New, three-year contract approvedin Cobden Unit School District 17

After a smooth negotiation process, a multiyear contract agreement has been reached in Cobden Unit School District 17.

Final approval and signing of the contract highlighted Monday night's regular meeting of the District 17 Board of Education.

The meeting was held at Cobden Junior-Senior High School.

New contract

The new contract has been approved by the school board and the Cobden Education Association, CEA.

The new contract is good for three years, beginning this August and continuing through 2012.

The contract covers about 75 district employees who are represented by the CEA, including teachers and support staff personnel.

Representatives on both sides said the contract talks, which began in March, went well.

"I thought it went extremely well," district superintendent Karl Sweitzer said.

Donna Brumleve, a member of the CEA negotiating team, agreed. "I thought it went very well," she said.

School board president Wes Wilkins praised the negotiating process and the district's employees.

"I think it was a good process," Wilkins said. "We have great employees," he added.

The contract calls for increase in base salaries and accompanying step increases based on seniority.

Other business

In other business at Monday's meeting:

Board members and administrators again discussed ongoing concerns about the old junior high school/6th grade building on the school district grounds.

District officials are hoping to be able to raze the building, which has been deemed as a safety hazard.

Concerns about various environmental issues continue to surface as plans for the removal of the building continue to be reviewed. It is hoped that the building can be razed this summer.

The board heard a presentation from Illinois Association of School Boards, IASB, consultant Bob Shanks about the Targeting Achievement through Governance, TAG, program.

TAG is a grant-funded program of IASB services and training offered at no cost to school boards in districts or districts with schools not making adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years.

The board is expected to act on participation in the program at its July meeting.