School District counters initial Decorah Education Association contract offer

The Decorah Community School Board countered the initial salary and benefit package offer by the Decorah Education Association (DEA) at a brief meeting Tuesday afternoon. The District offered a total salary increase of 2.75 percent and a total package increase of 2.93 percent, to counter the 3.99 percent total package requested by the DEA. The base salary would increase by $300 to $27,360, $345 less than the DEA proposal. The total dollar cost to the District would be slightly over $245,000.

The two groups remained together in closed session after their meeting to begin the negotiation process.