Pleasant Valley changes athletic director classification

Jake Percey’s tenure as athletic director at Pleasant Valley came to an end on Thursday evening when the school board revised the position to make it an administrative role by a 5 to 4 vote.

Directors Donna Yozwiak, Len Peeters, Laura Jecker and Delbert Zacharias voted to keep Percey’s position as it was. He has served as athletic director for 14 years.

The newly created position will retain the same title, Director of Athletics and Activities, but will encompass a greater number of duties, including chairing five departments.

Before the vote, Superintendent David Piperato discussed the reason for the change, addressing issues raised by residents in attendance including salary.

According to Piperato, the new position will include taking over as department chair of the gifted education department, health, physical education and drivers education department, music department, speech and language department and STREAM education department.

District Business Manager Susan Famularo confirmed that each of these chairs would have been paid a stipend of $2,275 per year in the past.

In addition Piperato said that Percey frequently worked throughout the summer months and that the position often required dealing with issues related to other employees, items better suited to a full-time administrator.

Piperato said taking all of these items into consideration that the newly created position could actually save the district money, although the salary is yet to be determined.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Theresa Greco addressed the board and superintendent.

“My understanding is that this is a bargaining unit position which needs labor union approval or it could go to a labor board,” Greco said. “Which could lead to a ULP, an unlawful practice, which could lead to a lawsuit and a waste of taxpayer money.”

“So I am asking all of you in your discussion and voting tonight if you have discussed all of the possible ramifications?”

John Gesiskie, president of the Pleasant Valley Education Association, the union that represents bargaining unit employees, provided a statement after the meeting.

“The current Director of Athletics and Activities is a member of PVEA. The work the member is currently doing remains bargaining unit work.”

“PVEA will file a lawsuit against the district if work which has been done by our member is transferred to an administrator. If it happens, the case will be simple. It would clearly be an illegal diversion of bargaining unit work.”

Earlier in the meeting, district solicitor Mark Fitzgerald addressed a possible lawsuit, stating that Labor Board case law would support the district’s decision. He said he has conducted research and the athletic director has more of an administrative role in many districts.

Attempts to reach Percey before deadline were unsuccessful.