Palmerton Area School District is contemplating commissioning a feasibility study – a crucial initiative for future decision-making that the district has not undertaken since 2006.

While an official vote on this matter is scheduled for two weeks from now, the consensus among board members during Tuesday’s workshop meeting is leaning toward moving forward with the study.

The proposed feasibility study is aimed at evaluating various aspects within the district, but board members have emphasized the importance of establishing a clear reason before giving the green light.

“A feasibility study looks at everything within the district, but we should have a purpose or a goal in mind before we determine whether to proceed or not,” director Audrey Larvey said.

Fellow board member Mary Jo King underscored the urgency of conducting the study.

“We’re currently looking at 18 years without a study,” King said. “Think about how this community itself has changed over that time period.”

The estimated cost of the feasibility study can vary, ranging from $5,000 to $50,000, according to Superintendent Dr. Jodi Frankelli.

Panther Valley awarded a feasibility study contract to KCBA Architects of Center Valley in August for $8,780. Jim Thorpe has also put out a request for proposals for a study of its own. Parents in Jim Thorpe have expressed concern that the study will lead to a realignment of the district’s elementary schools with all K-4 students being sent to the Penn Kidder campus, while all 5-8 students would attend L.B. Morris in the borough.

The ultimate objective of the study, Palmerton officials said, is to facilitate future spending plans.

“The goal of the study is for us to be able to budget in the future,” Earl Paules, board vice-president, said. “It’s going to tell us things like, ‘Hey, you need a new roof or you need new windows.’ When we know something is reaching the end of its life, we should start saving for it in the capital reserve.”

Furthermore, King emphasized the importance of demonstrating due diligence to taxpayers.

“I think the study shows to taxpayers that we are not just willy-nilly doing something without a reason,” she said.

One of the central discussions during the workshop meeting revolved around whether conducting a feasibility study would delay planned renovations to S.S. Palmer Elementary. The district has been debating whether to move forward with several major projects, including renovations to the school.

The renewed focus on the project follows a pandemic-induced hiatus in February 2020. At that time, the district was in the final stages of designing renovations that promised to transform the school’s front entrance and enhance security measures.

A key component of the Palmer project includes relocating the school’s office suite to the first floor, eliminating the large existing staircase that currently greets visitors upon entering the building.

Proposed architectural drawings depict a secure vestibule at the school’s entrance, along with the addition of a handicap-accessible ramp leading to the front entrance.

Originally estimated at $1.8 million in 2020, Jeff Straub of the Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates architectural firm anticipates a significant escalation in project costs.

“There has been about a 40% increase in the construction market,” Straub said Tuesday. “After the 2008 recession, prices flatlined for 10 years as everyone just tried to stay in business. There was not a regular market correction yearly. When the pandemic hit, it triggered that market to adjust.”

Despite talk of a feasibility study, Paules said he remained determined to prioritize the safety and efficiency of the school.

“We’re just trying to make that building safer,” he said. “Why would we want to delay it more than we already have?”

On the flip side, director Brandon Mazepa emphasized the need for comprehensive planning before moving forward.

“If we’re going to remodel a building, I think it should all be done at one time, not a part here and a part there,” he said. “We need to be prepared for what is going to happen in the future, and I think a feasibility study will show us just that.”