Rita Spinelli will fill a vacant seat on the Lehighton Area school board.

Carbon County President Judge Roger Nanovic handed down an order on Monday appointing Spinelli to a two-year term as a school board director, ending in December 2019.

Eleven people applied to fill the position that was vacant because Gail Maholick was elected to a two-year and a four-year seat on the board last fall.

Maholick chose the four-year term, creating the vacancy.

Spinelli served on the board in 1990s. She did not run in the most recent municipal election last fall.

Other candidates for the vacancy included Francis Flickinger, Richard D. Beltz, David Krause, Duane Eidem, Gloria Bowman, Nathan Foeller, Autumn Frey, Walter Zlomsowitch, Frank Tamburri and RoniSue Ahner.

When the board tried to appoint a member, they deadlocked 4-4 on the appointment of Beltz Sr., whose son also serves on the school board.

Check out Tuesday’s edition of the Times News for a full story.