KELSEYVILLE — The Kelseyville Unified Teachers Association (KUTA) Friday approved the tentative agreement reached with the Kelseyville Unified School District (KUSD), according to a spokesman.
Rico Abordo, KUTA president, said the union ratified the agreement by a 76-4 vote. The agreement was reached March 14 at a meeting with KUSD representatives, KUTA negotiators and a state mediator. Abordo said the agreement still needs to be approved by the KUSD Board of Trustees and the Lake County Office of Education (LCOE).
The two primary issues were for benefits and salary, according to Abordo.
“Unfortunately, the reduction of state funding for education coupled with the spiraling costs of insurance benefits has created a dismal picture for California public schools,” he stated in an email.
Abordo said he hopes the LCOE and KUSD Board approves the agreement “so that the primary focus will once again be the education of Kelseyville students.”
KUSD Superintendent Dave McQueen said he was glad that the union approved the agreement.
“We”re very pleased that we”ve come to an agreement and that we can move on positively for the kids and do the best that we can with what we”ve got,” McQueen said.
McQueen said the next step is to get the agreement to the LCOE for approval.
McQueen said that, because the district is in qualified status, the district has to get its second interim budget report to the LCOE before the agreement can be looked at.
“In that (the agreement), we have to show there”s a savings to the district,” he said.
McQueen estimated it would take a few weeks to get both the second interim budget report and agreement to the LCOE.
“We”re confident everything will go through,” he said.
The KUSD Board must adopt a second interim budget report by April 15. Following the LCOE vote, the KUSD Board will vote whether to approve the agreement.
After the LCOE reviews the agreement, it will be available for the public to view, McQueen said.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at kevin.n.hume@gmail.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14. Follow on Twitter: @KevinNHume.
