A leader in the clubhouse emerged Monday night in the bid to fill a vacant seat on the Lehighton Area School District’s board of directors.

After reviewing resumes leading up to a special meeting to discuss the vacancy, the eight remaining board members took a secret paper vote on their preferred choice out of seven applicants.

Heather Neff, a lifelong Lehighton area resident who had three stepchildren schooled in the district, tallied three votes, one ahead of both D’Ache Zelrick and Michele Bauder. Timothy Ream received one vote.

“I will be accountable for every penny spent and I take that accountability very seriously,” Neff said. “I understand the importance of alternative learning and that our vocational system is important to our students. I recognize that methods of learning have changed drastically since the pandemic. My daughter was enrolled in the Lehighton Area Virtual Academy and that was very beneficial for her.”

Lehighton Board President Joy Beers said an official vote on appointing Neff to fill the vacancy will be taken at the district’s July 25 meeting.

Neff, if approved, will fill the seat vacated by Walter Zlomsowitch, who submitted his resignation June 27, the same night Lehighton appointed Christina Fish as its next superintendent.

Questioned Monday night how she would handle any disagreements with other directors, Neff said she would remain a part of the board.

“I plan on fulfilling my obligation,” Neff said. “I promise I will give you every ounce of time it takes for this commitment.”

Neff said she attended around a dozen Lehighton board meetings before the pandemic and followed all of the Zoom sessions during the height of the COVID-19 surge.

“I haven’t been able to make many of the recent ones due to my work schedule but I can alter that schedule at any time for this commitment,” Neff said.

Director Barbara Bowes said she’s known Neff, who she called an independent thinker, for several years.

“She says what is on her mind and means what she says,” Bowes said. “I don’t expect her to always agree with us, but she’s also professional in her disagreement. She is a Carbon Career and Technical Institute graduate from 2005 and I think having someone on the board with that experience is a good thing.”

Of the other applicants who received votes Monday, Zelrick said she has run for a board seat multiple times in the past and remains invested in district matters.

“I’ve been here at the meetings speaking on issues and speaking for the kids,” Zelrick said. “I’ve been an active participant in the community for the past six years and would welcome the opportunity to serve on the board.”

Bauder, in a letter to the board, said she has lived in the district since 2002.

“I’ve had children go through Catholic, charter and public school and I think that gives me a unique perspective,” Bauder said. “I want to help the students realize their potential and help expose them to all of the opportunities open to them.”

A fairly new resident of Lehighton, Ream said he hoped to bring a fresh vision, perspective and energy to the board. “I’ve been a spectator of sorts watching meetings online but what I’ve taken away is that we haven’t scratched the surface on the potential we have as a district,” Ream said. “I’d love to be a part of that as we move forward.”

Other applicants included David Bradley, Henry Glanz IV and Jennifer Laible.