Elaine Blaisdell
— OAKLAND — In an open letter to the Garrett County Board of Education, the Garrett County commissioners expressed their frustration over being placed in a collective bargaining negotiation process with the public school system.
“It was you, the board of education, who negotiated a salary increase only to then make anincrease in employee compensation a controversial segment of the county government fiscal year 2015 budget,” says the letter addressed to Thomas Carr, president of the board. “It would seem from a responsibility perspective that you would honor the agreement you negotiated by eliminating items within the approved 2015 Board of Education budget.”
Carr said that reopening the negotiations would be the worstcase scenario.
“We have gone through a lot of choices and a lot of the cuts, that is not part of what is being considered. Since the letter went out we would really like to know where the written notification required by law is stating that we are anticipating reopening negotiations,” said Carr during Tuesday’s county commission meeting.
Larry McKenzie, director of finance for the board, questioned the accuracy of some of the facts contained in the letter.
“There are certain half truths within the letter,” said McKenzie.
McKenzie agreed that the board’s budget had increased to $51.8 million in fiscal 2015 compared to $51.3 million in fiscal 2014.
“I would say, by the same token, that we’ve made cuts and adjustments,” said McKenzie.
Cuts have been made to positions and the budget includes capital items such as the Southern Middle School renovation project, the alternative education program, textbooks and computers, according to McKenzie. The renovation project could potentially cost $16 million, according to the letter.
“Yes, we show a budget increase but certainly it’s not haphazard in terms of how those funds are being spent and certainly they are needs of the school system and needs of Garrett County,” said McKenzie.
