Lehighton Area School District’s board of directors agreed to pay the February 2021 bill list during a special meeting Wednesday night.

Two votes on payment of the bills, totaling $2,721,822.21, failed during Monday’s board meeting after Director David Bradley said several pages of payroll information were illegible and another director, Richard Beltz, said he found errors on two other invoices.

After another review of the bills, Bradley voted yes for their payment on Wednesday.

“I appreciate from administration the ability to review the documents prior to authorizing their payment,” he said. “Part of the review process is not only to ensure that the bills are proper, but that school orders are proper. That is part of our responsibility. The fact that we have not done that and this became somewhat of an event is ridiculous, but we understand we are moving forward.”

Before the vote, however, Director Rita Spinelli, who was present during Bradley’s latest review of the bills, blasted his behavior during the session.

“I was cut off, ignored, spoken over and criticized at every turn,” Spinelli said.

“At one point (Bradley) pulled something out of my hand that I was looking at. He may be my equal in position, but he is my subordinate in behavior and preparedness. I now know why no female employees would meet with him and why complaints were made over his treatment of them.”

Bradley responded, accusing Spinelli of only being present to oversee and watch him.

“My lack of attention to her rhetoric is apparently hurting her feelings and that is not within my control,” he said.

The vote to pay the bills Wednesday was 6-1 with only Joy Beers dissenting. Gail Maholick and Richard Beltz were absent when the vote was taken.