By Alexis Tarrazi / Senior Reporter

CARLSTADT (Oct. 15, 2009) — Wrapping up a two-year negotiation process between the Carlstadt Board of Education and local education union, a teachers’ salary contract was all but finalized Monday, Oct. 5.

“I think the contract is very fair to both sides,” Carlstadt Superintendent of Schools Stephen Kollinok said in a phone interview. “There was give and take on both sides.”

Joseph Trotter, negotiations chairperson for the Carlstadt Education Association, said the teachers still need to read the proposal over and sign off on its details. But, he added, the contract is basically a done deal.

“When you have a good contract, both sides are happy about a few things and not happy about a few things,” Trotter said.

The board of education and teachers’ association agreed upon a contract that would be retroactive to the 2008-09 school year, since the teachers have been working without a contract for more than a year.

The increase measures up to 3.7 percent for the 2008-09 school year, 4.5 percent for the 2009-10 school year and 4.5 percent for the 2010-11 school year. The percent increase is inclusive of increments, which are set salary increases.

Trotter noted that the increments for the 2008-09 to the 2010-11 school year were 1.92, 2.11 and 2.19 percent.

“Only 1.78, 2.39 and 2.311 percent is new money,” Trotter said. “The other money was there anyway.”

Steve Baker, spokesman for the New Jersey Education Association, said that out of the 50 most recent contracts throughout the state, the average increase was 4.47 percent for the 2009-10 school year and 4.4 percent for the 2010-11 school year.

There are approximately 200 contracts settled per year.

Most of the board of education members voted in favor of the contract, with the exception of local assembly candidate, Donald Diorio, who voted no, and Gregg Marafelias, who abstained.

Marafelias said his abstention was due to a conflict of interest because he knew somebody working in the district. “I’m all for the contract,” he added in phone interview. “This is just a formality.”

Diorio voted no because of the current unemployment rate and economic recession.

“Given the circumstances throughout the state, and in particular the district,” Diorio said at the meeting, “any increase in taxes is probably not the right thing to do.”