Due to new regulations from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the reorganization meeting for the year 2020 at the Northwestern Lehigh School District was to be more formal, Board President Bill Dellicker explained.

Rachael Scheffler was newly elected and John Casiano, Willard Dellicker, Joseph Fatzinger, and Todd Leiser were re-elected in the November election.

Todd Hernandez was named temporary president with the holdover members: Todd Hernandez, Marci Piescienski, Alan Rex and James Warfel.

The oath of office was given and the new members were seated.

Dellicker was named president and Hernandez will serve as vice president.

Piescienski was named treasurer to fill out the term of Phil Toll.

As the regular meeting began, Dellicker thanked the board for the privilege of letting him preside.

“You make it easy to discuss issues and make it easier to take on issues with the help of the administration and staff so students are ready socially and academically to take on their life’s desires,” he said.

Moving on to business on the agenda, Safe School Reports are required to be submitted especially in actions that result in suspensions or expulsions.

The end of the new phone system installation is in sight, something that was begun six months ago and is the end of the project at the high school.

The preliminary budget was approved with tax levies of real estate, 17.5624 mills, an increase of 0.9486 mill.

Earned income tax was set at 0.5 percent; real estate transfer tax is 0.5 percent for each of the four townships, and a $10 local services tax.

The budget is expected to be adopted Jan. 15, 2020 along with approval to apply for department of education exceptions.

Warfel said the budget has to come to grips with borrowing.

“We should have a discussion of what it looks like because it gets larger over time,” Warfel said. “We are making decisions now about future expenditures.”

Superintendent Jennifer Holman said they have to discuss issues at the middle school – what will be done in one option and what in another option.

Electricity purchasing contracts were approved with Constellation New Energy from July 2021 through July 2023 with MedEd costs set at $0.03224/kWh.

The WGL Energy Services contract for July 2021 through July 2023 with PPL is for $0.03192/kWh.

The Weisenberg Elementary School fourth grade was approved by the board to visit Quiet Valley Historical Farm on May 8, 2020, at a student activity cost of $474.

Former superintendent Mary Anne Wright was in attendance to see her daughter, Rachael Scheffler, take the oath of office as a board member. She said the makeup of the board is good.

“Thanks for the work you do,” Wright said.

“You are poised to do great things.”

Dellicker thanked Wright for coming to the meeting.

Ashley Benner was hired as a speech and language teacher for the middle and high schools.

Piescienski said it was nice to have another woman on the board.

The next board meeting will be 7 p.m. Jan. 15, 2020.

Principal Maria Pullo said Northwestern Elementary students took 16 places in a writing contest.

There were 10,000 entries in the state. The subject was “Spooky Sagas” and it was open to first through fifth graders. The entries were judged on clear focus and illustrations.