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Board rejects $12,000 Devapar staffing-study contract after divided debate
Summary
Keystone Central School District considered hiring Devapar for a staffing study capped at $12,000; board members split over the need for outside consultants versus in-house work and whether to seek competitive bids. The motion failed on a roll-call vote.
The Keystone Central School District board debated whether to hire Devapar Consulting to perform a districtwide staffing study and ultimately voted down the $12,000 contract.
Devapar president Chris Selmer presented the firm’s proposal, saying the work would be a comprehensive, top-to-bottom review tied to recent enrollment declines and would include a site visit. “What we’re saying is, we will not go above 78 hours that you would be billed for,” Selmer said, describing the firm’s fixed-hour approach and one site visit to observe buildings.
Superintendent Dr. Redmond told the board staff solicited multiple options and described the difference between the vendors: PSBA would perform a desk-based comparison, while Devapar’s product would include a staffing-adjustment analysis and on-site observations. “PSBA’s proposal is to do a kind of a desk data study. We send them the data. They look at it and tell us the results of those comparisons,” Dr. Redmond said, adding that the two proposals were not apples-to-apples.
Several board members objected to spending in a tight fiscal environment and urged a competitive request-for-proposal (RFP) process. One board member said the district’s own administration should produce the staffing analysis, calling $12,000 an avoidable expense; others argued an outside review adds impartiality and can reduce perceptions of favoritism. Board members also pressed the timeline, noting that staffing projections affect the district budget and that a delay could push crucial numbers into April.
After extended discussion, a motion to approve the Devapar contract was put to a roll-call vote. The motion failed, with the clerk recording three yes votes and five no votes, and the president announcing, “Motion doesn’t pass.”
What’s next: Board members asked administration to consider whether an RFP or competitive bids are appropriate and to report back, while also noting the district’s tight calendar for budget projections.
This article is based on the board’s presentation and roll-call discussion of a staffing-study proposal and the subsequent vote.
