ELYRIA — An Elyria school board meeting Wednesday night turned into a referendum on the current impasse between the district and the teachers union over contract negotiations.

The room was packed as teachers wanted to make a strong showing to demonstrate that they are determined to fight for the contract they want.

Their current contract expired Aug. 31, and negotiations have been contentious.

Mark Jessie, choir director at Elyria High School, tried to smooth things over.

“We need to back up and see where we’re headed,” he said. “Past negotiations worked well because there was trust and good faith.”

He also said “outside influences” are pushing a confrontational stance in negotiations, and he resents it.

“Why is this on the front page of The Chronicle?” he asked. “Our dirty laundry should stay in-house.”

There was no tone of conciliation in the speech that followed by Elyria Education Association leader Sarida Volante.

Contract negotiations, she said, have demonstrated that teachers are “less important than classified staff” to the board. She wondered why teachers should accept less of a raise than administration and classified staff and increased health coverage costs.

She accused the district of regressive bargaining and vindictiveness.

She also said it was unfair to paint the teachers union as selfish in negotiations.

“We worked to pass Issue 29 with overwhelming support,” she said. “Teachers pay for supplies out of their own pockets. Teachers take graduate courses instead of vacations.”

Teachers, she said, have shown that they are willing to sacrifice for the schools, citing five years ago when they agreed to a pay freeze in return for not altering benefits.

Her speech was met with loud applause from those in attendance.

School Board President Donald Boddy said he was “distressed” by the language in statements from the union.

“We live in a community and county where police and firefighters are being laid off,” he said. “In private businesses, employees are taking less pay to save their fellow employees from being laid off. We cannot generate new money. We need to work together.”

The district’s financial future looks grim, according to a report from treasurer Fred Stevens.

With flat local revenue, falling real estate values and revenue from the state expected to increase just 1.5 percent per year through 2014, the school district is projected to be running a $3.9 million deficit in 2012, a $13 million deficit in 2013 and a $29 million deficit in 2014.

Keeping costs under control, he said after the meeting, is why the community trusts the school district and has passed two levy renewals.

This situation, he said, is new territory.

“For decades, we had non-contentious, early settlements,” he said. “This is disconcerting.”

Contact Melissa Hebert at 329-7129 or mhebert@chroniclet.com.

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