This was posted at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6 and updated at 8 p.m. It will also appear in the May 8 edition of the Pine Creek Journal

With a 7-2 vote Monday night, the Shaler Area School Board accepted the state fact finder's report that will put a contract into place for the Shaler Area Education Association.

Patrick Brazell and Cathy Davidson voted against the report.

The teachers approved the report last Wednesday with 73 percent in favor, said Jim Giel, board president.

Jo Ann Noble, president of the Shaler Area Education Assocation, said she's relieved that the dispute is finally over after 18 months.

Noble said the average salary will go up 4.5 percent over the five years. This is also the first contract in which teachers will contribute toward their health care.

In the HMO plan, an individual would pay $50 per month by the end of the contract, with families capped at $100. In the PPO plan, individuals and families would pay the same, but also have to cover the difference in cost for their doctor visits.

Noble said the teachers are happy with the fact-finder's report, because he went with the premiums that the union suggested. The fact finder chose the district's salary schedule, she said.

"I think it's positive for us," Giel said of closing out the contract issues. "It's a fair contract."

Giel said the contract planted the seed for health care contributions and addressed some of the salary concerns for the teachers.

Giel said the agreement averted a possible strike and any animosity it would have caused in the community. The teachers planned a strike in November, before calling it off in favor of continued work.

The last contract covered about 429 teachers and expired on Aug. 15. Shaler Area School District serves nearly 5,300 students in Shaler, Etna, Millvale and Reserve.