MILL HALL — Last year, a citizen’s task force made substantial contributions to reducing Keystone Central School District’s budget deficit, with numerous ideas for cuts recommended and enacted.

Now, the school board is looking to reinstate the task force for another year.

The new task force meeting, which is open to the public, is set for 6 p.m. this coming Tuesday, Oct. 23, in the Central Mountain High School Library.

The decision comes following a meeting held earlier in the month, where Dr. Alan J. Lonoconus, interim superintendent, met with some members of the 2017-18 task force.

The Oct. 2 meeting allowed Dr. Lonoconus to discuss “what worked, what did not, what recommendations were used, and how they would like to see the task force initiative move forward,” according to a prepared news release from the district.

The Oct. 2 meeting was not announced publicly before it was held.

Last year, the task force was divided into seven committees, each focused on different areas.

The press release included a summary of what each group accomplished as follows:

Secondary Programming:

– Attrition of all retired positions

– Reduction of operating budgets

Operational Management:

– Attrition of all vacant positions

– ACT 93 pay freeze for 2018-2019 school year

Elementary Programming:

– Attrition of all retired positions (except one music position).

– Reduction of operating budgets.

Athletics and Extra Curricular Activities:

– Eliminated the cost of physicals.

– Decreased supplies.

– Decreased tournament fees.

– Consolidated athletics and purchasing secretarial position.

Career and Technical Education:

– Attrition of one agricultural production/horticulture position.

Property Services & Security:

– Electric and gas savings.

– Attrition of retired positions.

– Reduction of Capital Improvement Fund.

Technology Initiatives:

– Moved to more affordable Google Chrome Books for 1 to 1 initiative

– Switched email server to Google for Education

– Renegotiated WAN contract

Originally, the combined task force was to attempt to find $10 million in cuts from the district’s then projected $82.3 million budget.

While some groups made — or surpassed — their goal, others fell short.

At the end of the day, however, the district’s budget for 2018-19 (the current fiscal year) was reduced to $73.2 million through a combination of task force suggestions and administrative actions, including the furlough of 34 teachers.

Those furloughs were justified by a 10.6 percent decline in district student enrollment the last six years.

Although the district’s Oct. 23 organization meeting for this new task force is still upcoming, it currently looks like it will assume much of the shape and systems of its predecessor. The district’s press release says that “attendees will break into one of the seven subcommittees” following a kick-off presentation by Dr. Lonoconus.

One of the new changes that will be made is the inclusion of a communal meeting period for all of the focus groups to reconvene following their individual sessions, which will allow for cross-pollination of ideas and easier answers about complicated questions that affect multiple groups’ decision processes, according to the press release.

As before, committee members will be asked to “focus on budget realignment and reform, recommendations within the district to generate revenue, and continued conversations about balancing the district budget amid growing mandates and increasing costs,” the press release states.

The timeline for this year’s task force is unclear.

For 2017-18, the task force was initialized in July, with the completed reports presented to the public and the school board in early November.

Interested community members are asked to contact Joellen Chappelle at jchappelle@kcsd.k12.pa.us or by calling 570.893.4900 ext. 2325.

In the meanwhile, the next regular meeting of the school board will be held tonight at Bucktail Area High School in Renovo, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Among items on the meeting agenda is “proposed changes to the Sugar Valley Rural Charter School charter.”