JERSEY SHORE — Although no vote was taken at this week’s meeting, as a matter of information, members of the Jersey Shore Area School board and district residents received a report from SitelogIQ on upcoming potential projects.

The board had tabled two action items related to work to be done at Avis Elementary and the Middle School. One was an amendment to the initial Guaranteed Energy Savings Act Agreement with Reynolds Energy Services Inc., doing business as SitelogIQ Energy Services Inc. for improvements to Avis Elementary HVAC system funded in part by the Pennsylvania School Facilities Improvement Grant in the amount of $564,009; and another for an amendment to the initial Guaranteed Energy Savings Act Agreement with Reynolds Energy Services Inc., doing business as SitelogIQ Energy Services Inc. for improvements to the Jersey Shore Middle School HVAC system in an amount not to exceed $3,246,749.

SitelogIQ works with the district to provide engineering, construction and energy efficient solutions.

If approved much of the work will be done over the summer months.

One resident, who has been very vocal in their opposition to closing the Salladasburg Elementary School, questioned whether the improvements cited in SitelogIQ’s report were worth shifting students to other schools.

“I appreciate energy efficiency and all that you’re looking at as far as becoming more energy efficiency. But my question is-are unit ventilators worth closing a school? It’s not a safety hazard; the children aren’t at risk.Are hot water heaters worth closing a school. Are hot water storage tanks worth closing a school? Is a new gym floor worth closing a school? A gym curtain, divider and wallpadding-are they worth closing a school, displacing those children from their community school \putting them on buses for we don’t know how long, because we’ve not done a study,” said Raye Bierly.

“Are those kinds of projects worth closing a school? Certainly, if we have a gym ceiling that is in danger of collapse. Absolutely, we need to consider doing the repairs to that, because then students are at risk…But is it worth closing a school when we know in the 29-30 budget, we pay off the school debt and we free up two and a half million dollars a year to pay for projects and to close a school for a new gym floor or some new unit ventilators, to me, is just a terrible, terrible thing to do, and I hope that you revisit that decision, because it was a bad decision and it’s not good for those kids,” Bierly said.

At the beginning of the meeting, Harry Brungard, chairman of the Buildings and Grounds committee, noted that the district is exploring the sale of the property around Avis Elementary as one parcel rather than dividing it. The district is seeking the advice of a realtor to determine a fair price for the property which comprises around 70 acres.

Under personnel, the board approved the following items: the appointment of Katelyn Martin as a full-time custodian at the Middle School at $15.77 per hour with a $.20 per hour shift differential for second shift; a temporary hourly rate of $18.57 to Devan Hensler for acting as high school assistant head cook for approximately three to four weeks before being transferred back to the high school food service position; and a letter of resignation from James Joy, assistant baseball coach.

Under other business, the board approved a resolution stating that they would not raise taxes for the 2025-26 above the Act 1 index. Passing the resolution does not mean that the board will raise taxes, just that they will not go above 5.5 percent if they do.

Other actions taken by the board included approving the following: placing a 2006 Ford cargo van for sale on Municibid; an athletic trainer written physician supervising agreement between the district’s athletic trainer, Jacqueline George and Ronald N. Ester, M.D. at Geisinger Family Practice, Avis; the disposal of resource/library books from Jersey Shore and Salladasburg Elementary schools; and a two-year referral agreement between the district and Crossroads Counseling, Inc.

The next board meeting will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 at the District Administration Building, 175 A&P Drive.