HOLLIDAYSBURG — Blair County commissioners are leaning toward creating a countywide trail and recreation authority. But they delayed action pending further discussion and consultation with their Pittsburgh solicitor on the steps to move in that direction.

“I think that all three of us support forming the entity,” Commissioner Laura Burke told Commissioner Chairman Dave Kessling, who offered the motion to create the authority. “But a lot of discussion needs to go into the details of that.”

Commissioner Amy Webster also spoke of her support for the idea and a desire to define the authority’s responsibilities.

“We don’t have any kind of management agreement or directive as to what they would be doing,” Webster said.

Kessling told his fellow commissioners that he agreed with the need to outline what the authority does, but thought that could be accomplished after passing a motion to create the authority.

Burke and Webster, however, spoke of their desire to first define what the authority will do. They also spoke of consulting legal counsel about the tasks involved in creating the authority which could require development of an ordinance and following a required process for adoption.

When former county commissioners, in November 1996, created a seven-member authority to build a convention center, the Altoona Mirror reported that they did it by adopting an ordinance which made the authority responsible for pursuing money, finding a site, constructing the convention center and managing the facility. At that time, the authority was working with the Allegheny Mountains Convention and Visitors Bureau, which handled many of the authority’s administrative tasks.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Kessling said he believes the county can create a trail and recreation authority without relying on county tax dollars.

He suggested using American Rescue Plan Act dollars, then potentially bed tax revenue, to get the authority established and running.

In February, commissioners convened a meeting to discuss the future of rail trails, which attracted more than 60 people. Those attending included many speakers who encouraged the county to take a leadership role in future development and trail management because the trails are proving to be economically beneficial.

A week after the meeting held to focus on rail trails, then-Solicitor Nathan Karn advised commissioners that if they wanted to form an authority, they would need to first define the authority’s purpose. He also said that because an authority would likely want to hire an employee to handle day-to-day responsibilities such as pursuing and administering grants and projects, then commissioners should consider identifying some money to support that.

Commissioners, who began in March to rely on the Pittsburgh law firm of Gabriel Fera for legal advice, spoke Tuesday of contacting the firm for help with forming an authority and the associated tasks that could include public meetings and advertising.

“I think we need guidance from our solicitor,” Webster said.

None of the Gabriel Fera lawyers attend weekly commissioners meetings.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.