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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Nearly a year’s worth of negotiations have resulted in an agreement on salary and benefits for teachers in the Kelseyville Unified School District.
The updated collective bargaining agreement between the district and the Kelseyville Unified Teachers Association was ratified at a special meeting of the district’s board of trustees on April 30, according to district Superintendent Dave McQueen.
The vote was 4-0, with Trustee Gary Olson – whose wife is a teacher in the district – recusing himself, McQueen said.
The agreement – part of the teachers’ overall contract, which McQueen said goes through 2013 – is effective July 1 of this year through June 30, 2014, according to district documents.
“It was a long, tedious process,” said Rico Abordo, president of the 85-member association.
While sacrifices were made on both sides, “This was an agreement we feel we can live with and are appreciative it got settled and resolved,” Abordo said.
Abordo explained that the association’s contract with the district is for three years, but every year salary and benefits are open for discussion. The negotiations on the collective bargaining agreement lasted for about 10 to 11 months.
The new agreement’s main points revolve around a cap on health benefits and minor salary increases this year and next, as well as renewed stipends for bilingual teachers and an increase to $32 per hour for those teaching summer school.
McQueen said the benefits cap and salary were the main changes. “Everything else is pretty much the way it’s been.”
One of the bargaining issues was a $16,000 cap on health benefits that becomes effective July 1.
“That was monumental. That was the pivotal issue,” said Abordo.
McQueen agreed that it was a key issue. That’s because previously the district’s teachers had no cap on health benefits, he said.
Abordo said Kelseyville’s teachers have considered insurance part of a compensation package that was the highest in terms of benefits in the county.
With the rising cost in health care – and the district getting an annual increase in insurance costs averaging between 7 and 12 percent – not having a cap had made the district financially unhealthy, McQueen explained.
The health care cap agreement for the teachers brings all of the district’s employee bargaining units into line, with the same $16,000 cap, McQueen said.
District projections show that the cap will save the district close to $1.2 million over the coming two school years. This year’s costs total $1.6 million, and were projected to grow to nearly $1.8 million next year and $1.95 million in 2013-14. Now 2012-13 and 2013-14 are estimated to cost just over $1.25 million each.
McQueen said the changes will help the district plan for the future and have more accurate multiyear projections.
Abordo said the association is reviewing a tiered rate structure for health benefits with five plans available. They will meet to discuss and identify those plans Thursday, as all changes must be made by July 1.
The other key aspect of the agreement was a 2 percent salary increase, effective this coming July 1, and a 2.5-percent salary increase effective July 1, 2013.
“The salary increase helped to kind of soften the blow of the huge hit that they’re taking in taking the cap,” said McQueen. “They’re still losing but they’re not losing as much.”
Abordo said a salary increase was a long time in coming. “We have not had any movement on our salary schedule for six years.”
Even with the salary increase, the district is projected to save close to $900,000 over the coming two fiscal years due to the health insurance savings, according to district documents.
The California Department of Education last year placed Kelseyville Unified in qualified status over concerns that it couldn’t meet its financial obligations. Since then the Lake County Office of Education has offered financial oversight for the district.
McQueen said the Lake County Office of Education signed off on the collective bargaining agreement.
One subsequent point of disagreement between the district and teachers’ union was the layoff of the equivalent of 7.75 full-time teaching positions, which the Kelseyville Unified Board of Trustees voted to approve at a special meeting on Tuesday night.
Abordo said the union believed the district could have safely maintained those jobs.
He said the district is “grossly understaffed,” and counting retirees and the recent layoffs will be down 13 additional staff members.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – If you're a new county resident or need to update your voter registration, the deadline to do so is coming up in less than two weeks.
The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office advised new residents of Lake County and registered voters who have moved to a new address, changed their mailing address within the county, or changed their name that they may need to reregister in order to be eligible to vote in the upcoming statewide Presidential Primary Election.
Don't delay – the last day to register to vote for the June 5, 2012 Presidential Primary Election is Monday, May 21.
The completed voter registration form must be either personally delivered to the Registrar of Voters Office on or before May 21 or postmarked on or before May 21 and received by mail by the Registrar of Voters Office.
Please be aware that pursuant to Section 2101 of the California Elections Code: “A person entitled to register to vote shall be a United States citizen, a resident of California, not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony, and at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election.”
Residents may register to vote at the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office, Room 209, Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport, or may phone the Registrar of Voters Office at 707-263-2372 for information.
Registration also are available at most local post offices, libraries, senior centers, city offices and chamber of commerce offices.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
On Tuesday night Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1), founder and co-chair of the Congressional Wild Salmon Caucus, along with Republican Rep. Don Young (AK-At Large) led representatives in rejecting an amendment to H.R. 5326, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Commerce, Justice and Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, that they said would harm Pacific Coast salmon.
The amendment, introduced by Rep. Paul Broun (GA-10), would have eliminated $15 million from Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Funds (PCSRF).
The amendment was struck down by bipartisan vote of 239-168. The bill would fund PCSRF at $65 million for FY2013.
“A strong salmon population is an important component of a strong economy,” said Thompson. “The PCSRF has been tremendously successful in rehabilitating salmon and by cutting the fund by more than 23 percent would devastate salmon recovery and kill local jobs.”
“Alaskans know firsthand the economic benefits of a strong fishing industry,” said Young. “By helping to rehabilitate salmon populations across America, these recovery funds go a long way in building and maintaining healthy fishing industries. I was happy to see that my colleagues recognized this last night and rejected this misguided amendment in a bipartisan manner.”
The PCSRF was established by Congress in 2000 to restore, conserve, and protect Pacific salmon and steelhead and their habitats. PCSRF also seeks to maintain the healthy populations necessary for exercising tribal treaty fishing rights and native subsistence fishing.
With funding from the PCSRF, states and tribes have undertaken 10,214 projects, which have resulted in significant changes in habitat conditions and availability, as well as the establishment of planning and monitoring programs that support prioritization and tracking for salmon and steelhead population conservation.
The salmon industry is important to California’s economy. When the salmon industry was shut down in 2008 it was found that the salmon industry contributed $1.7 billion to California’s economy and 23,000 jobs were lost.
Studies show that if salmon could be fully recovered it could contribute up to $5 billion to California’s economy and create 94,000 jobs.
With the help of the PCSRF, there have been significant improvements from 2000 to 2011 including:
- 879,194 acres of habitat improved or added for salmonid use
- 5,336 miles of stream made accessible to spawning populations
- Marking programs tagging 238,643,775 fish, improving stock identification and supporting more effective fishery management practices.
- Biologists are predicting that as many as 820,000 fish - the most in at least seven years - will return to spawn in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta this year.
- The California King Salmon Fishery is open for the first time in four years.
In 2010, 787,740 pounds of salmon were caught in U.S. waters, totaling 11 percent of all fish captured that year, and generating more than $554 million.
Thompson represents California’s 1st Congressional District, which includes the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa and Yolo.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Warm weather is arriving, and swimming pools, lakes and streams provide enjoyment and welcome relief from the heat. At the same time, they pose some hazards.
This is a good time to review safety tips in order to enjoy the water safely and avoid recreational water illness, according to county health officials.
Swimming or wading in areas of lakes and ponds that are frequented by certain birds (such as ducks, geese, gulls), mammals (such as muskrats and raccoons) and snails can lead to an itchy allergic rash hours to days later called “swimmer’s itch.” The condition is not serious and generally goes away in a week.
The condition can be avoided by:
- Not swimming near or wading in marshy areas where snails are commonly found.
- Drying off with a towel or showering immediately after leaving the water.
- Not attracting birds (e.g., by feeding them) to areas where people are swimming.
The appearance of cyanobacteria (“blue-green algae”) blooms in various locations around Clear Lake has been common in recent years.
The greasy film on the water, thick mats and annoying smell tend to keep people away from the most affected areas.
Although cyanobacteria are capable of producing toxins, it is impossible to predict when that will occur.
Scientific studies have linked cyanotoxins to gastrointestinal upset, liver or nerve damage that can be serious, and rashes.
Confirmed reports of such illness are infrequent worldwide and have not been associated with Clear Lake, according to the Lake County Health Services Department.
Water testing in recent years has shown Clear Lake to be safe for recreational water sports. Still, it is prudent to avoid areas where there is a visible accumulation of mats or an oily appearance on the surface of the water.
Drinking untreated lake water is never recommended for humans or pets, even if the water is boiled, the agency said.
For those who prefer swimming pools, water should be properly treated and people with diarrhea should stay out.
Anyone with questions about water quality for swimming and recreation may call the Environmental Health office in Lakeport at 707-263-1164.
For more information on Recreational Water health issues, please visit www.cdc.gov/parasites/swimmersitch/faqs.html , www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/rwi/rwi-prevention-week/ or www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Environmental_Health/Blue-Green_Algae.htm .