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Michael J. Reich
Wednesday, April 19, 2000 Page: 10A
HAZLETON – At its work session Tuesday night, the Hazleton Area School
Board heard from one of two bidders on a school it is selling.
George Mehalshick, of Hazle Township, bid $25,000 for the A.D. Thomas
Elementary School. That’s $45,000 less than the bid from K & A Rentals, a
business owned by former School Board member Ken Temborski.
Mehalshick wanted to know if the board was required to sell to the highest
bidder. He said the state’s public school code mentions no such requirement.
Assistant Board Solicitor Edward McNelis said he would have to look at bid
specifications to determine if the lower bid could be accepted.
Mehalshick said he would make the building available to charity and youth
organizations and believes such a utilization would benefit the community “a
hundred times” more than the $45,000 the district would be losing if it sold
to him.
However, board member Gloria Pesock said “We’d be damn fools if we didn’t
take it,” referring to the $70,000 bid from Temborski, who wants to turn the
old school into middle-income housing.
The board is expected to approve one of the bids at its next regular
meeting later this month.
In other business, Bob Smith, director of the non-profit Youth Services
Agency of Pennsylvania, presented the board with his proposal for the creation
of an alternative education center. The school would deal with students “who
exhibit a wide range of behaviors and difficulties.”
That would include those with drug, alcohol, social and emotional problems.
Superintendent Geraldine Shepperson said there are about 35 students who
would qualify for such special schooling. The plan would cost the district
about $11,000 per student.
Smith said he has spoken with officials from the Keystone Job Corps Center
in Butler Township about using its facilities for the alternative center, but
a site is still undetermined.