A familiar face is returning to Palmerton Area School District to run its business office.

By a 6-3 vote Tuesday, Palmerton’s board of directors hired Ryan Kish as business manager at a starting salary of $128,000.

The move brings an end to a search for a business manager that began when Kish resigned in September 2021 to take the same job in Northwestern Lehigh School District.

At the time, Kish said his decision to leave Palmerton was, “not an easy one,” but said he was “excited for new challenges and the opportunity for continued professional growth.”

Kish signed a five-year contract with Palmerton in 2019 that called for him to make $96,400, with a 2% increase each year, putting his potential 2021- 22 salary at just over $100,000.

Northwestern Lehigh hired him at a starting salary of $127,500.

Directors Audrey Larvey, Doris Zellers and Brandon Mazepa voted against hiring Kish Tuesday.

Before leaving in 2021, Kish had been Palmerton’s manager since 2016.

Dr. Alan Lonoconus has been serving as Palmerton’s interim business manager since Kish’s departure.

Even while at Northwestern, Kish assisted Lonoconus and Palmerton in getting through the current budget cycle. Palmerton brought Kish on in January as an independent contractor to provide business manager services at the rate of $60/hour, as needed.