A Follow-up on Erie's Open Container Clash

Contributed

After City Council chambers were packed with opponents to a proposed city-wide open container ban, and after hearing comments from over 25 citizens, advocates, and brewers, the ordinance was tabled and unlikely to see the light of day any time soon. Local brewer Jeff McCullor reports on the proceedings.

Great job beer citizens! We did it. The last time you read my words, we were mere moments ahead of an Erie City Council meeting. The agenda was topped with the second reading and impending vote of a proposed ordinance that would effectively ban our open container privileges.

At the second reading of the ordinance, roughly 25 folks had their five minutes of podium time, myself included, and Councilmember Ed Brzezinski motioned to table the whole shebang without a vote. Councilmember Tyler Titus seconded. The ordinance now sits in legislative purgatory with a five-member majority vote needed to get it off the table in its current form. As I understand it, the votes to de-table it simply aren't there. So the situation remains unchanged. Keep taking your beers on your dog walks or continue freely bouncing from brewery to brewery as you take in our city's microbrewery scene.

A majority of the concerns brought before council centered around the unreasonable targeting of Erie's marginalized community. One supremely memorable phrase mentioned was, "if you don't have a home all your containers are open." Talk about poignant.

The folks I walked with from Lavery Brewing Company to City Hall (with a fresh beer in-hand of course) posed no immediate threat to anyone's well-being. In fact it was a bright and shiny example of a full embrace of our privilege and what we all hope travelers do when they visit our area from elsewhere. We all spent time at local businesses buying food and tipping bartenders — you know, supporting, before simply taking our beers with us on a walk downtown.

So now what? How do we proceed with improving our city for everyone? To dovetail off some of the topics brought up to council — can the local government provide enhanced guidance or assistance to the unhoused population amidst this crazy housing crisis so they can properly put a roof over their heads? Do the glorified vending machines commonly known as PA Skill Games really contribute to growth in our community? Can we limit predatory business practices without overtaxing enforcement?

While council wrestles with these (far more pressing) issues at hand, does anyone want to have a pint in the park? I'm down.

Jeff McCullor is the co-owner of Erie Ale Works. He can be reached at jeff@eriealeworks.com