CLEARFIELD – Two new members were welcomed to the Clearfield County Recreation and Tourism board yesterday, after which the board reorganized.
Terri Cunkle, a former board member, was reappointed to the board and Sue Williams was also appointed, bringing the board to seven members.
Cunkle indicated concern with having a commissioner as chair of the board and asked that the board reorganize and elect a full slate of executive officers.
The board then voted to reorganize and first nominated and elected Cunkle as chairwoman. She then asked John Sobel, who had been serving as chairman, to continue for the remainder of the meeting.
“I’m just trying to play catch up,” she noted. Adding, “I do think we need an executive board until January and things get settled.”
The board then voted to appoint Mark Burnett as vice chair, Mark McCracken as secretary and Bonnie Robinson Harper as treasurer.
Employee Sue Swales Vitullo updated the board on some things that have been happening. She said there was a package created with Mo-Valley Paranormal featuring the haunted house, Ravenwood, and also packages for two events in DuBois.
Vitullo noted that visitors to the office have increased, including people who have relocated to the area and many geocachers.
An executive session lasting over-one-and-a-half hours was held for personnel and legal matters. When the meeting reconvened, the board first voted to rescind the bylaws and next voted that the part-time employees were not to return until further notice.
The next vote was to have the CCRTA solicitor and county solicitor meet and draft a memorandum of understanding between the two entities in regards to staffing, which will now be under county auspices.
Also resolution 2016-1 was approved to send an addendum to the articles of incorporation to reduce the number of board members from 12 to nine.
A letter of resignation was received from bookkeeper, Michele Steiner, which will be effective Oct. 31. The board accepted the resignation and voted to appoint the firm of Catalano, Case, Catalano & Clark-Radzieta LLC to serve in the position temporarily.
The contracts for the travel planner were ratified from the August meeting. The design firm is Kotik Design and the printing firm is Knepper Press. The board also voted to make a partial payment to Kotik of $4,000.
A bill to Shumaker Williams PC was also approved for $1,620 and Vitullo was asked to prepare a bill list for the next meeting. Shumaker Williams is a law firm with locations in Harrisburg, York and Towson, Md.
On Aug. 18 the board had Keith Clark, an attorney with the firm out of Camp Hill, speak to the board regarding Act 18 and what it will mean for the tourism authority.
Grants to Buck’s Pizza and the Clearfield County Fair & Park board will be distributed. And Williams was appointed to the grant selection committee.
At the end of the meeting Sobel asked if there was any public comment. Holly Komonczi, executive director, who is also on suspension without pay until Friday, wanted to ask a question, but Sobel said they would not hold a dialogue and she then said never mind.
The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 16.