Centennial School Board Tables Contract Vote

The Centennial School Board unanimously agreed to postpone voting on a new contract for the district's teachers at their meeting Tuesday evening.

After stopping the meeting for a brief executive session discussion with representatives from the teacher's union, the board approved a motion to table the  vote in the hopes of having some outstanding questions answered.

"In the spirit of ongoing communications between CEA and the board, both sides are taking the time to review the information that was just given to us last night," said Board Member Cyndi Muller.

The vote on the proposed contract was placed on the board's agenda late last week, after School Board President Andrew Pollock had received word that a majority of the

However, several members of the school board said they had no knowledge of the offer that was extended to the teachers at the time the offer was made.

Likewise, some members of the public expressed concern that the taxpayers did not have a chance to see the particulars of the deal.

"Union members get a chance to look at the contract and vote on it," said John Ritts, of Warminster. "Taxpayers don't have that opportunity."

Ritts said he is very concerned with what the contract contains, how it will impact the budget, how it will interfere with making hard budget cuts as other school districts have done and how it will affect the maximum tax increase that can be levied.

Ritts said he attended a "very informative seminar" on the district's long range budget on Monday evening.

"From what I gathered, you painted a very bleak picture," he said.

Ritts said in light of the presentation, he wondered if the contract really is a good deal for the employees and for the children.

"If drastic cuts are needed, will even more people have to be laid off and will additional services have to be cut for the kids?" he said.

Pollock said he had no comment as to what questions were left unresolved by the present contract.

He said he expects the contract to be back on the agenda at the board's next meeting, Tuesday, May 10.