TRUMBULL COUNTY CVB board gives OK to policy

The board attorney's time records were stolen.
By STEPHEN SIFF
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- The Trumbull County Convention and Visitors Bureau board approved a policy requiring approval of a two-thirds board majority before "confidential" information is released to the public.
The motion did not include a definition of what information is deemed confidential. However, the board took it to include its employment contract with Atty. Jeff Kurz, who has represented the body since late last year.
After about an hour of off-and-on discussions, and one vote to table consideration of the matter, the board decided to reveal that Kurz's contract sets a rate of $100 per billable hour.
Kurz told the board that he did not mind if the number was made public, but that he was concerned it would erode attorney-client privilege between himself and the board.
Board members initially agreed, but were swayed by board member Paul Petrich.
"I don't think there is any need to hold the information like it is something we are hiding," he said. "That is not to our advantage here."
The previous board attorney was paid more, he said.
Taken from his car
Kurz said he has not submitted any bills to the board because time sheet information was stolen from his car on March 15. He said he does not intend to ask for payment for time put in before that date, and that he has logged less than 100 billable hours since.
Kurz's appointment was made after the resignation of all but three board members. The board now has eight members, including one appointed by those three and four subsequently appointed by county commissioners.
The board resolution was made following the efforts of one of those commissioner-appointees, William Kruppa, to obtain information including a copy of Kurz's contract from bureau staff.
Staff members said they heard he planned to pass the information on to Commissioner Joseph Angelo Jr.
"You have a political agenda," accused board member Dominic Baragona. "We are here to promote Trumbull County."
At most county agencies, employee and contractor salaries are considered public and routinely made available to the public. However, convention board members say their organization, which received all its funding from the county's tax on hotel rooms, is a private nonprofit and does not have to reveal this information.
siff@vindy.com