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Chelsea teachers have new contract following Board of Education vote Monday night

By Crystal Hayduk

Following a year of arduous negotiations between the Chelsea School District Board of Education and the teachers’ union, Chelsea Education Association, a contract is officially in place.

After their regular meeting on Monday, March 23, the school board met in a short closed session for final discussion. Steve Olsen, school board president, called the meeting back to order to vote on the negotiated contract.

Board Member Dana Emmert moved approval, with a second by Laura Bush. Olsen called for a last opportunity for discussion, but there was none.

The contract was approved by a vote of six to zero; board member Greg Rhodes abstained from voting due to a conflict of interest.

“I’m glad this is finished,” said Olsen.

The contract is effective immediately and will run through June 30, 2016.

Chelsea School District teachers had been working under the terms of an expired contract since July 1, 2014. A fact-finding hearing was scheduled for March 5 after mediation meetings last fall failed. However, a tentative agreement was reached on March 4, and the union ratified the agreement on March 17.

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