By Stephanie Vaccaro, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY In a recognition of economically challenging times, administrators in Montgomery schools have agreed to concessions in their three-year contract.
The Board of Education for Montgomery schools approved the agreement at its meeting on Tuesday. The 25 administrators, a group including principals, vice principals, supervisors and curriculum directors, have accepted reduced salary increases and benefits.
The administrators agreed to reduced increases in pay compared to the previous contract. For the first year the increase will be 1.25 percent, year two will be 1.5 percent, and year three will be 1.75 percent, said Russ Walsh, director of human resources for the district.
The last three-year contract saw annual increases of 3.25 percent, 3.3 percent and 3.5 percent.
”It came about through a jointly recognized need,” said Mr. Walsh.
The district made it known that money was tight, that they would need to find some way to accommodate the double-digit increases that the benefits packages were costing them, and that much investigation about how to control costs had been done, he said.
”When we shared those numbers with the administrators, they were willing to work with us,” said Mr. Walsh.
Additionally, the administrators are paying 1.5 percent of their salaries toward their benefits packages, something that they agreed to last year though it wasn’t in their original contract.
”It was important to the board and apparent to the administrators association to do something to control costs and benefits,” said Mr. Walsh.
They agreed to move from an access-style benefit platform, or a PPO, to a point-of-service platform. A point-of-service plan is similar to an HMO and requires pre-screening referrals from a primary doctor, said Mr. Walsh.
Concessions were also made regarding the prescription drug plan. Non-preferred prescriptions, a designation determined by the insurer, will go from $10 to $15 the first year and will rise to $30 by the third year. The $5 co-pay for generic and the $10 co-pay for preferred brand will remain the same, said Mr. Walsh.
There will also be an increase in co-payment for doctor visits from $15 to $20 in the first year; then from $20 to $30 in the second and third years of the contract, said Mr. Walsh.
”The administrators worked with us to solve the fiscal challenges that we face, said Superintendent Earl Kim. “We compliment the district’s school leaders for once again leading from the front.”

