THURSDAY
November 5, 2015 • 75¢
SALUTE TO VETERANS
Local residents tell their stories of service and sacrifice / SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE KendallCountyNow.com
SERVING KENDALL COUNTY FOR 150 YEARS
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Yorkville teachers vote to strike Dec. 2 Contract talks continuing By MATT SCHURY mschury@kendallcountynow.com Members of the Yorkville Education Association (YEA), the union representing Yorkville School District teachers, voted Tuesday night to go on strike if an agreement on a new employment contract for the district’s teachers isn’t reached by Dec. 2, the union said in a statement. Although a strike could be called as early as Nov. 19, YEA officials confirmed their intention is to give the negotiations process additional time for the parties to
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work toward an agreement, according to the statement. The YEA is scheduled to host a public forum on the negotiations at 7 p.m. next Tuesday, Nov. 10 at the Yorkville Congregational Church, 409 Center Parkway, Yorkville. “This is very, very disappointing for all of us, as we know it is for the entire community,” said Shawn Collins, president of the YEA. “No teacher in this school district wants to strike. What we want is to achieve a fair employment agreement and to continue providing the children with the high quality education they deserve. We’re prepared to take this action only if necessary and only as a last resort.” The teachers have been working without a contract since June 30. YEA and school district repre-
“No teacher in this school district wants to strike. What we want is to achieve a fair employment agreement...We’re prepared to take this action only if necessary and only as a last resort.” Shawn Collins President, Yorkville Education Association sentatives are scheduled to meet Sunday, Nov. 15 in an effort to continue the contract talks. The two sides have been negotiating for about a year. Teachers and district officials were also scheduled to meet yesterday (Nov. 4.) the same day that the Illinois Labor Relations Board was expected to post the two sides’ contract proposals for public viewing on the board’s website.
Collins said several issues remain unresolved in negotiations, including guidelines governing teacher evaluation, elementary teacher planning time, sick leave, length of employee work day, career advancement compensation, health coverage and issues related to employee compensation. The district had announced this week that they made progress on one item during recent nego-
tiations. The two sides were able to reach a tentative agreement regarding the YEA’s concerns about the implementation of a student achievement stipend. The district also announced that they reached a tentative agreement over the structure of district level committee compensation Over the last several weeks the two sides have continued negotiations as a federal mediator was brought in and an impasse was declared by the district last month. Shortly after the teachers began “dress rehearsal” picketing in Town Square Park off Route 47 in Yorkville. One of the major issues the two sides continue to discuss is teacher compensation, including “step
See STRIKE, page 2
A TIME TO REAP
all marks the end of the growing season for Kendall County farmers, and with it comes the harvest. While many say yields were impacted by wet conditions in the spring and early summer, a dry harvest season has made for pleasant days for bringing in the crops of corn and soybeans.
Photos by Eric Miller - emiller@shawmedia.com
Area farmers are taking advantage of the dry fall weather – most are finishing up combining.
COUNTYWIDE
NEWS
Pet project
Trickle down
Oswego police using social media to reunite owners with lost dogs / 1
State budget impasse effects beginning to be felt in Kendall County / 3
Joe MacDonald Pastor
CHURCH Church
701 Lions Road Sandwich, IL 60548
(at the east end of the high school) • Visit us for Friend Day, Nov. 15th at 10:45 pastor@EmmanuelChurchSandwich.com • Thanksgiving Feast to Follow www.EmmanuelChurchSandwich.com • No cost, but reservations necessary • Call for more information Emmanuel Church- Unlike The Ordinary, Beyond The Traditional! Serving Sandwich and Area for 60 years! *Handicap Accessible “The Church That Cares About Everyday People... Every Day!”
• 815-786-2400
WHERE IT’S AT Fire calls......................................... 8 Forum ............................................... 5-6 Library news ..................................... 15 Local news .....................................2-16 Opinion................................................. 4 Police reports..................................... 7 Sports ............................................17-20
Vol. 151, No. 45, 4 sections