By SUSAN RUMBLE

Special to The Press

Parkland School board directors approved the 2024-25 budgets of Lehigh Carbon Community College, Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, and Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 during their March 19 meeting.

Votes on each one were 7-0 with board members Jay Rohatgi and Annette Wilcox absent.

The total 2024-25 budget for LCCC stands at $61,548,781.

Parkland’s appropriation is $882,739 for the operating budget and $426,442 for debt services, leases and capital budgets, for a total of $1,309,181, a 3.4-percent increase over the previous term.

Turning to LCTI, the general operating budget for 2024-25 is $31,964,195 and the academic center is $2,525,433.

Parkland’s share is $5,135,394 for the general operating fund and $493,492 for the academic center, a total of $5,629,886, a 7.4-percent increase over the last budget.

The board also approved the $3,619,735 CLIU 21 general operating budget for 2024-25.

Parkland’s share is $213,269, a 0.8-percent increase over last year.

In another matter, the board approved bids totaling $63,295 from seven vendors for art supplies for the 2024-25 school year.

During the Roundtable session at the end of the meeting, the two newest board members who took office in December 2023, commented on their experience.

“This is run better than any private business I’ve been in,” Chris Pirrotta said. “There are so many qualified people.”

David Ellowitch added his observation.

“The resources available in our district are amazing,” he said.