Vernon Council Gives Teachers' Contract a Hall Pass

After a lengthly executive session and a testy few minutes in public session on Tuesday, the Town Council decided to take no action on a new contract for teachers. 

The three-year contract, for July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2017, was negotiated by school officials and Board of Education members and approved through the arbitration process. 

It calls for combined step and salary increases of 2.75 percent in the first year, and 2.9 percent in the second and third years.

By taking no action, the council is allowing the contact to become official 30 days from the date it was accepted in the town clerk's office - Dec. 2. 

The only other option would have been for the council to reject it and send it back to another arbitration analysis. 

There may not have been a vote, but there was plenty of discussion about the contract. Council members spent a good half-hour in executive session with Superintendent of Schools Mary Conway, Board of Education Chairwoman Anne Fischer and school board member Dean Houle. 

Back in public session, Republican council member Bill Campbell made a motion to reject the contract and called it "junk." It was an indictment on the process, which Campbell said leaves taxpayers in the dark. 

Democrat Michael Winkler said he would have abstained from any vote because his wife is a teacher, but he cautioned his colleagues about rejecting the contract and spending "thousands" in legal fees on something he said would not likely alter the bottom line. 

Republicans Julie Clay and John Kopec agreed, but slammed the process for what they believe is a lack of transparency.