East Windsor School Officials Again Approve a 10-hour a Week IT Position

The East Windsor Board of Education Wednesday voted again 4-3, with one abstention, to offer a 10-hour a week job to technology person whose shared position between the town and schools has been .

The board had to take a second vote, because the July 25 meeting in which the first vote took place wasn’t properly posted beforehand, Superintendent of Schools Theresa Kane said.

Kane said in July the shared technology job was split 15 hours a week for the town and 10 hours a week for the school system. The school system has been paying for health insurance benefits for the position.

David Rajala, who held that job, appeared at Thursday’s meeting and said he was caught off-guard by the elimination of his shared technology position, which he has held for five years. He asked the board to increase the hours he has been working to qualify for health insurance.

“To be clear, I am not requesting an increase in wages, which have not increased throughout the years,” Rajala said in a prepared statement. “Rather, I am asking to be provided with enough hours for me to continue my IT tech position _ including the insurance benefits that are alredt in the approved budget.”

The town has hired a full-time person to help with its transition to a new computer system during the next year. They officially stopped using the shared tech person August 1.

Kane said in July the town paid for the 15 hours and the school system paid the 10 hours plus benefits for the employee.  There is enough work to justify the 10 hours and the hours had been budgeted for before the town decided to eliminate its 15 hours, Kane  said.

Board member William Raber asked Thursday how many hours does the school system need to take care of its needs. Kane said the 10 hours are appropriate.

Board member Nichole DeSousa asked if school officials know why the town cut the job.

Kane said the town’s actions have no bearing on the school district’s needs.

“No additional hours were built into the school budget,” Kane said.