Northern Lehigh School Board approved a five-year agreement Monday with Superintendent Matthew J. Link.

The agreement, passed 8-0, is effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2026, and amended the March 8, 2021 Employment Agreement.

Link will receive a 3% increase each year, with a first year salary of $175,000.

Afterward, Link expressed his gratification to the board.

“I would also like to publicly thank the school board for your show of support this evening to me directly,” Link said. “Thank you.”

Board President Gary Fedorcha told Link it was well deserved.

“I don’t know what we would have done without you this year,” Fedorcha said. “It’s been a trying year for everyone, and I thank you also.”

In March, the board agreed to renew Link’s contract and approved a resolution for his reappointment.

However, the board only voted on the length of the term of Link’s new contract, and said all other items would be negotiated over the next few months and a full new contract will be approved.

Link was appointed as superintendent in October 2017.

The term of that contract was from Jan. 1, 2018, and ending on June 30, 2021.

Link started at a salary of $147,000. He received a 3.5 percent increase in each of the following three years.

Link’s salary for the current school year is $162,982.

Former Superintendent Michael Michaels was making $147,383 at the time of his retirement.

Director Robin Distler was absent from Monday’s meeting.