MILL HALL — The Keystone Central School District Board of Directors will hold a special public meeting tomorrow night as some of its members look to try and ease potential tensions between the district and Act 93 employees.

A special meeting was proposed at Thursday night’s work session, when the board reviewed the proposed Administrative and Supervisory Agreement. The agreement, if approved, will be effective from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029.

Act 93 personnel fall under administrative staffing such as building principles and other supervisory positions within the district.

The special meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, at 5:30 p.m., both in person and available to watch via Zoom on the district’s website.

At last Thursday’s work session, board members Jason Smith and Dr. Bill Baldino kicked off the discussions, with Smith asking if the board could meet with Act 93 representatives one more time before approving the contract.

“I know we’ve had to interact with them a few times but I think the meetings were productive, I think the requests were reasonable and I know there were a few questions, I think, that were a matter of semantics. I don’t think they were major financial requests,” he said.

Baldino said another meeting would be important, emphasizing he felt the Act 93 group was not happy with the current contract.

“I think we should table this and get together with them again. They’re unhappy. This is not going smoothly,” he said. He noted if the contract were tabled, the board could consider developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be put in place for a month or until a new contract is signed.

“To try to ram this through tonight, I think, would be a big mistake. The people we’re working with are not happy at all. We’ve got to work with these people,” he said. “I think we should schedule another meeting, a good faith meeting, where we have an interchange of ideas and what we have a consensus on should be reflected in the agreement.”

Board member Rich Wykoff agreed, noting he’d received an email with a few dates which led him to believe there would be another meeting between the board and Act 93 representatives.

“I agree that one more session, we’d have this thing really to where we want it to be, where everyone wants it to be,” he said.

Before he could continue, Board President Elisabeth Lynch cut in saying she would not be willing to do so. She said, according to an email sent from law firm King Sprye — who has been assisting in the negotiations — a meeting where changes to the proposed contract take place could break the Sunshine Act.

“This is not a negotiation. We sit there and listen, that’s it. We’ve heard all of their wish list. We’ve met with them twice. There’s no negotiation. We sit in a room and we listen,” she said.

Lynch emphasized if the board wants to make any changes to the agreement, it must be done in a public meeting.

Board Vice President John Miller agreed with Lynch.

“You say they’re not happy, no one is happy during contract time. They’re not going to be happy until you give them everything they want,” Miller said to Baldino.

Baldino warned the group is so unhappy they’ve talked about taking legal action.

“They don’t feel a good faith discussion has occurred,” he said. “I think we should meet with them again and have a good faith discussion.”

Scaff agreed with Lynch that technically a negotiation wasn’t taking place, however he felt it was best to show the Act 93 group they were working together with them.

“I do not see a problem with meeting with them and having a chat. The whole idea of this is to walk away as one team. Walk away shaking hands. We’re all working together, we’re meshing together, we’re working as a team,” he said. “It’s a good faith meeting. We want to save the school. We want to do the best there is for the students.”

Miller questioned, if it wasn’t a negotiation, what the point of a third meeting would be.

Scaff noted some individuals just need things explained to them a different way.

“They could have the same outcome, it’s just we’re opening the table for them to voice their opinions instead of saying ‘nope, here’s the wall,'” he said.

Board member Shelby Bohartz said she was open to another meeting. She noted at times in the previous two, items were written and down and, when reread, it wasn’t what had been agreed to.

“I don’t think it hurts to have one more meeting and talk about it,” she said.

Board Member Manny Rodriguez said he was unable to make the previous meetings and was open to another.

“In reality, in all fairness to them, if I didn’t sit through a meeting how can I actually vote on it,” he said.

Lynch said if discussions take place, she would only be comfortable with a special public meeting.

The general consensus of the board was to schedule a special public meeting with Act 93 to discuss the contract and be able to make any potential changes prior to the voting session on Thursday, June 18.

All board members, except Miller, agreed they would like to do so.

“As far as playing hardball and walking out, that’s the problem with this district. Nobody has played hardball for the last how many freaking years and that’s why we’re in the situation we’re in,” he said. “I will not be here, I can guarantee it.”