Three new members took their seats on the Lehighton Area School District’s board of directors during Monday night’s reorganizational meeting.

The addition of Marianne Dwyer, Byron Arner and Richard Beltz led to a change in the board presidency.After two years in the role, Gloria Bowman will yield the gavel to Hal Resh, a former board vice president, on a 5-4 vote.Voting in favor of Resh, in addition to himself, were Dwyer, Arner, Beltz and William Hill.Andrew Yenser, Wayne Wentz and Stephen Holland voted for Bowman, who also voted for herself.Beltz was the only person to receive a nomination for vice-president and was voted to that role by a 5-4 vote that went along the same lines as the vote for president.The change in presidency didn’t come without controversy.Wentz called the move a “disgrace to the school district,” referring to earlier comments from out going board member Larry Stern about Resh’s attendance at meetings.“You are constantly absent from key votes, you aren’t prepared and you blame it on a lack of information, “ Stern said to Resh. “We recently negotiated a professional contract in which you attended one of six negotiating sessions.”Resh responded by saying most people don’t realize board members have the day-to-day duties of their own jobs.“It looks like I’ll have to clear my schedule,” he added. “One thing I’d like to do is have committee meetings at more reasonable hours for people who have employment during the day.”In the past year, Resh, who teaches at Carbon Career and Technical Institute, chaired Lehighton’s finance committee, which met at 5 p.m.Resh made several 2016 committee appointments Monday night.Dwyer, Arner, Beltz and Hill will serve on the negotiations and personnel committee.Beltz, Arner and Dwyer make up the budget and finance committee.Beltz and Arner will serve on buildings and grounds; while Bowman, Dwyer and Holland round out the policy committee.Hill was elected as the alternate representative to Carbon Career and Technical Institute’s joint operating committee, while outgoing board member Rocky Ahner will take Hill’s place on CCTI’s authority. The authority makes decisions regarding CCTI property, while the joint operating committee governs the school’s operations.Earlier in the meeting, the district presented certificates of appreciation to Stern, Rocky Ahner and Lori Nothstein who are no longer serving on the board.“The amount of time, effort and reading that goes into making decisions is incredible,” Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver said in thanking the trio. “The board is like my second family and I appreciate everything they do. We’re fortunate to have the district and staff that we do.”