Northern Lehigh School District continues to inch its way closer to a final spending plan for the 2020-2021 school year.

The school board must weigh four options: refinancing bond issues; renegotiating the bus contract; eliminating two positions through attrition, and a possible 3.5% tax increase.

“I’m hearing consensus on all four, knowing that the first three will help us make final decision on the fourth one,” Superintendent Matthew J. Link said. “I propose that we build our budget with the first three considerations in them for the agenda for June 22, and then we can draw up the resolution for the tax increase and actually leave the percentage blank going into the meeting, and then a board member can make a motion for a certain percentage which can be discussed at that meeting.”

Board President Gary Fedorcha agreed.

Director Robert Keegan Jr. asked the board if it’s been reading letters from residents.

“I got one letter from an individual sent to my house that was appreciative of us rethinking about what taxpayers are up to and what they are being faced with,” Keegan said. “We need to be ever conscious of paying attention to that public.”

Keegan said he supports of all four considerations.

“I think it’s important for us a board to consider all of them,” he said. “We’d be accountable to our constituents and taxpayers, and at the same time provide quality education, and that’s what we’re trying to do here.”

Director Bob Kern favors looking at refinancing the bond issues. But also looking at the crystal ball, we’re going to have to prepare for what will be coming if we do that, and it’s not free money; all we’re doing is pushing our debt back and it’s going to have to be repaid at some point.

“My concern is as we go through the next several years, and I’m definitely conscious of our taxpayers, but we also need to make sure that we have the revenue to continue our educational programs as well,” Kern said.

He’s heard feedback from taxpayers wants to hear from parents. “Most of the people that have reached out to me are people who do not have children in the school district, and obviously they don’t have a vested interest as those parents who do.”

Director Michele Martineau discussed eliminating the two positions through attrition, specifically the loss of a music instructor at the secondary high school level. “We in no way want this to look like we are not supporting the music program at the school,” Martineau said. “It’s just there isn’t currently not interest in the courses to support it, and that we hope in the future that this would not be a necessary item somewhere down the line.”

Board President Gary Fedorcha agreed.

“Mr. Link has said if things change especially with our numbers, both numbers as far as students and numbers as far as if we could afford to do so, we are certainly looking at that now,” Fedorcha said.

Director Gale Husack said with deferred tax payment being considered because of the pandemic, “that’s going to affect our budget also, so we’re not taking some of those numbers into consideration.

“So for as much as I want our education to be very supportive and we want to put the best foot forward for the education in that no way do I want to fault or lose sight in that education we want to provide, again, I still think as a board we have to think fiscally responsible not just for today, but for the future of our district and what that looks like, and currently what other districts are going through, we don’t necessarily want to be in that same situation either,” Husack said.

She wants to be sure to support and educate students. “In my heart I want one thing, that crystal ball is telling me something different. I really think we have to be open and thoughtful to the full picture and not just what’s happening today.”

Keegan asked what the district would lose if it doesn’t charge penalties. Sherri Molitoris, co-director, business affairs/human resources, said if the district extends its discount period, it would be looking at $73,000.

Director Mathias Green said he agreed with Martineau.

“I agree that no one wants to cut the music program or any other program,” Green said.

“Unfortunately, you can’t run a music program and pay a full-time teacher if their classes have one and two students in it. We can’t afford to do that.”

Green asked if the district has spent any of the fund balance in this year’s budget. Molitoris said the district will spend somewhere between $1 million to $1.2 million.

“That gives me a pretty good comfort level, to be honest with you,” he said. “We should have pretty good fund balance.”

Director Robin Distler said he is concerned what the financial situation will be in the next two years. He also agreed to refinance, and leans toward a 3% tax increase.