The Bethlehem Area School Board Dec. 14 selected HVAC contractors for next summer’s project at Farmersville ES and greenlit Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy’s proposed membership on a local community action board. The board also approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Teamsters Local #773, which represents bus and van drivers and bus monitors. Nine members were present; all measures passed, 9-0.

Because the district’s coronavirus mitigation efforts include dramatically reducing the number of children in school buildings on any given day – nearly zero on Mondays, and no more than half the student population Tuesdays through Fridays – bus and van drivers, as well as bus monitors, have had their hours reduced this school year. These district employees are paid on an hourly basis, so their income has suffered. To keep them available for the time when Pennsylvania permits children to attend school five days a week – rather than being compelled to seek other employment – the district agreed to pay these workers based on normal working hours from pre-coronavirus times, beginning with the pay period that started Nov. 16. Disciplinary and employee-initiated absences will, however, not be paid.

Trefz Mechanical, Wind Gap Electric, and Johnson Controls won contracts for mechanical, electrical, and controls integration, respectively, on the Farmersville HVAC project; The board also approved D’Huy Engineering, Inc., to monitor the project for a cost not to exceed $60,000.

As discussed at the Dec. 7 committee meeting, Roy has been nominated to serve on the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley board. CACLV is a public-private partnership that sponsors local initiatives like the Generation Next (aimed at increasing the participation of ethnic minorities in post-secondary education), financial services for low- to moderate-income families, a community loan fund for small businesses, and transitional housing to help families out of homelessness. Roy will join the board at the outset of a search for a new executive director.

Roy took the opportunity to thank principals and teachers who quickly put into motion plans for the 100 percent remote learning through Jan. 11, as well as the school nurses, contact tracers, and district health personnel who have maintained a healthful environment in district schools this year.