In February 2020, Palmerton Area School District was wrapping up design work on a major S.S. Palmer Elementary renovation that would have completely changed the look of the building’s front entrance and enhanced security.

The COVID-19 pandemic led the district to pump the brakes on what at that time was a nearly $1.7 million project. Three years later, board members are split on whether now is the right time to put the work back on the front burner.

“We’ve been waiting for S.S. Palmer for three years now and I think we should do it,” Earl Paules, board vice president, said. “We’ve paid for the drawings already and they are done. The cost to do it isn’t going to get any cheaper next year.”

The biggest highlight of the Palmer project would be the school’s office suite moving down a floor from its current location on the second level, and removing the large existing staircase that greets visitors upon entry to the building.

Drawings had a secure vestibule created upon entry to the school with the main office to the left of the vestibule and a security office to the right. The district also heard plans for an upgrade to the Palmer library with furniture, carpet and a fresh paint job. A handicap accessible ramp would also be added leading up to the front entrance.

Director Audrey Larvey opposed revisiting the project right now, noting that the district is in the midst of other work including a major weight/wrestling room renovation, elevator replacements in two schools and a tennis court that remains unfinished as the spring sports season kicks off.

“Maybe we should finish some of these things before we start another project,” Larvey said during a board workshop Tuesday. “It’s getting a little overwhelming and it seems to be one thing after another right now. A little pause would let us finish what’s on our plate and make sure that gets done well.”

Paules, however, said he’d like to move forward with Palmer, asking if the district, “could walk and chew gum at the same time.”

The $1.7 million price tag dates back to 2020 and officials from the McClure Company, who had been working with Palmerton on the project’s scope and design, said it’s likely the work will cost around 30% more in 2023.

Even if the district wanted to kick the tires on the renovation again, facilities director Joe Faenza said, now may not be the best time of year to do it.

“You wouldn’t get the work done this summer anyway,” Faenza told the board Tuesday. “It was a very aggressive timeline when we were looking to do it back in 2020. If we started looking at it around November, I think that would be the time frame where we could set it up for the work to be done over the summer.”

Palmerton is expecting a significant change in the look of its board following the 2023 municipal election, leading Board President Tammy Recker to suggest a timeline that incorporates the input of both sitting and incoming directors.

“If we can do another walk through at Palmer in late fall after we know who is coming on the board, we can invite those new members to go with us so every single person has the chance to give feedback,” Recker said. “I think that is a proactive approach and a great compromise that leads to one less conversation the new board will need to have.”