Erie's mayor and county executive will meet later this week to start the process of picking a new board for the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority, or EMTA.

The entire board recently resigned at the request of those top leaders.

More than 50 applications were submitted for the nine member board.

County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper  says they are looking for a diverse board willing to work together.

Her goals are choosing applicants with knowledge of finance, construction and personnel.

Plus people who ride the buses.

Their top priority will be picking a new executive director to replace Lynn Schantz who recently resigned.

Dahlkemper said, "Their first line of business is to find the next director of the authority, and that will be a big task they have to be involved in. We want people with the ability to do that to find the right person to run the organization."

Dahlkemper and Erie Mayor Joe Schember  hope to have their recommendations ready for city and county council to consider early next month.