School Board Meeting Promises Tension Monday Night

The Montclair Board of Education meeting could be crowded on Monday. 

On its blog, the Montclair Education Association is calling on its 1,000-member union to come out in a show of unity after contract negotiations with the board stalled last week. 

The board will convene Monday at 7 p.m. in the George Inness Annex, at 141 Park St. 

The BOE filed an impasse on contract negotiations on Thursday, Feb. 21.

The association is made up of district staff members, including teachers, librarians, secretaries and security personnel.  

The union immediately struck back at the board by calling on its members to begin "working to contract" starting Tuesday, where members work only the hours they are obligated by contract.

The blog also asks members to compile a list of how many additional hours they put in beyond their contract. The lists of ancillary hours were asked to be delivered to union building representatives on Tuesday, according to the union's website. 

Superintendent Penny MacCormack will discuss the Tripod Student Surveys — Connection to Common Core State Standards in her superintendent's report at the meeting. MacCormack will also present student awards and recognitions for the 2012 fall athletic season. An agenda is attached to this story as a pdf.

The board will also vote on resolutions such as the New Jersey Department of Education Office of Special Education Contract for Parent Survey; an agreement for the provision of Progressive Therapy of New Jersey to provide consultation services and therapy for schools in the district; and the Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying report, among others. 

Board members will also discuss committee reports. 

The Montclair Township Council will meet on Tuesday for a regularly scheduled council meeting at 7 p.m. in the municipal building, at 205 Claremont Ave. 

The council will vote on ordinances to increase township attorney Ira Karasick's salary, and place a two-hour parking limit on Highland Avenue between Mt. Hebron Road and Mountainside Park. An agenda is attached as a pdf.

The township council will also consider a resolution authorizing an emergency temporary appropriation of $446,250.00. 

Other resolutions to be considered include appointments to the Capital Finance Committee (R_13_038), and awarding a contract for curbside collection and disposal of municipal noncomposted grass clippings (R_13_039). 

The meeting will be broadcast live on Channel 34 and streamed live at http://Montclair.peg.tv.