Celina board OKs contract with teachers

CELINA - Celina schoolteachers will receive a 1 percent pay increase this school year, a 2 percent raise in 2019-2020 and a 2.6 percent raise in 2020-2021.

The contract also restores step increases for those whose steps had been frozen since 2011, district treasurer Tom Sommer said. School board members on Monday unanimously approved the three-year contract with the 200-member Celina Education Association after five months of negotiations.

"We had concerns about coverage" as the district is planning to switch to a high-deductible health insurance plan from the Mercer/Auglaize Employee Benefit Trust, CEA spokesperson Steve Stewart said.

This plan has lower premiums and higher deductibles than a traditional health plan, Sommer said, noting faculty will pay 7.5 percent of the premiums. Health savings accounts also will be part of the plan.

Celina City Schools will provide $1,225 for a single plan and $2,450 for a family plan to each employee's health savings account with no match required by the employee.

Faculty members can choose whether to cancel their preferred provider plan, Sommer said. Employees with this plan will pay a premium of 15 percent, effective Jan. 1, and 20 percent the following year for single and family coverage.   

Union members attending the meeting applauded after the contract was approved. Negotiations chairperson Annie Homan thanked the board for coming to an agreement.

"It took a while to find some common ground, but it was good to work with them," Stewart added.

Board president Matt Gilmore echoed Stewart's comments, saying he understands the association's concerns.

In other action, board members rejected a 12-year, 100 percent tax abatement requested by Mid America Properties of New Bremen, which plans to construct a 56-unit apartment complex at 1400 Meadowview Drive.

Member Carl Huber said the project wouldn't create any new jobs and noted that applicant Andy Charlson of New Bremen didn't want to give the district a payment in lieu of taxes, although the district usually asks for the equivalent of 10 mills.

Sommer presented the district's five-year forecast, predicting deficit spending for the foreseeable future. By the end of fiscal year 2019, which ends June 30, expenses will exceed revenues by $2.445 million. In five years, he said the deficit will increase to $8.663 million if current levies are not renewed and no new income is generated.

Gilmore said the board will work with Sommer and superintendent Ken Schmiesing to come up with a plan to reduce deficit spending.

Voters last year approved replacing the 0.75 percent earned income levy with a 1 percent levy, effective Jan. 1. However, Sommer said the district won't get the full benefit of the increase until 2020.

Two of the district's biggest expenses are personnel services and employee benefits, making up 52 percent and 24 percent of general expenditures, respectively, he said.

Board members also,

• approved the retirements of maintenance employees Carey Huston with 40 years of service, and George Bruggeman with 36 years of service, both effective on Dec. 31; high school chemistry teacher David Scott after 27 years of service, effective at the end of the school year; and high school family and consumer science teacher Michelle Langmeyer after six years of service, also effective at the end of the school year.

• accepted the following donations: $10,000 from Midwest Logistics System to help purchase a new athletic van, $1,440 from the Mercer County Civic Foundation for Dayton Children's Hospital toy drive, $1,000 from the Grand Lake Volleyball Club to help with the new volleyball poles, $1,000 from Iona Hoffman to high school academic art program, $804 from the Mercer County Civic Foundation for the TEAMS Competition and $500 from the Women of the Moose 388 to be used to pay off student debt and help with students in need.

• met in executive session to discuss compensation and to meet with an attorney concerning disputes involving the public body that are subject to pending or imminent court action. No action was taken after the session.