Palmerton Area School District approved three change orders Tuesday night related to improvement projects at its athletic stadium and junior/senior high school complex.

Two of the change orders are adding cost to the project, while one will save the district money.The board approved an added cost of $48,834 to Hayden Electric at the stadium for work that included a 400-amp circuit breaker for the main building feeder, according to Director of District Facilities Joe Faenza. A disconnector found to be in disrepair was replaced, he added."We also ran extra conduits underground and put in junction boxes for future use so we never have to interrupt that field again," Faenza said. "This way we can add something to the other side of the field and not have to tear anything up."During the air conditioning project at the high school, the electrical contractor was to install two f4-inch conduits from the high school receiving area to the junior high.Faenza said with minimal space above the ceiling, the contractor said they could only install one and the district received a credit."With the junior high expansion project, however, Hayden Electric said they were able to install the second one," he said.The cost of that change order was $11,452.The final change order came at a savings to the district, according to Dan Heaney, Palmerton director of technology.Palmerton planned to run fiber-optic cable as part of larger network upgrades.Simplex Systems quoted the district at $45,000, but Hayden Electric also asked to give a quote and came in at $26,296."Hayden was already on site and had the ceilings open for work they were doing with the expansion project so that ended up being a savings for the district," Heaney said. "Had Simplex done the work, they would have had to come back probably over Thanksgiving or Christmas break and do it."Palmerton awarded a $13.1 million contract, which encompassed work at the stadium and the junior high expansion project, among other items.Superintendent Scot Engler said even with the change orders, the project is $1.8 million under budget.In other items Tuesday night, the board:• Approved the R&H Theatricals License Agreement for the performance of The Sound of Music scheduled for April 2018.• Waived the repayment of June food service payroll and accruals to the general fund from the 2016-17 school year as a result of the deficit created by participation in the Community Eligibility Provision program.• Approved a therapy services contract with Pediatric Therapeutic Services for the 2017-18 school year.