payments for employees traveling
between buildings. Ted OÕDell
stated by virtue of past practice a precedence was set. President Renaldi asked if this was
done twice was it considered a past practice? Ted OÕDell said yes, it would stand in arbitration. Coleen stated that an Instructional
Aide had traveled between buildings and she was not reimbursed. Bonnie Stott, staff member/union
representative, stated that 3 Instructional Aides had submitted mileage
reimbursements and had been denied. Superintendent Derocher stated that the
administration can assign work between buildings and has the right to do so per
the contract language. He stated
that the payment to the Secretary was an error and had denied the
payment to the Instructional Aide on June 8th and he had not heard
anything until another Aide filed this grievance 149 days later. He also said that teachers have been
denied travel reimbursement between buildings because they had failed to submit
their travel reimbursement requests in a timely basis and in the same school
year. Superintendent Derocher
explained that he feels the union is trying to receive benefits that were not
negotiated into the contract language.
Fae Collins asked why a grievance had not been filed sooner if
these expenses were for the last school year. Coleen stated that the employee contacted the main office
but was told that Marcia was on sick leave. She also said that the employee was told the reimbursement
checks were issued each quarter.
When Coleen was asked, by the Board, who told her about the quarterly
reimbursement she said the Secretary who was receiving the reimbursement told
her. This was not stated by anyone
in administration.
Motion by M. Saari, supported by V. Paulson, to deny Grievance
#2. Motion carried 6-0.
G. Motion
by F. Collins, supported by M. Saari, to approve the following Schedule B
positions as follows:
Gymnastics: Assistant Coach Kaitlin Pietila
Volunteer
Coach Kristin
Pietila
Cheerleading: JV Coach Maryann Johnson
Volunteer
Advisor Jodi
Mattson
JV
GirlÕs Basketball: Volunteer
Coach Mary Ellen
(Poutanen)
Charbonneau
Assistant
Hockey Coach: Todd
Beauchamp
Motion carried 6-0.
H. Motion
by M. Saari, supported by D. Rice, to hire Tomas Talsma as a Bus Driver. Motion carried 4-2.
I.
Superintendent
Derocher informed the Board that he had received a resignation letter from
Jamie Skewis, District Nurse, and he has posted the position in the Mining
Journal. Also, a letter of retirement was received
from Judy Wiig, a High School Teacher, she will resign at the beginning of the
second semester. Her position will
be filled by a long-term substitute teacher. No action necessary.
96. Public
Comment - None
97. Other
Business - None
98.
Motion by
D. Rice, supported by D. Hintsala, to adjourn the meeting at 9:49. Motion carried 6-0.
_________________________ _________________________
Martin Renaldi, President Virginia Paulson, Secretary