Idyllwild Town Crier Online

9 a.m. Thursday, June 18 —

Valley Health approves new union agreement

By J.P. Crumrine, News Editor

The Valley Health System (VHS) directors approved a new labor agreement with the Service Employees Union International — United Healthcare Workers (SEIU). The union will hold a ratification vote, today and Friday, June 19.

Last night, June 17, the hospitals’ attorney, William Floyd, presented the proposed agreement to the board who approved it 6-0 by voice vote. Board President Darren Magness was not present for the vote.

“This is a necessary step forward for the district’s employee’s and the district,” said Fred Harder VHS Chief Executive officer.

The agreement will expire June 30, 2010. Negotiations on future wages and benefits can be restarted 90 days following the effective date that the bankruptcy court accepts the districts plan to extract itself from bankruptcy proceedings.

The union has agreed to withdraw all, but one of the charges with the Personnel Employment Review Board, all but one pre-bankruptcy claims, all motions with VHS in the bankruptcy court and the federal district court litigation.

“All this goes away if the agreement is approved,” Floyd told the board. “The two major benefits are labor peace and certainty over the next year. Second eliminates the costly division of litigation.”

Other provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding included re-defining “full-time employee” and “regular part-time employees”; incorporating the wage adjustments the VHS board adopted in July 2008, eliminating longevity pay or bonuses, eliminating the district’s payment to the unions training fund, continuing the health benefits adopted in July 2008 and April 2009 and adopting the balance of the October 2006 agreement.

“This removes a thorn that was in our side for a long time,” said Dr. William Cherry, VHS director. “It demonstrates a good faith effort of the union and the district.”

5:15 a.m. Wednesday, June 17 —

Meeting time correction for par course

By Marshall Smith, Staff Reporter

A meeting to determine the future of the Idyllwild Community Center (ICC) exercise or par course that we reported would be held Monday June 22 at 9 a.m. in Riverside will instead be held at 2 p.m. at 4080 Lemon Street.

Idyllwild Community Recreation Council spokesman Vic Sirkin will meet with Planning Department head Ron Goldman and Olivia Barnes, a member of Third District Supervisor Jeff Stone’s office.

8 a.m. Wednesday, June 17 —

IFPD Special Meeting Thursday
Schelly candidacy and next year budget

By J.P. Crumrine, News Editor

Despite a jammed meeting room, the Idyllwild Fire Commission stood their ground and refused to bow to the public’s urgings to agree that Dr. Charles “Chip” Schelly, chiropractor and paid-call firefighter, is an eligible candidate for August’s election for three full-term seats.    A public decision will be made Thursday.

Schelly came to the board stating that since he has not resigned from the fire department, the recently enacted ordinance did not apply. The ordinance defines eligibility as “must not have been a [sic] employee of the District within the last five (5) years. (Based on separation date).”

Since “separation date” is the basis for determining the five-year “cooling off” period, Schelly argued that the by-law did not apply to him since he has not resigned his volunteer position.

The commission has agreed to consider his point and make a decision at a special meeting called for 5 p.m., Thursday, June 18 at the Idyllwild Fire Station.

The commission has also agreed to reconsider the preliminary 2009-10 budget and its Teeter plan resolution at that meeting also.