ELLSWORTH — Negotiators for Ellsworth teachers and the School Committee met Thursday to hammer out a new teachers contract, and they found they still were far apart on salary and insurance issues.

During the meeting, Phil Sawyer, chief negotiator for the teachers, suggested that the parties hold their next negotiating session Sept. 23, to capitalize on Gov. John R. McKernan’s visit to Hancock County. The administrative negotiating team, Tom MacDonald of the Ellsworth School Committee and Superintendent Bruce Sawyer, did not oppose the move.

McKernan has made overtures to the city to hold his next Capital for a Day in Ellsworth. Phil Sawyer suggested that the governor be invited to attend the session so he could observe the process firsthand. He said the governor had embraced the format of open negotiations, and it might be useful to make the governor a part of the process.

Although the two sides still are far apart, they continued to talk. Thursday’s session was the fifth since the parties agreed to open the talks to the public. Such open meetings are a first for Ellsworth, and a rarity in the rest of the state.

In August, the teachers team rejected an offer of across-the-board $750 raises for each of the next two years, and countered with a proposal for 4.15 percent increases in each of those years and step increases the second year. Phil Sawyer based the figure on a 3 percent cost-of-living increase, and a 1.5 percent increase to cover the increased contributions teachers must pay next year to the state retirement system.

During that meeting, MacDonald and the superintendent countered with an offer of 3 percent across-the-board raises for the 1993-94 and 1994-95 school years, with no step increases. In addition, the school system would have paid 50 percent of any increase in health insurance costs the second year. Teachers would still be expected to contribute $100 toward their coverage for 1993-94.

When the two sides met Thursday evening in the library at Ellsworth High School, the teachers rejected the board’s offer and presented yet another counterproposal.

This time, the teachers asked for a 3.5 percent across-the-board raise, with no step increase during 1993-94, and an additional 3.5 percent increase for 1994-95 in all pay categories, with the proviso that all eligible teachers would progress to the next step in their classification. They rejected any increase in teacher insurance contributions for those years.

On the question of a reduction in force, the Ellsworth Education Association offered its own language: “Any teacher who loses their position due to a reduction in force based upon financial and program considerations shall be rehired, for such or similar position for which he or she is appropriately certified, should such position be reopened within a two-year period of time.”

The administrative team countered with minor changes to the language that included a reduction of the hire-back period to one year.

On the issue of course reimbursement, the EEA asked for an increase in the maximum pay from $400 to $500.

During their discussion, both sides offered their philosophies on how teachers should be paid and how the school board arrived at its offer. Each side then caucused and when they returned, the administrative team agreed to set $500 as the maximum for course reimbursement.

On the salary issue, MacDonald and the superintendent’s new offer was a 3 percent salary increase each of the two years, with no step progression; and no $100 insurance contribution. The proposal still required the teachers to pay 50 percent of any insurance premium increase.

MacDonald said the demand that teachers share the cost of any increase in insurance premiums was an economy move. He said the Maine Teachers Association continually added benefits to the insurance policy, and additional teacher contributions might encourage teachers to pressure the MTA for a more realistic insurance package.

After another caucus, the teachers team rejected all the points in the administration’s offer except the increase in course reimbursement.