KCSB gives final approval to no-tax hike budget
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP, PA – The Keystone Central School Board Thursday night gave a final approval to the school district’s second straight year without a local tax increase.
The board unanimously approved a 2021-22 budget amounting to $82.987 million, unchanged from its introduction in May and one that keeps taxes unchanged for a second year in a row.
The district covers parts of three counties and the proposed real estate millage in each remains the same as this school year: Clinton County, 13.35 mills; Centre County, 44.44 mills; Potter County, 46.24 mills. As proposed and approved, the district earned income and net profits tax will remain at 1 percent.
The district had seen a three year run of annual real estate tax increases until the current school year which began on July 1, 2020 with no increase. Thursday’s budget-related approvals came without comment, part of a brief voting meeting
The board did hear of plans for an updated gifted student program from Dr. Elizabeth Barnhart, the district’s director of special education. She said planned improvements should result in more student participation in the future. She indicated the state Education Department has been helpful in the upgrade.
The board also approved a number of coaching hires within the district. They include the return of Ryan Veltri as girls’ head soccer coach at Central Mountain High School. He replaces Jeff Brinker who resigned earlier this year.
Other hires included: Tim Keohane and Jaime Kessinger as assistant girls’ basketball coaches with the Central Mountain program; Brad Moore and Kasey Connor as assistants with the school’s volleyball program; Tom Temple as an assistant football coach with Central Mountain; and two new assistants with the Bucktail football program: Steven Fantaski and Casey Friese
The board also accepted the resignation of Jack Hanobic, the longtime athletic director at Bucktail High School. The district earlier this year had renamed the basketball court at Bucktail in his honor.
