The rest of the story

As chairman of the Board of Directors of MSAD 22, I would like to respond to the recent letter (BDN, Sept. 14), from Brian Kilroy and Rolf Tallberg, two “taxpayers and parents,” attacking our entire board for its “questionable leadership.”

To begin with, the authors could have been more forthright in identifying themselves. For while they attack the board for retaining professional assistance with labor negotiations, they authors fail to disclose that they themselves are professional labor negotiators; both of them are very highly paid employees of the Maine Education Association, the union that represents employees in MSAD 22.

The fact of the matter is that these days, labor negotiations are so complicated that professional assistance on both sides of the table can be essential. The union clearly has that professional assistance: MSAD 22 employees pay in excess of $50,000 a year in dues to the Maine Education Association, and have a large staff of highly trained negotiators, attorneys and other professionals at their disposal. The board believes that our taxpayers should have access to similar resources.

Wile the authors complain about attempted “rollbacks” in connection with teacher negotiations, the fact is that teachers in MSAD 22 this year received a greater than 3 percent salary increase and maintained an exceedingly generous Blue Cross-Blue Shield health insurance plan. One hundred percent of the full family premium, costing more than $5,900 per teacher, per year, is paid for by the district. Not many taxpayers in MSAD 22 enjoy the same benefits — I know that I, for one, do not.

Contrary to the insinuations contained in the letter, the board has sought only to achieve a fair and equitable settlement with its employees. These tough economic times simply do not allow us to give our employees a blank check in terms of wages and benefits. Out of a budget of more than $12 million, nearly 73 percent goes to pay employee wages and benefits. Additionally, consider that our state subsidy in the foundation allocation in MSAD 22 is now $650,000 less than it was in fiscal year 1990 — five years ago — although we are now responsible for running two new middle schools and enrollment is up over 200 students over this five-year period. Taxpayers, and not only employees, deserve fair treatment.

Finally, let me lay to rest the notion that the board has turned over control of our schools to outsiders. Our board was elected to take into account the interests of both taxpayers and employees in maintaining the best school system possible, and we will continue to do just that. We will also continue to use professional assistance when we think it is in the best interests of our district to do so — so that not only employees, but taxpayers as well, will be professionally represented at the bargaining table. Ralph Thompson, Chairman Board of Directors MSAD 22, Hampden