Madison Local Schools Board of Education agrees to 3-year deal with support staff

MADISON TOWNSHIP — Only two negotiation sessions were needed to reach a new contract with support staff for Madison Local Schools .

The school board held a special meeting Wednesday to approve the three-year deal between the Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 292 and the district. The board approved it by a 5-0 vote.

OAPSE members include bus drivers, custodians, librarians and cafeteria workers. They will receive a 2% salary increase in each of the three years.

"It was a great negotiation," board member Tim Wigton said. "It was just very easy to talk with them and come to those agreements on those issues. Very positive."

Superintendent Rob Peterson provided some other details of the contract.

"The board (currently) picks up 4% of their contributions toward their retirement system," he said. "We were able to negotiate that we would no longer pick up that 4%."

He elaborated after the meeting.

"That's going to be a wash for both the employees and for the district," Peterson said. "We will be increasing the salary schedule by 4%. It's an even trade-off, salary for retirement."

Support staff members will contribute an extra 1% to their health insurance over the course of the three years.

Maximum out-of-pocket payments will increase by $250 for single in-network and $500 for family in-network. Those payments increase to $500 and $1,000, respectively, for out-of-network.

Board members dealt with several other financial issues at the 4-minute meeting.

They approved 2% base salary increases for both Peterson and Treasurer Bradd Stevens.

In addition, the board approved benefit changes and 2% salary increases for administrative, confidential classified and district-specific service agreement employees.

Members also approved the following substitute pay rates: $12.50 for cooks; $13.50 for secretaries, administrative assistants, aides, paraprofessionals, custodians, summer mower and extra workers; and $18 for bus drivers.

After the meeting, Peterson said negotiations with teachers are ongoing.

The 2024-2025 school year is going to be special at Madison, which has many activities planned to celebrate the district's centennial.

"It's nice to have that done and behind us," Peterson said of the union negotiations with support staff. "It's a great way to kick off the school year."

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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Madison Local Schools Board of Education agrees to 3-year deal with support staff