The Reader Beat Monthly Recap

The Reader Beat aims to cover city and county council meetings as well as other important government and community-related meetings and events. The following is a summary of each meeting for the month of March.

City Council March 5:

An ordinance in the sum of $50,000 administered by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for a Community Partnerships program grant was passed unanimously. City Council President Mel Witherspoon was honored by the Police Athletic League for his work in youth programs. "PAL is a very important part of our community. It's an excellent program," Witherspoon said. "A lot of kids need direction and many of them don't get hugs when they go home." Public comments addressed immigration and ICE detainment concerns in Erie.

County Council March 11:

An ordinance amending the Erie County Administrative Code to establish restrictions on the use of county resources and to limit their use to official government business passed unanimously. This was an important issue and talking point across a few county council meetings, in particular, the way County Executive Brenton Davis and his administration have been using the official County Council Facebook Page. Borough Manager of Wesleyville Marcus Jacobs encouraged council to pass the ordinance, saying, "Make sure that county resources, especially public information resources, are kept clear, or at least transparent."

City Council March 19:

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 adopted on first reading 7-0. Some public comments addressed this ordinance. "I'm an immigrant from Colombia and I've seen the real consequences of an open-armed conflict," Carlos Mora said. Following the City Council Meeting on April 2, this ordinance failed at the final passage with a tie vote.

County Council March 25:

An ordinance overrode the County Executive's veto of an ordinance to establish restrictions on the use of county resources and to limit their use to official government business unanimously. Another ordinance overrode the County Executive's veto of an ordinance for supplemental appropriation of $138,793 for revised revenue and expenditures in the Courts Computer Bureau and Waiver of the Human Resources Code Section 7 and was passed 5-2 with Council Member Charlie Bayle and Council Member Ellen Schauerman voting no.

Environmental Advisory Council March 26:

A presentation on Erie's carbon emissions in 2023 by Pennsylvania State University showed that transportation produced the most greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 37 percent of the total emissions. Industry came in second with 27 percent and residential in third with 19 percent. The students suggested that more accessible public transportation, electric bikes and scooters, and low-emission vehicles could lower Erie's carbon footprint in transportation. Director Jacqueline Spry brought up the possibility of modifying the 100 buildings that the city owns to be more energy efficient. "We could do a local government operational inventory of all of your facilities," Dr. Peter Buck, the co-director of the Local Climate Action Program at Penn State said. "The [Local Climate Action Plan] would be very eager to have you as part of our cohort next year."

Following March's County Council meetings, the tension between council and the Davis administration is palpable. Public comments and council members alike have expressed frustration. "That's a little ridiculous that we can't do our job for the public of Erie County because somebody is having a hissy fit," Chairman Terry Scutella said during the March 25 meeting while addressing issues the council was having in getting information out to the public and his interest in having the courts take over IT work as opposed to the Davis administration.

What's coming up this month?:

County Council Meeting, April 8 at 6 p.m.

City Council Meeting, April 16 at 6:30 p.m.

County Council Meeting, April 22 at 6 p.m.