Members take over tourism bureau

The mayor proposed having the bureau lease a historic city building.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HOWLAND -- Trumbull 100 turned over the reigns of the newly formed Trumbull County Tourism Bureau to its board members Thursday, stepping aside at the point where Mary Ann Porinchak was elected chairwoman.
Porinchak, executive director of the National Packard Museum, ran the rest of the meeting, at Avalon Inn and included organizational items the members began to tackle.
In addition to the chairwoman, members also selected Dennis Malloy vice president; Jim Economus, treasurer; and Dave Smith, secretary. Malloy is regional director for Whitetails International. Economus is with Saratoga Restaurant, and Smith is with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.
The bureau also decided to investigate further whether to ask employee Lisa Stiffy to stay on temporarily and whether the current office location should be kept.
County commissioners have an agreement with Stiffy that she work at the tourism office through the end of December for $500 per week.
Some proposals
Warren Mayor Michael O'Brien gave a presentation to the bureau proposing to rent the city's historic Connecticut Land Office Building, 321 Mahoning Ave. N.W., to the bureau for $100 per month for two years.
The building's exterior recently was renovated, and the interior is "ready to go," O'Brien told bureau members.
Jason Earnhart, assistant county prosecutor and legal adviser to the commissioners, offered the current tourism office in the Board of Elections building at Youngstown-Warren Road and Eastland Avenue in Warren for $1 per month for five years.
"We believe this is an offer you can't say no to," Earnhart said.
Vic Rubeinstein of Rubeinstein Associates, Liberty, was on the agenda to make a presentation to the bureau on a possible office location, but he decided to wait until the next meeting when more members might be present.
He did say the location would be in Liberty, near the Interstate 80 interchange.
The bureau also gave preliminary discussions to items such as choosing an attorney, insurance carrier and a bank, and it approved the code of regulations drafted by Earnhart.
Other bureau members are Kate Blaney of Sharon Speedway; Sharon Grover of Ridgeview Farms Country Tours; Paul McMullin of Yankee Run Golf Course; Nancy Merlo of Holiday Inn MetroPlex; Brian Tallion of Avalon Inn; and Commissioner Daniel Polivka.
The Trumbull 100, a philanthropic group, proposed the new tourism bureau to the county commissioners with the help of Earnhart.
Trumbull 100 selected the start-up members. Eventually the bureau will elect a trustee board.
runyan@vindy.com