Multiple district employees urged the Saint Francis Area Schools board to address wages and staffing during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Travis Gosar, speaking for the mechanics (Local 49), said mechanics are paid below market rates for heavy‑diesel and automotive technicians and described vacancies that forced the district to hire outside contractors at higher rates. “Our union mechanics are not being compensated anywhere near the market for the skill and responsibilities,” Gosar told the board, and he urged the board to authorize a market‑based wage adjustment to protect fleet safety and operations.

Several educational assistants and paraprofessionals described being underpaid for work that includes managing aggressive behaviors and meeting the needs of students with complex medical or developmental requirements. Ryan (paraprofessional) said paraprofessionals are often the difference between a child being able to attend school safely and not. Jessica Diamond, Sophia Woodberry and others described injuries and burnout on the job and asked the district to invest in pay to reduce turnover and protect student services.

Board members acknowledged the testimony and noted unknowns in negotiating calendars and budgets. Staff said the district maintains public financial documents and that compensation decisions must be balanced with budget constraints and other statutory obligations. The discussion followed the finance presentation explaining that about 78–80% of general fund spending goes to salaries and benefits and that the district’s unassigned fund balance met district policy targets per the FY2025 audit.

No formal compensation action was taken at the meeting; speakers asked the board to prioritize workforce recruitment and retention work and to consider targeted pay adjustments during upcoming budget and negotiating cycles.