Commission approves one-year contract with Pittsburgh Area Chamber to run Explorer Crawford County

The Crawford County Commission voted to grant a one-year services contract to the Pittsburgh Area Chamber of Commerce to continue administering Explorer Crawford County, approving a modest increase in annual county support from $41,000 to $43,000. The contract keeps two office spaces in the chamber complex at 4th and Pine and funds shared administrative services, including the chamber administrative assistant, Tina Hadarick, and CFO Jackie Symancic, who handle visitor packet fulfillment and financial reporting for the program.

Blake Vincent, identified in the agenda as the Pittsburgh Area Chamber president, told commissioners the arrangement has existed “as we have done every year since 1987” and described the chamber’s role as a backstop for staffing transitions and as a one-stop location for both tourist and economic development inquiries. The chamber presented the $43,000 request to cover rising costs while maintaining existing services.

Commissioners discussed the contract’s history and scope; one commissioner observed the agreement had been narrowed over the years into a services agreement rather than a broader contract and supported continuing the partnership. On a motion recorded during the meeting, the board authorized the chairman to sign the renewal and voted in the affirmative.

The contract was presented as a one-year renewal; commissioners noted the county can revisit the arrangement after the term if needed. The county clerk had listed the item on the consent agenda read aloud at the start of the meeting and the chamber presentation and vote took place during new business.