MADISON — The echoes of chanting teachers reverberated through cafeteria and hallways of Madison Middle School on Wednesday night.
Negotiations between Madison Local Schools and its teachers union, the Madison Local Education Association, have reached a standstill. Members of the MLEA showed up to Wednesday’s board meeting in red t-shirts, holding signs and leading chants before the meeting began.
“What do we want?”
“A contract!”
“When do we want it?”
“Now!”
As of Thursday, 212 teachers and guidance counselors have worked 230 days under an expired contract.
“The negotiation team has met 15 times with the board, but has reached an impasse,” MLEA spokesperson Kristi Green said.
”It has been stressful and trying but we continue to show up daily, working hard for the students.”
Both the union and school board have submitted information to a factfinder from the State Employees Relation Board.
The SERB fact-finder’s role is to assess the information provided as a neutral third party and provide a non-binding recommendation on how to move forward.
Supt. Rob Peterson said he can’t comment on negotiations, per the existing agreement with the MLEA.
“I will say that I really appreciate our teachers,” Peterson said Wednesday night. “I advocate for them, but I also have to advocate for the board and the taxpayers. That’s what I try to do.”
It’s unclear when the fact finder will issue his or her recommendation. Green said she hopes to receive a reply within three weeks. Peterson said he expects to hear back in four to six weeks, but the fact-finder can take as long as they wish.
Board votes to forego OSBA membership, hire taxation consultant instead
The board voted Wednesday night to approve a contract with Rockmill Financial Consulting for “taxation policy services.” The contract is for a maximum of six months, with a monthly rate of $3,000.
Peterson said Rockmill’s David Conley will help the board develop a taxation policy, which will be a framework to guide decision-making on future levies.
“Normally, (Conley) charges a much larger amount for his services, but he so kindly offered his services to us for no more than $18,000, so we feel that is well worth putting that policy together and having a framework to guide us for how we move forward,” Peterson said.
Voters in the Madison school district approved a new operating levy in November 2023.
Leading up to the vote, district officials and the levy committee told the public it would generate $3.36 million in operating funds per year. At the time, Peterson said he believed the number would actually be higher based on recent property tax reappraisals.
The levy is actually generating just $2.94 million annually.
The board also voted to forego attending the 2025 Ohio School Board Association Capital Conference and to end its service contract with the OSBA, effective with the 2026 calendar year. Peterson recommended cutting down on OSBA expenses to help cover Conley’s fee.
Treasurer Bradd Stevens said OSBA’s service contract covers training, professional development, advocacy and leadership guidance, along with policy and legislative advice on issues.
“We most likely would not be obtaining any of the services from anyone else,” Stevens said via email. “However, that depends on what we need and what is available elsewhere.”
Stevens said foregoing the conference and service contract will save the district around $15,000.
Community rallies behind wrestling coach, Milliron Foundation donates to turf field project
Also at Wednesday’s meeting, Principal Sean Conway honored two high school wrestlers, sophomore Aiden Proctor and junior Jaxin Stancombe.
Proctor is an Ohio Cardinal Conference and sectional champion who finished third at the district competition and eighth in the state tournament. Stancombe is a sectional champion, district champion and sixth-place state finisher.
Conway also gave a shoutout to the district’s growing girls wrestling program.
“We had the most girls competing in the OCC at the sectional tournament,” Conway said. “All seven lady Ram wrestlers placed. The team finished fifth and Estella Koppert Smith was a two-time sectional champion.”
The board voted to give boys and girls coach Bryan Mosier an additional $1,950 stipend for extra duties related to attending both boys and girls meets.
The board also voted to accept a $200,000 donation from the Milliron Foundation to redo the turf on the football field.
