Heidelberg Township supervisors proposed a preliminary 2017 budget and postponed final approval of Northwestern Lehigh High School modernization project during their Oct. 17 meeting.

Both agenda items are expected to be finalized at this month’s meeting.

After two months of preparation and budget workshop meetings, supervisors voted to publish a preliminary budget to the public for approval at its next meeting.

“A tax increase is pretty much eminent, sorry to say,” said Board Chair Steve Bachman. “We are $105,000 in the red.”

The projected increase is 0.3 mills.

“Keep in mind 0.3 mills is $260 total taxes on a $200,000 property. That’s a $60 increase,” Bachman noted.

In the ambulance report, Administrator Janice Meyers reported NOVA had a municipal round-table that was very informative.

Meyers and Dawn Didra met with the Emergency Management Committee.

“We are starting work to update the manual,” said Meyers. “We are going to be doing a bulk mailing to all the residents.

“It is forms we sent out before, but we updated it. One will ask for hazardous materials stored on the property so emergency services will know if they come there, and also if there are any handicapped or special needs people so they will be aware.”

She said another form will ask if anyone has special needs or supplies, such as a boat, supplies, blankets, generators and other items.

All of these questions are to prepare in advance for any type of emergency situation.

Finally, on the agenda was a preliminary/final land development proposal Northwestern Lehigh High School.

Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Holman, gave an overview of the project, termed high school modernization project, stage 3.

“We are looking for a renovation project of the southeastern corner portion of the building, which includes several classrooms, an administrator suite, nurse’s suite, as well as locker rooms, gymnasium, auditorium, and the addition of a large group instruction room,” said Holman.

“The initiative is safety and security. We are looking to creating a safe and secure entrance similar to all of our other buildings.

“Currently, you have a secure entrance you can come in, but in order to get to the office or the principal’s or nurse’s suite, you actually have to be let into the building and proceed where you want. We would like to be able to control some of that access.”

Holman said the project would involve flipping the office to the front of the building and doing a small addition on the front.

“Additionally, we have a need for some additional special education classroom space, which is also why the addition is required,” she added.

Terry DeGroot, president of Terraform Engineering LLC, presented the plans.

“[The renovations involve] the front of the high school facing 309 between what is now the main entrance and the gym,” said DeGroot. “About two-thirds [of the project] is an existing portion that will be removed and replaced with a new addition.

“There is a net addition of 4,650 square feet. The driveway at the front of the addition has to be moved closer to Route 309 so there will be some driveway improvements and we will also widen the driveway to allow the buses to double stack.”

The plan has been cleared with township zoning, but the board has the final say.

Several waivers were requested that had also been approved by the zoning board.

However, in the end, due to the lack of a letter delineating the final review items from the planning commission, the board postponed the final review until the next meeting.