Rice Lake board approves 3% support‑staff pay increase; one member abstains

The Rice Lake Area School District board on a voice vote approved a 3% increase to the support‑staff compensation schedule, matching the raises awarded to teachers earlier this year. The adjustment covers a range of positions, including lead-cook roles, custodial classifications, maintenance, lifeguards and an added attendance-coordinator placement.

Board member S9 moved the action to adopt the schedule and a second was recorded; the motion passed after one member announced an abstention citing a relative employed as a lifeguard. The board discussed converting a previously offered end‑of‑year evaluation bonus into a permanent hourly increase for eligible hourly employees to avoid pay‑law complications, and administrators said the 3% figure would generally be implemented as a wage adjustment rather than a separate bonus payout.

The compensation packet also set pay for a potential head custodian hire at parity with other head‑custodian roles, established a maintenance‑1 wage band (noting no current incumbent), and placed lead cook and kitchen manager duties for middle and high school sites on the support‑staff schedule. The district will apply the updated rates beginning in the next pay cycle consistent with administrative implementation timelines.

No dollar totals for the overall payroll impact were specified in the public record; the motion record shows one abstention but does not list a full roll‑call tally.