Palmerton Area School District will spend over $10,000 in its search for a new superintendent.

The school board unanimously agreed on Tuesday to approve the services of the Pennsylvania School Board Association for the superintenent's search, at an amount not to exceed $10,400.After the meeting, board President Barry Scherer told the TIMES NEWS the board expects to meet with the PSBA search committee sometime next month "to lay some groundwork."Scherer added the board would like to have the search narrowed down to several candidates within the first quarter of 2013.The board's decision comes several months after it announced that the contract of current Superintendent Carol Boyce would not be renewed when it expires this summer.In August, the board unanimously agreed to accept the letter from Boyce for nonrenewal of her appointment to the post. Also at that time, the board, in accordance with the superintendent's contract, unanimously agreed to notify Boyce that her contract ending June 30, 2013, would not be renewed.Both the board, as well as Boyce, have stated that the decision to part ways was "mutual."Hired by the district on July 1, 2008, Boyce is the longest tenured superintendent in the district since Ronald Mihalko.In other business, the board:• Approved the proposal for solicitor services from Sweet, Stevens, Katz & Williams, LLP, in accordance with their fee agreements ($140/lawyer fee, $115/hour legal assistant fee, and $185/hour non-routine matters), effective Nov. 1, 2012, and expiring on Nov. 1, 2015. The general fund is the main source of funding.• Approved the insurance renewal, effective Nov. 12, 2012, as follows: General Package, Boiler and Automobile, ACE Insurance, $69,318; School Board Legal Liability, SBI Insurance, $14,278; Excess Liability (with $5,000 limit), Old Republic, $11,479; Cyber Risk Insurance, Travelers, $5,733; and Terrorism coverage, $808.• Approved the "Electricity Procurement: Authorizing Resolution" as a continuing agreement with Provident Energy to bid on behalf of the district for the strategic purchase of electricity based on market conditions, and the advice of Provident Energy.• Approved Diane Serfass to attend the Annual PASBO Conference in Pittsburgh, Pa, on March 19-22, at the cost of $1,108, to be paid by the district.• Approved Sherrie Fenner and Christine Steigerwalt to attend the Leadership in Times of Reform conference (focusing on state initiatives) at Hershey from Dec. 2-5, at the cost of $687, to be funded by the Accountability Block Grant.• Approved the salary adjustments for horizontal movement on the respective salary levels for Kimberly Gardner, from Bachelor's +24 to Masters, and for Alexandrea Spalding, from Bachelor's +24 to Masters, per the teachers' pending negotiated contract, effective for the first semester of the 2012-13 school year.• Approved Trevor Miller, Business-Information Technology K-12; Jennifer Miller, Elementary; Craig Ellis, Special Education; Rosanna Cope, Elementary and Early Childhood; Kristina Himmelwright, Elementary; Sara Heffner, Elementary; and Christine Lorch, Elementary & Special Education, as day-to-day substitute teachers, effective Oct. 17, 2012.• Approved the retirement of Donna Rogowitz, Team Leader Cook at Towamensing Elementary School, efective the end of the 2012-13 school year.• Reinstated four sick days to the sick bank of Wanda Solt, Instructional Assistant at SS Palmer/Parkside, to settle grievance PAESPA 2011-5.• Approved Jose Elvir, Foreign Language, as curriculum coordinator at the high school for the 2012-13 school year.• Approved the stated fee structure and scope of services of Pure Green Consultants, and authorized the district to proceed in accordance with Pure Green's written proposal.• Accepted the first reading of Policy 210.2, Possession/Use of Asthma Inhalers, Insulin Injection Devices and Epinephrine Auto-Injectors.• Approved a Letter of Agreement for Title Services between the district and Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit #21.• Approved the donation of funds to the General Fund from Clair F. and Georgianne K. Stroup in the amount of $30 to purchase library books labeled "In loving memory of Camryn S. Zelienka."