Photo by Joselyn King Education West Virginia-Ohio County Co-President Tim Triveri addresses Ohio County Board of Education members during their meeting this week convened at Wheeling Park High School.

WHEELING — Ohio County’s teachers union contends the West Virginia Legislature did nothing this year to address teacher pay or rising Public Employee Insurance Agency costs faced by educators.

As a result, union members are asking Ohio County officials to make permanent a $2,000 one-time “winter stipend” they received this year to help offset expenses.

Education West Virginia-Ohio County Co-President Tim Triveri raised the issue with the Ohio County Board of Education during its meeting this week at Wheeling Park High School.

The board approved the one-time stipend in December after determining the district — which had a nearly $19 million carryover from its previous budget — could afford it.

No promises were made at that time that the stipend would become a permanent part of pay moving forward.

“We are speaking tonight to present the impact of the most recent legislative session,” Triveri said. “The Legislature took no action to stabilize or provide relief for PEIA, nor did they adequately address the school funding formula — which is based on student enrollments rather than student needs.”

He added that there were no “common sense guardrails” placed on the HOPE Scholarship voucher.

Triveri noted that in recent years, increases in PEIA premiums have wiped out any pay raises received by educators and other state employees.

He suggested the district could help “control our own destiny” by focusing on teacher retention and providing a high-quality public education to counter the HOPE Scholarship voucher.

“As such, we are asking that all the funds that went into the winter stipend be made permanent through a salary increase for all Ohio County Schools educators and service personnel,” Triveri said. “A 5% local pay raise will substantially address the rising cost of living and help keep OCS competitive with neighboring counties in the Northern Panhandle and school systems throughout the state.

“Transforming the $2,000 winter stipend into a permanent pay raise will help keep our best educators and service personnel here in Ohio County, attract highly credentialed applicants for vacant positions and encourage families to send their children to Ohio County Schools rather than taking HOPE voucher money.”

In addition, he said teachers are proposing that Ohio County Schools match Marshall County Schools in providing supplemental pay for academic coaches at $1,675 annually. Ohio County Schools currently pays $250 to academic coaches, according to Triveri.

“We recognize this request comes at the same time that many employees in our state are experiencing the pain of RIF (reduction in force) and transfer process,” he said. “We also want to be clear that we are not simply coming here with our hands out. We want to be a part of the discussions so that we can find a number that balances job retention and eases the pressure on our pocketbooks.”