Board begins negotiations, sets tax rate

Contract negotiations are underway at North Iowa Community School, and the board looked at the expected cost increases as it set its property tax rate for the coming year.

Jon Potter of the North Iowa Education Association (NIEA) presented the board with the NIEA’s initial collective bargaining proposal during the board’s March 19 meeting. The proposal calls for advances to steps and lanes for teacher salaries, with a change in vertical steps 16 and above from $500 to $530. This would be a 1.66% increase in salaries over the current year, for a total of about $30,000.

While the teacher’s union is only able to negotiate based on wages, Potter also included figures for an estimated insurance increase of 11.15%, or about $34,000, and an IPERS increase of 7.31%, or about $13,000. The total package increase would be 2.97%, or about $79,000.

For the full story, see this week's Buffalo Center Tribune. Subscribe by calling 1-800-558-1244 ext 122 or email Deb at circulation@midamericapub.com or by clicking here.