HUNTINGTON BEACH : Meeting Set for Contract Discussion

The Huntington Beach City School District board has called a special meeting for tonight to consider approving a tentative contract agreement with the labor union that represents most of its non-teaching employees.

Meanwhile, the Huntington Beach Union High School District board tonight will hold its first round of public interviews for nine applicants hoping to be named to the board.

The Huntington Beach City district is scheduled to vote on an agreement with the California School Employees’ Assn. Chapter No. 316 that provides a pay increase of 1.65%.

The relatively small increase proposed for the current school year, to be retroactive to last July 1, is illustrative of the district’s spending cutbacks, which have worsened considerably in light of the state’s budget woes. Union members were scheduled to vote late Monday on the contract offer.

Along with the contract proposal, the board will consider adopting a range of criteria for choosing its new superintendent. A consultant to the district will detail the planned selection process to replace Supt. Diana Peters, who resigned amid controversy last August.

At the high school district’s board meeting, trustee candidates will each be allowed three minutes to explain why they hope to be selected to the board. Trustees tonight are scheduled to choose up to five finalists to fill the vacant seat and name the new member at a Feb. 12 meeting.