Dr. Mark Erickson made his last budget presentation as president of Northampton Community College to the Northampton Area School District Board of Education at the May 9 meeting.

NCC announced it appointed Dr. David A. Ruth as its fifth president May 31, succeeding Erickson, who retires June 30.

Ruth, who joined NCC as vice president and chief of staff in 2016, will begin his new role July 1.

A vote on the NCC budget and funding is expected to be on the agenda of the 6:30 p.m. June 13 board of education meeting, held in the auditorium at Northampton Area High School, 1619 Laubach Ave.

“This is the last time you’re going to see me,” Erickson said to NASD school directors, administration and the public.

“I’ll miss your professionalism and your partnership,” Erickson said.

“I can’t believe it’s 10 years. Congratulations on your retirement,” said NASD school Director Dr. Michael Baird.

NASD is one of the NCC-sponsoring school districts.

In other business at the May 9 meeting, school directors voted 9-0 to approve:

• Adoption of the 2022-23 Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School budget of $13,848,288, with the NASD portion of $2,629,092

• Dayna Younis, school psychologist intern, $15,000, for the 2022-23 school year, paid for with ARP ESSER Learning Loss Set Aside Grant

• Renewal agreement with Aramark Education Services LLC to provide food service management for the 2022-23 school year

• Depositories for NASD funds for the 2022-23 fiscal year: First Northern Bank & Trust Co., Pennsylvania Local Government Investment and Pennsylvania School District Liquid Asset Fund

• Award the 2022-23 supply bids of $89,355.91, including cleaning, $30,024.18, and maintenance, $59,331.73

• Appoint NASD as tax collector for Allen Township, Bath Borough, Chapman Borough, East Allen Township, Lehigh Township, Moore Township and Northampton Borough to collect real estate and per capita taxes for 2022-23

• Approve bids for paper and janitorial supplies for $33,260.50 awarded by Northampton-Monroe-Pike County Joint Purchasing Board

• Approve insurance coverage and amounts for the 2022-23 fiscal year: property/general liability/abuse/crime/boiler and machinery: Utica, $162,078; automobile: Utica, $20,667; excess liability: Utica, $13,727; school board errors and omissions: AIG, $28,990; workers’ compensation: Key Risk, $236,997; cyber liability: Chubb, $34,506; fiduciary: Chubb, $4,938; law enforcement: CRC Swett, $5,532

• Under Taxpayer Relief Act (gaming funds), accept the 2022-23 property tax reduction allocation of $1,845,741.31 to reduce property taxes and set the homestead/farmstead exclusion at the same fixed amount

• Approve the resignation of NASD Director Kimberly Bretzik as board liaison to Northampton Area Public Library, effective May 10

The public information meeting on the proposed Route 329 property elementary school and administration building project is planned for 6:30 p.m. June 16 in the auditorium at NAHS. For information, visit nasdschools.org/article/740947.

COVID-19 dashboard

The NASD COVID-19 building totals, from May 27 to June 2, as of June 2, are NAHS, 2, down from 10; Northampton Area Middle School, 2, down from 13; Borough Elementary Schools, 2, down from 7; Moore Elementary School, 1, no change; Lehigh Elementary School, 3, down from 4; George Wolf Elementary School, 3, up from 0; and district administration building, 0, no change.

The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in NASD for the 2021-22 school year to date is 1,316.

June 2 was the final day of classes for the 2021-22 school year in NASD.