Lehighton has a void in its emergency management program after losing its second key support role within a little over a month.

On a 5-0 vote, borough council on Monday accepted the resignation of deputy emergency management coordinator Tanner Eckman, effective immediately.

“I appreciate the opportunity to have served in this capacity the past several years and wish the borough continued success in its emergency preparedness efforts,” Eckman wrote in his resignation letter to borough council.

Afterward, Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky asked that since that leaves the borough without an emergency management coordinator, whether the borough is at liability.

Borough Manager Dane DeWire said the borough has received several letters of interest to fill the emergency management coordinator position.

Council decided a review committee would be created to review the letters of interest, with Abelovsky, Councilwoman Becky Worthy, Mayor Ryan Saunders, and fire Chief Pat Mriss to serve.

DeWire said after the meeting that the committee hopes to make a recommendation to borough council, who will vote to make a recommendation to the governor, who ultimately appoints the role for Lehighton.

Councilmen John Kreitz and Dave Zimmerman were absent.

Eckman’s resignation comes after borough council last month accepted the resignation of former borough emergency management coordinator Joe Flickinger, who vacated his post after citing concerns for his safety.

Immediately after accepting Flickinger’s resignation, borough council agreed to advertise for letters of interest for a new borough emergency management coordinator.

In his letter submitted to borough council last month, Flickinger said he served 10-plus years.

“This was not an easy decision, however, due to acts of intimidation by some borough council members as well as multiple hostile and violent actions directed at me by borough administrative management, has created concerns for my safety,” he wrote. “Under these conditions, I am unable to provide the level of safety and preparedness that our residents deserve.”

After executive session, DeWire, along with several members of borough council who were nearby, declined comment on Flickinger’s accusations.

Over the past several months, Flickinger has said he believes borough council has been in violation of the Sunshine Act.

In February, Flickinger once again questioned borough council for not following the required transparency standards.

Kreitz said at that time he didn’t disagree with Flickinger’s previous claims that council was violating the Sunshine Act.

Kreitz said that the meeting minutes from council’s February 2024 meeting was missing from the borough’s website.

Mayor Ryan Saunders asked DeWire if his staff has a time frame to have certain tasks be completed by.

It was then noted that the Jan. 6 borough council meeting amended agenda wasn’t posted on the website in the required amount of time.

With regard to changes to agenda, the agency is to post the amended agenda on the agency’s publicly accessible Internet website, if available, and at the agency’s principal office location no later than the first business day following the meeting at which the agenda was changed.

Kreitz said that upon being contacted about the matter, he checked the borough website to see if it was updated; it was not.

DeWire asked Kreitz why he didn’t bring it to his attention if he knew of the discrepancy.

Kreitz then cited DeWire’s salary, and that as borough manager, that’s his job.

Councilman Steve Hawk told DeWire to put an emphasis on letting his staff know the proper procedures to follow.

Worthy said that council members are to work as a team, and that if any council member notices something, it should be shared.

DeWire noted that in his position as borough manager, he fields inquiries about borough business at any and all times.

In January, Flickinger told council he wanted to know why the borough continues to violate the Sunshine Act.

Flickinger said that December’s meeting agenda was posted on the borough’s website at 11:20 a.m., which was not 24 hours in advance as required.

In addition, he called out council for using what he called generic wording when describing what they plan to discuss before going into executive session.