Northampton Area School Board vacancy remains, as judge tells directors to vote again

EASTON, Pa. — A vacant seat remains on Northampton Area School Board after a county judge on Wednesday declined to fill it and kicked the decision back to the school board.

That's the same board that failed to come to a consensus on candidates at an April meeting.

Judge Craig Dally in a hearing Wednesday received petitions asking him to consider four candidates for the vacancy: William Jones, Maggie Kemp, Nathan Lichtenwalner and Christine Steigerwalt.

All had applied for the role and interviewed before the school board last month.

Instead of appointing anyone, Dally gave directors until June 3 to fill the vacancy before the Northampton County Court steps in to review applicants for them.

Dally said he made his decision out of concern board policy may not have been followed when multiple school directors abstained from voting on candidates last month.

Five school directors abstained at least once on three separate motions to appoint a candidate as the representative for Region 2, which covers Northampton and East Allen Township.

Board President Doug Vaughn abstained from all three votes — each on separate candidates — along with school directors John Becker, Ross Makary and Michael Baird.

School director Joshua Harris also abstained from one vote.

How the vacancy came about

Dally said there are only a few specific reasons a school director can abstain from a vote, such as a conflict of interest or a matter involving a family member.

He said school directors did not publicly disclose why they abstained from voting and noted they should verbally explain their reasoning for abstaining when they do so.

The vacancy was created in mid-March when former school Director Chuck Frantz resigned as representative for Region 2.

Seven residents applied and interviewed to fill the vacancy at an April 9 special meeting. In addition to Jones, Kemp, Lichtenwalner and Steigerwalt, other candidates include Michael Buckley, Shelby Fabian and Fran Shehab.

Buckley is an Epic Credentialed Trainer at St. Luke's University Health Network, Fabian is a mechanical engineer and Shehab is a reading paraprofessional in another local school district.

Residents have expressed concern that whoever is appointed will affect the future of Moore Elementary School and the construction of a new $75 million elementary school and education center at Route 329 and Seemsville Road in East Allen Township.

In November, school directors voted to build the new elementary school, but a month later considered whether to terminate the project.

At the time, cancellation of the project would have cost more than $9.5 million. Board directors ultimately voted to continue construction of the new school, slated to open by the 2026-27 academic year.

There also have been discussions about whether to keep Moore Elementary open and the need for potential renovations, which would cost at least $23.3 million.

Superintendent Joe Kovalchik said the school board must eventually decide how many elementary schools the district needs, taking into account future enrollment growth and allowing his administration time to plan financially.

Who are the candidates

Jones said Wednesday he’s in favor of keeping Moore Elementary open, but if the Route 329 project continues, board directors will have to make decisions based on the district's financial position.

Jones said he has safety and financial concerns about the new elementary school project. He said most voters with whom he's spoken were not in favor of the construction project.

Jones, a software engineer, unsuccessfully ran to be a school director as a Republican candidate in the recent election.

Additionally, Jones said he wants to become a school director to bring back “accountability and common sense." He’s also concerned about “ballooning expenses” in the district.

Kemp said Wednesday she also has safety concerns about the 329 project, specifically with having tractor trailers and traffic near the school.

She would like to revisit the discussion about whether to continue the project if appointed to the school board, she said.

On the topic of Moore Elementary, Kemp said it’s important the school stays open. She said students in the district deserve a quality education that’s affordable for the community.

Kemp works for Temp Poole and is a former NASD school director who served two terms.

Lichtenwalner, deputy sheriff in Northampton County, said Wednesday that money for the new elementary project has already been spent and the district is in need of a new school for the younger grades.

But he said the board could have better handled how they went about the project. Lichtenwalner said he thinks Moore should stay open.

He said he’s also interested in the director role because he’s concerned about rising taxes and the dysfunction of the board.

“They don’t seem to have their act together,” Lichtenwalner said. “As a concerned parent and taxpayer, I want to do what’s right for the kids and the taxpayers.”

When reached by phone Wednesday evening, Steigerwalt said she would like to be a school director to give back to her community. She also wants to make sure students are career and college ready.

Steigerwalt spent 22 years as a teacher, coach and administrator in Northampton Area. She is also a former principal in Palmerton Area School District.

When asked about the 329 project, Steigerwalt said the new elementary school will help address the needs of borough schools, as well as district class size. Steigerwalt is concerned by the cost of cancelling a construction project that has already started, she added.

When it comes to Moore Elementary, Steigerwalt said she would have to gather additional information about the decision through more conversations.

The next school board meeting is 6:30 p.m. May 13 in the Auditorium of the Northampton Area High School.