On the heels of two 5-4 votes, and in its quickest voting session of the year Monday night, Lehighton Area School District’s board of directors maintained its leadership heading into 2019.

Larry Stern was re-elected board president, while Wayne Wentz will continue in the role of vice president. Stern and Wentz both defeated Joy Beers for their respective seats.

On both votes, Stern, Wentz, Andrew Yenser, Rita Spinelli and Stephen Holland made up the voting majority, with Beers, David Bradley Sr., Richard Beltz and Gail Maholick in the minority.

Before the vote, Bradley suggested a change of leadership.

“Given the tumultuous situation resulting from Larry’s reign as president, I suggest we end that reign,” he said.

Speaking in support of Stern was former board member Gloria Bowman, who served with him before falling short in the 2017 election.

“I think Mr. Stern has done an adequate job, maintained composure and offered as much courtesy to the floor as possible, Bowman said. “I think that has evolved over the last 10 months, and I see no need for change.”

Bradley joined Frances Flickinger and Janice Bowman in filing a lawsuit against the district and Stern in December 2017.

The trio allege Stern called for an official vote on a non-agenda item on Dec. 4, 2017, “without calling on Bowman or Flickinger, who had their hands raised.”

They also allege Stern refused to allow public comment at a Dec. 21, 2017, meeting.

In an answer to the lawsuit, which is still pending, Stern denied seeing any hands raised by audience members and said no board member alerted him that a member of the public wanted to make a comment.

Stern said Monday all committees would remain the same with the option to make changes at a later date.