With Kathy Fallow having not sought re-election, Palmerton Area School District entered its reorganization meeting Tuesday night in need of new board leadership.

In tight 5-4 votes, Tammy Recker was appointed board president and Earl Paules appointed vice president over Sherry Haas and Doris Zellers respectively.

Voting for Recker and Paules, in addition to themselves, were Erin Snyder, Danielle Paules and Stacey Connell. Voting for Haas and Zellers, in addition to themselves, were Audrey Larvey and Brandon Mazepa.

Recker last served as board president in 2016.

In other appointments, Zellers will remain the board’s Pennsylvania School Board Association liaison.

Earl Paules will represent the board on the Carbon Career and Technical Institute’s Joint Operating Committee, with Connell serving as alternate.

Board workshops will remain the first Tuesday of the month, with regular board meetings on the third Tuesday of the month.

Both meetings will start at 6 p.m.

Other business

In action items Tuesday, the board approved:

• A field trip request for the High School International Travelers Club to visit Greece in June 2023 with all expenses being fully covered by student participants and their families.

• The superintendent and interim business manager to make and release payments for the remaining December accounts payable.

• Hiring Kurtisha Berger as food service worker at the rate of $13.85 per hour effective Dec. 8, 2021.

• The termination of employee #571 effective Dec. 8, 2021.

• The resignation of Gari Savage as instructional assistant effective Jan. 2, 2022.

• Hiring Gari Savage as secretary at S.S. Palmer Elementary at a salary of $39,566, effective Jan. 3, 2022.

• Having Kevin Carroll, Jodi Kocher, Kristina Manning and Vicki McHugh attend the Act 18 Threat Assessment training on Jan. 24, 2022, at the Berks IU in Reading, at a cost not to exceed $172.

• The CLIU 21 use of funds agreement - IDEA Part B, Section 611 - ARP Supplemental for the period of July 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2023.

• The CLIU 21 use of funds agreement - IDEA Part B, Section 619 - preschool grants for the period of July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022.

• The second reading of policies on hazing, bullying/cyberbullying, dating violence, conflict of interest, and public participation in board meetings.