Commissioners split on meeting cancellation
A quorum of Fayette County commissioners will not be in attendance at today’s scheduled meeting; however, the minority commissioner said that she will show up for the session.
In a late Monday afternoon email, county Chief Clerk Amy Revak said that based on correspondence received from both Commissioners Vince Zapotosky and Al Ambrosini, the Tuesday regular meeting would be postponed until a later date.
Ambrosini said that due to the inability of Zapotosky to attend, he had agreed to delay the regular meeting until the full board can take part in the voting session.
“(Zapotosky) wants to attend the remaining meetings to do what he can for the county, so I want to afford him that opportunity,” he said late Monday afternoon. “I have been unable to attend several meetings in my term and the meetings have been rescheduled.
“It has been past practice to do so, and I believe we should do so in this instance.”
Zapotosky said his absence is due to illness.
Zimmerlink, meanwhile, said that while she is aware of Zapotosky’s inability to attend, Ambrosini is available to take part in the regular meeting.
“We have a quorum and we need to hold the meeting as scheduled,” she said in an email. “We have a number of items on the agenda which need to be addressed so that departments may more forward.
“Meetings scheduled having a quorum are to be held.”
Two of the three commissioners must be in attendance to transact business.
While several routine matters are on the agenda, the commissioners were expected to sign off on the allocation of gaming funding.
The county has received $1.1 million from Lady Luck Casino at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort over a two year period.
Earlier this year, the commission appointed the county redevelopment authority to establish a Local Share Account, set the criteria for distribution of the funds and coordinate a steering committee that would review the applications.
The committee reviewed about 60 applications and made recommendations to the commissioners as to which funding requests met the criteria.
An overall application must be submitted to the state Department of Community and Economic Development by Oct. 31.
Ambrosini said that the funding application can be signed by two commissioners and ratified at the next meeting, if necessary.
“The meeting has been officially cancelled,” he said. “There will be signs posted at the Public Service Building and the courthouse.
“There is no need for any county department head or anyone else to attend. There is nothing that can not be addressed at the next meeting.”
There was no indication when the rescheduled meeting would be held.