Lehighton Area School District’s board of directors released a statement Monday saying it doesn’t believe its former business administrator Edward Rarick resigned because his contract was not going to be renewed.

“On Jan. 10, 2024, Mr. Rarick admitted that he engaged in inappropriate conduct and tendered his resignation to the superintendent,” Board President Jeremy Glaush said in the statement. “It is the position of this board that Mr. Rarick’s tendering of his resignation had nothing to do with the board’s deliberation over whether or not it intended to reappoint him to a new term beginning July 1.”

Rarick had been with the district since November 2020 and his contract was set to expire on June 30. The board accepted his resignation, dated Jan. 10, last Tuesday.

“The impetus for my resignation was definitely a result of the board’s inaction under provisions of my contract as well as its lack of desire in continuing our relationship,” Rarick said Tuesday morning. “Specifically article 14 and article 5, which stated at least annually I was to be informed of any perceived inadequacies or have a right to respond to any investigations, none of which took place.”

Rarick said the board provided no reasons when it informed him his contract would not be renewed.

“It was my perception, based on lack of engagement as well as other matters, that their position may have been decided well before I had any discussion about a contract renewal,” he said. “I simply can’t work under conditions where quality work, performance and respect are not valued.”

Lehighton’s board pushed back Monday against a claim that its discussion about whether or not to renew Rarick’s contract in a Jan. 8 executive session violated the Sunshine Act.

The decision of a board’s intention about reappointment constitutes a personnel matter that is typically addressed in executive session, Glaush said.

“It is the position of the district and the district’s solicitor that no official action took place during the executive session and informing the business administrator of the board’s intention not to reappoint him is not a binding formal action of the board requiring it be done at a public meeting,” he added.

Last week, Rarick said he was proud of the financial accomplishments of the district over the past few years. Some of them, he said, include adding supplies and equipment back to the classroom after they were cut due to funding deficiencies, increasing the fund balance from $800,000 to over $12.5 million, saving tens of thousands of dollars by initiating requests for proposals, locating $2.7 million in unreceived PlanCon funds, saving over $2 million via a bond refinance, and seeing the Moody’s credit rating agency remove Lehighton’s negative outlook.

Superintendent Dr. Christina Fish said the business administrator opening has been posted and advertised with a Feb. 2 application deadline.

“We have interviewed a candidate for the interim business administrator position and will be bringing that to the board on Jan. 25,” Fish said.