One month after bringing on an interim business administrator, Lehighton Area School District hired an interim accountant Monday night through an agreement with the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials.

Robert Bruchak, a former business administrator in Souderton Area School District, will come on board at $135 per hour though the agreement doesn’t specify how many hours he will be used.

The move, Superintendent Dr. Christina Fish said, fills a gap created with a current employee being out through June via the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Lehighton approved an agreement with Susan Famularo in January to serve as interim business administrator after Edward Rarick resigned earlier that month.

Rarick resigned Jan. 10 after the district informed him his contract would not be renewed.

“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. “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.”

However, Lehighton Board President Jeremy Glaush said, “On Jan. 10, 2024, Mr. Rarick admitted that he engaged in inappropriate conduct and tendered his resignation to the superintendent. 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.”

When asked Monday by district resident Brian Shaner, Fish said Lehighton’s plan for the accountant role changed when Rarick resigned.

“Our plan before the change in leadership in the business office was not to fill this position on an interim basis,” Fish said. “Our interim business administrator will only be here so many hours per week so we wanted to make sure we had coverage.”

Shaner asked where the district was getting the money to pay for the interim accountant, to which Fish responded, “contingency funds.”

“Seems like a lot of money going out the door,” Shaner said.

The interim accountant agreement is effective until either party provides written notice of termination.