MILL HALL – The Keystone Central School District Board of Directors ultimately terminated its efforts to appoint one of three candidates to its open Region IV seat and adjourned a special voting session after failing to come to a consensus.

Prior to the voting session, the board held a special meeting Thursday night to interview three potential candidates for the seat: Kevin Ferrara, Jason Smith and Heather Yost.

Each candidate was asked questions by the board regarding a variety of topics including their greatest achievements, community service and outreach initiatives, giving examples on how they’ve worked with those of differing viewpoints, what they felt was a priority for the board outside of budgetary and financial responsibilities, how they would communicate with constituents and their budgetary experience.

When the voting session took place, the board began by choosing one candidate each, with the understanding four or more votes were needed for a singular candidate to be appointed. Otherwise, voting could continue until a consensus was reached.

During the first round of voting Ferrara received three votes from members Elisabeth Lynch, John Miller and Shelby Bohartz; Smith received two votes from members Manny Rodriguez and Chris Scaff and no votes were made for Yost. Board member Dr. Bill Baldino did not vote for any candidates presented. He told the board he felt none of the candidates were the right fit and said they should continue their search.

The next round was narrowed to Ferrara and Smith.

Prior to the second vote, board members spoke about the candidates they felt were right for the position.

Miller said he felt Ferrara’s budgetary experience and other qualifications would make him the right fit for the position, noting he could “hit the ground running.”

Rodriguez and Scaff both said many of their constituents had reached out to them in recent weeks stating they were interested in other candidates. Scaff said he received a number of correspondents, even while the meeting took place, in which residents in his region were interested in Smith being appointed.

He noted it was due to Smith’s ability to remain neutral, saying that was beneficial given the controversies that can often be found within the district. He further noted Smith’s involvement in community and his local church as another reason why he was in favor of him.

Rodriguez said he spoke with a number of constituents in his region, sometimes while going door to door, and they spoke in favor of Smith. He acknowledged Miller’s comments about Ferrara’s qualifications, but said he needed to listen to those in his region, as he said he would when first appointed to the position last year.

Bohartz said she’d heard favorably for Ferrara from constituents in her region.

Lynch also said members of her region who spoke with her said they were in favor of Ferrara and questioned why the board hadn’t appointed him during the first round of consideration earlier in the month.

The second round of votes ended with three for Ferrara (Bohartz, Lynch and Miller) and two for Smith (Rodriguez and Scaff). Baldino did not vote for a candidate.

Following another failure to appoint a candidate, Baldino motioned to terminate the procedure and adjourn the meeting. This was seconded by Scaff.

The motion was approved in a 4-2 vote with Baldino, Scaff, Bohartz and Rodriguez voting yes and Lynch and Miller voting no.

With the 30 day period in which the board may appointment a candidate up on Jan. 29, voters within Region IV may petition the Clinton County Court of Common Pleas to appoint someone. Ten signatures are needed per candidate to be considered.

However, in the meantime the board has the ability to continue to search for a candidate if it wishes to do so. There was no word on whether the board would do so at its meeting Thursday night.

More in-depth coverage of the special meeting’s interviews and the voting session held Thursday will be included in print and online of Saturday’s edition of The Express.