The Liverpool Board of Education took up two decisions on Dec. 2, 2024, that actually divided its nine members — and both times, the same board member stood apart. Stacey Chilbert cast the lone dissenting vote first on a new mascot nickname, then, nearly two hours later, on how to resolve a student's appeal of a long-term suspension. Every other vote of the night, from routine paperwork to a slate of staff raises, passed unanimously. The mascot vote came during the board's for-action agenda items. Members approved the nickname "Legends", selected, according to the minutes, by students, staff, community members and alumni of the district, effective July 1, 2025. The motion, made by Kimberly Martin and seconded by Matthew Jones, carried 8-1, with Chilbert opposed. The minutes do not record any discussion of her objection. The board's other split decision took longer to reach. At 7:38 p.m., members voted unanimously to enter executive session for three stated purposes: matters leading to collective bargaining under Article 14 of the Civil Service Law, a personnel matter pertaining to a particular person, and a disciplinary appeal to the board of a long-term suspension resulting from a superintendent's hearing. The board did not return to open session until 9:27 p.m., nearly two hours after it went behind closed doors. When members reconvened, they took up the appeal directly. The board voted to deny the appeal with modification and directed Interim Superintendent Douglas Lawrence to notify the student's parent or guardian of the decision. The minutes identify the student only as "Student #1". That vote, too, carried 8-1, with Chilbert again the sole no vote. Everything else on the agenda passed without dissent. The board's routine business block — approval of the Nov. 20 meeting minutes, personnel actions, placements recommended by the district's preschool and special education committees, an affidavit of unpaid 2024-2025 school taxes for the towns of Salina and Clay, gifts and grants, surplus items and a budget amendment — carried unanimously on a single set of motions from Jecenia Bresett and Daniel McKeever. A new student club was approved unanimously, as were a set of policy revisions and a new policy. The board also approved salary adjustments for ten non-affiliated employees, unanimously, including Chilbert. The raises varied by position: School Claims Auditor Patricia Kazmierski and School Physician Dr. Peter Christiano each received 3.00% plus $1,700; Secretary to the Superintendent Melinda Mayer, Administrative Assistant Denise Wisely, Personnel Aide Tracey Sheridan, Personnel Specialist Sara Tully and three School Secretary IIs — Mary Ellen Kalahar, Wendi Martin and Catherine Morabito — each received $1,000 plus 4.00%; District/Board Clerk Gail Massett received a 4.00% increase. Two items were teed up for future discussion without a recorded outcome: new course recommendations for LHS, and a continued discussion of a property tax exemption. The minutes give no further detail on either. The board also recognized a POOLS Award presented to Soule Road Middle School, though again the minutes record no detail on the award itself. Members set their next two meetings for Dec. 16, 2024, and Jan. 6, 2025, both at 6 p.m. The meeting, which opened at 6:03 p.m., ran past 9:27 p.m., with the mascot and disciplinary-appeal votes standing as the only two decisions of the night that did not go 9-0.