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Newberry supervisors table events‑committee resolution after public objections, Sunshine Act questions
Summary
After public comment and internal debate about transparency and potential conflicts, Newberry Township supervisors voted to table Resolution 2026‑08, which would formalize the Events Committee and restrict supervisors from voting as committee members. Residents and committee volunteers said the change would hamper a volunteer‑led program.
The Newberry Township Board of Supervisors on Jan. 5 tabled a resolution that would formally establish the Newberry Township Events Committee and restrict supervisors from serving as voting members, after residents and some supervisors raised concerns about transparency and the committee’s volunteer origins.
At the reorganization meeting, several residents told the board they feared the resolution would "handicap" a group that grew from volunteer efforts. "I've put my heart and soul into this committee," said Dominish Miller, who identified himself as the founder of Preserving the History of Newbury Town and a co‑founder of the events committee. "I'm asking the board to recognize the value of the people who have built these programs from the ground up."
A supervisor who addressed the meeting said the events group became an official township committee by Resolution 2025‑13 on March 25, 2025, and that designation carries Sunshine Act requirements including advertised agendas and published minutes. The same supervisor alleged the committee had, at times before formal approval, involved township staff and incurred expenses without open‑meeting approval, saying "Supervisor Schellenhammer used her position without authority or approval to enlist township manager, the public works director, the chief of police and occasionally the lieutenant of police to attend monthly meetings during regular business hours" and that the committee spent just over $1,800 on a May festival without board approval.
Supervisor Diane Schellenhammer disputed the characterization and asked to receive the specific allegations so she could respond with meeting minutes and records. "This is all brand new, and he's accusing me of something that is quite incorrect," she said.
Multiple residents and committee members urged compromise: Norman Sites, an events committee member, said the group began as unpaid volunteers and relied on donations; business owner Terry Veneta warned that removing supervisors or narrowing participation could discourage private support. Gary Hatter suggested rewriting the resolution to explicitly allow liaisons without voting power.
After debate about authorship and whether the draft had been shared with all supervisors, the board voted to table Resolution 2026‑08 until the next board meeting to clarify language on voting, roles, and Sunshine Act compliance.
The board’s action leaves the events committee’s status unresolved: appointments that would have followed adoption were paused because the resolution was not adopted. The board said it will return to the item at a future meeting with revised language and additional information for the public.
