A Jim Thorpe man has been chosen to steer Lehighton into the future.

On a narrow 4-3 vote, borough council on Monday hired Dane DeWire as its new borough manager on a one-year contract at a salary of $95,000.

Council members Lisa Perry, Donnie Rehrig, Rebecca Worthy and council President Grant Hunsicker voted in favor. Councilmembers Autumn Abelovsky, Ryan Saunders and Darryl Arner were opposed.

DeWire, a 2011 graduate of Tamaqua Area High School, will start his new position on Sept. 5.

He is currently employed as a residential structural engineer with KSE Engineering of Quakertown.

DeWire said he was excited about his new job as borough manager, but was “in shock to see a 4-3 vote.”

“I know I wasn’t the only candidate for the position,” DeWire said. “I’m hoping to be able to prove to the other three members of council that I’ll work diligently that I will gain their trust while in that position.”

DeWire said he believes he will “bring a youthful character to the position with fresh ideas.”

“I really liked when they spoke of some of the projects going on in the downtown,” he said. “I hope I can add to those things.”

DeWire added that he does have experience in zoning, building permits, code compliance and grant writing.

“I’m excited to work locally, and to give back to one of the communities that I call home,” he said. “I’m excited to serve council, the borough, and the community.”

DeWire was one of eight candidates who applied for the open position.

In June, council on a 5-1 vote after an executive session fired then borough Manager Steve Travers.

Travers, of Kunkletown, was hired by council on a 5-0 vote in August 2022 on a one-year contract at a salary of $105,000. He began his position Aug. 15.

The borough gave no reason for his firing.

Day-to-day matters have been handled in the borough office in the interim.

In June 2022, council unanimously approved hiring former borough Manager Nicole Beckett through Aug. 21, at the rate of $1,200 per month.

In May 2022, council hired borough assistant treasurer/secretary Kim Rubin as interim borough manager until a permanent borough manager was chosen.

Rubin began as interim borough manager on May 23 at a rate of $40 an hour.