A project to replace sidewalks at its high school/junior high school complex will cost Palmerton Area School District just shy of $200,000.

The school board on Tuesday agreed by an 8-0 measure to award a contract to F.A. Rohrbach, Inc. of Allentown, in the amount of $199,890, a figure substantially less than initially anticipated.Prior to the bid award, Rob Sarnowski, of Barry Isett & Associates, Inc., told the board the amount of the bid was "lower than we anticipated."The sidewalks/curbing to be replaced are at the high school entrance, the junior high school entrance, by the junior high school gym, along the west side toward the stadium, and along the east side.Sarnowski said the project is expected to get under way at the end of this school year, and be completed in time for the start of next school year.The district will pay for the project from the $5 million bond it took out in 2010, at which time it also refinanced several previous bonds.Also on Tuesday, Director Barry Scherer announced that the former Palmerton Area Service Club has agreed to donate $8,477 that will be distributed to the senior scholarship fund.The amount represents the remaining funds in the club's account. Formerly the Palmerton Exchange Club, the Palmerton Area Service Club disbanded in January.In other business, the board:• Accepted the resignation for retirement of Darlene Broderidge, Library Science Teacher at Towamensing Elementary, effective June 30, 2013.• Approved change in retirement date for Terry Heiney from June 30, 2013, to the end of the day on June 28, 2013.• Approved the hiring of professional staff member Ashley Hummer at BS step $44,414, due to the transfer of entity of programs from Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit to Palmerton Area School District, effective Aug. 21, 2013, pending contract negotiations.• Hired Amy Kline as an Instructional Assistant in the Life Skills class to be held at Towamensing Elementary at the rate of $13.65, pending contract negotiations.• Approved Andrew Remsing as summer program facilitator of the PLATO Course/Credit Recovery program for students in grades 7-12. The program will run June 17 through July 2, 2013, Monday through Thursday, two sessions, 8-10 a.m., and 10 a.m. to noon. The pay rate is $28 per hour, in accordance with the pending negotiated contract.• Approved, on a 7-0 vote, with one abstention, the transfer of Kay Goodhile from cashier at S.S. Palmer to Team Leader at Towamensing Elementary, effective July 1, 2013, at her current rate of pay of $11.94 per hour, plus an additional .75 per hour as Team Leader, pending contract negotiations. Director Barry Scherer abstained from the vote.• Approved John Hrebik as mentor to Kyle Porembo for the 2013-14 school year.• Approved David Kellerman as mentor to Randi Ortelli for the first semester of the 2013-14 school year.• Approved tenure for teachers Dawn Burke, high school; Shanna Matthews, Towamensing Elementary; Brielle Siegfried, Parkside/S.S. Palmer Elementary; Tricia McElmoyle, high school; Whitney Babyak, high school; Alexander Knoll, high school; and Kelly Ruddick, Towamensing Elementary; who have obtained three years of satisfactory ratings with the district.• Approved teachers Ortelli, Physics at the high school, and Ryan Sharkazy, technology at the junior high school, at Bachelor's +24, Step 2, of the pending negotiated contract, effective Aug. 21, 2013.• Approved Porembo, .5 Science at the high school, at Bachelor's Step 1 of the pending negotiated contract, effective Aug. 21, 2013.• Approved Porembo as a day-to-day substitute beginning Aug. 21, 2013.