Pushback on Poorman Signs

LOCK HAVEN—The name Stephen Poorman or a derivation thereof has been increasingly seen on buildings across the City of Lock Haven in recent years as Poorman and his wife Pamela enter into gift agreements in return for signage.

But the most recent Poorman gift/sign placement effort has meant with resistance from the local board of the Salvation Army.

Lettering along the Salvation Army Citadel on E. Church St. was recently installed; it read, “Community Center, Supported by Poorman Family.”

After the listing went up the Salvation Army Advisory Board’s executive committee had an emergency meeting last Friday and recommended the sign come down. Board vice-chairman Joseph V. Sanders III told the Lock Haven Express, “The people are spiritually destroyed.”

Poorman immediately had the sign covered and told the local daily he would be happy to meet with the local board in an effort to resolve any differences. The signage was reported in recognition of a gift of ultimately more than half a million dollars over a period of time. That agreement had been forged with Salvation Army officials earlier this year and the local board said it had not seen any drawings for the sign.

The Poorman name has been seen in prominent places throughout the community in recent years, including the Clinton County Historical Society’s Poorman Gallery, Lock Haven University, Highland Cemetery and the Lock Haven YMCA.

Poorman has been a constant critic of Lock Haven city government and the appearance of his name on public buildings has been met with some degree of resistance; The Record has learned there have been some membership departures at the YMCA since Poorman lettering went up there.

The Record has also learned that Clinton County government last year had entered into a dialogue and some level of agreement with Poorman about some kind of name recognition at the Susque-View Home. The county commissioners serve as trustees for the home which operates as a non-profit agency. The Record requested access to the trustee meeting minutes but was told by Susque-View solicitor Paul Ryan those minutes are not available to the public.

And there was no comment from the county relative to a report that a sign company earlier this year went to the home to install a sign with Poorman’s name on it but was turned away. A spokesman for the county indicated there could be some statement at a later time.