No agreement

No contract agreement was reached during mediation Tuesday between the Brainerd School District and Education Minnesota Brainerd, the district's teachers' union.

Negotiating teams from both sides met with a mediator from the state Bureau of Mediation Services from 10 a.m. to about 4:15 p.m. Tuesday at Washington Educational Services Building in Brainerd.

Superintendent Steve Razidlo said there was no agreement reached but directed all further questions to the state Bureau of Mediation Services. He said both sides were not allowed to discuss the closed process. EMB President Tim Edinger also said both sides could not comment.

State mediator Mike Stockstead said another round of mediation between the district and teachers' union has been scheduled for May 6. He said the late date was set because of the large caseload that he and other state mediators have right now.

"Things were very, very cordial," Stockstead said of Tuesday's mediation process. "I think you've got a group of people who respect each other and there certainly was no name calling or accusatory type exchanges. It was extremely cordial and everybody has the same goal, to find some type of agreement that everybody can agree with to get the district to move on."

Stockstead said it is not unusual for mediation to take more than one session. He declined to discuss previous offers made on both sides of the table and said he doesn't focus on past offers during mediation but on finding a resolution "that everyone can live with."

"There is no real one issue holding us up, it's the entire package and how we're going to structure something, a package that includes the entire situation - state funding, the district budget, contract, wages, - everything that makes up a school district," said Stockstead. "How the contract fits in, how it affects the budget and what outside factors affect it."

Stockstead said Tuesday's mediation session involved bringing him up to speed on the issues and determining what needs to be focused on to find a resolution. He said both parties are allowed and encouraged to speak to one another before the May 6 session, to have members of each side meet to go over the logistics about specific smaller pieces to the larger puzzle of a settlement.

"When you're this far into the process - they've been at this a long time - it's always hardest when you're closest to the end," said Stockstead. "They both are very concerned for the district and want to be the best district and do the best for the district. We do have common goals, which is great."

The district and EMB is working to settle the 2008-09 and 2009-10 teachers' contract.

JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.