York Board approves $0.50 hourly raise for support staff, accepts resignation and audit; enters closed session for superintendent review

The York Public Schools Board of Education on Dec. 9 approved a package of personnel and financial items and moved into a closed session to conduct the superintendent's evaluation.

The board voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Amy Fraser, effective immediately, and unanimously approved the district's 2023–24 audit. On personnel compensation, the board approved a $0.50-per-hour wage increase for all hourly support staff, with the increase effective Jan. 1, 2025.

The board handled routine bills and payments. The body approved its bills overall after first separating one vendor, Kopcho Sanitation, from the initial motion so that Board Member Amie Kopcho could abstain on that payment because of a family connection; the board later approved payment to Kopcho Sanitation with five yes votes and one abstention.

Votes at a glance - Approval of Nov. 25, 2024 minutes: Motion by Pepper Papineau; second Brien Alley. Vote: Alison North, Amie Kopcho, Alex Hildebrand, Matt Holthe, Pepper Papineau and Brien Alley — yes (unanimous). - Approval of bills (excluding Kopcho Sanitation to allow abstention): Motion by Amie Kopcho; second Alison North. Vote: Amie Kopcho, Alex Hildebrand, Matt Holthe, Pepper Papineau, Brien Alley, Alison North — yes (unanimous on that motion). - Approval of Kopcho Sanitation bill: Motion by Alison North; second Pepper Papineau. Vote: Alex Hildebrand — yes; Matt Holthe — yes; Pepper Papineau — yes; Brien Alley — yes; Alison North — yes; Amie Kopcho — abstain (family connection). Outcome: approved. - Acceptance of resignation of Amy Fraser (effective immediately): Motion by Alex Hildebrand; second Amie Kopcho. Vote: Matt Holthe, Pepper Papineau, Brien Alley, Alison North, Amie Kopcho, Alex Hildebrand — yes (unanimous). - Hourly support staff wage increase ($0.50/hour, effective Jan. 1, 2025): Motion by Amie Kopcho; second Alison North. Vote: Pepper Papineau, Brien Alley, Alison North, Amie Kopcho, Alex Hildebrand, Matt Holthe — yes (unanimous). - Approval of the 2023–24 audit: Motion by Pepper Papineau; second Brien Alley. Vote: Brien Alley, Alison North, Amie Kopcho, Alex Hildebrand, Matt Holthe, Pepper Papineau — yes (unanimous). - Motion to enter closed session to conduct the superintendent's evaluation: Motion by Pepper Papineau; second Amie Kopcho. Vote: Alison North, Amie Kopcho, Alex Hildebrand, Matt Holthe, Pepper Papineau, Brien Alley — yes (unanimous). The board went into closed session; no details were disclosed in the public minutes.

Board process and context Board members present for the meeting were Alison North, Amie Kopcho, Alex Hildebrand, Matt Holthe, Pepper Papineau and Brien Alley. The meeting opened at 7:00 p.m. and adjourned at 8:50 p.m. The district noted publication of meeting notice on Nov. 30, 2024. Gayla K. Knight is listed in the minutes as board secretary.

The wage increase is described in the minutes as a flat $0.50-per-hour raise for all hourly support staff, effective Jan. 1, 2025; the minutes do not specify the number of employees affected or the fiscal impact. The minutes record that Amie Kopcho abstained from the Kopcho Sanitation payment vote because of a family connection; no further detail about the relationship is provided.

The board's motion to enter closed session was explicitly to conduct the superintendent's evaluation. The minutes do not disclose the substance or outcome of that closed session.

The meeting included routine administrative reports (a November budget update and a YES EL update) but the minutes do not include substantive detail on those reports.

The board is scheduled under its normal calendar to meet again per the district's usual schedule; the minutes do not state the next meeting date.