Imminent labor agreements and solar energy highlighted the Board of Education meeting last night. Reporter Dan Stork says that funding measures and policy revisions were also dealt with…
In their regular reports to the Morongo Unified School District Board of Education, the representatives of the District labor unions told about progress made toward agreements. Morongo Teachers Association representative Jason Bolt said that the MTA membership has approved the Tentative Agreement reached during bargaining with the District, and awaits District response. Classified employee rep Maria Brunetti said that her union will vote April 10 on a Tentative Agreement that calls for a 5.77 percent increase, retroactive to last July. The Common Core Funding Plan was approved, as was authorization for temporary borrowing between funds (which is not expected to be needed). Revisions to a policy on weapons and dangerous instruments was approved, but another policy on student trips was held over for further review.
In a public workshop before the regular meeting, the Board heard an informal presentation from Kathleen McKee, a lawyer who specializes in guiding school districts through solar energy implementations. McKee advised on how to seek vendors, and on elements that can or should be explicit in contracts. An example: if a vendor guarantees that 80 percent (to use a typical contractual agreement) of a district’s electricity needs can be met from on-site solar, and if delivery falls below that mark, then the solar vendor should be on the hook for the shortfall. McKee also gave high marks to PsomasFMG, the solar vendor that gave a presentation to the Board recently.
