The Northampton School Board met Monday, Dec. 2 for their annual organization and regular monthly meeting.
To begin, board president nominations were requested. Kristin Soldridge was nominated by Joshua Harris and John Becker was nominated by Doug Vaughn. Soldridge, whose term ends in 2027, was appointed as board president in a 5-4 vote with Bretzik, Harris, Nathan Lichtenwalner, Brian McCulloch and Soldridge voting for her. All other board members voted for Becker.
Next, vice-president nominations were requested. At that time, Becker was nominated again by Vaughn and Lichtenwalner was nominated by Harris. Lichtenwalner, whose term ends in 2025, was appointed as board vice-president in a 5-4 vote, with Bretzik, Harris, Lichtenwalner and McCulloch voting for him. All other board members voted for Becker.
Following, the board unanimously approved the 2025 school board meeting dates, location and time, which will continue to be held in the Northampton Area High School auditorium, located at 1619 Laubach Ave. at 6:30 p.m. on the following Mondays: Jan. 13 (cancellation date Jan. 15); Feb. 10 (cancellation date Feb. 12); March 10 (cancellation date March 12); April 14; May 12; June 16; July 21; Aug. 11; Sept. 8; Oct. 13; Nov. 10; and Dec. 1 (cancellation date Dec. 3).
In other business, the board continued discussion of the renovation options for Moore Elementary School.
Harris reiterated the stipulations he presented at the facilities meeting, requesting that a complete rebuild of Moore Elementary begin in the summer of 2026 and that contracts for the project be awarded no later than November 2025.
“If we don’t have a decision that binds the board into going for that timeline, I cannot get behind a complete rebuild of Moore,” said Harris.
Chris Haller from CHA Consulting Inc. informed the board that they will need to hit the ground running in January if they want to meet the timeline Harris is requesting.
“Why are we rushing the project?” asked Vaughn.
The consensus amongst Harris, McCulloch and Soldridge, who offered their opinions on the rush to begin the project, was due to their concern that if work is not started soon or the board does not formally approve a rebuild or renovations to Moore Elementary, then the school will end up closing.
Becker stated that he is in favor of keeping Moore Elementary open, but in order to do the project right, he believes that a rebuild is necessary and that it should be spaced out with current capital projects and budgetary items because otherwise, the district will continue shelling out more money into repairs in subsequent years.
Current options and estimated costs for the proposed Moore Elementary rebuild and renovations include the following seven options:
- Option 1: Minimal scope – $24,468,550
- Option 2: Minimal scope – $20,684,800
- Option 3: Minimal scope with unit ventilators and built-up roof – $15,469,090
- Option 4: Minimal scope with 4-pipe VAV system, rubber roof, sewer plant, domestic water and playground equipment – $20,501,620
- Option 5: Minimal scope with 4-pipe VAV system and built-up roof – $28,992,310
- Option 6: A complete building renovation at an estimated cost of $51 million
- Option 7: Demolition and rebuild of a new Moore Elementary School at an estimated cost of $70 million
Bretzik recommended the board table the item due to the unknown costs associated with the proposed Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School expansion project, budget and capital improvement costs, the Act 1 Index and the impending Moore Elementary School renovations.
In a 5-4 vote, the board approved Bretzik’s motion to hold off on approving any of the options with Michael Baird, Bretzik, Ross Makary, Soldridge and Vaughn in favor of tabling the motion.
In other news, directors unanimously approved another motion by Bretzik to postpone approval of a resolution indicating the board will not raise the rate of taxes for fiscal year 2025-26 by more than the 4.8% Act 1 Index until discussion at the January meeting.
Business Administrator Craig Neiman assured the board that postponing the item would not interfere with the upcoming 2025-26 budget presentation, which will be shared at the January meeting.
Another big-ticket item that the board unanimously approved was the transfer of $3 million from the General Fund to the Capital Reserve for future capital improvements effective December 2024.
Directors unanimously approved several new extracurricular clubs that students can look forward to for the upcoming school year including the Borough Homework Club, High School Employment Prep Club, High School Envirothon Competition Team, High School Crochet Club, High School Support Our Armed Forces Club, Percussion Ensemble Club and Middle School History Vault Club.
The next Northampton School Board meeting will be held on Monday, Jan. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium, located at 1619 Laubach Ave.
