All right, thank you. We are we are on um for the record February 10th uh 4:31 and this is our session number five. Well, I think the same way we do it always start with introductions. I'll start and then go to my left and then to
my right. My name is Terry Harmon and I am serving as chief negotiator for the school district. Carter Morrison, district team. >> Good evening. Jeff Raymond from human resources. >> Good evening. Lisa Estabz from student affairs. >> Good evening. Lauren Gford, school
improvement. >> Kim Love, MCA. >> Lonnie B, MCA. >> Kelly Coleman, president of MCA. >> Gary Simmons, chief negotiator for MCA from FBA. >> Liz Rocklage, MCA. Leanne Pike, MCA.
>> Joe Neri, MCEA. Miriam Williams, MCA. Thank you all and thank you all for being here. I know we were just here a couple of weeks ago. Um I think January 27th was our last session and I want to start by just kind of recapping where we
ended and then kind of launch in um to where we left off. So towards the end of our last session after we had a caucus, I know I came back to the table and I think um Gary, you expressed one of your fundamental concerns about finalizing
theou was trying to make sure that we see we see each other the same in terms of the how this millillage is collected, >> what fiscal year is it collected in, what fiscal year is it paid out for. And I know you had volunteered at the last
session to put together a presentation to try to um explain to our side of the table where you're coming from. We did the same since the last session, too. We did we did our homework. We we kind of reconsidered what your presentation or
your position was >> and we kind of traced back our steps as well. Um, and I think we're going to do a little bit of an adjustment today from the last couple of of sessions that we had in a sense that
um, I had presented anou and I know one of the things I said was if we like the way things are going, let's just keep it as is. And I presented thatou and I know it had some additional terms in it. And aside from the homework that I pledged we would look into on our side
as well. We reexamined thatou particularly because I think it was clear you liked your team liked some portions of it but without that understanding fundamentally back and forth about collection and payout we we might get stuck in the mud on that.
>> Right. So, we prepared a new memorandum of understanding and it's really based on this premise and I think it's it's in line with what your team was advocating at the last meeting. >> Okay. >> So, originally going back a couple of
sessions I had mentioned that the September payments were viewed as payout for the work that was done last year and the work for this year. And that's kind of where we hit that hold on a minute. Let's make sure we're looking at this the same. And if I understood coming
away from the last session, your question to me is when you pay that out, what fiscal year is that for? And I think having looked at everything, looked at the prior millage, looked at prior negotiations, I think we're in agreement on this
concept that the money that was paid out September of 2025 that just went out a few months ago was for referendum monies collected during the 2425 school year. So I know you use the term rears
um and I think that's fair. I think that's a fair way to look at it because if we look at right now and this is what I I was stuck on the we are collecting money right now 2526 fiscal year from
the tax referendum starts in November it usually runs through April we don't have a payment mechanism in place right now to pay out those tax dollars that are being collected so I think that's where from your perspective the idea that we would
start next year with paying is it's still an inner rear situation. You would we would be paying you for money we're collecting this year. So what we tried to do and so I guess summarize that is we I think we see it the same. I think we we are collecting money right now for
this year and we don't have a way to pay it. So what we tried to do and through thisou that I'll present to you for your team to look at um and there's some changes to it. So of course you could take your time but it goes with this concept that
at the end of each fiscal year we are going to pay out the millillage starting with 2526. So right now for instance we are collecting money beginning in November of 25 and it ends Aprilish 2026. So,
theou contemplates there will be a payout this year in June of 2026 and then it's almost like an advance instead of getting paid out next year in September, it's going to move that up to June of this year and then moving
forward for each fiscal year thereafter. It's just a June end of the year June payment based on how long you're here. So if you start the year with the school district and you finish the year with the school district, you get the full millage supplement at the end of the school
year. If you're hired mid year, then it's prrated based on the time that you're hired. And so new candidates, new hires would be eligible to get it. Again, it's the recruitment and retention part is we
want you to stay on through the end of the year. So, I'll pass this out, but I think that was the fundamental issue and I think we see eye to eye with you on that and I think that's going to really help us move this a little bit. Um, I will just say I appreciated
um when your team was advocating for that, giving us that opportunity to over two sessions really go back, go to the drawing board, look at it and and fortunately reach that same conclusion that you all did. So, I I will say again, I do appreciate that and giving
us that time to do so. And before I pass it out, I don't know if if you want to say anything yet or you want to see what theou says and then we can chat. No, >> I mean, your recollection or recap of of where we were from the last session to to hear. I um totally agree with. I
don't have any any disputes in in that narrative. And the way you verbally explained your your proposal, I'm I'm excited to see the >> the revision. Yes, sir. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> Here's one.
>> If not, I haven't written on mine yet. So before you get to look at it too it effectively if it were accepted as is it'll be a scenario where there will be two payments this year you will have received the September payment for the 2425 collection then there will be a
June payment for the 2526 collection >> and then one moving forward >> and then a year later in June of 2026 or 2027 it'll be for the 2627 collections. >> Understood. Thank you. >> Yep. Thank you.
>> One other note too. >> Sure. >> I had mentioned in the lastouou the elimination of retirees because we're doing it this way that you collect at the end of the year. If you retire midyear, you are you collect for however much you work that year.
>> Right. That makes sense. Mhm. >> Wouldn't that theory encourage more bargaining unit members to retire towards the end of the year instead of midyear? >> Yeah. >> So, there's still a retention component added to that, right? >> Yep. >> And if you'd like to, I mean, it's pretty meaty. So, if your team would like to take some time off camera to go
talk about this. >> Can we? >> Yeah. Yeah. We can take a caucus now. That way you can openly discuss this. >> Okay. Okay, we'll we're happy. We'll go. >> You can stay. >> Okay. >> Yeah, you guys can stay. Unless you you want to go somewhere else. That's your choice. >> We'll Yeah, we'll just go in the in the
foyer right there. >> Just let us know when you're ready and >> Sure. I'll send you a text message. >> Thank you. >> All right. First, first and foremost, always appreciate the opportunity to caucus and and review the proposals that are are in front of us. And um as
customary, we just um want to make sure that we understand everything. So we just have a few questions but on the surface this looked very very um good and I understood the majority of it but the questions that I have is is um with
respect to the difference between this and previous ones is that I didn't see or identify any trueup language in here. Is there a reason why we don't have um true up language? Was it an omission or is there an explanation why that's no longer needed? I think from our
perspective is the the trueup was there because of the additional monies that may come in in the event we needed to do that. But with this setup, the the all of the money will come in by the time we kick out our payments at the end of the fiscal year. So June, it should
only be a one-time scenario where we wouldn't need to have the September and the December true. We just envision collecting all through and then getting it out that one time in June. I don't know if Carter you want to add. That's >> that was that was the purpose of it. >> So So
I understand that perspective and and based on that answer, it leads to to my next question. So if there's sections in this in this um proposal that explains that bargaining unit members who transfer out
of the bargaining unit or um retirees that retire before the end of the academic school year, they forfeit their millage stipen. So if they forfeit their miller stipen, wouldn't that be money that was allocated to be paid to them towards the end of the year that's no
longer required to be paid to them at the end of the year, thus requiring a true up? >> So I'll I'll let Carter on the financial side, but I know retirees, they're still eligible. >> Yeah. So >> retirees. >> Yeah, it would only be anybody who either transfers out or leaves the
employment, not by way of retirement. >> All right. So retirees um just get prrated. Yeah, it's on the two paragraph 22. >> Okay. So, it would only be those that are um transferring out of the bargaining unit that forfeits their
>> or resign or resign. >> And that's and that's customary, >> right? >> We've had that language for many years. If you leave the brotherhood, you you you forfeit your bargain, >> right? And and I don't disagree with that at all. My question is more so of the money that was allocated for them
had they stayed was included in the true up. Was it was it not >> necessarily and let me explain what I mean but going back in history there was a time when we were required to give 77.41% of the funds that were collected. So that was a calculation that was done in
order to figure out what portion that would be eligible for the bargain unit to receive. So whatever different whatever we paid out in September there was a difference and you would get the true up. Whereas here these are set rates that we have agreed upon. So those funds um would would kind of just go
back to the fund balance if you will control for the next year. >> Okay, that makes sense to me. You guys have >> any issues with those? >> But if a teacher was working in the classroom and decides to get a job in the district, >> that's the part that it says they transfer out. So I understand if they
leave the bargaining unit, but what happens if I go work downtown? >> So that's that's exactly what that is. You're no longer in the bargaining unit. You're now administration or let's say a teacher goes to be an AP. that that's that's a scenario for example where you would be forfeiting the rights because
we have a lot of the problems right now people leave the bargaining unit oh I worked I'm eligible that kind and it's it just goes round and round so we wanted to make it clean that like what you said you leave the the bargaining unit now we kind of end up somebody leaves the bargaining unit and all it's almost like they retain their rights and
they're still in there and you're negotiating for them so we wanted to make that clean >> my only two concerns with that is well one is if you have someone who's really good for that job and maybe they're going to wait now because they're going to wait for their millillage at the end of the year instead of going and taking the job. So, I think that could
potentially have a negative impact by thinking that way because if I was in the classroom, I was going to an AP job and you really needed me, right? >> I know that there is a pay difference and things like that, but some of these teachers are going just to be coaches >> or whatever. I don't know some examples of that will be, but >> I just if you really have a good
candidate, >> I would like to speak to the the retention piece on that because we did talk a little bit about that. Yeah, I would say twofold. When a teacher wants to leave during the middle of the year, for your example of a coach position, it would depend if if the coach was non-bargain, >> non bargaining
>> under the current agreement, they they become excluded from the village. >> So, we wouldn't be changing the practice, >> but they won't get their prrated for working the first half of the year. >> They would not, nor do they under the current. Um, but what I would tell you is under the current model, um,
oftentimes a teacher completed a whole year, finished in May, and then they started that new job at the district in August, >> and since they weren't in the bargaining unit in September, >> they didn't get it. Right. >> So, under this model, finish the year
May 29th, >> and you you will get it. So, in that regards, it's a I I believe it's a win. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Can I have um four minutes with the team out there just to get a consensus off the record? Sure. >> Oh, yeah. >> All right. >> Stay here.
>> Yeah, you guys stay here. >> Okay. >> All right. We're good. All right. So, um again, thanks for the opportunity to to break for a second, but um reviewing reviewing um theou
one last look over and just going over the answers that was provided to the trueup questions and um transferring out of the bargaining unit into a position into another position. I I think we're we're comfortable and and
satisfied with all of those explanations and um I think it's session number five we can say that we have a tentative agreement on this >> so we can break out the blue pins. >> That's great. Appreciate that.
>> Do want to reiterate thanks for giving us the opportunity to have some time between our last session and now to to digest and to kind of look at everything. So it well I think it's a good um it's a trended in the right direction of of collaboration this
entire process even when there was a um I'm not even going to say a disagreement but there we didn't have the same understanding right I I think that's a better way to characterize it and the way that we handled that um to get that
understanding is is champion this is um by far my favorite bargaining session with um Martin county and I'm happy to say that we got this done in five sessions. So, thank you so much for your fortitude and your hard work um on on your side to make this this happen. But
I think that this is very very good. Um some of our bargaining unit members who are experiencing um financial adversities because of the increase in health insurance and um the rise of of um basic utilities, etc.,
etc. They all feeling a pinch, but our bargaining unit members have received a millage payment in September. They'll be receiving another another millage payment right before summer vacation. And I think that that's going to do a lot to help our bargaining me bargain
unit members close that financial um hardship gap that they've been experiencing. And it's because of of the work that's done at at this table in collaboration that it was done in such a quick time frame. So, I think that everyone at the table should be applauded and and um recognized for
that. So, thank you so much and I appreciate that. I do. Um we've had numerous sessions over the year, but what I said at the very first session that we had when I said we wanted to try to collaboration on this. I think
especially with this millage payment, this was important to to the board and the superintendent that we reach an agreement on this. And that's why I appreciate you saying it wasn't so much a an argument. I I at the table we're going to do that, right? I mean, naturally, we ought to make sure
we understand each other. But I know at the end of the day, too, from their perspective, it needed to get done the right way. And so, I'm glad we were able to get here. And like you said, after five sessions, we're making a lot of progress on that. I think last year we did salary, >> two sessions.
>> Two sessions. >> So that's been really positive. >> And then two sessions for salary. This Yeah. Two sessions for salary, three on the millage. We did good. We did very, very good. >> I know your team works hard over there. So So we do appreciate your openness, too, and
>> working through some things. So thank you. >> Absolutely. So we can have um Yeah. >> Everyone knows they doodle on the wrong way. You got a clean cup. >> We'll have a clean. >> Yeah. So, what you would do is
>> like that. >> Yeah. We usually do two for us. >> Your signature and then today's date. Today's the night. >> Put it down. >> Yep. Okay. >> Yep.
And then the date >> on here. >> Y already dated and all that. He's taking a picture of me signing my first one. Hey, you didn't switch. >> Oh, >> one letter.
>> It's even worse. >> You guys have one. Mhm. >> You guys have one too, right? >> What's that? >> You guys have a sign. >> We have what we need. So, >> a picture of that, too. >> So, we may not see each other for a bit. >> Yep. >> Which I hope y'all have a good
>> What are we in February? Spring breaks coming up. >> Mhm. >> We got So, I hope you all have a wonderful >> and I do think we're going to start the next contract sooner than later. I've already had a conversation with the super about it. So, I'm pretty sure that we have a pretty good goal of trying to get things done
before school starts if that's possible and trying to make these changes to show that we're really committed to working together. So, >> tables together. >> Push these tables together. >> I think the the board and the super are likeminded in that. So, great. >> Well, thank you all. Anything else you'd
like to say or I think we're we're good to adjourn. I think we're good to go. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.