School Board Chair Fears Default Budget

School Board Chair Ed Gallagher is concerned that the voters could strike down the school budget in March following an amendment passed on Feb. 10 to add $563,619 to the proposed warrant.

The amendment was proposed by resident Laurie Liddy, who said during the school deliberative session that she wanted the board to use the money for teacher raises. The public voted 55-42 to add the money, which is a 7.08 percent increase.

The tax impact from the added dollars, should the budget pass, would be 28 cents added to the school side of the tax rate.

"I'm concerned that the voters are looking at it (and) that's a lot of money in this environment," said Gallagher. "You still have to have an agreement. We need a contract, so they need to come back to the table."

Contract negotiations broke down after the board and the Windham Education Association failed to come to an agreement by the Jan. 10 deadline to submit warrant articles.

A separate warrant to request the funds needed for the teacher raises would have been placed on the ballot had an agreement been made.

Gallagher said that they want the teachers to be richly rewarded, and that they feel the school board's offer was "generous," and added that it was the largest contract offer in the history of Windham.

He also said that the board asked for what they considered some concessions for healthcare, but said that it is essentially on a path to be "totally free."

Since Gallagher's term ends in March, he said that it will be up to the new board to decide how to handle the new funds should the budget pass.

He added that while he doesn't typically comment on negotiations, it was unfortunate that the process was "circumvented."

Should the budget pass, the board doesn't have to use the $563,619 for the requested purpose.

In fact, school board attorney Barbara Lohman told Liddy and the rest of the public that it would be an "unfair labor practice" to award that money without proper negotiations taking place.

Selectman Roger Hohenberger was publicly against the amendment by Liddy, saying it was undermining the whole process.

"I think it's all going to self destruct – every year you're going to have the teachers come out in force and vote increases into their contact without negotiating," said Hohenberger

Liddy defended the move, saying it wasn't her intention at all to undermine.

"I'd hate to see (the teachers) go," said Liddy. "I see this as more taking care of people. This is not a maneuvering in any way, shape or form."

According to Gallagher, it has been two years since teachers have had a contract in Windham.

The parties would have to petition the Superior Court for permission to hold a special meeting, otherwise the issue will not see a resolution until at least the next annual town meeting in 2013.