School Board, Unions Pass New Contract Agreements

The Brecksville-Broadview Heights Board of Education has passed the new contracts for the Brecksville-Broadview Heights Education Association and the Brecksville-Broadview Heights Organization of Support Staff.

The board voted to pass both contracts 4-1 during its meeting Monday night at the . The unions both voted to ratify the agreements earlier on Monday.

“We’re excited to start the school year and ready to move forward,” said Brecksville-Broadview Heights Education Association spokesman Joe Zenir.

The agreements are not available at this time, but told the board that the agreements could save up to $6 million though salary and insurance components over the four years of the contract.

Update, 11:20 p.m. According to a press release from the board, both contracts are for three years, with an optional fourth year. The final contracts will be posted online.

Board member Mark Dosen was the sole dissenting vote on both agreements. He acknowledged the savings that would be made through the salary and insurance concessions, but said that because the agreements did not include a two-tier salary system, he could not support them. The district still needs to save or raise additional money, and that can only happen through higher taxes, layoffs or lower salary and benefit levels, Dosen added.
 
Board President David Tryon said he shares Dosen’s concerns, but he supported the agreements. He said he was grateful for everyone’s work toward a solution and reassured the audience that the board would move forward jointly, even though the vote was not unanimous.

It has been a volatile few months for the district, with the board calling in a and both unions . Board member Kathleen Mack said she thinks that everyone wants to see this chapter of the district’s history closed, and encouraged the community to take the passion of the past few months and put that energy toward the students.

“They will remember that we chose them over all else,” she said.