Petersburg school board raises substitute pay, updates policies and recommends not selling reserve parcel

At its June 17 meeting, the Petersburg Borough School District Board of Education approved multiple personnel and policy actions and recommended the borough not sell a piece of district-reserved land.

The board voted 4-0, with Member Katie Holmlund absent, to raise the classified substitute hourly wage from $17 to $18. The district explained the change in the context of a 2025-2028 labor agreement and the need to remain competitive; the motion to approve the wage increase was made by Sarah Holmgrain and seconded by Kari Petersen.

Separately, the board approved several policy updates on their second and final reading. The policies reviewed by the policy committee included AR 5141.3 (Health Examination Insurance), BP 5141.4 and AR 5141.4 (Child Abuse and Neglect), and BP 3430 (Investing). The recommended revision to BP 3430 would permit the superintendent or the director of finance to authorize investments without returning to the full board, enabling quicker movement of liquid cash to meet district needs. A public hearing on the policy changes was opened; no members of the public addressed the board.

On a separate agenda item, the board considered a borough request involving Grant and Lila Trask's application to purchase a portion of Parcel #01-066-010, land recorded in 1954 and currently reserved for Petersburg School District use. The Trasks have a greenhouse encroaching on the parcel and asked to buy that portion. After discussion, the board voted to recommend that the borough not sell the parcel to the Trasks.

All motions recorded in the transcript passed unanimously among the four members present. The meeting adjourned following these actions.