The district capital improvement plan was reviewed for possible cost-cutting at the Feb. 17 facilities committee of the Northampton Area School District Board of Education.

“Quite frankly, I wouldn’t do any capital improvements unless in dire circumstances,” NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik said. “The (school) board’s going to have to make some tough decisions.”

The one-and-three-quarter-hour meeting in the Northampton Area High School library conference room was chaired by Jonathan Jenny, NASD director of operations, who said there are only two items on the improvement plan list they really want to consider.

The cost-cutting review by the facilities committee is in conjunction with a similar review by the finance committee.

The reviews are in light of the 2026-27 NASD preliminary budget, which foresees a $12.7 million deficit, based on expenditures of $154.8 million and revenue of $142.1 million.

The facilities committee discussed the chiller project at George Wolf Elementary School, Bath.

“That price tag is $800,000,” Jenny said.

There is another chiller unit in use at the school.

Also discussed was the fire panel and sensor at the high school. Jenny noted the fire panel is working, but the parts are obsolete.

“The replacement cost is $160,000,” Jenny said, adding, “I have some spare parts.”

The lighting system in the NAHS auditorium is also on the district capital improvement plan. Jenny said they can bypass this item, noting that he will get estimates for the lighting improvement project. New stage curtains have already been installed.

The $800,000 cost of the Al Erdosy Stadium turf project is budgeted.

“What projects do you have to get done in the next few years?” Kovalchik asked Jenny.

“The only one I would pull for is the fire panel,” replied Jenny.

Jenny also noted there are no projects planned for the summer because of the closing of the Washington Technology Center, the district administration building and Franklin Elementary School buildings at the end of the 2025-26 school year and the fall 2026-27 school year opening of East Allen Elementary School.

The district will close for two to three weeks because of hardware transfers, Jenny said.

“I don’t know if anybody understands the magnitude of the move (to the East Allen campus),” Kovalchik said.

Facilities committee member and school Director Joshua Harris asked if the district is using a mover.

“Yes, it’s called JJ Moving,” Kovalchik quipped, referring to Jenny.

Jenny said teachers will be packing and boxing items in their classrooms at the end of the current school year, and district maintenance crews will pick up the boxes, transport them and deliver them to classrooms in East Allen Elementary School.

Arif Fazil, senior business development leader at CHA Consulting Inc., narrated a slide presentation of the construction progress of the $75.8 million East Allen Elementary School and Education Center.

“We’re going to be in there in May,” Kovalchik said.

A nonbinding poll of NASD school directors by a 6-3 margin at the Feb. 9 meeting indicated a willingness to sell Moore Elementary School and its property in Moore Township.

The discussion, poll and vote on the sale of district buildings provided final recommendations for the April school board meeting.

The facilities committee voted 3-1 at its Jan. 20 meeting to recommend selling the Moore school and property.

School directors voted unanimously 9-0 in separate votes at the Feb. 9 meeting to sell Washington, the administration building and Franklin.

“The end decision has been made on all of the buildings,” Kovalchik said. “We haven’t decided on the $2 million for Moore demolition.”

Kovalchik asked how much money, if any, will go into the capital reserve from the sale of the buildings.

“I would recommend continuing the $500,000 a year and then put a percentage of the sales of the buildings into the capital fund,” Harris said.

Kovalchik, referring to the 2026-27 budget, said, “That amount is still at $500,000, half a mill, in the budget.”

Concerning the capital plan, Harris said, “My feeling is that we should be doing the things that need to be done.”

The committee discussed the NAHS roof restoration project.

“You have the money for the first phase,” said Fazil, adding, “We are pursuing a grant.”

The NASD school board voted 9-0 at the Feb. 9 board meeting to approve, as recommended by the administration, the partial NASD high school roof restoration and masonry repairs.

Regarding the roof restoration project, the board voted 9-0 at the Feb. 9 meeting to approve, as recommended by the administration, to authorize CHA Consulting to submit the application for the Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program, in accordance with the grant agreement dated May 13, 2024; WTI General Contracting proposal 1 of $1,602,433 for the scope of work at NAHS as defined in accordance with the proposal, subject to proper execution of bonds, insurance and contracts; and delayed approval of proposal 2 of $1,424,951 until July 17.

Before re-coating the roof, an infrared scan will be performed to determine if any insulation is wet and requires replacement. If wet insulation exceeding the 1,000-square-foot allowance is encountered, there may be an additional cost. This is part of proposal 1.

Because of the size of the project and the method of procurement, CHA’s retainer contract fee for design and construction phase services will be reduced to 5%.

The NASD facilities committee is next scheduled to meet 6 p.m. March 16 in the NAHS library conference room.

The NASD school board meets 6:30 p.m. March 9 in the NAHS auditorium, 1619 Laubach Ave.