Despite hard financial times for school districts across the region, the Williamsville School Board voted Wednesday to extend two union contracts that would guarantee 2.5 percent annual raises for 34 administrators and specialists through the 2012-13 fiscal year in exchange for significant health insurance givebacks.

The similar contract extension offered to the Williamsville Teachers Association was rejected by union members two weeks ago. Their contract expires next June.

The agreements will extend the contracts of the Williamsville Administrators Association, which represents 23 principals and assistant principals, and the Williamsville Coordinators Association, which represents 11 instructional specialists and pupil services coordinators.

Both collective bargaining agreements were scheduled to expire next June, but will now run through June 30, 2013.

The extensions give average annual raises of 2.5 percent to union employees in years 2011-12 and 2012-13. The raises are inclusive of annual “step” increases that employees receive as they become more experienced and progress through the salary scale.

In exchange, the employees agree to nearly double their contribution to their health care premiums from 7.5 percent to 14 percent over the life of the contract. The first increase, from 7.5 percent to 10 percent, would occur today, the start of the district’s new fiscal year.

Superintendent Howard Smith praised the agreement for rewarding the outstanding leadership and talent in the school district, while still being mindful of the tough economic realities facing the district.

“When you put the two together, it’s just fair,” he said.

The unions had previously negotiated contracts that provide for raises of 3.2 percent in 2010-11. The contract extension would not change this but would have employees chip in more for their health coverage in conjunction with the raise.

Smith said that as a result of the contract extensions, the district would pay an additional total of $126,000 in administrator raises in 2011-12 and 2012-13, which would be partially offset by about $39,500 in health insurance costs savings.

The district’s largest union, the Williamsville Teachers Association, narrowly defeated a similar contract extension that was negotiated by both sides and put up for a union vote on June 18.

Union president Thom Knab resigned as president shortly after the vote but said he’d been planning to resign.