Amador County - The final decision over layoffs within the Amador County Unified School District was made Wednesday evening, with dramatic results. A crowd composed mostly of California School Employees Association members packed the board chambers at the Administrative Building to express their disapproval of the pending layoffs before board members retired to closed session. As the board filed back into the chamber to render their verdict, two rows of employees – mostly maintenance workers- stood up simultaneously and in silence. Board President Mary Walser announced the Board’s decision to authorize the elimination of eleven classified employment positions, as well as two confidential employment and two classified management positions. After the decision was announced, the employees filed out silently and gathered in the hallway with union representatives to discuss their reactions and any future course of action. “I’m devastated…it was never their intention to work with us to come up with an alternative,” said Melody Honeychurch, Labor Relations Representative for CSEA. She said her understanding was that they were supposed to negotiate and consider other options before such decisions were made. Marcie Bayne, Senior Labor Relations Representative, said the next step would be to bargain the details of contracts. “If they fail to bargain with us in good faith, we will take appropriate action,” she said. The board also approved three action items, effectively discontinuing or reducing the number of hours for employees in classified, confidential and classified management positions. Those affected by these cuts will likely be incorporated back into the system in other positions. During the scheduled Superintendent’s report at the close of the meeting, Superintendent Dick Glock explained his reasoning behind the layoffs. “It’s not as though we intended this. No one is being left out, unfortunately,” said Glock. He added that the next positions they approach, if necessary, would be the teaching staff. “This is a temporary measure, and just because someone gets a layoff doesn’t mean that position is gone,” he said. Walser quoted California School Board Association Executive Director Scott Plotkin, saying, “the unthinkable has come.” In reference to two students who were awarded earlier in the meeting for outstanding community service, Glock said “some of the things we’re doing as adults is to protect their environment.” Story by Alex Lane