A taxpayer group plans to rally Monday night before a scheduled Lehighton Area School District workshop.

According to Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver, the workshop will feature updates on a proposed $32.5 million, 140,000-square-foot elementary center planned for school district property behind the varsity softball field.According to Cleaver, the proposed cost of building a new school versus renovating Mahoning, East Penn, Franklin and Shull-David elementary schools, all built in the 1950s, is identical.The district's estimated price tag and property tax impact for the proposal, which would close all four current elementary schools and bring every kindergarten through fifth grade student under one roof, has been heavily questioned by a group of residents led by Frank Tamburri.Tamburri and the Lehighton Taxpayer Group plans to gather at 6:45 p.m., 15 minutes before Monday's meeting, outside the district administration building on Union Street."I'm not against a new elementary center or renovating all four elementary schools," Tamburri said. "I just don't think all the information is out there. I can't see how you can build a new elementary center for the same price as renovating the four existing ones. Taxes are going to go up, and people in this area can't afford it."Main optionAn earlier plan to renovate the four elementary schools was put on the back burner as board members voted 5-4 on July 21 to approve an EI Associates feasibility study with a new elementary center as the main option."Looking at things educationally and financially, we feel it is a better option," Cleaver said on Wednesday. "I think it is going to improve education, and we are figuring to save $1.2 million annually with the consolidation. That number comes from staff who retire that we may not have to replace and other savings such as fuel costs and transportation costs."Cleaver stressed that while retiring or departing staff may not be replaced, nobody will be furloughed due to consolidation.Board member Rocky Ahner isn't sold on either option until he gets more information."The original plan called for three full-size gyms at East Penn, Mahoning and Franklin," Ahner said. "To my knowledge, the new school would have a combined gymnasium and cafeteria. If that is the case, I just don't see where we are gaining anything. I'm not against a new school, I just want to do it right."The July feasibility study approval also bothered Ahner, who was one of the four to vote against it."I never saw it before the vote, and I know a lot of other board members didn't either," he said. "Board members from other districts and people in education across the state are calling me asking me what is going on. The eyes of the state are watching us and I don't want to set a negative precedent."Under the latest proposal, students in grades six to eight would attend Lehighton Middle School and ninth- and 12th-grade students would remain at Lehighton High School.More work neededThe middle school and high school also need renovations, Cleaver said, which would bring the total building expenditures to $52.5 million."We do plan on using some portion of the fund balance to offset the cost, and we have a $2 million grant for energy savings for the elementary center," he said. "We're going to continue to pursue more grant opportunities as we move forward."Tamburri said he's convinced a significant tax increase is on the horizon to help pay for the elementary center. When asked about the tax impact to Lehighton property owners, Cleaver said he feels differently."Right now, with the $1.2 million annual operational savings projections included, we are looking at zero percent tax impact when it comes to our current debt service payment," Cleaver said.The district has a finance committee meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday."PFM, who we use for our financial management assistance, will have everything presented at that meeting," Cleaver said.True impact?Ahner said the district needs to look at all the building projects to give a true impact to taxpayers."PFM should be looking at the $52.5 million plus renovations to our stadium when telling us what the impact will be," Ahner said. "How can you figure out an impact when you are only looking at the $32.5 million school and not the complete picture?"What is included in the $32.5 million elementary center price tag has been another hot topic."That land where the school will be sitting on has always had water issues," Tamburri said. "My feeling is the price is from the ground up and not taking into consideration what is underground. I don't believe architect fees are included in the price. We don't know all of the answers."Cleaver said a new elementary center would net the district $850,000 per year in staff realignment and "millions of dollars per year that would have been spent maintaining the older buildings.""If we were to renovate the four elementary schools, they would need completely new mechanical systems and completely new septic systems," Cleaver said. "Basically, all four buildings would need to be gutted and redone."On the education front, class sizes would level out with consolidation, Cleaver said. Currently, some kindergarten classes across the district have 22 to 24 students in a room, while others have 9 to 10 students.Should the elementary center become a reality, Cleaver said the district would look to rent or sell the four older buildings."We've had contact with the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit," he said. "They have shown some interest in renting at least one of the buildings. We've also touched base with Lehigh Carbon Community College. Lehighton would be a great centralized location for them."The district plans to form an approximately 30-person design committee for the new elementary center. It would include community members, parents, teachers, support staff and administrators."In a best-case scenario, the school would open in the 2017-18 school year," Cleaver said. "We're looking at a 24-month construction process. Everything really depends on the land development process and when we can get the necessary permits."