KCSB Seeks Compromise with SVRCS
By Scott Johnson
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – At a special voting meeting held Thursday night, the Keystone Central School Board unanimously approved an agreement with the Sugar Valley Rural Charter School for talks to proceed to resolve their differences relative to the charter school’s effort to renew its five-year charter.
The school board, by state law, must pass judgment on the school’s operation every five years.
The Keystone board turned down the SVRCS renewal application last November, 7-1, with Wayne Koch absent. It was made after a district-retained consultant had issued a report critical of some aspects of the charter school, including several negative student performance test scores, an enrollment greater than allowed, and an exploding general fund balance.
Keystone would like to amend the original charter that has remained unchanged since it was first granted more than 20 years ago.
Thursday night’s action by the Keystone board is meant to end the impasse without litigation by either side. Keystone Superintendant Jacquelyn Martin noted the agreement was drafted and approved for consideration by the solicitors for each entity. The SVRCS Board approved the agreement on Dec. 17. It was then signed by SVRCS Chief Executive Officer Tracie Kennedy on Dec. 18.
In part, the agreement states, “the parties desire to have discussions that may lead to the settlement of such proceedings.” Terms and conditions of any such settlement would have to be approved by both boards. The agreement further dictates, “The parties, through their respective legal and public officials will meet in person and confer at least one time within 30 days of this agreement, to attempt to negotiate a settlement.”
If no tentative settlement is reached, upon agreement of both sides a “third-party mediator may be engaged for the purposes of continued settlement negotiations. Any cost related to the services as a third-party neutral mediator shall be split equally between the parties.”
During the regular work session that preceded the special meeting, two Keystone Central School District police officers, Bob Getz and Scott VanGorder, had to force Avis resident Mike Remick to stop talking and return to his seat during the “public comment period.” It came exactly three months after Remick was forced to do the same thing by the same officers for the same reason.
Michele Whitney was the first to address the board with her concerns. Remick then followed, as he was next on the “speaking list.”
Before Remick began to talk, Koch, chairman of the Policy Committee, asked for a “call to order,” to immediately stop discussion. Koch noted, as was noted on Oct. 9, 2019, Remick was going against Board Policy 903, which states only residents and/or property owners in the district may speak in public comments during a board meeting and/or work session.
The policy references Pennsylvania’s Sunshine act that states that agencies must provide a reasonable opportunity for “residents and/or taxpayers” to comment on an issue before a decision takes place. However, that only applies to “residents and/or taxpayers” in a city, township, borough, school districts etc.
After Remick agreed he is not a resident of, nor a taxpayer to, the Keystone Central School District, Koch said, “You are not a resident nor a taxpayer in this district, that disqualifies you to make public comments.” Board President Boise “Bo” Miller then asked the board if there was a motion to suspend the board’s rules to allow Remick to address the board. While waiting for a motion to do that for several minutes, Remick continued to talk. Vice President Roger Elling said, “No one brought up a motion to suspend rules.”
While the officers were asking Remick to be seated and to submit his written comments to Martin, instead, Miller called for a five-minute recess. After the recess, Remick took his seat in the audience.
