The Reader Beat: City Council Notes from April 2, 2025

Following our notes taken during the City Council meeting held on April 2 at 9 a.m.

The City Council meeting was held at 9 a.m. on April 2. Council Member Kathy Schaaf was absent. This was the first City Council meeting I have witnessed as the Reader Beat reporter where ordinances and resolutions have failed to pass. There were points of contention regarding the ordinance addressing 3D printed guns and gun modifications as well as whether to honor wrestler Carter Starocci with a designated street name. During the meeting the council discussed the following ordinances and resolutions. 

• An ordinance amending Part 7, General Offences, to establish Article 723, entitled Unlawful Manufacture of Firearms to add prohibitions on the use of 3D printers, to impose prohibitions relating to the transfer, use, or conversion of unfinished firearms, the manufacture of firearms, and to prescribe additional penalties for violations of the Article was motioned to be tabled but failed in a tie vote. Council Members Jasmine Flores, Chuck Nelson, and Tyler Titus voted no to tabling the ordinance. Following that, the council voted on the ordinance but also failed due to a tie vote, with Council Members Mel Witherspoon, Ed Brzezinski,  and Maurice Troop voting no. Brzezinski suggested holding off on the ordinance until after the Supreme Court makes a ruling on a similar ordinance passed in Philadelphia. Public comments also raised concerns over this ordinance, citing that it is considered a gun ban which is prohibited by state law. Constituent Keith Hammer said, "We need to focus more on crimes that are actually hurting people. There's only been two cases in the City of Erie that I can find where they've had so-called ghost guns." 
• An ordinance in the sum of $19,900 to be used for golf course equipment was passed unanimously. 
• An ordinance amending and supplementing Article 330, Landlord and Rental, by amending subsection 330.03(b)(2), Residential rental unit registration required; to modify the rental registration requirements; to update the rental registration process and procedure; to enhance and improve the health, safety, and welfare of residential renters inside the City of Erie as well as to improve the quality of residential housing was passed unanimously. 
• An ordinance for the sum of $5,000,000 for upgrades to the expERIEnce Children's Museum Facility and pass-through funding provided from the PA Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) Grant was adopted on first reading 6-0. 
• An ordinance for the sum of $80,000 from the Enterprise Zone Revolving Loan Fund for utilization in the Flagship/Commodore Fund was adopted on first reading 6-0. 
• An ordinance determining to incur lease rental debt; evidenced by the guaranteed revenue bond in the maximum principal amount of $3,233,574 to be authorized and issued by Erie City Water Authority in connection with the construction, alteration and improvements to the public water distribution facilities in and about this city was adopted on first reading 6-0. 
• An ordinance for the sum of $400,000 from the Liquid Fuels fund for the 2025 streets paving was adopted on first reading 6-0. 
• An ordinance for the sum of $400,000.00 from the Paving and Sewer Revenue fund for the 2025 streets paving was adopted on first reading 6-0. 
• An ordinance amending Article 101 by adding subsection 101 (c), authorizing a referendum on the question of studying the existing form of government and considering the advisability of the adoption of a home rule charter for the City of Erie was adopted on first reading 6-0. 
• An ordinance amending the Codified Ordinances of the City of Erie, namely Article 951, Residential Refuse, by adding and/or amending certain subsections; to modify the refuse fees for properties with excessive garbage and/or waste; to update the refuse fees for properties with excessive garbage and/or waste; to enhance and improve the health, safety and welfare of residential properties; and to enhance and improve the quality of residential housing was adopted on first reading 6-0. 
• An ordinance for the sum of $100,000 to provide for the purchase of LED lighting upgrades was adopted on first reading 6-0. 
• A resolution  that Erie City Council designates the 1000 Block of West 30th Street as "Carter Starocci 5 X Way"  to commemorate Erie's own wrestler Carter Starocci, after winning an unprecedented 5th NCAA Division 1 Individual Wrestling Championship was motioned to be tabled but failed in a tie vote. Flores, Nelson, and Titus voted no to tabling the ordinance, but the ordinance itself failed to pass due to a tie vote with Witherspoon, Troop, and Brzezinski voting no.