RIDGWAY — A conflict of interest led the Elk County Commissioners to approve a new contract Tuesday.
During the commissioners’ meeting, the board unanimously approved a contract with attorney Frank Straub at a rate of $150 an hour.
Elk County solicitor Tom Wagner said his private law office has provided services to a contractor involved in a current case the county is pursuing. This is a conflict of interest so he needed to step aside in the county case.
Wagner said the case revolves around defective construction at the West Creek Wetland Learning Center in St. Marys. The engineer involved in the case worked with the contractor Wagner’s firm represented in another case.
In other news, the commissioners approved a resolution with the Area Transportation Authority (ATA) for the county’s match.
The county will pay $56,652 toward ATA services for the 2017-18 fiscal year. The county’s money is used as a match to state money provided for the service.
Meanwhile, Ridgway Borough Manager Paul McCurdy was appointed to the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee for 2017 and 2018. The purpose of the committee is to help community leaders guide economic development in their communities.
Commissioner Matt Quesenberry said the committee helps local leaders to find new funding opportunities for their communities. McCurdy will represent Ridgway Borough. Jodi Foster is the representative for Elk County; Tina Gradizzi is the representative for St. Marys; Kathy Dowie is representing Fox Township; and Michelle Bogacki, who had been representing Ridgway Borough, will now represent Ridgway Township, which had previously been represented by Colleen Pifer.
The next commissioners meeting will be held at 10 a.m. March 21 at the Elk County Courthouse Annex in Ridgway.
