Board ratifies five‑year contract with West Aurora office professionals union

The Aurora West USD 129 Board of Education voted March 3 to approve a collective bargaining agreement between the district and the West Aurora Office Professionals Union covering July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030.

Following an executive session, the board returned to open session and a district representative recommended approval of the agreement. The motion was seconded, the board held a roll-call vote and the measure passed.

District Superintendent Dr. Michael Smith and the union’s president, Stacy (identified in the meeting as the WIOA/WOPA president), both addressed the board after the vote. Stacy thanked the negotiation team and listed members present: Ellen Sirza, Brenda Millen, Renee Hellyer, Carla Reyes, Mariana Yerusha and Uniserve Director Susan Thorson; she also named several absent members. She described a short bargaining process — "a whopping 3 meetings" — and thanked the district for collaboration.

Dr. Smith acknowledged district negotiators and said the agreement positions the district well going forward, including affecting future negotiations with other bargaining units.

The transcript records no amendments to the motion at the dais and no board members registered a no or abstain vote. The roll call recorded affirmative votes by Stone, Saint Jules, Saperstein, Lathan, Dykstra and Kearns.

The contract’s effective dates were read into the motion as July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030. The transcript did not include the contract’s financial terms, salary schedules or detailed changes to working conditions; those elements were discussed in executive session and summarized verbally during presentations but were not enumerated in open-session remarks.

The board asked no substantive follow-up questions in open session after the vote. Union leaders and district negotiators thanked each other and left the podium.

Sources: Aurora West USD 129 Board of Education transcript, March 3, 2025.