To the Editor:

The four-plus-hour meeting of the Northampton Area School District Board of Education Oct. 14 was packed with important issues, but the headline and leading issue by The Press was oddly the least eventful and impactful.

The important and good news is the board finally kept promises made to voters last November by all school board candidates running for election. By a vote of 8-1, the board officially voted to keep Moore Elementary School open.

Under the leadership of Kim Bretzik, who represents Moore Township and Bath and Chapman boroughs, the board agreed to fund essential repairs and improvements to the school in the summer of 2025. Further upgrades will be made as resources are available to bring the badly neglected little school up to par with other schools in the district.

In another important matter not reported, Jerry Bretzik announced to the public he filed a suit in federal court last April against the NASD, specifically Joseph Kovalchik, James Chuss, Michael Baird, Ross Makary, John Becker, David Gogel, Chuck Frantz, Robert Mentzell, Wilfred Williams and Michael Renner. The lawsuit, which can be accessed by Googling “Bretzik vs. Kovalchik et al under eastern Pennsylvania federal court,” was brought following events that occurred before and after board member Kim Bretzik notified Moore Township residents the district was planning to close Moore Elementary School.

In certified documents to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the old board majority justified its plan to build the $74-plus-million new elementary school on Route 329 by stating that Moore Elementary School would be closed.

Also worth noting, a nasty social media brouhaha occurred following Oct. 14 meeting when supporters of the old board majority slammed the new board majority for delaying the advertisement for bond bids to fund future work on the current construction of the East Allen Elementary School on Route 329. It was stated plainly at the Oct. 14 meeting the school district has enough to fund the new project until at least March 2025. In fact, the board has five months to advertise for the bids. By not acting prematurely, the new board majority avoided paying more interest on the loan than necessary. The criticism by a handful of determined detractors was typically ill informed.

It appears that after the meeting, members of the administration and supporters of the old board majority are painting a doomsday scenario of lawsuits, unpaid contractors and financial ruin for the district. They seem to be pushing their hysterical accusations by using the media and press, instead of bringing their concerns to the board where they could be addressed.

Three positions on the school board will be up for election in 2025. Could they be playing more sneaky, dirty politics by smearing the new board with more lies?

Maggie Kemp, East Allen Township

Ginny Skrapits, Northampton

Nina Malsch, Moore Township