Letter mailed to borough parents
lists grievances against school board
By: Eric Schwarz
The teachers union has extended its campaign for a new
contact to parents of students, with a mailed letter and flier reporting
"truly trying times in the district" and comparing employees’ salaries
unfavorably to those in the state and another district.
The Feb. 20 letter, sent to parents in plain envelopes,
arrived late last week. It bears the signature of Kathy Kovach, president
of the Manville Education Association, which represents about 150 district
employees.
Ms. Kovach refers to "the graft, corruption and criminal
behavior of some of your management team over the past several years."
Ms. Kovach did not return calls seeking comment before
press deadlines, and Superintendent Francis X. Heelan declined to comment
on the letter.
The letter criticizes several district employees and
board members. Though their personal names are not listed, their positions
are, thus identifying the people involved.
Among recent problems in the district, the union notes
the arrest and conviction of former buildings and grounds supervisor Thomas
Lynch in a pay-for-employment bribery scheme; the charging of J. Ronald
Gossett, former business administrator, with supervising illegal removal of
asbestos; the appointment of an interim business administrator, Evan S.
Gillingham, at $500-a-day plus additional fees for nighttime meetings; and
the firing of the special services director, Andrew Morgan.
The union asks the public to support its negotiation
efforts by attending board meetings, writing letters to the board, hosting
"informational sessions" at their homes, and posting supportive signs on
their lawns or businesses.
Board of Education member Dorothy Bradley and former
member Andrew Zangara, both of whom have been involved in negotiations with
the teachers union, also are criticized in Ms. Kovach’s letter.
The letter claims Mr. Zangara, as then-chairman of the
board’s negotiating team, "is responsible for leading the board to offer no
salary increase to teachers and support staff for the current year."
Mr. Zangara said the board did indeed make that proposal,
but has denied a previous union statement that the board proposed no salary
increases for three years. The letter refers only to the one-year proposal.
"They have no code of ethics, it’s obvious by that
letter," Mr. Zangara said of the union. "They’ve decided that this town,
they’re too good for us. They want their money, no questions asked."
The letter also claims that Mr. Zangara’s wife, Mary
Ellen Zangara, has "use(d) her position" as a free-lance columnist for The
Manville News "to criticize school employees."
"I was very upset that my family was mentioned in the
letter," said Mr. Zangara, who said it was issued "in poor taste."
According to the union, Ms. Bradley "has significantly
contributed in a negative way to the current stalled negotiations …"
"I respect the union’s right, according to the
Constitution of the United States, to express their opinion," said Ms.
Bradley, who cautioned that she is responding personally, not as a board
member.
She noted that the letter does not specify how she has
allegedly harmed the negotiations.
"I am more than happy to speak to anybody as to anything
that I’ve done as a board member for the past three years," Ms. Bradley
said. "I would be more than happy to address their specific complaints.
"I have been a person who has been very honest, I believe
in the truth and stand behind the truth," Ms. Bradley said.
She quoted entrepreneur W. Clement Stone: "The truth is
the truth, regardless of lack of understanding, disbelief or ignorance."
"In no way do I intend to stand up and defend a broad
generalization that may not be based in truth," Ms. Bradley said. "Every
action that I’ve made in negotiations, and every statement at the table, I
can back up with documentation.
"The negotiations process has a lot more information and
is a lot more broad than the statements in their letters," Ms. Bradley
said.
"Certainly one of the biggest aspects of negotiations has
been student instructional time, which is not even referenced in their
letter," she said.
The board wants the teachers to extend their day by 30
minutes to bring Manville’s instructional time up to the state average, and
to teach a sixth class each day, as opposed to the current five.
In its flier, the union refers to its relatively low
average salary for teachers, claiming that Manville teachers earn $5,000
less than the Somerset County average, and $7,000 less than the state
average.
The flier also compares Manville to Watchung Hills
Regional High School District, claiming that it takes "at least 10 years"
of experience for Manville teacher salaries to equal or exceed first-year
salaries in Watchung Hills.
In other negotiating developments, the state-appointed
fact-finder, Jeff Tener, has sent copies of his final report to both sides
in the negotiations, by fax and mail on Monday.
However, Jim Loper, the union field representative for
the New Jersey Education Association, said he had not seen the report as of
Wednesday.
Gary Whalen, a paid negotiator for the board, who also
was sent a copy, did not return a call seeking comment.
Mr. Tener and Ms. Bradley, who had seen the report,
declined comment on it.
The superintendent’s and business administrator’s offices
said they had not seen it.
The union letter lists a phone number, 253-0033, for
people to leave a message for more information.