Sugar City renegotiates teacher contracts after fund miscalculation

Two years of miscalculated carryover funds has the Sugar Salem School District renegotiating teacher contracts.

The re-negotiations come after Sugar Salem School District board members had already negotiated teacher salaries and come to a settlement.

The district presented a lower carryover amount to union members during initial labor negotiations over the summer.

Becky Bates, Sugar Salem School District’s business manager said she was unfamiliar with the district’s accounting software.

Trustees and members of the Sugar Salem Education Association resumed negotiations on Tuesday.

Sugar Salem School Districts Superintendent Alan Dunn said teachers might get a 5 percent raise because of the higher figure.

“Instead of $403,507 of carryover, we are looking at $884,077,” Dunn said.

Dunn also anticipates Tuesday’s meeting to go well, “What works best for our staff usually that centered around working conditions, they discuss insurance benefits, discuss salary levels. So the final sticking point has been the amount of increase in salary.” he said. “But I think since we have more money than we expected, we may be able to do something for them, and settle.”