Work continues on the $80.7-million Northampton Area Middle School and Secondary Campus Renovation Project with the installation of primary electrical service by PPL.

The electrical service is being upgraded to the campus. The hookup for the service was expected to take place Aug. 1.

A report on the construction project was presented at the July 22 Northampton Area School District board of education meeting.

NASD board President David Gogel said that the primary electrical service is expected to be ready for the September start of classes for the 2013 - 14 school year at Northampton Area High School.

In his construction update, Christopher W. Haller, project manager, D'Huy Engineering, Inc., reported that paving was to have been completed at the new Stadium Drive and curbing was to have been installed at the new parking lot at the new middle school site.

In other business at the July 22 board meeting, school directors voted 7-0, with two board members absent, to approve, at the recommendation of the administration:

The hiring of Ronald Miller, police officer, effective Aug. 1 - June 30, 2014. His salary will be $38,000, with vision and dental benefits;

Authorize the president and secretary of the school board to sign the Access Easement between the Northampton Area School District and the Borough of Northampton for the Middle School Project for the sanitary and storm sewers being constructed on the school district property as depicted on the land development plan revised May 20 and prepared by Terraform Engineering, LLC. This will permit the borough access to the sewer system, if necessary.

Authorize the president and secretary of the school board to sign the Subdivision, Land Development, and Improvements Agreement between the Northampton Area School District and the Borough of Northampton for the Middle School Project with respect to improvements as referenced in the agreement. This has to do with the new Stadium Drive.

Authorize the purchase by the Northampton Area School District of 1601 Lincoln Avenue, Northampton, for $109,900 from Community Services for Children, Inc., to provide: Preschool Program, modeled after Head Start Preschool Programs, for 20 NASD students at George Wolf Elementary School for the 2013 - 14 school year at a cost of $180,000. The funding is paid for through the Keystones to Opportunity-Striving Readers grant.

Approve the attendance of school Directors Dr. Michael Baird, Jean Rundle and Gogel at the Pennsylvania School Board Association conference Oct. 15 in Hershey. School board members may attend additional conference days there, Oct. 16 - 18, which is to be considered at an upcoming school board meeting.