Jim Thorpe Area School District has a new business manager and director of building of grounds following school board approval for both Wednesday night.

Directors hired Brian Off as business manager at a starting salary of $107,000, effective July 1.

Off is a Jim Thorpe resident who worked as controller at the TFP Limited real estate development and management company in Wilkes-Barre.

The board declined to extend previous business manager Kenneth Marx’s contract in March. At the time, board President Scott Pompa said Marx was unable to adapt to the board’s anti-tax vision.

“Having the doom and gloom projections and the need to raise taxes year after year was definitely a deciding factor for the way I voted,” Pompa said in March.

Off’s hiring passed 8-1 Wednesday, but did not get a stamp of approval from director Gerald Strubinger.

“It was a foolish move to replace (Marx),” Strubinger said. “He was effective and efficient in his duties and there was not one time did I ask him a question that he didn’t know the answer to. This is a poor use of taxpayer funds.”

Pompa thanked Marx on Wednesday for his three years of service to the district.

“I am hoping and asking the board to support Mr. Off,” Pompa said.

Strubinger was also the lone vote against hiring Charles Dresher as director of building and grounds at a salary of $70,000.

Dresher comes to Jim Thorpe having served in the same capacity for the Bethlehem Area School District.

“In my opinion, I thought there was a better candidate,” Strubinger said, explaining his vote. “It’s going to take a year for someone who doesn’t know the district to get up to speed, all on the public dime.”

Dresher replaces Randy Smale, who was hired in Pleasant Valley School District as director of operations at a salary of $100,000.

Off and Dresher were not present at Wednesday’s meeting.