Board of Education to vote on labor pact, see 2018-19 budget

MARTINEZ, Calif. – Martinez Unified School District Board of Education will decide Monday whether to approve a project labor agreement (PLA) with the Contra Costa County Building and Construction Trades Council that would prevent work stoppages during construction of many Measure R-funded projects in exchange for other concessions.

The pact would require non-union contractors to pay union dues, but would also encourage the use of Martinez and Contra Costa workers to be used on the projects as well as have unions introduce Martinez students to employment opportunities in the building trades.

The pact would govern contracts for Measure R projects exceeding $1 million. The Council already has agreed to the terms of the agreement.

The PLA has been the subject of some disagreement among Board members, with John Fuller being the most outspoken against the pact. He has contended that in its current form, the agreement doesn’t require enough union support of student job fairs and other introductions to the trades, nor is he happy with the percentage of Martinez residents that would be building and remodeling local schools.

But others, especially Board President Jonathan Wright, have disagreed, saying the PLA assures local workers of jobs that pay fair wages.

Several financial items are on the Board’s agenda, including the first look at the 2018-19 budget that also previews the 2019-20 and 2020-21 budgets.

Total revenues, from local, federal and state sources, are predicted to be $44,726,309 in Fiscal Year 2018-19, but expenditures, for employee salaries and benefits, educational supplies, services and operating expenditures, capital outlay and transfers, are expected to be $46,143,567.34.

The 2018-19 adopted budget will include the District’s resolution acknowledging that it must make $3 million in spending reductions before the 1920-21 school year if it is to meet the required 3 percent in reserves for the subsequent two years.

The upcoming budgets presume a flat enrollment during all three years of 4,151 students, including 1,287 unduplicated pupils, defined as those who need to learn English, who come from families with income so low they receive free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program, or are foster youth – called “unduplicated” because they are counted only once even if they meet more than one of the criteria.

The budget also presumes an average daily attendance count of 4,000.28 students, all three years. The cost of living is expected to increase 2.71 percent in 2018-19, rise to 2.57 percent in 2019020 and to 2.67 percent in 2020-21. The Consumer Price Index is expected to drop from 3.58 percent in the next fiscal year to 28.13 percent in 2019-20 and to 3.23 percent in 2020-21.

The district’s cost share of California State Teachers’ Retirement System and California Public Employees Retirement System (CalSTRS and CalPERS) will increase. In the coming year, CalSTRS’ employer rate will be 16.28 percent, rising to 18.13 percent the next year and 19.20 percent in 2020-21. In the same years, CalPERS employer rates will be 18.06 percent, 20.80 percent and 23.50 percent respectively.

Medicare will remain flat at 1.45 percent for all three years, and health and welfare increases are expected to be 5 percent each of the three years.

Each student’s daily appearance in class will earn the district $146 in unrestricted lottery money and $48 restricted lottery money in all three years.

The district’s Local Control and Accountability Plan will be the subject of a public hearing Monday. That plan, required by the state, outlines the goals, actions, expenditures and the eight priority areas for local schools.

The Board will adopt the Local Control and Accountability Plan at at its June 25 meeting.

It also will review a resolution that would assure that the District’s share of money in the Educational Protection Account would be spent as required by the state Constitution.

The Board also will review proposed Martinez Adult Education Teacher salary increases that would be funded through the Adult Education Block Grant. The block grant budget for Martinez Adult Education has a 4.1 cost of living increase allocated by the state along with negotiated additions that have resulted in an overall 9.1 percent increase in funding.

The panel will review a parcel tax resolution. According to District Superintendent C.J. Cammack, the current $50 parcel tax that underwrites music teachers, counselors and library staff expires in June 2019, and he will present a draft of a resolution that would allow voters to decide in November whether to extend the tax.

In addition, the Board will eye a resolution that would notify Contra Costa County Registrar-Elections Department of its intent for a consolidated election Nov. 6. The terms of Vice President Deidre M. Siguenza, Clerk Bobby Horack and Boardmember Kathi McLaughlin will expire this year.

The Board will review the tri-party recycling agreement between Martinez Unified School District, the city of Martinez and New Leaf Collaborative, a pact that has been in effect since June 17, 2015. It also will hear a list of new California School Boards Association policies and regulations, which it routinely approves at future meetings.

The Martinez Unified School District Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. Monday in a closed session on personnel matters. The regular meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the District Board Room, 921 Susana St.