Is there one verifiable fact in your note, or is it just emotional opinion?

Someone is WRONG I see and believe:

"As far as the teachers Unfair Labor Practices case goes, this matter will not be decided until early 2013. The decision we are waiting for right now, which should be received in April, is simply a determination of whether or not there is a factual dispute on a legal issue requiring the matter to be sent forward to a fact finding hearing. It is our understanding that these matters are usually sent forward and the fact that they are does not mean that the party instigating the action will prevail."

If silly people honored EXPIRED CONTRACTS in the past then shame on them.

The past doesn't really matter on this, does it? No money means no money. Since the only alternative is to have to re-open contracts with all other unions, and there still won't be any money, the teacher's union position, if successful, will result in layoffs and cuts throughout the town. If that happens, I hope the remaining school staff will enjoy their raises. And I hope they realize they will be dealing with the animosity of the rest of the town. And, I hope they accept that they will be responsible for the degradation of school quality, if that indeed happens.
Ms. Harkness and the rest of the School committee are elected, not appointed, as are the BoS. My observation over the decades is that School Committee members and candidates run for that office because they are advocates of the schools. Why else would you put up with the aggravation and hassle for an unpaid position? The SC is trapped by the town's budgetary situation, pure and simple. Canaries are coming home to roost after many years of spending on buildings and programs throughout the town. Get involved and you will be shocked at what the town spends money on.

Creegan, you speak with forked tongue. You have chastised the BoS and other boards for their failure, in your opinion, to plan for the future. You have lectured at least 2 ATMs on the need for fiscal responsibility and now you are apparently acting like a chameleon.
What dog do you have in this encounter?

@Angela"It is our understanding that these matters are usually sent forward"

this is the biggest CYA statement so far. They know they are going to loose (and remember when she said the steps werent paid in the past ? Remember that?) and are now covering their tracks in advance. There is not a whole ton of case law as 99% of the time steps are HONORED and the few times they arent (Lunenburg) the towns have been wacked. Its not like there is a procedural rubber stamp. If this is sent on the Labor Board feels there is more than enough evidence the town broke the law, didnt negotiate in good faith AND it should prove the statements about past practice as deceptive (I bet they just claim to not have all the facts even though Bill Olsen was asst Super and Financial Manager in 1999!) What a world

Really is there a clause in the contract that stipulates that? Please send a link.

@ Vincent - That's what bothers me too. The Westford contract clearly states the following:
ARTICLE XXI DURATION
This contract is effective on the date of execution and shall remain in full force and effect until August 31, 2011 and from year to year thereafter unless either party notifies the other party prior to December 1, 2010, or any December thereafter, of its desire to terminate or modify this contract.
The school committee said there was notification of a desire to negotiate a new contract. My understanding of this means the contract is no longer in effect, but I can't speak to the significance of past practices. But obviously the economy is significantly different than it was in prior years as well, so what happened in the past isn't necessarily applicable to today.

Townie, the faulty logic I see is including this type of a clause at all. In my mind, the duration clause gives both sides a way out of not fulfilling their contractual obligations.

Sorry, what I meant to say is that the duration clause gives both sides a way out of having to fulfill their contractual obligations.

Townie look up the Dred Scott and the Separate but Equal decisions of SCOTUS.
You will find that booth of these decisions were reversed by a later SCOTUS.

So if some shamus judge in Lunenburg ruled one way, another shamus judge will rule another way. The one constant fact is that town meeting is the appropriating authority and no judge to date has dare to take on town meeting.

Exactly. This is what bothers me the most about this whole set of events. If you check out the budget the steps are included. That is a fact. And for people to argue that there is no contract is ridiculous. The teachers are adhering to everything in the expired contract. Time the SC does the same. Does anyone know if there is any opportunity to bring this debate to the town meeting? Its about time the residents get a say as the "leadership" in town has failed to resolve this.

Its time LEADERSHIP in town be held accountable for a budgetary nightmare (Its NOT the full story that it has simply been a bad economy as Chelmsford, Ayer, and Dracut are all on better financial ground)
Jodi Ross' budgets have more holes than swiss cheese and my feeling is this is the only way she can save her sinking ship. Please someone review the town books because something is terribly rotten in Westford

Pellegrino wake wake up. No ticket, No Laundry. The coffers are empty and there is no money period (.) double period (..) .
Relevant fact: If the courts rule against Westford then the town officials will try a Prop 2 1/2 over ride. If the Prop 2 1/2 Over ride fails then you will see close to 100 town and school employees hitting the bricks.
BTW Harkness is not a supreme ruler. If there is money like you claim hiding in some Locked Vault, the school committee will have to vote on the contract. Since two members of the school committee have conflicts of interest then a 3-2 vote will authorize Mr. Olsen to generate a warrant for payment of the moneys due.
Before that vote the school committee would have to vote to lay off teachers or they would be in violation of state law by over spending their budget.

Money that is budgeted isn't necessarily money that can be spent. Two different but related things. Many times in business, the budgets set, but actual expenditures still have to be approved. Just because Olsen has it in the budget doesn't mean it is there to be spent. In this case, it is not just about the school budget, as I understand it. If the schools get the steps, every other union contract has to be re-opened, and layoffs will happen all over town. Did I get this right?

Who cares about NEASC. Do you know that Harvard University is not accredited?
Horrors!!! I have been informed by several Harvard graduates that Harvard faculty and deans believe that accreditation organizations are self-perpetuating jokes. 
Why is a joke like NAESC giving the apparent authority to evaluate school programs? 
About 30 years ago, Wellsley was placed on probation.
What was the problem? 

Although Wellesley high school library was considered superior and among the top 5 in Massachusetts, the evaluators felt that a rich town like Wellesley could buy more books.
When it was pointed out to them, that notwithstanding the large space allocated to the library, there was very little room to add additional books. 

The evaluation committee stated then you need to build a new high school with the appropriate amount of library space.
Why not use the state or federal resources to evaluate educational programs?

From my personal experience with Westford teachers, the older teachers are far more effective than the younger ones. Perhaps it is just due to experience or maybe it is due to what the younger teachers are learning in college about how to be a good teacher. I can't tell for sure. But when my middle schooler's young math teacher is more concerned about the way he organizes and "decorates" his notebook instead of giving him challenging math problems, something's wrong. I'll take Westford's older teachers over the younger ones any day.

Sayonara and don't let the door hit you in the behind.
What part of the fact that Westford is financially strapped. To the extent that if the FSF had not given Westford budgets an $11 plus million boost in FY 10, FY 11 and partially in FY 12 there would have been about 50 town employees hitting the bricks.
BTW Westford has an OPEB unfunded liability in excess of $67 million. Westford budget only appropriates $25,000 to meet the unfunded liability which means that it wll take about 2,680 years to erase the unfunded liability of OPEB.
What is OPEB? OPEB covers the liability of Westford coffers for municipal and school employee retirement benefits other than pensions.

Earnest,
You have an odd way of looking at the negotiations from what I've read. Each side has made proposals. Steps have not always been paid during negotiations. All other offers or negotiating points aside, this comes down to the steps. Teachers will not accept a contract without 2 years of steps. Town seems to not be able to pay both years. So, to say one side is at fault seems wrong to me. Lets hope we see more details of offers by both sides.

Fred, I guess you haven't paid much attention to town finances in the past five years. Town spending increases each year, state aid has gone down or been stagnant, health insurance and pension assessments eat up all new revenue each year and then some.... new growth cannot cover the increase in spending... Good luck with an override during the current economic environment.

At the risk of sounding like a lecturer on civics, I have to remind you that there is accountability. First, exercise your right to vote, both at election time, and at town meeting time. The BoS hire the town manager, if you don't like her find a candidate that agrees with you and help get them elected. The budget is approved at town meeting. I've been to most of them and they are dominated by the "Westford 200", the cadre of people attracted to town politics for many reasons and who show up and vote lots of nonsensical things in like the elevator, fruit stand (you knew that was coming), and all sorts of stuff. Town Meeting is usually held on the first Saturday with great weather, is boring as all get out, and is usually sparsely attended. So, few go and then when the canaries come flying home, citizens are surprised and shocked that the town financials are the way they are.
Secondly, all of the town committee meetings are open and you can attend. It is actually kind of fun to go once in awhile and ask "why is this in the best interests of the taxpayers of Westford?" when various issues come up. Generally, the people who volunteer for these committees ("Westford 200" members usually), will listen and welcome your help/input.
Thirdly, I have found Ms Ross to be very responsive when I have asked for information, explanation or information from her. More so than her predecessors. I may not agree with her on a lot of things, but she is responsive and does listen.

"Virinchi G" I appreciate the job you do. Do you know how the elevator was paid for? The $ was borrowed ($500k and the other $70k came from the rainy day fund). Is it your position that the $ needed to keep the teachers happy this year should be borrowed?

As far as "taking one for the team", do you recall all the years the schools were immune from cuts?

Are you saying the new teachers were just a gift (no one asked for them)? Seems to me someone made the bed and now you have to sleep in it.

You want accountability, I shall give you accountability. Try Margaret Murray who notwithstanding facts to the contrary keeps pushing for lower pupil/teacher ratios K-8 to improve the schools. Even with the very generous staffing guidelines of an average of 22.5 students/teacher ratio for K-8, the schools are staffed 10% lower pupil/teacher ratios than called in the guidelines. Staffing at guidelines would result in the layoff of 30 teachers and 10 teacher assistants or $ 2million/year. 
Converting the 7 drop 1 schedule at WA to a straight six 50 minute period schedule would enable the administration to out 15% of the WA teaching staff or 15+ positions for a savings of one+ million dollars/year. 


Try Chief Rochon and his empire building with the ALS being the crown jewel of his empire. Contract out ALS and go from a $500,000 annual deficit to a $60,000plus ALS contract fee.


Try McEnaney who's best justification for asking for 2 two more patrolmen is "I not had a staff increase in 10 years." WPD with a Chief,Deputy Chief, 4 Police Capts, 8 Lts,,10 Sgts and 25 patrolmen could be cut to a Chief and 10 Sgts for a net reduction of 13 managerial positions for over $1.5 million/year reduction without reducing the number of police patrolmen. 


Enough for today, I just picked the low hanging fruit and will post a more detailed finger pointing document on the Westfordforum NLT than 26 Feb. 2012.


http://www.westfordforum.com/

Virinchi, I guess you read the second assistant here on this thread. There is no such thing. Look at headcount overall, no increase so I'd appreciate facts being presented here. The elevator was brought by school dept to town meeting and town meeting voted to support that. That wasn't part of the capital plan. An emotional reaction by the town given one issue at Abbot. I agree the bonus for Bill is very distressing given what we are facing.

Virinchi,

You are describing a bloated school payroll. Although too late to affect this contract dilemma, I think it fair to ask the SC and the Superintendent what they are doing to address this concern? I keep hearing similiar views by school dept employees....top heavy administration, and possibly too many teachers.

"wait till the Town of Westford is taken to the cleaners by the MA Labor Board"

First: that remains to be seen.

Second: who is the "town of westford"? I think you know the answer to that and I am NOT happy.

Third: To be honest if this liberal wacko state we live in tries to impose this craziness without the $ to pay for it (as it has imposed craziness in other areas) then I will not feel the slightest bit of pity for the wrath that it brings to the childish teachers union (and the people who support it).

p.s. keep you paws off the trash pick-up, in the real world if that is taken away it is just a disguised TAX INCREASE.

Notice I have kept it civil because "I respect the job you do" but if you are going to take advantage of that and try to impose liberal wackiness while hiding behind that then ...

Virinchi. You are delusional !!
If the court orders the School Committee to pay the steps then the school committee will lay off WEA members to pay for the step increases.

What makes it interesting is that this late in the school year, for $1 million in step increases the school committee will have to cut $3 million from the budget. In Massachusetts, it is illegal for a department to over spend its budget. Except for snow & ice accounts.

The SC can try to get an over ride to pay for the step raises which would require a STM, approval by the STM and approval by a referendum which because of election laws will have to take place at least 45 days after the voter rolls are closed. When would the voter rolls be closed in this situation?
I believe 60 days prior to the referendum.

BTW Operational costs cannot be bonded.

So Virinchi. Good thing that you have a sweetheart of job. You attitude and that of many of your colleagues leaves a lot to be desired. The SC does have a policy that will hold your job for a year while you venture out into the real world.

As far as I know every teacher who took advantage of this special privilege came back with a newly developed appreciation of the WPS working environment.

You have been treated fairly and you retaliated by working to rule.

Work to rule has not validity unless there is a current contract.

No Contract No Work to Rule.

BTW It is management not the employees that sets the rules.

Bahahahahahaha! Thank you for making me laugh today. That hits the nail on the head.