The Tamaqua Area School Board on Tuesday moved ahead with allowing the Schuylkill County Land Bank to acquire three properties in Tamaqua.

The land bank will purchase the properties at 401 and 423 Willing St., and 200 Pitt St. at $100 each with a trump bid at the December 2024 Judicial Sale.

Solicitor Erik Helbing had said that the properties would not sell otherwise, as the liens against them are worth more than parcels.

The board consented to the purchase in the hopes of getting properties back on the tax rolls.

Other business

In other business, the board:

• Approved a request from Mark Beltz, band director, to take the Raider Marching Band to the Disney World Theme Park parade in 2027. The band goes every six years, which allows all band members an opportunity go during their time with the band. Beltz sought permission for the trip from Feb. 16 to 21, 2027, to be able to start fundraising.

• Ratified an agreement with LearnWell to provide educational services at the time of admittance to a medical facility.

• Paid bills of $2,961,375.09 for November, and interim bills of $1,038,495.45.

• Appointed John Hurst, business administrator for Mahanoy Area School District, as the district’s second alternate on the Act 32 Tax Collections Commission. Ligenza would remain the primary delegate, with board President Larry Wittig as first alternative.

• Approved the 2023-24 Special Education Service Agreement with Schuylkill Intermediate Unit No. 29 at $401,270 for its projected amount.

• Approved a contract with Latshaw Landscaping for the Tamaqua Area Elementary School top dressing and aeration at a cost of $12,000. A donation from the soccer association will cover half the cost, and work hasn’t been performed on the fields in about six years.

• Approved a two-year agreement with no changes in rates for the Pennsylvania State Education Association vision contract. The rate is $7.09 per employee per month.

• Authorized the purchase of a used New Holland L175 skid loader from Eckroth Equipment Co. of Orefield at a cost of $20,900.

• Approved repairs to the middle school elevator by Reading Elevator Services, a COSTARS vendor, at a cost of $22,959.

• Appointed Portnoff Law Associates as the district’s delinquent real estate tax collector for 2025, effective Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2025.

• Approved the expulsion of a 10th grade high school student for one year under the discipline code.

• Approved continuing the fuel surcharge agreement with Kistler Transportation Inc. for the 2024-25 school year.

• Set the annual reorganization of the board for Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.