Minutes - January 15, 2020
CLASSIFIED STAFF ADVISORY
JANUARY 15, 2020
The following individuals were present: Teresa Sheffield, Green Ridge Elementary; Beth Hall, Star Elementary; Cathy Horne, Mt. Gilead Elementary; Brenda Livingston, West Montgomery; Kristy Buchman, Early College; Penny Brown, Candor Elementary; Lynn Reynolds, East Montgomery; Irma Robledo, Central Office; Tina Woody, Troy Elementary; and Maria Johnson, MLA. Not present: Christy Shepherd, Page Street Elementary and Bobbie Jo Bruton, West Middle School.
Welcome/Celebrations
We survived Christmas and the new year!
Budget Update
The General Assembly was in session yesterday. Basically, they came together to override the governor’s detail of the budget. Nothing was done in regard to the budget. Dr. Ellis believes that both were wrong – the governor and the legislators. The governor was pushing for a 5% raise for staff and an 8% raise for teachers. All of this happened in a none election year. The positive thing is that next year, Dr. Ellis believes there will be a raise to make up for the lack of one this year.
Dr. Ellis will continue to voice his displeasure over this. The General Assembly will come back to session in April. The most we would have received was 2% over a two-year period while all other state workers got 5%.
Construction/Consolidation Update
Our goal was to meet at the CTE building this meeting. Since things are somewhat behind and we are working very hard to get students in the building we are planning to do that at our next meeting. We are hoping to have students in the building in 2 weeks. February 25th is the official open house date at 5:30 pm. You all are invited to come.
Dr. Ellis apologized to the group based on some criticism he received from the central office survey saying he only cared about the new high school. He does care about ALL schools, but this has been a time-sensitive and time-consuming project that has demanded his attention. Every delay that the CTE building has resulted in delays in the new high school.
$10,000 is needed to fix a leaky roof at East Montgomery. It is not a safety issue but definitely an inconvenience for those who have to be in the building.
We are so close to having a finished building!
Questions
ESS, a staffing service, is taking over recruiting and hiring for our substitute teachers. We will save $6400 per employee. By using their services there is an opportunity to save hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. Those who are currently employed will not be forced to do anything. The value comes for those who are on the earlier end of the pay scale. Since ESS does not have to pay into retirement they can pass that along to the employee resulting in a higher rate of pay. For those who have more years in the system, it may not be as much of a benefit. We have to pay 21% of your salary every year to retirement. This is why we have not been able to do things with supplements like we have wanted to do. Our goal is to take the savings that we will make from this to help implement those increases.
Please know that no one is going to be forced to do anything. This is a long-range money-saving plan.
If you choose to go with the ESS Services, and their contract is not renewed next year- Will you have to reapply for employment with MCS? If you chose ESS it is the equivalent of resigning and walking away from state employment. Yes, you would have to go through the process of reapplying.
If you move to ESS Services, what happens to your sick leave, annual leave, and retirement? Sick leave stays in reserve for 5 years. If you go back to work to state within those 5 years your sick days will be reinstated. Annual leave has to be paid out. Retirement is up to you. You can leave it in the system. Or, you can take it out as a lump sum.
If you go with ESS will they leave you at your current school or will they start moving, you around? We are not sure. They will make sure that the positions we need are staffed and filled.
Can you guarantee current assistants' employment next year if they are performing their duties? (With MCS) Absolutely. There will be no people cuts. If you are performing at the level you're supposed to you will have employment.
Do you foresee the assistants/bus drivers automatically being moved to ESS Services next year if the contract is renewed or would we be considered Grandfathered in? No, no one will automatically be moved. Yes, you are considered grandfathered in. If you retire and you were hoping that someone you know will get your job, they will probably have to go through ESS.
Can you move to ESS Services only as an assistant or bus driver and stay with MCS in the other position? (Example: ESS-bus driver, MCS-assistant or ESS-assistant, MCS-bus driver) No, you are either MCS or ESS.
If we move to ESS Services will the medical coverage remain the same premium or will it be higher? That will be a good question to ask for ESS. We do not know how their benefits work.
They are taking over the subs on February 1st. Then they will be meeting with other groups.
High school folks are asking what becomes of duel jobs? Everyone will have a job when the school merges. We cannot guarantee that everyone will be doing the same job.
Will jobs be posted? Will they have to apply? The principal will decide. It is basically a transfer so there doesn’t have to be any posting or interviews. Mr. Gurley will be transitioning to MCHS principal effective February 1st. Anne McClean will take over at West Montgomery for the remainder of the year. We are going to have Mr. Gurley start that process so that we can begin the process.
If you are a 12-month employee will you become a 10-month employee? No, everyone will remain the same. No one will lose anything in the merger.
While this is a very energy-efficient building. In the first year, we will not benefit from this. There will be a cost-saving associated with the merger. After the first year, we are hoping to benefit from savings from the energy-efficient building. With those savings, we are hoping to raise the supplement for classified staff from $100 to $250. While this might not seem significant, we want you to know we are thinking about you and do all we can to provide incentives!