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H.T.A. Newsletter
H.T.A.is here for you because you deserve
the best.
Approved for publication by James Pace, HTA President, 4/15/04
Volume 4 - Issue 4 - April 2004
HTA/CTA/NEA
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Executive Board
Jim Pace
President
Gordon Williamson
Vice-President
Jose Madera
Treasurer
Claudia Ethun
Secretary
Vernon Johns
Secondary Director
Scott Johnson
Elementary Director
Jeanne Triska
Director At Large
Rep Council
Layne Chan
Pat Cook
Shelley Delang
Jim Garrett
Susan Gilman
Ralph Heller
Debbie Herndon
Kristina Holmes
Patty Liggett
Gerald Marrs
Jackie Marsh
Harvey Miller
Kathryn Mustain
Chris Pierce
Yolette Rios
Christine Robinson
Cheryl Rutledge
Lee Samuels
Steve Thompson
Richard Westerhoff
Gordon Williamson
Membership Chair
Barbara Bailey
Grievance Co-Chairs
Jim Garrett
Dick Westerhoff
SCSEBA Labor Rep
Heather Glenn
Newsletter Editor
Fran McCullough
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4 YEARS IS TOO LONG WITHOUT A CONTRACT
President's Message
By Jim Pace, H.T.A President
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Fact-finding is scheduled to commence again on May 5th. The state appointed mediator, Bonnie Castry, will be here once again to help the Association and the District work out differences. This is a great opportunity for both sides to settle the contract once and for all. Bonnie is a highly respected mediator who helped settle our contract back in 1996. The Association has been looking forward to this scheduled meeting and will do everything in its power to assure that a fair agreement is reached.
Update! The following is our last salary and benefit proposal :
2003-2004
SALARY:
No Salary Increase.
HEALTH AND WELFARE:
Starting in March, increase the District's contribution from $7,878 w/opt outs to $8,338.
This would cost The District approximately $130,000 for the rest of the year.
2004-2005
SALARY
Salary plus COLA increase.
HEALTH AND WELFARE:
Split the premium increase over the $8,338, equally between The Association and The District.
Approximate cost $600,000.
Thank you for your continued support.
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UPDATE:
You can read past issues of the HTA Newsletters on line at www.hesperiateachers.com
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BY The #'s
By Jose Madera
HTA Treasurer/Director HDIEET
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The final percentages are in for the 2004-2005 school year. They are better than expected. By moving our medical from Southern California Schools Employee Benefits Association (SCSEBA) to the High Desert Inland Employee Employer Trust (HDIEET) we saved about 5.6%.
| Organization | Benefit | % Change for 2004/2005 |
| Keenan | Life | 0% |
| SCSEBA | Dental | 0% |
| SCSEBA | Vision | 5.5% |
| HDIEET | Medical | 12.38% |
| HDIEET | Beh. Care | 20.1% |
Our entire benefits package will increase 9.9% from $8277.70 to $9097.08. The approximate out-of-pocket for 2004-2005 will be $122 per month for ten months. This figure could go lower pending the outcome of district negotiations.
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SECRETARY'S REPORT
By Claudia Ethun
HTA Secretary
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The March Rep. Council meeting was held on March 25, 2004, with a follow-up
meeting held on April 1st. It was decided after a lengthy discussion to
write a response letter to Mr. Bray regarding a fax that was sent to the
board members. This letter was drafted and signed by 26 members of the HTA
Rep. Council and was read by President Jim Pace at the April 5th School Board
meeting.
(To read this letter, you may access our website at www.hesperiateachers.com and select the "Special Notices" tab at the top of the page.)
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Donna Jefferson (CTA Rep.) encouraged members to support our HTA elected
board as they are working hard to bring peace and cooperation to the
negotiations table. She indicated that Hesperia is the only school district
in the state having been without a contract for four years.
The April Rep Council Meeting was held on April 22nd.
Upcoming dates to remember: The Next Rep. Council meeting will be May 13th, and a Rep. Council Retreat will be May 7-8 in Silver Lakes.
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DID YOU KNOW?
By Jeanne Triska
HTA Director At Large
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Tips To Stretch Your Dollars
HOUSEHOLD
Keep your house at a lower temperature at night, and reduce heat before leaving in the morning if no one will be at home during the day.
One of the easiest ways to cut down on energy use is to turn the water heater down to it's lowest setting (approximately 140 degrees). You will still have the hot water you need, while cutting energy costs.
Use an electric fry pan whenever possible. A burner uses up to 3-and-a-half times as much energy as the average fry pan.
Plan meals to use the minimum amount of fuel. For example, oven meals in which parts of the meal are prepared in the oven together (meatloaf and baked potatoes complimented by a green salad for example) reduce the use of electricity or gas.
When using the oven for something that has a long cooking time, it is not necessary to preheat the oven. The oven will heat up quickly during the beginning cooking time, and the food will come out fine in the required amount of cooking time.
Try writing more letters and making fewer long distance telephone calls. This can be lots of fun and special for the recipient too! Try using the backs of children's drawings for letters to grandparents - they get the latest news and artwork too. Even buying special cards or stationary to write your letters on can be cheaper than a phone call and are more lasting.
Make all calls when the rates are cheaper. Before calling, write down any important things you want to tell the other person. Also, try setting a timer to keep calls brief and to the point.
Use less water in showers and baths. If water pressure is adjustable in the showerhead, use minimum spray with the maximum pressure.
Wash clothes only when you have a full load. Encourage family members to turn off the water while washing the dishes or brushing their teeth.
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FOOD
Always make a list before you shop. Check the ads for specials, but know the regular price of items you buy often so you know when an item is really "on sale."
Have "planned leftovers" instead of leftovers. Plan meals around items that can be left over. For example, if you are buying ham, plan on buying split peas and save the bone and leftover scraps of meat to make soup.
Clip and use coupons IF the size and brand are a good buy and you will use the product. Some name brands are more expensive than others even after the coupon.
Shop when you are not in a hurry. One study sent two shoppers to the market with the same shopping list. One was told to choose the best buys. The other was told to shop quickly and without regard to prices. The careful shopper spent 35% less than the speedy shopper.
Shop when you are not hungry. Otherwise everything looks good, and you have a tendency to load up your basket with extras.
Shop without children, if possible. This will give you more time to look at prices, labels, etc. and also reduce impulse buys to satisfy an unhappy child.
Shop with options in mind. Keep menus flexible so that you can make a change in case of an unexpected sale.
Shop at more than one store if possible to take advantage of best buys (if the other store(s) are reasonably close to each other). One store may have the best selection and prices on produce or canned goods, for example.
*Information for this article was provided by the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Orange County, a non-profit community service, (714) 547-2227
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