Palmerton Area School District will not raise taxes above the Act 1 index next year.

On a unanimous vote, the school board on Tuesday approved the Act 1 Tax Levy Resolution, which states that the district's index for the 2015-16 fiscal year is 2.6 percent, and that the district will not increase taxes by more than the index.Business manager Matthew Sawarynski said that if the board were to raise taxes to the index, it would equate to a 1.36-mill increase.In June, the board approved this year's budget with a 1.94 percent increase in the property tax rate.At that time, the board, after three separate votes, adopted the 2014-15 budget with a 1-mill increase.That budget called for a $28.6 million spending plan that raised the millage rate from 51.44 mills to 52.44 mills, and represented a $435,816 increase over the 2013-14 budget.That means a person with a home valued at $90,000, which would be assessed at $45,000, had to pay $45 more in property taxes to the district.Similarly, a person with a home valued at $140,000, and assessed at $70,000, had to pay $70 more, while a person with a home valued at $200,000, and assessed at $100,000, $100 more.Other businessIn other business, the board approved:• Brian Stevko as social studies teacher at the junior high school, retroactive to Dec. 16.• Kristina Himmelwright as a long-term substitute at the rate of $38,319, through the end of the school year.•The retirement of Susan Beers, paraprofessional at the junior high, effective Feb. 27.• Accepted the resignation of Felicia Strauch as instructional assistant, effective Jan. 12.• The change in status for Nicole Swartz, from part-time custodian at Towamensing Elementary School, to part-time flexible custodian, effective Jan. 21.• Frank Rocco as part-time custodian at the Towamensing Elementary School, effective Jan. 21.• Removing Terri-Jean Walck from the substitute instructional aide list, effective Jan. 10, as per her request.•Paul McArdle as mentor for Matt Kosciolek; and Kim Seiler as mentor for Brian Stevko.•Kim Seiler as 2014-15 CAC adviser.•The 2015-16 proposed secondary budget for the Carbon Career & Technical Institute, calling for receipts and expenditures of $7,812,486 to be forwarded to the board of directors in each of the participating school districts for final adoption by resolution. The total cost share for Palmerton Area School District is $2,096.• The 2015-16 operating budget of $159,145, and the capital budget of $57,651 for the Lehigh Carbon Community College.• The contract between Behavioral Health Associates and the school district, effective for 2014-15 and subsequent school years.• The Towamensing Elementary School Chorus musical stage presentation.• The contract with Clarity Service Group for Behavior Consultation Services, at a rate of $90 per hour, for Master's Level BCBA Services.• The single audit report dated June 30, 2014, as presented by Gorman & Associates, P.C.