But the meeting itself has created a new squabble, with some authority members and convention center supporters refusing to attend since it was not organized by a majority of the seven-member board.

Board members Laura Douglas, Deb Hall and Jack Craven will host an information meeting at 7 p.m. at the Farm and Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, off Manheim Pike.

The three say the forum will give residents a chance to ask questions about the project — questions the members say aren’t allowed during the authority’s regular monthly meetings.

However, authority board president Ted Darcus called tonight’s meeting “unheard of” and said he won’t be there.

“I think it is very much not the proper way to conduct business when you belong to an authority board of seven members,” Darcus said.

Tom Baldrige, president of The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said he also did not plan to attend.

Baldrige said he found it distressing that the meeting was even scheduled to be held, since it was not organized by a majority of the authority members.

“How could that possibly be helpful for bringing the community together around challenging issues?” he said.

Douglas, Craven and Hall said this morning that no official action will be taken at tonight’s meeting.

“This is a fact-finding meeting,” Hall said. “It is not about destroying a project. It is about doing what is right for the city in a responsible manner.”

Commissioner Molly Henderson, who opposes the convention center, recently sent an e-mail encouraging people to attend tonight’s meeting.

“County commissioners for the last month all three of us have been encouraging individuals to attend convention center authority meetings because that would be an ideal place to get their questions answered,” she said.

But Henderson said a scheduling conflict will keep her from attending.

Commissioners Dick Shellenberger and Pete Shaub did not return calls this morning for comment.

Douglas, who joined the authority board in September, said the cost of hosting tonight’s meeting was being paid for by the authority.

She added that more such meetings could be scheduled.

“If we need more, we’ll have more,” she said.

The Lancaster New Era is owned by Lancaster Newspapers Inc., a limited partner in hotel developer Penn Square Partners.