School Committee prepares to vote (L-R: Buddemeyer, Levesque, Carpender, Wedge, Cortvriend. Not pictured: Heaney. Absent: Wilkey.)

With a unanimous vote, the Portsmouth School Committee ratified a one-year contract that limited teachers to pre-existing step increases, with only those in the top salary band receiving an raise of 3.1%. In exchange, teachers saw a doubling in the face value of life insurance from $25 to $50K, and elementary and middle school staff will get two personal days.

"I want to thank [NEA president] Carroll Feather and [VP] Michelle Beaulieu for their willingness to work with school committee," said Finance committee chair Dick Carpender. "That went a long way toward getting this done."

President Feather noted that the agreement had strong support from the union. "The teachers overwhelmingly approved this one-year extension," she told the committee, and said that she was very satisfied that "We dealt with a financial picture that was grim in a realistic way. Thank you for having this settled in March."

The change to the steps will raise the pay rate for the most junior teachers (Step 1) from $36,469 to $39,497, which was the old Step 2. All other steps move up similarly, with the only actual increase being Step 10 teachers, who currently max out at $68,940 receiving a 3.1% increase to $71,077.

Carpender said one of the keys to the accord was agreeing that this was not a year where either side would request any permanent structural changes, and praised the NEA's flexibility. "We started discussions informally, without attorney or business agent," he said, "I want to compliment the union for recognizing that this would be a difficult year."

Part of the contract was an agreement by the NEA to withdraw a grievance over the state-mandated increase in school day length, a process which could have resulted in protracted and expensive litigation; also included is clarification of the insurance policy to clearly exclude coverage for retirees. Considering that cost of living increases on all the steps alone would have amounted to almost $200K, and that litigation could have added another $400K, this was clearly a most reasonable contract.

"In addition," said Carpender, since this is just a one-year contract rollover, "We have a handshake agreement with the union to begin addressing the following year in October or November. And given the spirit of cooperation and trust we have, I'm sure it will come to a positive end."

Superintendent Susan Lusi also thanked Feather and Beauleiu, and stressed the value of a short-term contract at this point in time, "This one-year agreement is advantageous for the school district, the union, and the community. Given the current financial position of our state, it will give us chance to look where we are at next year, as well as incorporate the results of the performance audit which we will receive in mid-April."

Even PCC, Inc. President Larry Fitzmorris could barely find fault. He tried to complain that the total contract cost was actually increasing by 5.26%, when under the Paiva-Weed tax cap, they should have been limited this year to "4.75%."

"Actually, it's 5% this year," said Dr. Lusi helpfully. (Actually, it's irrelevant; the percentage applies to the overall increase and Larry bloody well knows it.)

"Thanks, Dr. Lusi," said Larry. "I was studying something in the future." How brittle must someone be if they can't even admit they misspoke? I mean, how much face would he lose if he just said, oh, yeah, you're right. I got that mixed up for a minute. But no. It has to be "I was studying something in the future." Hey Larry, how about studying some point in the future where you learn to admit a mistake. Just a friendly suggestion. Maybe Joe Lieberman can whisper it in your ear.

Larry picked briefly and, it seemed to me, perfunctorily, and left immediately after the School Committee meeting. There's no fat on the school budget anymore, and very little muscle tissue left, which may be why the PCC has spent so much time trying to gin up issues over at the Council.

There was a Finance subcommittee meeting that followed, and the news there was nowhere near as pleasant. Suffice it to say that no matter how good the teacher contract is, the escalating cost of energy (and its multiplier effect on all other costs) combined with a hard cap on increases is putting the committee in a place where some difficult choices will have to be made. But we'll hear all about that next Tuesday, when the final version of the budget is presented to the School Committee.

For tonight, I just want to join in thanking the NEA, the School Department, and the Committee for showing that it is possible to work together, even in this tough economic climate, and come up with a solution that is fair and reasonable. We are very fortunate as a community to have the folks we have in these positions.

We have a contract. And this year, especially, that is something to celebrate. Thank you, all.