By Linda Conner Lambeck

WESTPORT — School district nurses, health assistants and maintenance staff have new three-year contracts starting July 1.

The Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved the agreements that will give nurses and health assistants an 8.95 percent increase, with raises and step increases, by the contract’s end in June 2025.

There are 15 nurses in the district who this year are paid an annual salary of between $60,295 and $76,718, depending on step and education. The district’s eight health assistants are paid between $25.66 and $28.66 an hour.

Eight maintenance staff workers, meanwhile, will see a 6.25 percent salary boost over the next three years. This year, master mechanics are paid $39.88 an hour, master carpenters get $38.80 per hour and building maintenance mechanics, $33.56 hourly.

The pacts were approved last month by the unions.

For members of both unions — part of different chapters of Local 1303 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — there will be changes in health benefits, with the move toward a High Deductible Health Plan with associated Health Savings Account.

Employee premium shares for both groups will decline in the first year of the contract, from its present 19.5 percent to 17 percent, then increase to 18 percent in years two and three.

John Bayers, the assistant superintendent for human resources and general administration, said the premium change mirrors a similar deal struck with the teachers’ union last summer.

That was important to the school board, Bayers said. “So we were pleased with that.”

The maintenance staff also will get additional funds for uniforms in their first year of employment and safety gear.

The approved contracts will not add to the education budget approved by the Board of Finance last week, Bayers said.

The pacts could actually save the district money with the switch in health plans.

The district stands to save $58,264 over the life of the nurse and health assistant contract.

The maintenance staff contract will save $26,465 over the life of the three-year deal based on projections.

There were technical language changes and clarifications made to the contracts, making them easier to navigate, the board was told.

Two members of the board, Vice Chairwoman Liz Heyer and freshman member Dorie Hordon, sat in on negotiations.

“I felt it was a completely collaborative experience,” Heyer said.

Paul Lavallee, a staff representative for AFSCME Council 4, could not immediately be reached for comment.