York City board approves Schneider Electric contract after failed attempt to table; approves $11.5M capital transfer amid public concern

At its Nov. 19 meeting the York City School District board approved a project development agreement with Schneider Electric and a transfer of roughly $11.5 million into the district’s capital-improvement fund after several directors and members of the public raised questions about how the accounting move might affect future tax decisions.

A resident, Tanoa Nisha Sweeney of 106 West Boundary Avenue, urged the board not to move the funds during the public-comment period, saying the transfer "would allow for taxes to be raised" and asking the board to leave operating funds available for salaries and classroom needs. "We don't need to raise the taxes," she said, repeating concerns she said she had recorded from a recent committee meeting.

Director Suppler asked that item 8b — the SDC project development agreement with Schneider Electric — be pulled from the consent agenda for more review and moved to table it while members gathered additional information about the contractor. Suppler cited online reports of legal and contract issues involving Schneider Electric in other jurisdictions and questioned aspects of the proposed contract, including remote network access language and prior settlements reported in the press.

Board members debated. At a roll-call vote the motion to table the Schneider agreement failed (3 yes, 5 no). The board then voted to approve the Schneider Electric project development agreement. President Kennedy announced, "Motion carries."

Finance and administration staff responded at length to the public's questions about the capital transfer. An administrative official later identified in the meeting as Mister Hain explained the twofold rationale: keep the general-fund balance within policy limits (8 percent was cited) and build capital reserves so the district can avoid borrowing and interest costs in the future. "We wanna build up our capital funds so that we don't have to borrow money," he said, and clarified that the transfer is a routine annual action tied to fund-balance policy rather than an effort to enable tax increases.

The board also approved cash disbursements for October 2025 (item 8o); Director Suppler recorded an abstention on that item for a travel expense listed in the disbursement report. Later consent items — engagement letters for charter-related legal work and a regional charter arrangement — were explained and approved, with administrators saying the YARCS work is split across participating districts.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to table Schneider Electric (item 8b): failed on roll call, 3 yes, 5 no. - Approval of Schneider Electric project development agreement (8b): motion carried (board-approved). - Cash disbursements (8o): approved; 1 abstention recorded by Director Suppler. - Capital-improvement fund transfer (8p): approved after discussion and explanation by administration.

Board members who supported the Schneider contract cited long-running conversations with Schneider Electric and regional testimonials from other districts; board members who opposed tabling said they had not been given sufficient notice to pause the item. Director Suppler said he wanted additional due diligence and cited news reports alleging prior legal settlements and alleged cost overruns involving Schneider Electric; that history was raised as a reason to delay the vote.

The board adjourned the public meeting and moved into an executive session for legal matters. No litigation or contract text changes were announced on the floor during the meeting.