Improvements to Palmerton's junior high school gymnasium will cost the district $5,250.

On an 8-0 vote Tuesday, the school board agreed to purchase a portable motor-operated bleacher tractor from Builders Specialty Service, Inc. Director Joshua Smale was absent.The bleacher tractor will be funded from the district's 2010 construction bond.Also on Tuesday, Superintendent Scot Engler presented the Palmerton Area Library with a plaque made by high school senior Garrett Stahler.Accepting the plaque on behalf of the library were Charles Laviolette, president of the Palmerton Area Library board of directors, and Marian Hoffner, an employee of the library.In other business, the board:• Approved the termination of Chris Moses, part-time custodian, due to job abandonment, effective Nov. 11. Approved a leave of absence for Betty Kleintop, beginning Oct. 21. Her return to work date is to be determined.• Accepted the resignation of Mark Cuth as a cafeteria server at the junior/senior high school, effective Nov. 11.• Accepted the resignation of Kay Goodhile, head cook at Towamensing Elementary, effective June 30, 2014.• Granted permission to Dan Heaney, Mary Brumbach and Christine Steigerwalt to attend the SAS Institute Conference, in Hershey, Dec. 8-11, at the cost to the district of no more than $812.• Granted permission to Diane Serfass to attend the Annual PASBO Conference, in Hershey, March 12-14, 2014, at the cost of $769.• Approved MaryLynn Barner, Social Studies and Mid-Mathematics; Rebecca Lucas, Elementary and Special Education; and Heather Werner, Art and English as a Second Language, as day-to-day substitute teachers, effective today.• Approved Lynn Yacone, IA, secretary, cafeteria; and Becky Christman, cafeteria, as day-to-day substitute support staff, effective Nov. 21.• Recommended to remove Carissa Longo, Amanda Radishofski, and Alyssa Minnich, from the substitute teacher list, effective Nov. 12.