Jim Thorpe Area School District continues to look for a replacement for their business manager who resigned in November.

Meanwhile, new board members are taking steps to play a larger role in managing the district’s finances.

At a special meeting Monday night, the board agreed to expand the search for a business manager and use websites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter.

“We’re not getting many hits, we need to find a way to expand,” said Paul Montemuro.

The board agreed to open an account with Indeed at a cost of $1,500, which is good for one month of job listings on the site.

Board members said they have only received four applicants for the business manager position since advertising it last month with two trade groups: Pennsylvania School Boards Association and the Pennsylvania School Business Officers’ Association.

Board member Glenn Confer said he has heard of a shortage of business managers statewide, and the district has to compete with others in the state who can afford a much higher salary.

Interim business manager Joseph Surridge, who took over after Lauren Kovac resigned in November, has said he does not want to take on the job full-time.

While the district looks for a business manager, some of the board’s newly elected members are getting more involved with the district’s finances. The members say they are trying to close the district’s $3 million budget deficit, but some veteran members criticized them for what they called micromanagement.

School accounts

Montemuro asked and received approval from the board Monday night to obtain records from two local banks the district uses.

He said he wants to find out where the district will receive the most interest for its deposits — something he said hasn’t happened in the past.

“We gave away $280,000 of interest on our money because we only had 0.08 at Jim Thorpe (Neighborhood Bank), we got 1.38 at Mauch Chunk (Trust Co.) but they still kept it in Thorpe. We lost all that money in interest,” he said.

He said Surridge is unable to take the time to do the research he wants to obtain.

Confer said the district has split its money between both banks for years.

Board member Pearl Sheckler said both banks have given a lot of money back to the district over the years through scoreboard sponsorships.

Sheckler, who voted against giving Montemuro permission to obtain the records, said the district should request proposals for banking services instead.

Raniero Marciante also voted against, calling it micromanagement.

Check signers

The board also voted to take away the superintendent’s ability to sign checks.

Montemuro said the district should follow its policy, which says that only the board president, vice president, secretary and treasurer can sign checks from the district’s general fund. At least three of their signatures are needed for each check under the policy.

When John Rushefski took over as superintendent in September, the board gave him the authority to sign checks.

Board member Scott Pompa said Palmerton is the only other district in Carbon County which allows the superintendent to sign checks.

Sheckler and Confer voted against.

Hourly pay

The board also agreed to take closer oversight of the district’s administrative assistants.

They voted to have secretaries use a time clock and to outline their daily responsibilities so the board members know what they are.

The district’s admins are paid hourly, but do not punch in and out like the district’s custodians, paraprofessionals and cafeteria workers, Montemuro said.

Pompa said they are being paid their hourly rate even when the school is closed for a break, roughly 21-25 days per year.

He said he wants the secretaries to use the time clock for research purposes, but they will still be paid as they have been for the time being.

“That’s going to give us that opportunity to see the hours they’re actually working,” Pompa said.