<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT 99(i)

                                     CHARTER
                                     OF THE
                              JOINT AUDIT COMMITTEE
                                     OF THE
                               BOARDS OF DIRECTORS
                                       OF
                               COMM BANCORP, INC.
                                       AND
                        COMMUNITY BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Joint Audit Committee (the "Committee") of Comm Bancorp, Inc.
and Community Bank and Trust Company (collectively, the "Company") is to oversee
the accounting and financial reporting processes and the audit functions.
Specifically, the Committee assists the Boards of Directors' oversight of:

     -    The integrity of the Company's financial statements;

     -    The audit by the public accounting firm registered with the Public
          Company Accounting Oversight Board (the "registered public accounting
          firm") of the Company's financial reports;

     -    The Company's reports on internal controls;

     -    The registered public accounting and internal auditing firms'
          qualifications and independence; and

     -    The performance of the Company's internal audit function.

In addition, the Committee shall undertake the responsibilities described in
this Charter, oversee compliance with all significant applicable legal, ethical
and regulatory requirements related to accounting and financial matters and
report regularly to the Boards of Directors concerning its activities.

MEMBERSHIP

The Committee shall consist of at least three members, all of whom are members
of the Company's Board of Directors, in good standing. Each member must satisfy
the independence requirements applicable to the Securities and Exchange
Commission, The NASDAQ Stock Market(R) and any related banking laws. Committee
members shall have knowledge of the primary industries in which the Company
operates and must be able to read and understand fundamental financial
statements, including the Company's consolidated balance sheet, statement of
income and comprehensive income, statement of changes in

                                        1
<PAGE>

stockholders' equity and statement of cash flow. At least one member of the
Committee must be a financial expert having past employment experience in
finance or accounting, requisite professional certificate in accounting or
comparable experience or background which results in the individual's financial
sophistication, including being, or having been, a chief executive officer or
other senior officer with financial oversight responsibilities. On an annual
basis, the entire Boards of Directors, based on the recommendations of the
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, shall appoint members of the
Committee and select the Committee chairperson.

AUTHORITY

The Committee shall have sole authority for the selection, appointment,
oversight and replacement of the registered public accounting and the internal
auditing firms and approval of all terms of engagement, including compensation,
for both audit and non-audit functions performed by these firms. The Committee
shall be responsible to ensure the independence of the registered public
accounting and internal auditing firms. Both the registered public accounting
firm and the internal auditing firm are ultimately accountable to the Committee,
as a representative of the stockholders. Accordingly, these firms will report
directly to the Committee. The Committee shall review and concur in the
appointment, replacement, reassignment or dismissal of the internal auditor of
the Company. The Committee has the authority to engage independent counsel,
accountants or other advisors, as it deems necessary, to carry out its duties.
Appropriate funding for such engagements and those of the registered public
accounting and internal auditing firms will be determined by the Committee and
provided by the Company. The Committee shall also have the authority, to the
extent it deems necessary or appropriate, to require the Company to provide the
Committee with the support of one or more of the Company's employees to assist
it in carrying out its duties. The Committee may, at any time, request any
officer or employee of the Company or any independent counsel, accountants or
other advisors to attend a meeting of the Committee or to meet with any members
of, or appointed representative of, the Committee.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Committee shall meet regularly and shall be responsible for assisting the
Boards of Directors' oversight of the integrity of the Company's financial
statements, the audit by the registered public accounting firm of the Company's
financial reports and the Company's reports on internal controls, the registered
public accounting and internal auditing firms' qualifications and independence,
and the performance of the Company's internal audit function.

                                       2
<PAGE>

The Committee shall be responsible for the interaction between the registered
public accounting firm and the Company, including the resolution of any
disagreements between management and this firm regarding accounting processes
and financial reporting.

The Committee shall obtain from the registered public accounting firm a written
statement delineating all relationships between the auditor and the Company,
consistent with Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, and shall engage in
a dialogue with such firm with respect to any disclosed relationships or
services that may impact the objectivity and independence of the firm.

The Committee shall approve, in advance, all non-audit services, which may be
performed by the registered public accounting firm. The Committee shall evaluate
any proposed non-audit services to ensure these services are permissible by
applicable laws or regulations.

The Committee shall review and approve the scope of the registered public
accounting firm's engagement and the plans of the internal auditing firm and the
internal auditor of the Company in order to assure completeness of coverage,
eliminate redundancy and promote the effective use of audit resources.

The Committee shall review the registered public accounting firm's management
letter and management's response to this letter. The Committee shall also review
all internal audit reports, and the reports provided by regulatory agencies,
along with management's response to these reports. The Committee shall ensure
all audit findings of the registered public accounting and internal auditing
firms have been resolved satisfactorily and within a timely manner.

The Committee shall review, in conjunction with the registered public accounting
and internal auditing firms, and the Company's internal auditor, executive and
financial management, all critical accounting policies, practices and financial
disclosures and the adequacy and effectiveness of the internal controls. When so
indicated, the Committee should review management's handling of any item that
may have a material impact on the financial statements and identify material
inadequacies and reportable conditions in the internal controls over financial
reporting and compliance with laws and regulations.

The Committee shall have procedures in place which allow for the receipt and
retention of, and response to, complaints received by the Company regarding
accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters, and the
confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company of concerns
regarding questionable accounting and auditing matters.

                                       3
<PAGE>

The Committee shall review, on an annual basis, the charter of the Joint Audit
Committee, reassessing the adequacy of this charter, and recommend any proposed
changes to the Boards of Directors. The Committee shall ensure management's
timely public disclosure of any such amendments in accordance with regulatory
guidelines, and in all events, post the amended charter on the Company's
website.

The Committee shall prepare the report to be included in the Company's annual
proxy statement.

The Committee shall review and approve all related party transactions.

RELIANCE ON INFORMATION

In performing their responsibilities, Committee members are entitled to rely on
good faith and information, opinions, reports or statements prepared or
presented by one or more officers or employees of the Company whom the Committee
members reasonably believe to be reliable and competent in the matters
presented, independent counsel, accountants or other advisors as to matters
which the Committee members reasonably believe to be within the professional or
expert competence of such person, or another committee of the Boards of
Directors as to matters within its designated authority which the Committee
members reasonably believe to merit confidence.

                                        4