Lehigh Carbon Community College was granted a lease extension to keep its Carbon County campus at Jim Thorpe Area High School.

The Jim Thorpe Area School Board voted 6-0 for the extension of the lease. In favor were President Dennis McGinley, Robert Schaninger, Gerald F. Strubinger, Pearl Sheckler, Walter Schulz and John Ciavarella. Absent were William Allison, Glenn Confer and Dr. Michael Principe.The LCCC pays the district an annual rental fee of $180,000.Randy Smith, a member of LCCC's board of directors, said the extension is "pretty critical to us." He said the LCCC is looking for a permanent site in Carbon County and is hoping to find such space in Jim Thorpe.The school board also approved granting the college pre-authorization to purchase real estate. Smith said the college needs two-thirds of its member districts to give approval before it can take action on buying any property.The pre-authorization is for one year only, Smith said."If we find a seller, we want to be able to move," he told the district.If a site is located, the college will come back to the Jim Thorpe Area School Board within 10 days of signing any agreement of sale.The college had been in Nesquehoning for a number of years before relocating to Jim Thorpe Area High School a year ago.In one other matter, the school board gave its approval to the annual budget of LCCC by the 6-0 vote.