Following an earlier deadlocked vote by the state Common Wage Committee for a decision on what “common wage” scale will be used in Fort Wayne Community Schools 2009 capital projects, school administrators chose to go with the nonunion wage provided by Associated Builders & Contractors Inc.

“It's difficult to know what the savings will be, because the (jobs) come in through a bidding process,” said Kathy Friend, chief financial officer for FWCS. “Bidders still have to meet the (specifications) of the projects. They can bid whatever they want,” she said. Depending on cost of materials and equipment for a specific job, union wages could still be paid by the employer.

The Common Wage Committee was evenly divided, 2-2, in its vote in November between accepting the wages proposed by ABC or those proposed by union group Northeast Indiana Building Trades. The committee left the decision up to FWCS. Board members heard proposals from both sides at their Nov. 24 meeting.

“Neither proposal included wage information from the other's survey, and there was no comprehensive third-party survey detailing the wages paid on all projects completed in Allen County over the past year,” FWCS officials released in a statement, noting, “given the limitations of the data provided and considering the statutory requirements” - which states any nonfederal, public-works contract of $150,000 or more must pay a common construction wage - FWCS opted for the ABC proposal for 2009 capital projects, which include $1.6 million in renovations to Wayne High School and several small roofing projects.

The board also approved ratification of the collective bargaining agreement between the Fort Wayne Nurses Association and FWCS, adding only that nurses who work during school registration will be paid for their hours at their regular hourly wage.

The board also voted to extend a 2006 bus bid of $477,980 with Cardinal Bus Sales of Greenfield and accepted a bid of $470,382 from Kerlin Bus Sales & Service of Silver Lake, both for scheduled replacement of buses in the fleet.

The board recognized two students from the district chosen for the Indiana All-State Jazz Band - Tyler Scott from Snider High School and Phil Janz from Northrop.