Contract dispute still unresolved in N. Merrick

Unresolved teacher contracts remained at the forefront of community concerns at the Nov. 10 North Merrick Board of Education meeting.

Contract negotiations were not on the meeting agenda, but several residents and one teacher used the public comment period to urge the Board of Education to resolve the dispute surrounding contracts that expired in June 2008.

Peggy Rakas, a music teacher in the district, warned that morale among staff was the lowest she recalls in her 26 years working in North Merrick. "Low morale is a poison," she said.

North Merrick resident Donald Davidson commended teachers for their hard work and positive attitudes with students, but expressed concerns that unresolved contracts may eventually mean reduced property values if the district's reputation for academic excellence suffers.

Davidson also quoted a survey from an unnamed source that put the average salary of North Merrick teachers at around $68,700 per year. Upon request from the Herald, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations Stephen Draper calculated the average salary for a full-time teacher employed in North Merrick since at least 2008 at just above $88,000 per year.

"There's been no subject matter that we've convened on more," Board President John Rossi said of the board's negotiation efforts.

The board was scheduled to convene in executive session to discuss contracts directly following the public meeting, but as of press time, a resolution had not been reached.

Despite tensions between the Board of Education and the Merrick Faculty Association, the North Merrick Council of Administrators and Supervisors took time out to honor trustees for Board of Education Appreciation Month.

Fayette Elementary School Principal Howard Merrims presented trustees with three children's books, copies of which were donated to each school library in North Merrick in board members' names.

Trustee Linda Fuller said of all the gifts that she has received in appreciation for her service, “This is the gift that touches my heart the most.”