School board ratifies contract

SAUGUS – The School Committee took all of five minutes to ratify a total five-year contract for the Saugus Educators Association Thursday in what was one of the quickest negotiations in the last six years.Superintendent Keith Manville said not only was the negotiation quick, it was smooth.”I think a new tone has been set for a new relationship or a re-established relationship with the SEA and the School Department with the way negotiations went,” he said.The last two contracts were settled only after months of contentious and flat out ugly negotiations.”The last two or three contracts were so divisive and upsetting,” Manville said. “I really do feel there is a different atmosphere about the relationship with the SEA and the School Department. There are other things we can discuss without the contract hanging over us. We can look at some really innovative things with the SEA. That’s exciting.”While the contract is for a total of five years, the board actually voted two contracts, one for two years and one for three. Manville explained that the only contract in the district that can exceed three years is the superintendent’s. Therefore the board had to vote two contracts.”That’s not unique to Saugus,” he added, “a lot of districts have been doing it.”The contract was ratified, however, without the vote of School Committee Chairman Debra Panetta. Panetta said on the advice of Town Counsel as well as her employer’s attorney she was forced to recuse herself.Panetta works for Tufts Healthcare, which is one of the plans offered under the state’s Group Insurance Commission and she has been working on the request for proposals specifically for the GIC. She said since the SEA’s contract was linked to the GIC she was told she could not vote on the issue.SEA President Russ Brandwein said he was pleased not only with the contract but the negotiation process as well.”It sets a platform so people involved in education can work toward issues confronting the schools,” he said. “Working together is what we’re supposed to be doing-to rebuild the schools.”As for his satisfaction with the terms Brandwein said, “let me just say the members voted overwhelmingly for it.”The terms include a 2.75 increase each year for the next five years with an additional 1 percent raise on the last day of the fifth year.School Committee member Christine Wilson was quick to point out that Town Manager Andrew Bisignani helped negotiate the contract.”And assurances were made by the Town Manager in regards to funding and sustainability,” she said.Brandwein said it’s stability he was glad to see within the contract.”I’m glad to have stability to look forward to for the next five years,” he said.Manville said he has yet to work out the total cost of the contract but he expected board members and SEA officials to formally sign the document next week.