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Wapello teachers open negotiations with request for base pay increase

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By Jim Rudisill | Saturday, February 16, 2008 6:15 PM CST | () comments

WAPELLO, Iowa — An initial negotiation proposal from the Wapello Education Association, or WEA, seeks a $1,300 boost in base salary for teachers.

The increase would raise the salary for a beginning teacher with a bachelor of arts degree from $25,725 to $27,025 or 5.05 percent. Other issues in the proposal included normal salary step increases, with any health insurance premium increases to be paid by the school district and other minor monetary points.

The WEA also proposes to delete Presidents Day from the holidays and vacations section of the contract; establish

that the teacher quality committee shall determine approval of master’s programs; that guidelines for weather dismissals and the temperature in school buildings shall be established; discuss duty assignments and establish guidelines for the assignment of duties; and strike some language dealing with personal leave.

The WEA estimated that if there is no increase in health insurance premiums, the proposal would cost about $203,204 and increase salary and benefit costs by 5.7 percent.

The school board will present its initial proposal to the WEA during a special meeting Feb. 25.

In other action, the school board awarded two contracts for replacing an aging boiler at the high school. A $28,900 contract with KJWW Engineering, Rock Island, was approved to provide planning and design services for the replacement project. Metzger-Johnson Architects of Burlington was given an architectural contract that will not exceed $5,300.

Also, the board agreed to purchase a new activity bus for $99,257 and renewed a one-year sharing agreement with the Morning Sun School District.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2245 or newsroom@qctimes.com.