Lehighton Area School District’s business administrator of just over three years resigned effective Jan. 10 after being told his contract would not be renewed after its upcoming June 30 expiration.

Edward Rarick had been with the district since November 2020, when he was hired by a 5-4 vote under an administration led by then Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver. None of the five directors who hired Rarick remain on the board. Two of the four board members who voted against Rarick’s hire at the time, Joy Beers and Richard Beltz, remain seated.

After a majority board turnover, Cleaver’s contract was terminated in December 2021. He filed a lawsuit against the district, which led to a settlement calling for him to be paid $30,000.

“There are many lessons I learned in my three years in the district but none of them compares to one,” Rarick said in a statement Tuesday. “My value does not decrease based on someone’s inability to see my worth. Imagine if all employers treated their employees with the same respect no matter their job title or who hired them. Imagine going to work every day knowing you and your work were valued. I firmly believe that how you treat people is a direct reflection of who you really are.”

In addition to accepting Rarick’s resignation Tuesday, the board also rescinded the resignation of Mary Figura, assistant to the superintendent, who had announced she planned to retire in early April.

When asked during Tuesday’s board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Christina Fish confirmed that Rarick was notified by the district’s solicitor that his contract would not be renewed.

Asked by former board member Brian Shaner if any efforts were made to keep Rarick through the end of his contract, director Barbara Bowes said, “it is a personnel issue and by law the board can’t discuss it.”

Rarick said he was proud of the financial accomplishments of the district over the past few years. Some of them, he said, include adding supplies and equipment back to the classroom after they were cut due to funding deficiencies, increasing the fund balance from $800,000 to over $12.5 million, saving tens of thousands of dollars by initiating requests for proposals, locating $2.7 million in unreceived PlanCon funds, saving over $2 million via a bond refinance, and seeing the Moody’s credit rating agency remove Lehighton’s negative outlook.

Other accomplishments include improving the infrastructure on Indian Lane, replacing the administration building roof, begin yearly investments of 2014 bond payments to increase interest savings, updating every computer lab in the district and seeking large scale savings projects such as solar power.

“I think we’re losing someone who works extremely hard and cares a lot about the district,” Shaner said. “I’ve seen a lot of business managers come and go. I really feel like the district is losing out in this situation.”

Rarick, who was a first time school district business official, thanked the administrative team for providing him a warm welcome three years ago.

“Their willingness to work with someone from outside the district coupled with their patience and guidance relating to school district business was more than I ever expected,” he said. “I always tried to be supportive of all their needs, finding value in what they wanted to accomplish and improving opportunities and the environment for our students.”

He also credited the work of employees Amanda Kilroy, Helene Welliver, Connie Ahner, Rebecca Karpowicz, Lory Frey, Gabby Elsasser, Amanda Citro, Janine Partenio and Megan Berezwick.

“This is the team that often goes unnoticed for all they do and I am truly grateful for all they have done and will continue to do for the district,” Rarick said. “I’d also like to thank the teachers and support union leadership. We sifted through five contracts in three years, none of which was easy by any means. Thank you to all the teachers for all they do on a daily basis to educate our students as well as the support staff for ensuring our district is clean, maintained and safe.”

Rarick’s 2020 contract called for him to make $110,000 in his first two years with a $2,500 raise in years three and four.

“I wish the best for this district, the administration and staff, but most of all the students,” he said.