Fact-finder's report in Waynesboro teachers contract dispute released

The Waynesboro school board is slated to discuss the fact-finders’ report, and lay out its decision to reject it during Tuesday’s board meeting.

Due to the large crowd expected, the meeting has been moved from the administration building to the Waynesboro Area High School auditorium at 7 p.m.


“We feel that we’ve been bending over backwards trying to reach an agreement, and the board has barely moved,” Engle said.

Board member Rita Daywalt said two of the biggest stumbling blocks between the district and the association are salary and retroactivity.

“The Waynesboro Area School Board absolutely cannot and will not offer retroactivity. We can’t afford it,” Daywalt said.

The association has argued that the district has a strong reserve fund, but Lind said that’s not fully accurate.

While there is $5.9 million in the district’s reserve fund, he said $2.6 million has been allocated for known expenses, which leaves $3.3 million — with a $3.5 million lawsuit hanging over the district.

 ”We can’t blow all of our reserve,” he said.

Lind said there are only three ways to fund the fact-finders’ report: use the reserve fund, raise taxes past the tax index or eliminate 12 to 15 teachers and cut programs.

“The district can afford it. He’s (Lind) not taking into account the additional contributions from our health care, the savings from retiring teachers and the rumored retiring teachers who are not going to be replaced,” Engle said.

To view the complete fact-finders’ report, log onto www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/fact-finding_reports/10498