There has been an agreement between the Mineola Teacher's Association and the Mineola Board of Education on a new four-year contract.

At the May 15 business meeting of the board of education, an agenda item called for the agreement, which would be retroactive from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2011, but the items were tabled.

The board met again on May 22 to discuss the agreement in principle. The previous agreement covered a period from July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2007.

At the May 22 meeting, the board voted three to two to ratify the contract. New trustee Will Hornberger, who was just sworn in last Tuesday night after his victory in the school board election, voted against ratifying the contract.

Hornberger, who believes the board has to be more vigilant in its contract negotiations, said the contract was "not what I would have fought for. That's why I said no."

Laraine Salvatore, who was elected last year, also voted against the ratification of the contract. Salvatore, who campaigned last year on being fiscally responsible, said she didn't feel comfortable with the raise the teachers would be getting with the new contract and believes the teachers, because of the raise, should be contributing more to their health insurance. "I don't think any side is ever totally happy with a contract and I realize that but I think we could have gotten back in some other areas," she said.

School board president John McGrath, vice president Steve Siwinski and trustee Mary Ellen Williams voted to ratify the contract. Terry Hall, who was also elected last week, will take Williams' place in July when he is sworn in.

The contract calls for the teachers to get a 3.5 percent raise each year during the duration of the contract but teachers can also get a 5 percent raise based on step increments. Teachers will be contributing 15 percent of their medical benefit costs.

McGrath felt comfortable voting for the contract because, he said, the board was able to get some concessions from the teachers that will allow the district to close schools if the board chooses to.

A provision in the previous contract provided that the district could only excess or lay off up to seven teachers a year and of those seven, three had to be hired back for one year. In the new contract, the district can excess up to 10 teachers per year. For those who are excessed, the district must pay their health benefits for eight months but now doesn't have to hire three excessed teachers back for one year.

"This is a contract that recognizes the contributions the teachers make to the children of the school district and it also recognizes the practical reality that all the other districts in Nassau County are giving similar raises and we sought major givebacks," said McGrath.

In addition to the excess teacher provision, the new contract also calls for the school day to be extended by 15 minutes and the teachers have agreed to be flexible in terms of scheduling for the elementary schools so that if the board decides to close a school or schools, the transportation schedule runs can conform to new scheduling This way, transportation costs will not eat into a lot of the savings of closing a school or schools, according to McGrath.

Special Meeting May 29 to Discuss Tenure, Fund Balance

The Mineola Board of Education will also be meeting on Thursday, May 29 at 7 p.m. in the Willis Avenue School for a special meeting for tenure and personnel appointments. It is expected that the tenure for deputy superintendent Dr. Michael Nagler will be on the agenda.

Dr. Nagler and superintendent of schools Dr. Larry Licopoli were named in a lawsuit in February as Dr. Licopoli's former secretary Lana Illiano alleged the two administrators created a hostile work atmosphere. Both Dr. Licopoli and Dr. Nagler have vehemently denied the charges.

The tenure for Dr. Nagler as deputy superintendent was originally an item scheduled for the Feb. 7 meeting of the board. However, in light of the lawsuit filed against Dr. Nagler and Dr. Licopoli on the same day in U.S. District Court, the item was tabled by the board.

According to Harry Weinberg, Illiano's attorney, the defendants made motions to dismiss the first complaint. The plaintiff has filed an amended complaint and the district has answered that complaint. "We're waiting to find out whether the other two defendants are going to answer or make another motion," he said.

In addition, according to Weinberg, Dr. Nagler has filed a lawsuit against Illiano alleging defamation of character relating to the email Illiano sent to former assistant superintendent Shari Camhi complaining about Dr. Nagler. Weinberg said he filed a motion to dismiss that lawsuit.

During this special meeting, the board is also expected to discuss the district's fund balance.