Volume 75 No. 37 September 24, 1975 int L.Snydor ) a pr Susquehanna Times & The Mount Joy Bulletin MARIETTA & MOUNT JOY, PA. Ten Cents Donegal School Board approves after a 4 to 4 first vote; members The Donegal School Board narrowly passed a new one-year contract -with the teacher’s union last Thursday. On the first vote, the Board was deadlocked 4-4. Jere Duke, J. Edward Charles, Harold Fellenbaum and president William B. Landis, voted against the new contract. Robert Eshleman, Dale Arnold, John Weidman, and Donald Kugle, voted in favor of the contract. Lewis Bixler was ill and was un- able to attend. The Board recessed to meet privately for half an hour. After the recess, J. Edward Charles reluctantly changed his vote to ““Yes’’, and the contract was ap- proved by a vote of 5-3. J. Edw. Charles Mr. Charles’s statement Explaining his original opposition to the contract, Mr. Charles said, ‘I think that the never-ending foun- tain of taxation at the local level is just about finished.”’ Charles described the plight of New York City, which has been ‘milked dry of funds’ through union negotiations. Sooner or later, Lancaster County may face some of the same problems, Mr. Charles feels. It may become impossible to finance new school buildings, if teachers salaries get much higher, Mr. Charles fears. ‘““What do we have as an alternative?’’ Charles said. “I think the future of schooling is necessarily going to involve a lot of mechanization. What 1 mean by that is audio-visual equipment.. . Therefore it’s going to eliminate many of these teaching jobs...in order to balance the budget and operate.’’ When that happens, ‘“We’re going to be in really bad shape,”” Mr. Charles said. Noting that the average teacher will get an annual raise of nearly $1000 under the new contract, Mr. Charles added, ‘‘There are not many people in industry that are going to get a $1000 increase this year. All they’re doing is thanking the” Lord that they have their jobs...or hoping to get back to work soon.’’ Mr. Duke’s statement Jere Duke explained his opposition to the new contract with these words: ‘“I personally have to express the feeling that the bottomless pit has been exceeded,’”’ Mr. Duke said. ““I can’t in all honesty meet constituents «of this district on the street and tell them that 1 voted for a package that’s going to give the average teacher a thousand dollar a year increase, when a gentlemen has just told me he’s been unemployed for a month, and that I just raised his taxes to cover such an agreement. ‘I feel that, in light of the economic conditions...in this county and this area... the tentatively approved contract went beyond the bounds of fiscal responsibili- ty.” Jere Duke Dr. Fellenbaum’s Statement Dr. Fellenbaum also spoke against the contract. “It just scares me, at the rate we're going today, to project the present trend S or 10 years, when the cost of education is going to b exhorbitant.”” Dr. Fellen baum said. = Dr. Fellenbaum “It is exhorbitant now,’ he added. *‘I feel for the taxpayers whom we repre- sent. I’m aware that unemployment in Pennsyl- vania today is at a near record-high of 9.6 percent.” “I think it’s time we bite the bullet,”’ he said. Mr. Weidman’s statement John Weidman, explain- ing why he voted in favor of the contract, said ‘I'm a firm believer in quality education.” teachers’ contract by 5 to 3 vote express concern on rising taxes Mr. Weidman also voiced some reservations about the future. *‘I’m also concerned about the cost of the contract,’”’ he said. ‘‘I know that many of our property owners are already over- burdened with taxes. It’s not going to be an easy road from here on out,” Mr. Weidman said. John Weidman Eshleman’s Letter of Robert Eshleman, who headed the Board’s negotiating commit- Dr. Recommendation: tee presented a letter recommending that the Board accept the new contract. The letter read, in part, ‘‘I1 would like to express appreciation to Dr. Ralph Coleman for the competence demonstrated in working within the guidelines established by the board, and the profes- sional role he played as chief negotiator...” Dr. Landis, Mr. Kugle, and Mr. Arnold did not make statements. The exact cost of the new contract is not yet known. Under the contract, a beginning teacher with a Bachelor’s Degree will start at the old salary of $7,500. Beyond that level, teachers will get a $900 increase over last: year’s salary. A teacher with one year’s experience and a bachelor’s degree will earn $8,900. A teacher with two year’s experience and a Bachelor's degree will get $9,300. The maximum salary is $14,700, for a master’s degree and 13 years’ exper- ience. Other benefits include life insurance hiked from $5,000 to $7,500 coverage; major medical increased from $35,000 to $200,000; an income protection plan to pay 1/2 salary when a teacher is sick, and tuition reimbursements of SO per- cent, up to a $200 maximum, Greider can’t understand board opposition to contract, which was ‘their own package’ Teacher’s union president Ted Greider can’t under- stand why so many school board members opposed the new teacher’s contract at last Thursday’s board meet- ing. Mr. Greider says the new salary schedule is just what the school board offered the teachers during negotia- tions. ““The board almost turned down their own package,” Greider said. ‘“We didn’t get a thing we asked for,” he added. “We got a counter-proposal from them, and this is what we accepted.” “This is what we can’t understand.” Mr. Greider rejects the idea that taxes will go up because of the new contract. ‘If the board had accepted or rejected the contract, it would not have affected taxes in Donegal School District,” Greider said. ““The taxes are set for this year. They have already been raised.’ Most teachers in Lancas- ter County are still better paid than Donegal teachers, Greider noted. ‘““It isn’t the biggest contract around,’ he said. Mr. Greider also doubts that the local economy is as weak as school board members think. The wage tax system brought in more money this year than ever before, he noted. Firemen summoned to put out flaming sunset by Bill Martin An unusual series of coincidences brought Mount Joy firemen out Monday evening, Septem- ber 25. At 6:45 p.m. Mount Joy Fire and Ambulance Base received a call that stated there was a mobile home fire on Old Market Street. Friendship Fire Co. was dispatched. As the first engine pro- ceeded toward the scene, smoke was noticed going across the street. However, upon arrival, firemen found no fire. After talking to the caller, firemen were told ed, glow in she and that smoke from a neighbor burning trash en- veloped the house, giving the appearance of a struc- ture fire. Wednesday, September 17 at 9:26 p.m. Friendship responded to the Pensu- preme Grocerette on South Barbara Street in Mount Joy for a smoke investigation. Upon arrival firemen notic- ed light smoke at the cellar steps. The origin of the smoke was soon located. During the evening some- one had carelessly discarded a cigarette in a window well alongside the store. An extinguisher was used to put out a smoldering fire in the leaves and wood beam in the well. Approximately 35S men were on the scene until 9:52 p.m. |
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