To the Editor:

I drove past a large professional sign on Route 248 and another that sits on Route 946 across from Moore Elementary School. It reads, “Moore Elementary will remain a school.”

These signs bear the logo of NASD, so I assumed the sign was posted by the school administration. Later, I found out that they were posted by three school board members currently running for school board, including David Gogel, John Becker and Robert Mentzell.

I really thought that if the administration posted the sign, this was great news. That means some school board members, who are currently running for reelection, had finally come to their senses.

Gogel, Becker, Mentzell and Michael Baird, all running for reelection in November, are among the seven members who voted consistently to close Moore and Franklin elementary schools. Mentzell voted to keep Moore open at first but switched and voted to close Moore in every roll call thereafter.

I was especially surprised because during the Act 34 Hearing, and in other documents, closing Moore and Franklin was used as justification to build the $73 million “Taj Mahal” on Route 329 and Seemsville Road. The engineer raised concerns about the expensive repairs to keep Moore open.

In addition, it was repeatedly stated our school district could not afford to maintain and staff five elementary schools, so Moore had to go.

According to the resident engineer, Arif Fazil, the “failing” Moore school, built in 1957, would cost about $25 million to renovate. The roof, heating and air conditioning and septic system were well past their life expectancy. Most troubling were the indications that the structure was failing, caving in at the floor level.

It’s good news some of the board members changed their minds. Maybe the pressure from parents and other residents of NASD convinced the majority of the school board. Maybe getting elected was the major motivation. It is clear Moore Elementary School must be kept open. It is an essential part of the Moore Township community.

The question I have now is how can we afford to keep Moore Elementary School open and also afford to build a $73 million education center with administration building and a 700-student elementary school? In 2021, we completed the $34 million Lehigh Elementary School. That original building was built in 1958 and torn down. A 700-student elementary school was constructed in its place.

Most agree the Franklin building must be closed, and we should look for a location in close proximity to the borough or maybe redistrict to accommodate Northampton students and parents.

In these very tight economic times, the board must abandon plans of adding another $73 million to our debt. We have other schools to maintain. A new, pricey administration building for 61 administrators and an extravagant school with indoor courtyards for kindergarten and elementary kids add nothing to the education of our students.

Keep Moore Elementary School open, and don’t bankrupt our school district.

Maggie Kemp

East Allen Township