Franklin Teachers made up the majority of the audience at last night’s school board meeting. During Citizen Comments school board president Debbie Larson permitted Franklin teachers to comment on agenda item 9. a. Board Discussion, [health] insurance bidding process. Fear of the unknown and satisfaction with the status quo seemed to be the motivating factor behind most of the comments.
Larson assured these Franklin Teacher’s that the Board and the District would get their input in making the decision—quasi-collective bargaining?
We recently published an article explaining how the Baraboo School Board, in May, voted to dump WEA Trust employee health coverage (Franklin’s current health insurance provider) in favor of similar coverage through the Dean Health Plan which District officials estimated would save the District $660,000 annually.
During the Board’s discussion on this item Human Resources Director, Judith Mueller reported to board members that the District will be working with The Horton Group, an insurance, risk management and employee benefits consulting firm on the employee health insurance question and expected to have a change in place by this time next year.
Board member Tim Nielson questioned the lengthy amount of time Mueller proposed, suggesting and voiced his opinion that it could be accomplished sooner, thereby saving taxpayer dollars sooner than later. Nielson also asked what the Horton Group’s fee. was and was told by Business Manager, Jim Milzer said that it would depend upon the consulting package the District chose. Eventually Janet Evans pried a "ball park figure of $10,00-$20,000 out of him. Milzer added that Horton generally saved its clients five times its fee.
School Board President Debbie Larson also resurrected a so-called “board meeting debriefing,” a past Board practice whereby each member publically evaluates the meeting based on a number of specific survey questions. What ever its purpose, this exercise, from this reporter’s vantage point only seemed to divide the Board further and stoke the flames of animosity that already exists between some members.
Larson also seems repared to move forward with a suggestion from a Franklin Teacher in attendance, to video tape Board meetings and post them on the District’s website although the Board never discussed or voted on the matter since it did not appear on the meeting agenda.
On the hiring front, Superintendent Patz confirmed that in the coming weeks the District will be adding a communications specialist to its staff.
Also, with the job elimination of Adria Day, Administrative Assistant to Superintendent Patz, for the short-term, the Superintendent has taken it upon himself to take and publish the board meeting minutes, a task which is relegated to staff and the City Clerk for Franklin Common Council Meetings.
Finally, the annual Meeting of the Electors will be held on August 24, 2011, Agenda to follow.
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