Utica City School District board votes to enter executive session on legal matters, personnel and student appeals

The Board of Education of the Utica City School District held a special meeting and voted to enter an executive session to discuss legal matters, the employment history of particular people and student appeals, the chair said.

The chair opened the meeting, led the Pledge of Allegiance and asked the clerk to call the roll. Board members recorded present during the roll call were Joseph Culpecker Jr., Danielle Padula, Adel Daws, Neil New, James Paul, Jason Cooper and Brandon Nana, establishing a quorum.

“We have a quorum and a motion to go into executive session to discuss legal matters, the employment history of particular people, and student appeals,” the chair said. A motion to convene the executive session was made and seconded; members present responded “Aye” in a voice vote and the board proceeded into executive session. The transcript does not specify who moved or seconded the motion, nor does it record a numerical vote tally.

The board did not discuss details of the legal matters, personnel matters or the student appeals in the public portion of the meeting; such matters are typically handled in closed session under state law. The special meeting record indicates no additional public actions or votes were taken before the board entered the executive session.

The board moved into the executive session immediately after the voice vote; no public schedule for a return to open session was provided in the recorded segments.