Austin Bogues

@AustinBogues

A possible deal has been reached in the contract dispute between the BOE and Neptune Township Education Association

The terms of the deal have not yet been released, but it includes a raise in pay and benefits

Both sides must ratify the agreement for it to go into effect

The end may be in sight for a two-year contract battle between the Neptune Township Board of Education and the Neptune Township Education Association.

School Board President Jason A. Jones and Ron Villano, a New Jersey Education Association field representative, confirmed on Tuesday that both sides had reached a tentative agreement after negotiations with a state-appointed mediator at the end of March.

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The terms of the deal have still not been released.

Jones declined to discuss specific details of the tentative agreement on Tuesday. Villano said it included a raise in pay and "improved the medical benefits" offered.

"Both sides realized that improvements had to be made," Villano said. "It was a good deal for both sides, nobody got exactly what they wanted."

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Both sides must ratify the agreement before it can go into effect.

"I’m hoping that the tentative memorandum of agreement is ratified with the memberships so that we can work together to positively impact our schools," Jones said.

The tentative agreement comes ahead of an April 25 election where three seats are up for grabs on the board.

Candidates include incumbents Dwayne Breeden and William Wells, who are running along with newcomer Joann Valentine.

They are opposed by Brady Connaughton, Dorothea Fernandez and Nicole Green, who have dubbed themselves "Moms for Neptune BOE."

The school district's annual budget is about $94.4 million for 2016-2017, according to the district's website.

The last three-year labor contract expired in June of 2015.

The school board said the two sides had previously reached a tentative agreement on June 26, 2015, but said the association refused to implement the agreement.

The school district said education association representatives later met with the administration, saying they would not sign the contract.

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The board rescinded its initial offer after receiving notice in the spring of 2016 that the cost of health benefits would increase by about 25 percent, or $900,000, according to documents on the district's website.

In January, Neptune Township Education Association Vice President James Weldon told the Press the average teacher makes about $57,000. Entry level teachers make around $50,700, and the maximum salary is around $95,000.

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The withdrawn proposed contract would have included salary increases ranging from 2.8 percent to 2.9 percent over the duration of the three-year contract from 2015 to 2018, and it would have frozen the amount employees would have to pay for health insurance benefits.

It is not clear how long the new tentative agreement contract is for, but union officials said they would be open to up to a five-year agreement.

The education association represents more than 600 teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians and security staff.

Austin Bogues 732-643-4009; abogues@gannettnj.com For more news on Neptune schools, visit app.com and simply search for "Neptune"

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