Congratulations and thanks for service were the order of the night Nov. 10 at the Northampton Area School District Board of Education meeting.

Two appointed school directors lost bids for election, one incumbent school director lost a reelection bid, one incumbent school director won reelection, and two newcomers were elected to the NASD school board in unofficial results of the Nov. 4 general election.

In Region 1, Allen and Lehigh townships, where voting was for one representative, incumbent school Director Douglas Vaughn, a Democrat, lost to newcomer Zachary Kromer, a Republican.

In the Nov. 4 election, Vaughn, a former school board president, lost by 43 votes. Kromer received 2,509 votes, or 50.37%, and Vaughn received 2,466 votes or 49.51%. There were six write-in votes, or 0.12%.

In Region 2, Northampton Borough and East Allen Township, the voting for two representatives saw incumbent appointee school board Vice President Nathan J. Lichtenwalner, a Republican, lose to incumbent Ross Makary and newcomer Frances Shehab, both Democrats.

Lichtenwalner was court-appointed June 4, 2024, by a Northampton County judge after none of the candidates received a majority school board vote April 9, 2024, and the board deadlocked after seven votes May 8, 2024, to succeed school Director Chuck Frantz, whose resignation was accepted by the board March 11, 2024. Shehab was among those interviewed by the board April 9, 2024, to fill the term of Frantz.

In the Nov. 4 election, Lichtenwalner lost by 12 votes. Shehab received 2,346 votes, or 38.62%, Makary received 1,856 votes, or 30.55%, and Lichtenwalner received 1,844 votes, or 30.35%. There were 29 write-in votes, or 0.48%.

In Region 3, Bath and Chapman boroughs and Moore Township, where voting was for one representative, incumbent appointee Parker Flamisch, a Democrat, lost to newcomer Jamie Shankweiler Marchiano, a Republican.

Flamisch, then 20 and the youngest-ever NASD school director, was appointed April 30 by the school board to serve out the term until Dec. 1 of Region 3 school director Kim Bretzik, who resigned March 7. Flamisch was appointed over Gogel; Gerald Bretzik, Kim Bretzik’s husband; and Shankweiler Marchiano, each of whom were interviewed April 30 for the Region 3 seat.

In the Nov. 4 election, Flamisch lost by 13 votes. Shankweiler Marchiano received 1,941 votes, or 51.40%, and Flamisch received 1,828 votes, or 48.41%. There were seven write-in votes, or 0.19%.

Newcomer Kromer was the big vote-getter with 2,509 votes, followed by incumbent Vaughn with 2,466 votes and newcomer Shehab with 2,346 votes.

The unofficial election results reported by Northampton Press are based on 100% of precincts reporting, according to the Northampton County government election results website. Election Day votes are complete, there were no provisional ballots, and mail-in ballots were partially reported, the website states. The website was updated 11:24 a.m. Nov. 5.

The school board is scheduled to hold its reorganization meeting 6:15 p.m. Dec. 1, before the 6:30 p.m. Dec. 1 regular meeting, in the auditorium at Northampton Area High School, 1619 Laubach Ave. At the reorganization meeting, school directors vote for board president and vice president; board committee appointments will be made; and other matters will be decided.

The NASD board includes President Kristin Soldridge, representing Allen and Lehigh townships, whose term ends Dec. 1, 2027; Director Michael Baird, representing Northampton Borough and East Allen Township, whose term ends Dec. 1, 2027; Director John Becker, representing Lehigh and Allen townships, whose term will end Dec. 1, 2027; Joshua Harris, representing Bath and Chapman boroughs and Moore Township, whose term will end Dec. 1, 2027; and David Gogel, appointed by the school board Oct. 6 to fill a vacancy created by the Sept. 8 resignation of Brian McCulloch, representing Bath and Chapman boroughs and Moore Township, whose term ends Dec. 1, 2027.

Soldridge was elected NASD school board president at the Dec. 2. 2024, reorganization meeting, succeeding Vaughn, who was elected NASD board president at the Dec. 4, 2023, reorganization meeting. Lichtenwalner was appointed school board vice president at the Dec. 2, 2024, reorganization meeting.

At the Nov. 10 board meeting, district residents and school officials lauded the board candidates.

“I’d like to congratulate all those who ran for the school board,” resident Shannon O’Grady said. “Many of the races were razor-thin.”

“There’s a lot of love in the auditorium tonight,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik said. “I would like to thank Mr. Vaughn, Mr. Lichtenwalner and Mr. Flamisch for their service. It really takes a special person to run for the board of education in any school district and especially in Northampton.”

“I’d like to thank our outgoing board members for their service and the incoming board members,” Harris said.

“I think we made some progress in my short time. Thank you to the board and administration,” Flamisch said.

“I would like to thank everyone on this board. Whether we agree or disagree, we always get the job done,” Soldridge said.

At the Nov. 10 meeting, school directors voted 9-0 to approve, as recommended by the administration, a parameters resolution, authorizing the incurring of non-electoral debt by the issuance of general obligation bonds, series of 2026, in the maximum amount of $26.5 million, via a competitive internet auction to fund a capital improvement plan, including the construction, fixturing and equipping of East Allen Elementary School and Education Center; Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School expansion project; NAHS roof project; and refunding NASD’s outstanding series of 2012 Emmaus note.

The parameters resolution authorizes issuing the bonds in order to enter the market when it is most advantageous. Pricing of the 2026 bonds to lock in interest rates is expected Jan. 6, 2026, with settlement of the 2026 bonds scheduled for Feb. 10, 2026.

School directors voted 8-1 to approve, as recommended by the administration, FieldTurf to perform work at the Al Erdosy Stadium turf field for $680,000 in accordance with its proposal, subject to execution of bonds, insurance and contracts.

School directors voted 8-0 at the Sept. 8 board meeting, as recommended by the NASD administration, to approve CHA Consulting Inc., the NASD consulting engineering firm, to design and solicit pricing for stadium turf field replacement, running track re-striping and annual service.

Discussion of Erdosy Stadium turf replacement at the Aug. 18 school board facilities committee meeting recommended 15-foot safety fencing for lacrosse games.