Franklin County holds off on college contract

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September 3, 2010

By JOE LoTEMPLIO Staff Writer The Press Republican Fri Sep 03, 2010, 03:28 AM EDT

MALONE — Franklin County legislators delayed a decision on a contract for the support staff at North Country Community College, leaving the matter in doubt.

"I think we need to look at this some more because we could be having some serious difficulty with the (county) budget this year," Legislator Paul Maroun (R-District 6, Tupper Lake) said at Thursday's meeting.

The proposed contract for the 24 employees of the college's Civil Service Employees Association union covers three years, with a flat $1,000 raise the first year and 3-percent raises the next two years.

Existing staff would continue to pay nothing for health insurance, while new hires will pay 8 percent of the premium.

William Chapin, the college's chief financial officer, told legislators that the raises offered in this pact are actually less than the existing contract, which expired Sept. 1, 2009.

The deal was approved by both the college and the union after 18 months of negotiating, including sessions with a mediator.

"It is basically the same contract with a few changes," Chapin said.

The contract must be approved by both the Essex County Board of Supervisors and the Franklin County Legislature. Earlier this week, Essex County supervisors rejected the plan by an 8-to-6 vote.

The matter can be brought back for another vote at the board's Sept. 7 meeting.

Maroun said he wanted to wait to see what Essex County does before Franklin County votes.

"Some of these people (CSEA workers) don't pay anything for health insurance, which is about as unusual as eating ice cream in the Sahara Desert and thinking it's not going to melt," Maroun said.

"If we give them 3-percent raises, then we would morally have to give the same raises to the 500 county workers, and I don't think we can afford that."

Legislator Tim Burpoe (D-District 7, Saranac Lake) said the deal between the college and union was made in good faith and the legislature would not necessarily have to do the same for county workers when their contract comes up.

"These (CSEA workers) are the rank and file and lowest-paid workers," Burpoe said.

"I don't want to have employees working for me when they are on food stamps."

Chapin said salaries for the CSEA workers range from a low of $21,904 to a high of $37,801.

When the contract came up for a vote, Maroun offered to withdraw the resolution.

"I want to wait to see what Essex County does," he said.

"I don't want all our public employees thinking they are going to get 3-percent raises."

Legislator Ray Susice (D-District 5, St. Regis Falls) agreed with Maroun and asked to wait on a vote.

Legislature Chairman Guy "Tim" Smith (D-District 1, Fort Covington) said the issue will be brought up again at their next meeting on Sept. 16.