Panel on government change to disband

staff report

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — A commission that formed to study whether Lawrence County should change its form of government is not going to pursue that question any further and will disband.

The commission voted 6-5 at its meeting last week to cease discussing changes.

The commission had been discussing whether to recommend a change from three commissioners to a council-manager form of government.

David Kennaday, the commission chairman, said the panel will have at least one more meeting to prepare a final report, then it can disband.

Kennaday, who voted to continue studying change, said he is disappointed “because we didn’t get the chance to consider all the possibilities.”

The Lawrence County League of Women Voters was behind the effort to get the question of whether to have a study commission on the ballot last November. It was the second time the league had tried. Voters turned down the first commission’s recommendation, for a council-manager type of government, five years ago.

League president Ruth Ray said Monday she did not want to comment.