Keystone School Board President John Slagle, during the board’s re-organizational meeting earlier this week, administered the oath of office to reelected board members Dustin and Ken Swartfager, and newly elected board members Jason McMillen, Abigail Simcheck and Eric Weiser.
Slagle was re-elected as president and Dustin Swartfager was re-elected as vice president. It was noted the election of board treasurer and secretary will take place in May.
Slagle introduced a proposed list of committee assignments for the board members, and said he had discussed the appointments with other board members.
Board member Stacey Thompson said Slagle’s method had been used in the past and that the committees “had done a pretty good job.”
Say asked if the committee appointments could be delayed until next month, when the strengths of the board members could be reviewed.
Ken Swartfager said the delay would mean the school district would not be represented at the January meeting of the Intermediate Unit and the Clarion Vo-Tech board meetings.
Weiser said he was told the new board members would assume the committee functions the previous board members had fulfilled.
Slagle said he struggled with the committee assignments and placed the board members where he believed they would be “functional.”
The committee assignments were approved as presented by a 6-3 vote. Say, McMillen and Weiser voting against the plan.
The board unanimously appointed Thompson and Simcheck as the district’s representative to the Joint Operating Committee of the Clarion County Career Center. McMillen and Randall Weaver are the alternates.
Kenneth Swartfager was unanimously appointed to the Legal and Pennsylvania School Board Association and Wesier was appointed as the alternate.
McMillen was unanimously appointed as the liaison to the Keystone School District Education Foundation.
Finally, the board unanimously appointed Kristoffer Willison as the Clarion County Tax Collection Committee delegate. Leigh Kerle was appointed as the alternate.
Work session
The board also on Monday discussed participation of Keystone students as independents in swimming competition. Several of the board members were not familiar with the program and the request was tabled.
The board also discussed the Mikayla’s Voice high school student pre-survey. The program had been presented at the elementary school last year. Several board members questioned the value of the survey, but the program was unanimously approved.
Regular meeting
The board approved the replacement of the condensate unit from V-Systems at a cost of $12,540 from the capital reserve fund. Dustin Swartfager explained it was a vital piece needed to keep the current 30-year-old system functioning.
“It’s just like replacing a water pump on a car with 400,000 miles on it,” he said, and that the system will eventually need to be replaced at a cost of $1 million.
The board adjourned and went into executive session to discuss a personnel issue. No action was taken after the session.