Lehighton has again approved its borough manager’s contract.

At borough council’s reorganization meeting in January, Dane DeWire was appointed as borough manager on a 5-2 vote, with councilmen Joe Flickinger and Grant Hunsicker opposed.

In December, the former council held a 30-minute executive session and then voted 5-1 to approve the 2026-27 employment contract for DeWire. Councilwoman Becky Worthy was opposed.

The contract called for DeWire to receive a new two-year pact that calls for a 4% raise both years of the contract through the end of 2027.

DeWire’s salary in 2026 is $105,835, and $110,068 in 2027.

Before the vote, DeWire initially said he was seeking a two-year deal with a 3.5% increase both years, or inflation, whichever is higher.

However, Councilman Steve Hawk told DeWire he would take issue that it’s open-ended, and that he didn’t want to put the borough in that situation.

Afterward, DeWire said his second rebuttal would be a 4% increase in each of the two years.

Worthy said after the meeting she believes DeWire should have been at 3.5%, not 4%.

Contract revisited

Flickinger asked at Monday’s borough council meeting to have DeWire’s employment agreement be put back on the meeting agenda.

Flickinger cited the employment agreement per state borough code, which states an employment or professional services agreement with a borough manager executed on or after a municipal election but before the first meeting in January the year after the municipal election shall be void, as his reasoning

It was noted that borough council approved DeWire’s contract twice in recent months, first in December, and then at its reorganization meeting in January.

After some more discussion, a motion was made to amend the agenda to add discussion on DeWire’s contract immediately.

Flickinger wanted to know how council was supposed to discuss DeWire’s contract without it in front of them.

Councilman Dave Arndt then asked the rest of borough council if they needed to see DeWire’s contract to vote, and all said no.

Hawk then motioned to approve DeWire’s contract as originally agreed upon in December and then again voted upon at the reorganization meeting in January.

Both motions passed on 6-1 votes, with Flickinger opposed.

In February 2024, the then-council on a 4-3 vote extended DeWire’s contract through the end of this year by 23 months to the end of this year and agreed to have him swap the borough vehicle he was permitted to take to and from his home for a 4% raise in 2024, and a 3% raise Jan. 1, 2025, for the remainder of the contract.

DeWire was hired in August 2023 on a 4-3 vote by the then-council on a one-year contract at a salary of $95,000.

In June 2023, the-then council on a 5-1 vote after an executive session fired then borough Manager Steve Travers, who was hired on a 5-0 vote in August 2022 on a one-year contract at a salary of $105,000.

The borough gave no reasoning for Travers’ firing. Afterward, day-to-day matters had been handled in the borough office.