Civil engineering work related to Palmerton Area School District's $21 million renovation project has been given the green light.

On a 6-0 vote, the school board at a special meeting on Tuesday, approved the proposal from Barry Isett & Associates, as submitted, for civil engineering, at a cost not to exceed $150,500. Directors Darlene Yeakel, Chuck Myers and Joshua Smale were absent.Director Charles Gildner asked where the money would come from to pay for the civil engineering.Superintendent Scot Engler said it would come from out of the district's capital reserve.Before the special meeting, the board heard several project financing options from Zach Williard, of Public Financial Management, which serves as independent financial adviser in conjunction with the project.Williard told the board there are four different options for it to consider to borrow money.Those options, Williard said, include a 20-year payment structure, 25-year payment structure, 30-year payment structure and a wrap-around structure.Williard told the board the wrap-around structure is the most typical way to borrow money.That option would wrap new debt around the district's existing debt, which would have the least budgetary impact."Your debt structure currently is perfect for the wrap-around," Williard said. "You have a short debt structure, which fits really well with this wrap-around."Williard said that regardless of whether the district would choose a no-impact structure or some hybrid of impact, he still believes it would be best to do some form of borrowing this calendar year.In July, the board on an 8-1 vote, approved the renovation project, complete with a junior high cafeteria, turf field, and stadium improvements.The renovation project will consist of a $13 million junior high school expansion that will create a cafeteria and kitchen solely for the junior high.Currently, the district runs grades seven through 12 lunches in its high school cafeteria, which has limited options for scheduling lunches and classes.Creation of a new multiuse media center and television studio, new computer space, a new high school gym floor and a series of offices are other components of the project.The project will also install chillers and replace unit vent heaters at the high school, Towamensing Elementary School, and S.S. Palmer Elementary, and calls for safety and security improvements districtwide.A state-of-the-art multipurpose turf field will cost $2.3 million, and be located at the current football field and track site at the high school stadium.Visitors' bleachers will be added.Security improvements are included, but Engler would not release the specifics or the cost of the improvements.