ZELIENOPLE — The Cranberry Area Chamber of Commerce's merger with the Northern Allegheny County chamber is unpopular with some Butler County officials.

The merger was announced earlier this summer.

Jack Cohen, executive director of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, told his board Thursday that he had voted against the merger, but the majority of chamber membership had not. In fact, he said, it seemed that most hadn't voted on the matter at all. He offered no statistics to support that claim.

Wayne Conley, president of the tourism bureau and owner of Conley Resort on Route 8 in Penn Township, said he has been a member of both chambers for a long time, as he gets a lot of business from Allegheny County.

"So when the merger vote came up, I didn't say anything, cause it was just fine with me," Conley said.

Cohen, however, said he thinks Butler County could lose some business through the move.

"There is more business in Butler County, so the advantage now goes to the businesses in Allegheny County that will get business that had been going to our businesses."

Cohen also said the Butler County Commissioners had opposed the merger, telling him that Butler County tourism money should not be spent on the merged chamber's events.

Commissioner Dale Pinkerton said he didn't say anything about money to Cohen, but said that "I'm sure if any money is spent, it will be on events that will benefit Butler County."

Pinkerton said he did call the Cranberry chamber to express his opposition to the merger.

"You are the chamber in one of the fastest growing areas in the state, perhaps nation," he said. "Why would you give up your individual identity? How is that going to help the community?"

Gary Basilone, current Cranberry chamber board member, and acting president of the newly formed chamber, said the idea of merging the chambers is not a new idea, dating back to 1990.

Talks were ongoing throughout the decade, with January of this year being the turning point, as each chamber felt it needed the increased membership and support to "take the chambers to the next level," Basilone said.

He said the merger vote showed both memberships in favor of the move that can help expand member services, training, networking and education.

"We hope this will give us a larger voice not only in business development but the overall community development as well," he said.

Also he said he looks forward to working with both the tourism bureau and the commissioners once the new chamber is more organized. The two chambers will not officially merge for about a year.

Jerry Andree, Cranberry Township manager, said those in the political process and those in business see the situation differently.

"Jack (Cohen) and I operate under political boundaries, while business owners see economic markets, and the merger was a surprise to us, but I think it reflects the attitude of the business community, that this is how they see the economic market," Andree said.

He added that, ultimately, he does not think the merger will lead to changes that will hurt Butler County.

"I don't see this as a win or a loss, but as something the chamber did in the best interest of the community and its membership," Andree said.