Jan. 23—BEMIDJI — The past several meetings for the
Bemidji Area Schools
Board of Education have come with furor and a notable presence from district educators supporting a contract for the jobs they do.
Andrew Dahlby, Bemidji Education Association's negotiation team lead, has been among the faces and signs outside the district office rallying support for the union's mission prior to each board meeting and inside the humble walls of the board room — packed with passion.
"We've been working without a contract for 205 days now," Dahlby said, "so we haven't gotten any cost of living adjustments, there haven't been any changes to our work agreement and we're here rallying for support from the school board. We're just really looking to see that the board values what we do."
Throughout negotiations with the district, Dahlby detailed the BEA's 80 hours of meeting time since June to reach some agreements on classroom sizes and staffing ratios. Salary adjustments and health insurance contributions are two areas Dahlby says have been unresolved since October.
"Most people recognize that teachers are underpaid. Most people don't get into teaching to get paid a whole bunch of money, but we still have mortgages, still have car payments, still have college to pay for," Dahlby added. "It's just really important that we have a fair compensation package. We didn't ask for something huge. We just are trying to reach a fair agreement that both parties can support."
Seven attendees spoke on behalf of contract negotiations for teachers during the public participation portion of the meeting.
A range of elementary and high school teachers along with district stakeholders detailed their personal experiences that they feel have necessitated greater contractual support for educators.
BHS math teacher Kristie O'Beirne detailed a day in her classroom with a recurring phrase she used amidst the chaos of a school day: "I got you."
"It started with me arriving before contractual time with a student waiting for me at my door. They asked me for help and my reply was 'Come on in, I got you,'" O'Beirne said.
Once the final bell rang, O'Beirne was able to reflect on her day with confidence that the classroom is exactly where she belongs.
"I love teaching kids and I don't even think twice about this type of day because I know this is where I'm supposed to be and where my heart is," she left off. "So my question is to you, board members of the great School District 31, do you have us?"
A hearty round of applause met O'Beirne's final comments as fourth-grade teacher Erin Brooks made her way to the podium.
"We as the teachers of District 31 want a balanced budget just as much as you do. However, we have our own budgets we are trying to balance, as well," Brooks said as she addressed the board.
Brooks' and other's comments alluded to a $2.2 billion funding boost for K-12 education that the Minnesota Legislature passed in May, from which the district is set to receive a 3.1% funding increase for 2023-2024 and 2.8% for 2024-2025.
"We can argue all we want about the amount of money coming into our district, but at the end of the day, it comes down to where you choose to allocate that money," Brooks added.
After the remaining attendees shared their sentiments, the board transitioned to the rest of its agenda including terms and conditions of employment for various employment groups within the district.
With changes in salary, health insurance contributions and other benefits, the board unanimously approved terms and conditions for non-licensed staff through 2025 with an estimated two-year cost of $156,338.98.
The board also approved adjustments for confidential administrative support employees at a $37,862.59 two-year cost.
Regarding a tentative agreement with the Bemidji Principals' Association, board member Anna Manecke questioned why the board wasn't clued into these negotiations.
"We meet so often for other negotiations, but then we're presented these numbers at a school board meeting and just expected to stamp it?" Manecke said.
District Human Resources Director Jordan Hickman explained that the board's personnel committee traditionally sits in on teacher negotiations but not other bargaining groups as long as certain parameters are met.
"When the board sets the negotiation parameters, those parameters are being set for all bargaining groups," Hickman detailed.
The board approved this agreement at a two-year cost of $191,891.
Manecke raised a similar concern regarding employment terms for district office administrators, with a two-year cost of $69,365.35.
"Not saying anyone doesn't deserve a raise, but when we get this information on a Thursday afternoon and are expected to vote on this on a Monday — with all of this taxpayer money and being in negotiations with teachers — I think we would've deserved a work session on this," Manecke mentioned. "It's just disheartening that we didn't get that opportunity to talk about all of these contracts coming our way."
Manecke's statement was met with applause and a smattering of "Thank you's" from the crowd as board member Justin Hoover proposed tabling the matter. Superintendent Jeremy Olson stated the vote could wait for a February work session if the board supported doing so.
"If that's the expectation, we just need to make sure that expectation is stated upfront," Olson said. "We obviously don't want to overburden our personnel committee, but if we want to put in place a procedure for how this would move forward, we could absolutely do that."
Manecke moved to table the district office administrator's agreement for future discussion with Hoover seconding, but the measure failed with a 4-2 vote.
The board then approved the agreement 5-1 with Manecke voting against the measure.
Prior to its regular meeting, the board convened in a special meeting to determine officers and approve other organizational considerations.
The board was not able to reach a majority to elect a board chair as board members Julie Laitala and Dave Wall each received three votes.
After three rounds of nominations and votes, the board reached a stalemate. With Ann Long Voelkner remaining as acting chair, the board continued on to elect Jenny Frenzel as vice chair, Manecke as clerk and Long Voelkner as treasurer.
After some time away from the vote for chair, Laitala and Wall shared some remarks regarding the position.
"As a board member, we are literally the eyes and the ears of this community," Laitala said, "and it's our job to feel the pulse of the community not just for those who voted for us but for the community as a whole, to make sure we set the right culture that our community needs."
Wall referenced
last year's organizational meeting that saw a similar issue
with electing a chair and vice chair to the board.
"A year ago, we had a fairly lengthy stalemate and we found a way to compromise," Wall said. "I think we're set up for that this year with Jenny being vice chair, so it's something to think about if we're willing to consider that."
An additional two rounds of votes lead to no progress in selecting a chair, leaving Long Voelkner as acting chair until the board can reach a majority vote at a future date.
The full regular meeting can be viewed on the Bemidji Area Schools YouTube channel.
The next regular board meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 26, in the district board room.
