As the business manager’s career at the Pleasant Valley School District draws to a close on Dec. 31, the district is forced to continue its search for a replacement.

New hire Thomas Cipriano Jr. had a change of heart and turned down the $120,000 year salary.

Superintendent Lee Lesisko said he doesn’t know why Cipriano turned down the job, just that he had changed his mind.

“You can’t fault a person for changing their mind,” he said.

Still Cipriano’s decision leaves Pleasant Valley in the lurch.

“This is critical to the success of the school district,” he said. “We need someone yesterday.”

This is the time of the year when the school district is preparing its budget for the next school year. Fortunately, the current business manager, Susan Famularo, who is retiring, has already prepared the first draft of the budget, Lesisko said.

Cipriano was approved by the school board on Dec. 3 in an 8-1 vote. School board President Donna Yozwiak said he was the best candidate, but school board director Norman Burger voted no. Director Susan Kresge said she would vote yes, because Lesisko recommended him.

Cipriano’s most recent position is as the manager of business services and facilities at Gratz College near Philadelphia. He has also been an assistant business manager for Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29, business administrator and fiscal coordinator for the Hanover Area School District and manager of School Business Services for Foundations Inc.

With Cipriano out, Lesisko said he contacted the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials to find someone to step in as an interim business manager.

“Hopefully, we can get someone to help us,” he said.

There were three other candidates. One of them has since taken another job, Lesisko said. He has reposted the position online and will be advertising it in some publications.

“I’m optimistic about hiring a business manager, and looking forward to that person getting started,” he said.

Cipriano wasn’t the only new hire to say no.

Tiffany Brancato, who also was approved on Dec. 8 for the school nurse position at the high school, resigned. Her position would have paid $45,067.

Jessica Tomon, the director of Human Resources, also asked for approval of the following changes.

• Resignation: Vincent Arezzi, head coach, boys lacrosse;

• Supplemental Contracts: Athletic - George Fair, head coach, track and field;

• Change to current assignment: Michelle Albanese, LTS health and physical education teacher, PVMS, for the remainder of the school year;

• Addition to current assignment: Lizbeth Blair, substitute monitor, and;

• Intramural advisers: winter track, Drew Davis, PVHS; volleyball, Arianna Weaver, PVIS; softball, Steve Caffrey and Drew Dymond, PVHS.

There were also four terminations of employment, but it was not because there were any improprieties, Lesisko said.

This usually happens if paperwork wasn’t completed, someone says they are not returning to the job, or a substitute in a department has decided to no longer be a substitute, he explained.