A longtime director on Northampton Area School District Board of Education has resigned. The school board voted 8-0, at its March 11 meeting, to approve and accept the letter of resignation submitted by Chuck Frantz.

Frantz represented Region 2. His resignation from the board was effective March 1.

The vote authorized the administration to advertise the vacant board position for Region 2, which includes Northampton Borough and East Allen Township.

The board approved a meeting, set for 5:30 p.m. April 9, to interview applicants to represent the region and vote on Frantz’s successor. Frantz’s term on the board expires in 2025. Information on how to apply for the school board seat will be advertised on the district website.

“I’d like to thank Mr. Frantz for his 10 years on the board,” school Director Dr. Michael Baird said.

“I would also like to thank him (Frantz),” school Director Ross Makary said. “He was a mentor. He’s the reason I am on the board.”

In other business, school directors, administration and audience members discussed the town hall meeting, set for 6 p.m. April 4, which will discuss the future of Moore Elementary School, 2835 Mountain View Drive.

School directors voted 8-0 to authorize the administration to send a mailed notice to NASD residents, informing them of the April 4 public meeting at Moore Elementary “to discuss the impact to residents of operating a fifth elementary school in the district instead of four elementary schools” at a mailing cost of approximately $5,000. The authorization was also for the administration to erect signs in locations across the district notifying residents of the meeting, at a cost not to exceed $10,000. The total cost to the district was $15,000.

The meeting, termed an elementary configuration meeting, has been advertised in newspapers. Letters will be sent to the approximate 18,000 households in NASD. There are approximately 40,000 residents in the district.

Concern was expressed as to whether Moore would be able to accommodate a large turnout of residents. The cafeteria seats approximately 250. The parking lot has approximately 117 spaces.

“We’ll do our best to accommodate,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik said.

“Moore Township residents are going to be most affected,” school Director Kim Bretzik said. “The respectful thing to do is to have the meeting there for the residents.”

“If it’s crowded, we can have another meeting, and they can come to the (school board) meeting April 8,” school Director Josh Harris said.

School directors also voted 6-2, with Vice President Kristin Soldridge and Director Brian McCulloch voting “no,” to approve an amendment to the agreement for engineering services by D’Huy Engineering Inc., for the Route 329 project and the potential of a $4 million grant from the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.

The school district is paying the $500 application fee for the grant.

“It was bipartisan support,” Kovalchik said concerning the grant application.

Kovalchik said the district received letters of endorsement for the grant application from state Rep. Zach Mako, R-183rd; state Rep. Ann Flood, R-138th; state Sen. Nick Miller, D-14th; and Northampton County Executive Lamont G. McClure.

School directors voted 6 to 1, with Soldridge voting “no” and Director John Becker abstaining, to reappoint Crystal Becker, Crista Billowitch and Walter Fries as trustees of Northampton Area Public Library for three-year terms of March 1-Feb. 28, 2027.

Before the vote, Soldridge asked about the school district’s $270,000 annual funding of NAPL, comparing the district contribution to lesser amounts by townships and boroughs in the district.

“I think we need to reduce our volume to the library,” Soldridge said, adding, “I would be looking to reduce our funding to $50,000.”

Soldridge said the amount the district funds NAPL increases 3% annually. She said in four years, the district has provided more than $1 million to the library.

“We’re going to have a (school district) budget presentation in April,” Kovalchik said, “when the public library funding could be addressed.”

“The library is a public library. It’s something the townships should be funding,” Harris said.

Soldridge asked if there’s a requirement for the school district to fund NAPL.

Bretzik said school district funding is listed in NAPL bylaws, but there’s no explanation given for the district funding it.

“Is it possible to get a financial report from the library?” Soldridge asked.

NASD Business Administrator Craig Neiman said NAPL is examined by district auditor Gorman and Associates PC.

“I believe the director of the library would be more than willing to come here and make a presentation,” Bretzik said. “The public library can stock any book. It’s a nice way to keep age-appropriate books here (in district schools) and not censor books.”

Soldridge questioned whether NASD is paying for the education of those termed “illegals” or “undocumented minors.”

“I saw in the budget an item for migratory children,” Soldridge said.

“Most times, it’s students who might not have a home,” Neiman said.

“Just so there’s not a requirement for us to educate any migrants that the government is now requiring us to educate,” Soldridge said.

Harris asked about use of metal detectors at the Northampton Area High School lobby entrance for school board meetings. The public and media must empty their pockets, place items in plastic containers, have purses or bags scanned and walk through an airport-style metal detector.

Harris noted audiences at NAHS Theatre Company’s recent production of “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” in the NAHS auditorium did not have to walk through metal detectors. President Doug Vaughn said use of metal detectors at school board meetings could be reviewed.

Harris lauded the “Cinderella” musical, as did other board members and Kovalchik.

The school board held executive sessions before and after the meeting to discuss independent contractors, Kovalchik announced.

The board of education next meets 6:30 p.m. April 8 in the NAHS auditorium, 1619 Laubach Ave.