By Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com


The 105 members of the Brighton Education Support Personnel Association now have a new 3-year contract with the Brighton Area Schools.

The Board of Education, meeting in regular session Monday night, unanimously ratified the contract, which doesn’t expire until June 30, 2025. The union, known by the acronym BESPA, consists of secretarial, food service and maintenance workers, para-professionals and mechanics.

Superintendent Matthew Outlaw tells WHMI that he is, in his words, “very excited that we’re moving forward with this employee group, and we very much value our support staff.”

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Mike Engelter tells WHMI that although each employee category will receive a pay raise, the exact amount depends on the specific job requirements. Engelter also says that some employees will receive steps added, while others will get scale adjustments.

District Human Resources Director Chad Scaling adds that difficulty in filling certain positions was another reason in why the increases were not across-the-board but based on the job category.

Elsewhere on the negotiations front, Outlaw says talks are moving forward with the Brighton Education Association, which represents the district’s 325 teachers. Their current, 3-year contract is set to expire on Aug. 31st. Saying the talks are too delicate at this time to reveal specifics, Scaling - who is also the district's chief negotiator - said, quoting, “Both sides are working well together and bargaining in good faith.”

There is one other union in the district - the Brighton Area Schools Administrators Association, or BASAA, consisting of around 25 principals, assistant principals and directors. BASAA is also currently involved in negotiations with the district.