Jack Cohen

BUTLER TWP — The Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau on Thursday passed two resolutions aimed at creating more transparency in the organization.

The board passed a resolution governing how it operates public meetings and when it will adjourn to executive session.

The group had already “voluntarily” abided by the state’s Sunshine Act, according to board President Rodney Schaffer, and will continue to do so.

In part, the document reads that although the bureau isn’t by law required to adhere to the Sunshine Act, “the bureau has a solid and proud history of being open, accessible and transparent” in its affairs.

The resolution also confirms that the board will only go into executive session for legal matters, employment issues and the sale or lease of property, the same exceptions that are part of the state’s Sunshine Act.

Jack Cohen, executive director of the bureau, said most tourism groups across the state have a similar resolution that spells out how they govern themselves.

In addition, the board approved a resolution that requires any check totaling more than $1,000 must have two signatures on it before leaving the office. Cohen, the board president and the board treasurer are the only authorized officials able to sign checks.

The resolution came after the board last month eliminated a $500 threshold for checks requiring two signatures. According to Schaffer, most of the bureau’s checks “routinely” exceed $500 or even $1,000.

“We’re very comfortable with that $1,000 figure,” Cohen said. “It doubles where we were at.”

The tourism board met at the Fairfield Inn in Butler Township.

After the meeting, the group met for an all-day planning session to outline the goals of the bureau for this year.