A project to replace a fire alarm system at its junior high/senior high complex will cost Palmerton Area School District over $96,000.

The school board unanimously agreed on Tuesday to award a bid to employ CSI to install the fire panel system at a cost of $96,226 (CO-STAR pricing), to be paid for from out of the district's construction fund.Superintendent Carol Boyce announced at the board's Buildings and Grounds Committee meeting earlier this month that the district has $108,800 in its capital projects fund, to pay for the project.District officials have said the current fire protection panel at the complex is outdated.Also on Tuesday, the board heard a presentation from Michelle Muffley, FBLA adviser, on a recent FBLA Regional conference.Muffley introduced the FBLA Officers in attendance: senior Sara Smiley, president, senior Daniel Haney, vice president, junior Serhat Cavus, secretary, and senior Courtney Gruber, treasurer.She then gave an overview of the competitive events program, and added that Lehighton, Weatherly, Pleasant Valley, East Stroudsburg North and East Stroudsburg South were the other schools in the region.All told, Muffley said there are over 650 members in Region 21, and over 13,000 members in the state FBLA.She said 35 members of Palmerton FBLA attended the Regional Leadership Conference Dec. 21 at East Stroudsburg University.Of those who competed in various events, Muffley said six members qualified to attend the state competition in Hershey from April 11-14.Smiley then reviewed the list of winners from the 2009-10 Regional Conference.She said sophomore John Achtermann took first place in Word Processing 1; junior Blake Campbell took first in Impromptu Speaking; sophomore Karl Pielmeier took first in Introduction to Business Communication; and sophomore Chuck Sterling took first in Cyber Security.Junior Sibel Rasim took third place in Computer Applications, and sophomore Alex Miller took fourth place in Introduction to Business Communication.In addition, four other students who placed at the conference were senior Ryan Kleintop, second in Job Interview; junior Kevin Seemiller, second in Public Speaking 2; Gruber, fourth in Computer Applications; and sophomore Brandon Scherer, fourth in Word Processing 1.Muffley said the total number of Regional Conference Winners for 2008-2009 was nine, eight in 2007-2008, one in 2006-2007, and three in 2005-2006.Haney and Pielmeir then spoke about the State Conference State Leadership Conference Top Ten Winners.In the 2008-2009 school year, Pielmeier placed fourth in Business Math, while 2009 PAHS graduate Joseph Seemiller took second in Cyber Security.In the 2007-2008 school year, Mike Rehrig took sixth place in Database Design and Applications, and Seemiller took second in Technology Concepts.Haney ranked the event at the top of the list of school activities he's participated in."This is one of the best school experiences I've ever had," Haney said. "Of all the school activities, this has been the best one."Pielmeier said the event was "such a great experience.""It's such an exhilaration, such a rush," Pielmeier said. "I hope next year our six qualifiers will bring home more of these."Gruber then spoke about attending the Regional and State Workshop."We acquired the skills to better lead our chapter," Gruber said. "I'd like to thank Mrs. Muffley for giving me the opportunity."Also of note, senior Robert Keyser was selected to the state FBLA National Business Honor Society, which recognizes those members of FBLA who truly excel in academic preparation and an eventual career in the business world.