CUMBERLAND — Sen. George Edwards acknowledged the fact that “there are other issues” besides the controversy of Allegany County’s two police agencies during the annual public prelegislative session held earlier this week.

Three representatives of the county public school system were happy to fill the gap between speakers on the issue. Debbie Pappas, president of the Allegany County Teachers Association, past president Valeria Arch and Allegany High School teacher Evan West all spoke of the need to keep education funding in the public spotlight.

To do anything else, they said, could have a negative impact on the long-term success of county students and teachers.

West and Arch also spoke Tuesday during the evening session at Allegany College of Maryland of their support for the Fairness in Negotiations Act. The bill was introduced during the 2009 legislative session in Annapolis. Senate Bill 673 passed 31-13 by the Senate, too late for the House of Delegates to consider the matter. Edwards voted against the measure.

Arch, a Washington Middle School teacher, said the collective bargaining process “isn’t working.”

“The law says the public school employer shall make the final determination” when the two sides don’t agree in negotiations, Arch said. “The public school employees currently do not have a (fair negotiations) law. All other 34 states that do ... (have) an independent labor relations board that resolves the issues.”

Those issues are binding, Arch said, and come at no cost to the state.

“The cost is split between the two parties,” she said. “We need to level the playing field for all employees.”

It’s just the same, West said, as asking his in-laws to settle a spat between him and his wife.

“I love my in-laws to death,” West said, “but I’d really rather not have them making binding decisions in my family.”

West said he represented the rank and file, hoping it would have more impact on the delegation to support the legislation in the 2010 session, which convenes Jan. 13.

Another issue West spoke on was the possibility of state lawmakers shifting the burden of funding teachers’ pensions to local governments. He sees that as a negative development.

West said he relocated from Charles County to Allegany County with his wife and two children three years ago, in part because of the significant raise “made possible through the Thornton Bridge to Excellence money passed in 2006.”

“Obviously, if pension costs shifted back to counties, the ability of a county to enhance (its salaries) is limited in the future,” West said, and would inhibit recruitment of quality teachers.

Pappas said the local teachers association opposes the transfer.

“Shifting pension costs will have an adverse effect on local school boards’ budgets,” she said. “As they attempt to absorb the additional costs, local boards’ ability to fund salaries and benefits, as well as provide materials, resources, technology and education personnel vital in meeting the needs of students will be severely diminished by the additional pension liability.

“It is no secret that we are facing difficult economic times,” Pappas said, “but we must resist the knee-jerk reaction to balance the state budget on the backs of the counties by requiring them to fund teachers’ pensions. This would be a short-term solution that would cause long-term problems.”

Pappas reminded all four delegation members that education funding “can be very beneficial in helping us out of the present crisis.”

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.