The report is the next step in trying to overcome the impasse between the board and the teachers, who have been working without a contract since June 30, 2005.
By: Linda Seida
LAMBERTVILLE A mediator from the Public Employee Relations Commission has completed a fact-finding report on the impasse between the teachers union and the Lambertville Public School.
Because contract negotiations are ongoing, details of the report have not been made public.
"I think it’s best to leave the discussion at the table," Board of Education President David Moraski said. "That’s where it belongs."
Board members were scheduled to discuss the report Tuesday night during a special closed session.
"The board will review it and decide whether to accept all of it, none of it or any of it," Mr. Moraski said. "The teachers will have to go through the same process."
The board then will direct its negotiation team on how to proceed, Mr. Moraski said. The team then will schedule another meeting with the teachers union.
The new president of the 22-member Lambertville Teachers Association, Janet Kulis, did not return a phone call seeking comment.
According to former President Kendra Pittore, teachers at the top of the salary guide earn between $7,000 and $13,000 less than their counterparts in surrounding school districts even though they average five more years of experience.
The teachers’ contract expired June 30, 2005. Since then, teachers have been working under the terms of the old contract.
Teachers are seeking parity with salaries in surrounding school districts. They also have sought to prevent changes to their health benefits.
The district has said it cannot meet the teachers’ salary demands. LPS started the school year more than $160,000 in the red because of costs related to special education. All districts are required by law to meet the various needs of their special education students.
The district employed several cost-saving measures, including reducing the number of instruction hours for art, music and physical education.
The district has asked the teachers to pay a percentage toward the cost of their dependents’ coverage, which cost the district more than $100,000 this year.
The board cannot attempt to negotiate the teachers’ own benefits because of the terms of the New Jersey Health Benefits Plan. However, the board can negotiate dependents’ coverage.

