School board approves sending track resurfacing out to bid

The Havre Public Schools Board of Trustees approved Tuesday sending a project to resurface the Havre Middle School track out to bid and approved a new addition to Havre High School’s curriculum.

The subject of resurfacing Havre Middle School’s track, a project that will cost upward of $400,000, was one discussed at a planning meeting last month and at the last meeting of the board it was agreed that it should be considered a priority project.

At Tuesday’s meeting Havre Superintendent Craig Mueller presented the request for approval and said they will need to get the request for bid advertised in local media twice.

Trustee Christin Hileman said she had a couple questions before they approve the request, including why a desired timeline wasn’t included.

Mueller said that is typically handled when the contract is drawn up.

Hileman also wondered if it wouldn’t be wise to require that bidders lay out a breakdown of their costs so they can compare “apples to apples,” and may also make it easier to track changes in costs, or if fellow board members think this project is simple enough that that is unnecessary.

Mueller said the inclusion of such a stipulation is doable and may have some value, but it would require the matter be tabled to put that in the request.

Other members of the board said they think it’s probably not necessary for this particular project, which they said is fairly straightforward and probably doesn’t need so thorough a breakdown of costs.

Trustee Brittnee’ Loch said if it were a more complicated project being discussed she could see that change being valuable, but for this one, she’s comfortable how it is.

The board voted unanimously to approve the request.

The board also unanimously opproved an addition to Havre High School’s class offering, Welding 3.

Havre Assistant Superintendent Brad Moore thanked the board for continuing to support expanded curriculum and that there are more exciting class offerings coming down the pipe.

After these discussions the board also heard an update about Havre Public School’s ongoing union negotiations.

Trustee Cindy Erickson gave the update on their negotiations with the Havre Education Association, saying that Havre Public Schools and Havre Education Association executed a memorandum in 2021 stating their current agreement expires June 30, 2023, and that the parties will meet and confer annually on compensation and working conditions.

Erickson said the association wants to keep that memorandum in place and the groups have had three meetings so far, with the next meeting set for July 6.

She said they have agreed on a 6 percent increase to the district’s contribution for insurance, language defining benefits during a sabbatical leave, school calendar development, removing a calendar committee and a clarification of language related to covering another teacher’s class in 20-minute increments rather than solely 40-plus-minute blocks.

She also said they presented a plan to Havre Education Association that was rejected by the association, a plan which included a 3.25 percent increase on the base for the 2022-2023 school year and other components including adjustments to discretionary leave, adding additional leave that could be earned after substituting for another teacher and the addition of mental health leave to the Sick and Bereavement Leave Bank, with an increase from 75 to 100 days of leave in the bank.

Trustee Lorraine Larson said negotiations include Havre Education Association’s salary request seeking a 9.5 percent increase in the base, and Havre Public Schools is seeking alternatives to the leave process for discussion on July 6.

Loch presented information on the district’s negotiations with the Teamster’s union, saying a 5 percent increase in 2022-2023, and 2 percent increase in 2023-2024 have been agreed upon as well as a 0.08 percent increase to the existing longevity rates on base salaries and a 6 percent increase in insurance contributions for those Teamsters covered by the Montana Unified School Trust.

She said they are still discussing providing an incentive for custodial and maintenance employees to consider switching to MUST insurance to address cost issue for Havre Public Schools.

Moore said the district is paying a set premium for coverage under the trust whether employees are covered or not, so there are people who aren’t covered despite the fact that it has no effect on what the district pays, which they are trying to address.

Negotions with paraprofessionals are also ongoing with the 6 percent increase to the district’s contribution for insurance agreed upon, and language for hazard pay and categorical compensation still being disscussed along with a request for a 5.9 percent salary increase.