Northern Lebanon School District elects officers, authorizes $3M loan RFP and $3M capital transfer

Northern Lebanon School District board members met Dec. 2 for a reorganization session followed by their regular meeting, electing Barry Nam as board president and Choi Williams as vice president and approving several finance and construction actions to complete ongoing capital work.

President Barry Nam was elected by voice vote after being nominated and seconded; Director Williams was elected vice president similarly. The reelected directors — Martha Blau, Robert England, David Klein and Stacy Murray — were sworn in by the temporary president.

The board then addressed funding to finish construction and close out project costs. Administration recommended splitting a roughly $6 million need by seeking $3 million via a bank loan and transferring $3 million from unassigned fund balance to the capital projects fund to preserve reserves. The board unanimously authorized staff to work with municipal advisor PFM Financial Advisors LLC and bond counsel Saxton & Stump to issue a bank loan RFP for a $3,000,000 general obligation note (Item 7.3). The motion to authorize the RFP was moved by Director Englund, seconded by Director Moyer, and carried unanimously (9–0).

At the same meeting the board approved a $3,000,000 transfer from the unassigned general fund balance to the capital projects fund (Item 7.4). Finance staff reported the district's June 30, 2025 ending fund balances were $12,000,000 total, with $535,000 nonspendable, $990,000 committed for health care, $3,300,000 in the capital projects fund and $7,200,000 unassigned; approving the $3,000,000 transfer would reduce unassigned balance to about $4,200,000. The transfer motion was seconded and carried unanimously (9–0).

Administrators emphasized that the board's vote on Item 7.3 authorized only a competitive search for loan terms; the district still must approve any final loan documents. "This is not your approving your loan documents," a finance staff member said while describing the RFP process and local-bank inclusion.

The board also approved Item 7.5, adding a Roth 403(b) option for employees at no cost to the district; Omni will administer retirement options. The board approved the personnel and human-resources items (9.1–9.5) and instructional items including translator services and a revised Right-to-Know (public records) policy that allows denial of anonymous requests per the PSBA draft (Items 10.1 and 11.1). All listed votes carried unanimously (9–0) unless otherwise noted.

Facilities staff reported multiple punch-list issues from the recent renovation, including intermittent boiler shutdowns tied to gas-pressure and flue-gas controls and several leaking points discovered during ceiling and HVAC work. Facilities staff (Reese) described a deteriorated exterior wall where paint removal and masonry repairs were considered; the board approved change orders not to exceed $150,000 to address the wall while the contractor remains mobilized, noting staff expect the actual cost to be less than the ceiling amount. "We put an item on the agenda tonight'to approve a change order not in excess of $150,000," Reese said, adding that a paint-removal solution could cost around $50,000 but structural infill or new brick could be needed.

Why it matters: the loan RFP and transfer are intended to close out construction work already underway and retain operating flexibility as state funding and large county CTC renovation costs remain uncertain. Board members repeatedly noted concerns about using fund balance and contingency levels; staff said contingency sits slightly above $300,000 and unit allowances are available in contracts to offset some smaller items.

Votes at a glance - Temporary president (short-term): Director Choi Williams — approved by voice (unanimous) - Board president (2026): Barry Nam — approved by voice (unanimous) - Vice president (2026): Choi Williams — approved by voice (unanimous) - Item 6.2: Approval of minutes (Nov. 3 & Nov. 11) — approved unanimously - Item 7.1 & 7.2: Monthly cash disbursements & student activity accounts — approved unanimously - Item 7.3: Authorize RFP for $3,000,000 bank loan (PFM/Saxton & Stump) — approved unanimously (9–0); mover: Director Englund; seconder: Director Moyer - Item 7.4: Transfer $3,000,000 to capital projects fund — approved unanimously (9–0) - Item 7.5: Add Roth 403(b) option — approved unanimously - Item 8.1: Facilities change orders up to $150,000 for exterior wall remediation — approved unanimously (9–0) - Items 9.1–9.5: HR hires and redesignations — approved unanimously - Item 10.1 & 11.1: Translator services and revised Right-to-Know policy (deny anonymous requests) — approved unanimously

What's next: staff will solicit loan proposals and return recommended loan terms to the board for approval; contractors will proceed with approved change-order work while mobilized on site. The board closed the meeting with holiday remarks and adjourned.