A former Catasauqua Borough administrator has been chosen to steer Lehighton into the future.

On a 5-0 vote, borough council on Monday hired Stephen Travers as its new borough manager.

Travers, of Kunkletown, was hired at a salary of $105,000 on a one-year contract.

He will start as Lehighton’s borough manager Aug. 15.

Travers told council he was looking forward to his new position.

“It’s really exciting to come to Lehighton,” Travers said following his appointment. “I’m anxious to get to meet everybody, meet you guys, and doing good things for the borough.”

Travers most recently served as Catasauqua borough manager, resigning in June after 4½ years. His last day was July 27.

Before that, Travers was borough manager of Sharon Hill borough for five years.

After the meeting, Travers touted the borough’s downtown.

He said his background is in code enforcement, including building inspector and zoning officer.

“Which I think is going to help here,” he said. “I think there are a lot of positive things we can do to make the community better.”

Travers said residents need to know there are people willing to listen to them.

“I’m a staunch believer that we work for the residents,” he said. “I love talking to people.”

In June, council unanimously approved a proposal for interim assistance by former borough Manager Nicole Beckett as it continued its search for a new borough manager.

The proposal calls for a starting date retroactive to May 21, and continues through Aug. 21, at the rate of $1,200 per month for Beckett’s services.

In May, council hired Kim Rubin as interim borough manager until a permanent borough manager is chosen.

Rubin began as interim borough manager on May 23 at a rate of $40 an hour. Rubin had been serving as the borough’s assistant secretary-treasurer.

Beckett, who resigned May 20, accepted the position of associate director of public service at the Robert B. and Helen S. Meyner Center for the Study of State and Local Government at Lafayette College.

Beckett’s salary was $97,031 with the borough.