Washington County Commissioners were informed at their agenda meeting that their request for more detail in how the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency spends their money has been denied. According to Agency President Jeff Kotula, the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records determined that the agency is a private, non-profit corporation, independent of county governmental control. That determination does not sit well with Washington County Commissioner Chairman Nick Sherman who maintains that because the county allocates about $2.5 million per year to the agency, they deserve more transparency on how funds are spent. The Agency previously shared spending records with the county before the open records request was made. Sherman maintains that 80% of the money spent by the Agency is on administrative costs. Kotula says the reimbursement figure related to the tourism program is just over $700,000 and includes not only salaries and benefits, but operational costs like rent, insurance, telephones and copiers. He says that other peer counties spend in the neighborhood of $1.2 million on salaries alone. Sherman counters by saying that money could be better spent by adding additional events to attract tourism and have those tourists spend their money in county hotels, the casino and local businesses. He would like to see a sports complex and convention center developed. Sherman stated that the ruling will now be appealed to the common pleas court.