With their current administration building — a former school — costing them tens of thousands of dollars each year, the Jim Thorpe School Board is exploring building a new one.

Board member John Ciavarella announced at a meeting last week that the board’s building committee is looking at its options for a new administration building.The district moved to its current headquarters in 2004, when it ceased operation as a junior high school. The building was actually built in the 1930s.Ciavarella said that it costs the district about $40,000 per year to maintain the school, between its sewer, water and heating fuel costs. Meanwhile, only 15 employees work there.“This building costs us $40,000 per year, just to walk in the front door,” Ciavarella said.The committee has ruled out renovating the current building. Ciavarella said the cost of renovation would far outstrip any new building project the district may undertake.No decisions have been made regarding possible new administrative offices, but the district owns property at both the high school and L.B. Morris Elementary School that it could use for the new location.“It would be feasible to use property we have,” Ciavarella said.During last week’s discussion about the new building, board member Robert Schaninger brought up another building the school district owns, which is currently used by Lehigh Carbon Community College. Superintendent Brian Gasper said that LCCC has asked to stay in that building through 2019, which would not make it a viable replacement for the building.Ciavarella said if the board does decide to build new offices, they would explore renting the former school building for another educational use.