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The makeup of the Blair County Planning Commission will take on a new look sometime in 2025.
Plans call for the membership to be changed from representation by municipal type to a representation by planning region, which will roughly follow the school districts.
Presently, three members represent the City of Altoona, three represent the boroughs in the county and three represent the townships in the county. Members are appointed by the Blair County Commissioners.
The change stems from a recommendation in a strategic plan study completed in 2020 by Denny Puko, Planning Consultant LLC.
"There is an informal approval through the Planning Commission, Government Advisory Committee and County Commissioners at this point. With the upcoming by-law review this spring, we will formally change the by-laws to reflect the change," said Planning Director David McFarland.
Presently William Hall, Ben Postles and Linda Smith represent the townships; Herb Shelow, Pat Baechle and Tom Holsinger represent the boroughs; and Jim Dixon, Nick Ardizzone and Larry Carter represent the City of Altoona.
Under the new proposed alignment, Hall would represent Region 1 -- Snyder Township, Tyrone Borough and Tyrone Township; Shelow would represent Region 2 -- Antis Township and Bellwood Borough; Dixon and Ardizzone would represent Region 3 -- the City of Altoona and Logan Township; Postles would represent Region 4 -- Catharine Township, Williamsburg Borough and Woodbury Township; Baechle and Carter would represent Region 5 -- Frankstown Township and Hollidaysburg Borough; Holsinger would represent Region 6 -- Huston Township, Martinsburg Borough, North Woodbury Township, Roaring Spring Borough and Taylor Township; and Smith would represent Region 7 -- Freedom, Greenfield and Juniata townships.
Regions 3 and 5 will have two seats due to population size.
Under the new plan, Carter and Smith would hold "mismatched seats," McFarland said.
"Once the seats are aligned, they will not revert, the seven seats that currently match will not be assigned to a mismatched member, and once Carter and Smith leave, those seats will be assigned to people from within the proper region," McFarland said.
Meanwhile, the terms of Dixon, Hall and Holsinger were due to expire at the end of 2024.
Hall was recently named chairman for 2025 and Dixon as treasurer, so it is believed both will be re-appointed to new four-year terms.
Holsinger said he does not wish to be re-appointed, McFarland said. The commissioners have not indicated when they will announce appointments.
Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.