News

November 13, 2009

Crestwood, teachers sign 5-year contract

The new pact features a saving on health care costs, the board president says.

RALPH NARDONE Times Leader Correspondent

Officials of the Crestwood School District and the teachers association inked their new contract at Thursday night’s meeting.

According to both sides, the five-year pact represents a favorable agreement that resulted from negotiations that started back in April of this year.

“We’re all smiling,” said board treasurer and negotiator Gene Mancini.

Board President Jerry Orloski and teachers union head Joe Chmiola signed the official copies of the agreement at the end of the regular meeting. The contract goes until August of 2014.

Orloski said some adjustments were made in the contract language, but overall it holds the line on salaries for the first year and also saves approximately $25,000 annually in health-care premiums.

Mancini said the addition of competitive health care coverage providers is what drove the savings. The current provider, Blue Cross of Northeast Pennsylvania, made some concessions once the teachers started talking to Geisinger Health Plan representatives, he said.

Chmiola emphasized the goal of the negotiations from the beginning was to put together an agreement that resolved any potential conflicts between the teachers and district. That goal was accomplished, he said, without any strikes or other measures.

In other business, the board will evaluate a request to extend the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Law status for another five years to the Fabri-Kal company.

Doug Barbacci, representative from KT Holdings, advised the board the company’s plans to invest $20 million and consolidate its work force will result in up to 350 additional jobs.

He added the tax assistance status will provide an incentive for them to invest the money in the company’s Crestwood Industrial Park location. The company is looking at several other locations that are all vying for the expansion, he said.

He said the tax assistance program will forgive 50 percent of the company’s school taxes, approximately $90,000 annually.

Mancini asked how soon an answer was needed, to which Barbacci replied “as soon as possible.” The company’s decision on which facility will expand hinges on what the board will say.

No estimate as to when the decision will be made was given Thursday night.

Superintendent Dave McLaughlin-Smith said goodbye to two board members who lost their seats in the most recent election. Jack Williams, who served for 32 years on the board, and Bill Thomas, who served eight years, were valuable to the district through all the “good, bad and ugly,” McLaughlin-Smith said.

He welcomed newcomers Norb Dotzel and Martin Behm.

Thomas said he believes the district improved over the eight years of his time on the board.

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