This week, Manatee County School District Superintendent Tim McGonegal made some very critical statements regarding two school board members who voted against a pay cut and healthcare premium increase for district teachers. One of those board members, Julie Aranibar, discusses the reasons for her recent vote in this special guest editorial.

Before sharing the reasons for my vote at Wednesday's impasse meeting, I think it would be helpful to explain the process a bit. The discussions in our executive sessions, which the superintendent is referring to in terms of our previous unanimous agreement, are based only on facts presented on the table at that time. We do not keep any notes from those meetings, and any materials that we see at that time are left on the table when we leave. We are told that we cannot discuss what is said in executive sessions. No votes or even minutes are taken, unlike in public meetings, where I can discuss what happens and answer as to my recorded votes.

In these executive sessions, we are supposed to be given information from both sides at bargaining. In this case, it would have been the MEA (our teachers' union) that was meeting with assistant superintendent Scott Martin once impasse was declared. Scott Martin sits in on our executive sessions and presents information from both sides. If that exchange does not happen effectively, we can hear information for the first time at an impasse meeting. Also, other information can come to light in the interim between the last executive session and the impasse meeting. The point is, there are multiple reasons why the vote at the end of the impasse meeting might be unexpected, even after a series of executive sessions, none of which are "political."

The superintendent's position has been that there is nothing left to cut, and all salaries must to be reduced. When the Magistrate's decision came down, he clearly tied pay and benefit issues with budget issues. One could not be separated from the other. I learned at the time of the last executive session that the projected healthcare balance for June would not match earlier reports, and that the expected deficit would increase. That information, along with the Magistrate's order, was a serious concern for me.
 
In the meantime, we still continue to have regular board meetings while the executive sessions are occurring, and we still continue to have consent agenda items where large contracts are awarded to out-of-area persons. Just last Monday, there was a consent item for Dorn Consulting, a firm where past administration employees were hired. It is now  part of the superintendent's discretionary consulting department (#4310 budget item line). How many consulting contracts will we approve while we cut pay for teachers? How can so many large contracts be hidden in the consent agenda while we are asked to cut pay for staff? I asked at the meeting that this item be separated for discussion. The chair did not recognize the matter or ask if other colleagues wanted such discussion. He stated that the agenda was in order and ready for a vote, and I voted no for the consent portion of the agenda.
 
That was Monday night (Feb. 13). Wednesday night (Feb.15) was the impasse hearing. The first impasse vote came up to cut pay with no healthcare discussion. That was not what was sent to us by the Magistrate, so I asked for that discussion. Other board members agreed and discussion and questions came about. The union presented their findings, and their presentation contained facts that were hard to ignore, facts that the superintendent could not refute.

The most interesting information was a chart listing the percentage of total budget for pay and benefits from the financial report which is prepared each year for the state. We were shown a range of years and percentages of total funds used on salaries and benefits. The chart showed a range of 72 – 76 percent each year. The superintendent stated in his board work and Magistrate request that Manatee County School District has 80 percent of total funds going to pay, and even a 4 percent discrepancy in a total budget of over 300 million dollars is a lot of money. This range would surely make following a school budget difficult at best.

The other item that MEA representative Bruce Proud discussed was the healthcare committee's advice to discontinue one of the healthcare plans, which was not able to cover expenses and losing most of the healthcare funds. I could not help but wonder why this information had not been brought to the board? I have asked several times to receive copies of healthcare committee meeting notes, and I do not receive them. This is our single biggest expense and up to date information is critical.
 
The lack of information has not been limited to this issue. In recent meetings, I asked about the timetable for deliverables or information required to continue with the Race to the Top grant. I was concerned since Lynette Edwards would be retiring and not sure that we would make the deadlines. As it turns out, I received information from the state that we were notified that we were non compliant and had not met the deliverables due in December, and that in January we had received notice that our funding had been suspended. The superintendent has reported that there are 14 people in this department and we were recently approving budget amendments. I was also concerned as to how we would make that payroll after being suspended from receiving funds and troubled to learn that no other board members had been advised of this matter.
 
In summary, my decisions are based on facts and figures presented, and I review and listen to all sides. The union presented a clear case for budget management problems. Counties were told for three years that revenues were down from taxes and that meant budgets would have to be reduced. The county budget is smaller than the school budget and they have reduced millions more than the schools have. That makes sense when we are dealing with more teachers for classroom size and running over 50 buildings in the district. What is not clear is whether all of the cuts and reorganization that could be done has been done. There was a recent document that I received stating that Manatee County exceeds others in administrative ratio and pay. That is not acceptable given our circumstances.

If you believe that everything has been cut, then you believe that all salaries must be cut. The presentation at the impasse hearing made a clear case that we still have work to be done in budget spending areas. Healthcare alone needs to be fixed first, rather than cutting pay first in order to fit into the benefit plan. We need a budget that provides benefits that do not run into deficit spending. My position is to work for solutions, not to make accusations against other school board members or administrative staff.
 
Thank You,
 
Julie Aranibar
Manatee County School Board 
District 3

see also:

Carpenter Says Accelerating Cuts Ultimately Unnecessary