A Lehighton councilman who won a seat in the November election, yet never sat in on a council meeting, has resigned from his post.

Borough council, at a special meeting on Thursday, on a 5-0 vote accepted the resignation of Councilman William Rodweller.

Rodweller, who along with Councilman Darryl Arner was absent, submitted his letter of resignation to borough Manager Nicole Beckett on Feb. 11.

“It is with great regret that I am writing to inform you and the Lehighton Borough Council, of my decision to resign from my position on the Lehighton Borough Council, immediately,” Rodweller said in his letter.

Earlier this month, council denied the appointment of Rodweller to the borough’s parks & recreation board. Council had tabled his appointment to the board at an earlier meeting.

“It is my opinion, that this board is only serving their own best interests, and not the best interests of Lehighton,” Rodweller said in his letter. “I cannot, in good faith, serve on a board where partisan politics and personal vendettas are more important than our citizens and the future of our town.”

Rodweller could be heard arguing with Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky before the start of the Jan. 6 reorganization meeting.

After the meeting, Abelovsky said words were exchanged after she presented Rodweller with a letter.

“So, basically, it was just me (everyday ordinary citizen Autumn) talking to everyday ordinary citizen William, before the meeting,” Abelovsky said at that time in an email.

When asked for a copy of the letter following last month’s meeting, borough solicitor Jim Nanovic said that since the letter Abelovsky gave to Rodweller was not done during the public meeting, it was not public record.

Rodweller added in his letter that he does wish Beckett and council well, “but I fear that major changes are in order if the board truly wants to do the job that all borough council members were elected to do.

“Partisan political games and personal vendettas have no place on the borough council. Allowing this behavior to continue, will be detrimental to the council and to our town.”

Aside from voting on Rodweller’s resignation, council did not discuss the matter further.

Council will accept letters of interest to fill Rodweller’s seat on council until March 6.