Lehighton Borough has accepted the resignation of its borough manager.

After over an hour executive session for personnel reasons, borough council took several actions at its special meeting on Tuesday.

The first of those was to accept the letter of resignation from employee No. 319, effective Sept. 5.

Borough council then tabled discussion on current administrative vacancies until next month’s meeting.

Afterward, borough council agreed to terminate employee No. 363, effective immediately.

After the meeting, borough council President Dave Zimmerman declined to name which positions resigned.

Contacted this morning, borough Manager Dane DeWire confirmed that employee No. 319 is him.

Before the vote, borough council heard from Jerry McAward, owner of Lehighton Outdoor Center, who said he sent a letter to each member urging them to consider how to hire the right person qualified to run “this complex and demanding borough.”

McAward added he hopes borough council conducts a true recruiting process “that takes into consideration all the things that a borough manager does.”

Vacancy committee formed

Last month, borough council held a special meeting and approved an administrative vacancy committee for personnel reasons.

The only matter listed on that special meeting agenda under new business was discussion on current borough vacancies.

At the onset of that meeting, borough council went into executive session.

After nearly 25 minutes, borough council returned to regular session.

On a 6-0 vote, borough council approved an administrative vacancy committee for personnel reasons.

The committee was comprised of DeWire, council President Dave Zimmerman and borough Mayor Ryan Saunders.

Approached after that meeting, Zimmerman declined to discuss why the committee was formed.

Earlier this month, after about a 30-minute executive session, borough council on a 3-2 vote hired Martina Hill as new borough secretary, at a salary of $23.55 per hour. Council members Becky Worthy, Dave Arndt and council President Dave Zimmerman were in favor, with councilmen Joe Flickinger and Grant Hunsicker opposed.

Jessica Ahner had been hired in May 2024 at a special meeting on a one-year contract at a salary of $50,000. She was not at the meeting this month, but no information was released.

Just prior to the motion to hire Hill, borough council on a 5-0 vote agreed to appoint DeWire as acting secretary until the position was filled.

Hill most recently served as the borough’s part-time police department administration clerk from January to July.

Borough manager contract

In March, borough council again approved DeWire’s contract.

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

In December, the former council held a 30-minute executive session and then voted 5-1 to approve the 2026-2027 employment contract for DeWire.

Worthy, who was opposed, said after that meeting she believes DeWire should have been at 3.5%, not 4%.

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.

At borough council’s meeting in March, Flickinger asked 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.

Borough council previously approved DeWire’s employment agreement in December. DeWire was then appointed to the position at borough council’s 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.

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

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.