Rosamilia New Keystone Central School Board President

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – Charlie Rosamilia is the new president of the Keystone Central School Board.

Rosamilia, the district’s Region VI (Allison Township, Lock Haven’s 2nd and 3rd Wards) representative, was selected Thursday night on a 6-2 vote over Region I (Sugar Valley area) representative Wayne Koch. Roger Elling nominated and Debra Smith seconded Rosamilia while outgoing board vice-president Jeff Johnston nominated Koch who offered a second.

Johnston and Koch voted for Koch while Rosamilia, Elling, Debra Smith, Tracy Smith, Eric Probert and Billie Rupert voted for Rosamilia. Jennifer Bottorf, who was present at the beginning of the board proceedings, did not vote as she had departed to attend a school district function involving her child. The Thursday session was the first for Bottorf and Probert who had been elected in November.

Three meetings were held in the Central Mountain High School cafeteria. The first one was a program planning session on the district’s continuing effort to balance the next school year’s budget. Rosamilia said the time may have arrived for the district to go to the public to get its approval for a significant tax increase above a state-set percentage limit. He said the issue could be presented as “Here’s what we need to provide a quality education” for a taxpayer referendum decision.

Rosamilia also reiterated the board has no plans to close any district schools as part of its budget deliberations. He again voiced his opposition to any thought of closing Bucktail High School. He said the only school that could be considered for closing would be Dickey Elementary in Lock Haven’s hill district. The school has been struggling with low test scores in recent years.

The board received further information on a budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year, as presented by the administration. A proposal Thursday night called for a cutback in teaching personnel through attrition. A step in that direction was approved by the board at its later voting session when it accepted seven retirements, six teachers and a school librarian, most at the end of the current school year.

The board tabled approval of a leave of absence for Terry Murty, the district’s director of curriculum, effective Nov. 20. Instead it asked for more information on his departure. He has not been with the district for the last month.