Blair Community Action Program hiring outside management

Executive director stepping down; finance director gone

The executive director of the Blair County Community Action Program is resigning; the finance director post has been vacated; and the Blair CAP board has hired Everett-based Center for Community Action to manage the organization.

"At this point, it's temporary," said Blair CAP board president Lisa Hann of the management arrangement with CCA, which has offices in nine counties.

But a management takeover by the larger organization could become permanent, depending on the outcome of planning that the Blair CAP board will be undertaking, according to Hann, speaking in a phone interview Thursday.

Blair CAP Executive Director Christine Zernick's last day is today, according to Hann.

Zernick wanted to return to her "social work roots," with direct service to mental health clients, Hann said.

Zernick gave proper notice and was not under pressure to leave, Hann said. "The board expressed its thankfulness for the year she put in," Hann said.

Hann declined to specify why the finance director left recently, saying it was a human resources matter.

Blair CAP is already advertising for a new finance director.

Whether it advertises for a new executive director will depend on the outcome of the board's planning, she said.

The Center for Community Action, which has a satellite office in Blair County, will assist with day-to-day operations and handling of reports for Blair CAP, Hann said.

Hiring CCA "makes good sense," because CCA has the proper "people and skill set" to handle the role, Hann said.

The agencies have similar functions, according to Hann, when asked whether there is much duplication of effort.

CCA manages the Emergency Rental Assistance Program 2 in Blair County, along with an early learning program, the Employment, Advancement and Retention Network program and other initiatives, according to Hann.

Blair CAP operates a weatherization program in Blair and the Mountain Lion BackPack Program, which CCA does not, according to Hann.

Blair CAP "continues to provide essential services," Hann said.

"I don't know what the future looks like," she said. "We will keep our eye on what is best for the people in Blair."

A message left with CCA's main office was not returned Thursday afternoon.

There was no missing money in connection with the finance director's leaving, despite emailed messages sent to the Mirror in recent weeks, according to Hann.

The accusations seemed to refer to a $1.19 million Emergency Solutions Grant obtained by Blair CAP from the Department of Community and Economic Development and passed through to Family Services Inc., where Hann is executive director, for Family Services' new family shelter, according to Hann.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act grant was open from July 2020 until Sept. 30 of this year, Hann said.

"We expended all those dollars to renovate the shelter," Hann said. "We (Family Services) were the subrecipient."

The grant required Blair CAP to upfront the money, for which it was reimbursed by the state, Hann said.

The party leveling the accusations "clearly has an ax to grind," Hann said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.