Wallingford Town Council Approves Two-Year Contract with Teachers

Essentially deciding against going to arbitration and voting in favor of “great negotiating,” the Wallingford Town Council approved a two-year teachers’ contract, which includes a 1.5 and a 1.68 percent increase in general wages during the first and second year, Wednesday night, according to the Meriden Record-Journal.

“None of us up here are really pleased to see the numbers before us,” Town Councilor Christine Mansfield said regarding concerns she’s heard from residents, according to the Record-Journal. “This is a vote against arbitration and there’s no better course to pursue.”

If the council voted against the contract, it would be sent to arbitration, according to the Record-Journal.

Read the full story and details on the contract at the Meriden Record-Journal here.

Superintendent of Schools Salvatore Menzo recently told Luther Turmelle of the New Haven Register that the Board of Education was able to achieve $500,000 in savings by reducing the amount that teachers are paid if they waive taking health insurance from the district.

Currently, teachers get a payout equal to 35 percent of the value of the benefits for waving insurance coverage and they will now see the payout reduced to 25 percent, according to the Register.

Read more here.

Have a news tip? Email Vincent.salzo@patch.com. You can also post your own news, events and announcements on Patch by following these directions. Curious about how our new commenting platform, Disqus, works? Learn more about it here and start interacting with your neighbors on Patch.