Arbitrator: CCSD can’t pay support staff raise

Official says union will explore its legal options

The Clark County School District can’t afford a “moderate and reasonable” proposal to increase support staff wages, an independent arbitrator has ruled.

That means the 42,000 support staff employees in the school district will not earn any back pay or incentives from the previous school year. The arbitration, signed last week by William Riker, references recent decisions with the district’s other bargaining units — mainly the teachers union — in stating why the district is unable to pay the request from the Education Support Employees Association, commonly referred to as ESEA.

The union’s request for the 201718 school year would have cost the district about $15 million through a salary increase, higher contributions to health insurance and some modifications to the pay scale. Riker called the proposal modest and reasonable but maintained the district does not have the ability to fund it.

Union president Virginia Mills said the ESEA would explore its legal options and look for relief, because members will pay higher out-ofpocket costs for health insurance as a result of changes made to the plans offered by the school district.

“ESEA will advocate for our members and will fight for a contract” that rolls back “the recent health insurance program changes and gives every member a pay increase,” she said Monday in a statement.

District spokeswoman Kirsten Searer agreed with the arbitrator’s ruling.

“We look forward to partnering with our employee associations in the 2019 legislative session to work together to modernize Nevada’s fundingformulasowecanprovide,ataminimum,costofliving increases to our employees, as well as a high-quality education to every student,” she said Monday in a statement.

ARBITRATION

at the time pressured him into taking the deal.

“The court finds that (Strohmeyer’s) actions were not the result of impulsive adolescent behavior, but instead were the result of pre-existing motives and well thought out fantasies,” the judge’s order states. Strohmeyer’s “life sentence is not disproportionate to the crime despite the harshness.”

Smith pointed to state law that establishes 18 as adulthood.

“This court will not disturb the Nevada revised statutes and does not recognize Dr. Steinberg’s opinion as controlling, regarding any facts of this case,” Smith’s decision reads.

Strohmeyer’s attorney, Tom Pitaro, said he plans to appeal Smith’s decision to the Nevada Supreme Court.

“We knew when we started this process that it was going to be a long haul,” Pitaro said. “So we’re in for the long haul.”

A new sentencing for Strohmeyer could lead to the possibility of parole, but prosecutors have said they would seek the death penalty if Strohmeyer were granted another hearing.

“Jeremy Strohmeyer committed one of the most infamous and heinous crimes in history, and he needs to spend the rest of his life in prison,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc Digiacomo.

Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.