In reviewing the Mid-Hudson report, it is important to keep in mind that WCSD is one of the two largest districts in the cohort. This message needs to be reinforced. It is noteworthy that the budget initiatives match the top four priority areas identified in the bottom section of the questionnaire. This, too, needs to be re-inforced. The great majority of WCSD's current overtime expenditures for transportation and facilities management are a function of contractual language.
Many bus runs for activities and athletics effectively require overtime due to contractual language.
As the Board reviews the WFW contract in the coming weeks, we will make an effort to rectify the contract language that precludes the use of scheduling strategies such as staggered work weeks or ad hoc modifications to the schedules of individual custodians. This precludes the use of volunteers in that arena. As I noted in my budget presentation, WCSD has introduced protocols in the assignment of teaching assistants which have stemmed the increase in the number hired annually and leveled the costs in that area. The district owns 18 other copiers which are largely older and used for making individual copies in administrator's offices. Following my meeting with the BAC in March, Rich Indermill called his counterparts and reviewed his records to validate this fact.