The Northampton Area School District 2022-23 budget has been approved with - as promised by the administration - no tax hike.

NASD Board of Education voted unanimously 9-0 to approve the 2022-23 general fund, athletic and food service final budget adoption and tax levy.

The general fund budget is $120,476,097. The food service fund is $2,450,035. The athletic fund is $261,224.

The general fund budget is supported by the following tax levy, under the Act 511 Local Tax Enabling Act - per capita tax, $5; real estate transfer tax, 0.5%; earned income tax, 0.7%; and Section 670 Pennsylvania School Code - per capita tax, $5; and real estate tax, 55.71 mills.

NASD Business Administrator Matthew Sawarynski held to his vow.

“Our recommendation is that there would be no tax increase,” Sawarynski said when the 2022-23 budget was introduced Dec. 20, 2021.

The average assessment in the district is $58,000, which represents 60% of residences.

The 2022-23 budget is matched by an identical amount in revenues, which includes approximately $650,000 of the district fund balance. The 2021-22 budget was $116,393,720.

At the June 13 meeting, school directors voted 9-0 to authorize the administration to pay final invoices applicable to the 2021-22 fiscal year and to make necessary budget transfers to close the fiscal year in conjunction with Gorman and Associates, P.C.

Athletic event ticket prices for the 2022-23 school year were approved. Prices are as follows: student, $3; adult, $5; and senior citizen (age 62 and older), free. There is no increase in ticket prices.

Board members approved the 2022-23 school lunch prices: elementary, $2.60; secondary, $2.80; entree only for elementary, $2.50; entree only for secondary, $2.60; one-half pint milk, 65 cents; adult, $3.95; adult entree only, $2.75-$3.75. There is an increase of 50 cents in the lunch categories.

The public information meeting on the proposed Route 329 elementary school and administration building project is set for 6:30 p.m. June 16 in the Northampton Area High School auditorium, 1619 Laubach Ave., Northampton.

The June 13 meeting on the topic sparked debate on the board and one outburst among the estimated 30 attendees.

School Director Doug Vaughn again asked board members to vote on a nonbinding straw poll as to whether they think Moore Elementary School should be closed or stay open.

Moore, Franklin, Washington and the administration building are under consideration to be closed should the Route 329 building project proceed.

Soon after discussion began, district resident Adam Ash stood up and shouted the board had one month to consider the status of Moore.

School board President James Chuss asked NASD security guards to remove Ash from the meeting.

School Director Kim Bretzik said, instead of ejecting Ash, the school board should recess for 10 minutes. School directors exited the dais on the stage approximately 7 p.m. They reconvened approximately 7:20 p.m.

“We had that recess to de-escalate the situation. We ask that not occur again,” Chuss said.

“Based upon the fact that the school board is holding a meeting Thursday night to discuss the project, I think we should table my motion until a future meeting,” Vaughn said.

Ash was the third in the audience to speak after the meeting resumed.

“Only one person on the board called me, which makes my speech germane,” Ash said. “You shut down the livestream (of school board meetings). So, now I have to be here live.”

Later in the meeting, during the public comment on the school district business portion, former school board member Maggie Kemp, who lives along Seemsville Road, again spoke against the Route 329 project.

“I believe it is not a safe site to build a school. I didn’t believe it was safe 20 years ago,” Kemp said.

In other news, NASD Superintendent of Schools Joseph S. Kovalchik lauded the NAHS Class of 2022.

“It was a beautiful evening and well deserved because of what the class went through the last two years,” Kovalchik said about the June 3 commencement ceremony.

He referred to the COVID-19 pandemic impact on in-person classroom teaching and school activities.

According to the NASD website, the next regularly scheduled school board meeting is 6:30 p.m. July 18, also in the NAHS auditorium.