CLEARFIELD – At this week’s meeting, the Clearfield County Commissioners voted, 2-1, to table paying its allocation of $118,670 to the Area Transportation Authority (ATA).
Commissioners Joan Robinson-McMillen, chair, and John A. Sobel voted in favor of tabling the matter until next month. Commissioner Mark B. McCracken opposed doing so.
Prior to tabling the matter, Sobel said the county has concerns over the budget and operations of the ATA. He said it had previously approved putting Robinson-McMillen on the ATA board.
“I think it was a good first step,” he said. “However, I still think the ATA perceives itself as an entity that’s not responsive to the municipalities that created it.”
Sobel felt that if the county approved its funding allocation to the ATA that it would send “mixed signals.” McCracken agreed that the county had concerns that the ATA’s full board wasn’t aware during its budget process.
However, McCracken felt they had made some progress, and hoped it would continue with Robinson-McMillen sitting on the board. At that point, Robinson-McMillen countered that she hadn’t observed any progress with the ATA.
Additionally, Robinson-McMillen told the other commissioners that she wouldn’t vote in favor of the county paying its allocation to the ATA. “We have reached out to them,” she said. “They need to be more accountable for that amount of money ($118,670).”
Sobel suggested the commissioners table any action until next month. Robinson-McMillen seconded the motion, sending it to a vote with McCracken being the only opposition.
Robinson-McMillen said ATA services will continue on a regular basis in Clearfield County. In a separate vote, the commissioners approved, 3-0, to pay its allocation of $14,968 to DuFast Transportation.