Future is uncertain for vocal hall of fame

Jim Winner says he will seek action in civil or criminal court.
STAFF/WIRE REPORTS
SHARON, Pa. -- The future of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame is unclear after the removal of memorabilia from the East State Street facility and the continuing squabbling among current and past officials.
Sharon police arrived at the hall Tuesday night when Bob Crosby, its chief executive officer, was directing workers to remove memorabilia, chairs, glass cases and other items into rental moving trucks. The hall of fame was housed in a building owned by James E. Winner Jr.
Jack Campbell, special projects manager for Winner Holdings, was also there and told police Crosby was removing items in the hall that were owned by the Vocal Group Hall of Fame Inc., a company created by Winner to form the hall in 1997.
Police allowed Crosby to take what had already been loaded on a truck and told the men to resolve the matter in court.
Where the items are
The items were moved to the Columbia Theater a few blocks down the street, which Tony Butala, the hall's chairman and founder, owns and is hoping to renovate.
Winner, who along with Butala was most responsible for the hall's creation, said Wednesday that the hall had improperly removed property he and others owned.
"Basically they took everything that wasn't nailed down," Winner said.
Winner added that he would pursue a case in either civil or criminal court.
Earlier this month, Winner, who withdrew his involvement in the hall in 2001, suggested that Butala step aside and let someone else try to save the hall.
He said that he has no desire to run the hall but charged the Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation has failed to keep its word and legal commitments to him, has failed to pay a number of businesses for expenses incurred during the past two years' induction concerts and is creating no value to the community today.
Butala accused Winner of interfering and trying to profit from the nonprofit hall.
Frank letter
"Quite frankly, you have interfered and muddled enough," Butala, an original member of the Lettermen, wrote in a letter to Winner.
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was founded in 1996 to recognize vocal groups and singers such as Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, Little Anthony and the Imperials, The Four Seasons, The Jackson 5, Peter, Paul and Mary and The Temptations.
Hall officials announced earlier this month that they were about to sign a media product distribution agreement that will pay off the hall's debt.
Final approval awaits
Atty. Ron Amrhein, representing the hall, said the contract with a distribution company for the hall's DVDs, CDs and other media products from its 2002 and 2003 induction concerts was waiting for final approvals.
The contract provides for international distribution of those products.
Crosby said the deal will be enough to at least pay off the hall's $200,000 debt.
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