Despite the impending loss of its borough manager, business will continue to be conducted as usual in Lehighton.

Borough council, after over an hour executive session at a special meeting last week, accepted the resignation of borough Manager Dane DeWire, effective Saturday.

In his resignation letter to council dated Aug. 14, DeWire noted that on Aug. 6, he provided council President Dave Zimmerman with a verbal commitment of his resignation from his role.

DeWire noted in his letter that as required by his employment agreement dated March 3, he provided a 30-day notice of his resignation, and that his last day of employment will be Sept. 5.

Since last week’s special meeting, council hasn’t given any indication to this point what its next step will be moving forward, according to Mayor Ryan Saunders.

“As of right now, there’s been no proposal, or no motion’s been made,” Saunders said. “Actually, council hasn’t really even discussed it yet because I think they were hoping for a smooth transition.”

Saunders noted that the borough has an assistant borough manager in Brooke Lichtenwalter.

“Obviously, we do have an assistant business manager; the business of the borough will continue to be conducted as usual,” he said. “We were savvy enough to hire an assistant borough manager; obviously her job is to fill in the absence of the borough manager.”

Saunders reiterated, “There’s been no appointments, been no discussion of anything yet of the kind, other than the assistant borough manager just continuing to do her job and functions as normal. There’ll be no disruption, the community can expect that all business of the borough will be conducted as normal; they shouldn’t expect any issues whatsoever.

“We’re fortunate enough to have retained an assistant borough manager. In the absence of the borough manager, we still have an assistant borough manager to keep the business of the borough running and make sure there’s no lapse in service for the community,” Saunders added.

“I think council’s objective was to get through the transition of Dane leaving and then move forward from there.”

Council’s next regularly scheduled meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 14.

In February, council on a 5-1 vote approved a $2,500 bonus to both the assistant borough manager, as well as treasurer. Councilman Joe Flickinger was opposed.

In September, borough council made separate motions to hire the top candidate for the newly created assistant borough manager position, as well as a treasurer position.

Lichtenwalter accepted the newly created assistant borough manager position at the rate of $58,000. Before accepting the position, Lichtenwalter had served as secretary/treasurer in Washington Township.

In March, council again approved DeWire’s contract.

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

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