The Reader Beat: City Council Notes from December 3, 2025

Following our notes taken during the City Council meeting held on December 3 at 9:00 a.m.

I attended the city council meeting on Dec. 3 at 9 a.m. Public comments addressed the resolution brought forward by council to acknowledge the death of Marchello Woodard and to ask for updates regarding the status of the investigation and to release information to the public to the fullest extent permitted by law. Constituent Shateria Franklin, mother of Woodard's youngest son, urged council to pass the resolution, saying: "We hold positions of power to make change, not to make a name for ourselves, not to build our pockets up, but to actually make change." Constituent Susannah Faulkner suggested that a member or members of City Council go to Harrisburg to meet with Governor Josh Shapiro, who has not responded to the letter Mayor Joe Schember and Council sent in July regarding Woodard's death. "You have entry into rooms we do not," Faulkner said. During committee reports, Tyler Titus committed to making the trip to Harrisburg to meet with Shapiro. 

Constituents also addressed the death of 23-year-old Michael Mendralla, who was shot outside of his home on Tuesday. "It is definitely a tragedy that nobody was expecting," Constituent Malcolm Pullium said. "I just want to send my condolences to his family. I know they're grieving hard and it's still fresh in their minds." 

• An ordinance appropriating $15,000 for K-9 via donations passed unanimously. 
• An ordinance appropriating $400,000.00 from an unappropriated fund balance in the Liquid Fuels Fund to be used for the 2025 street lighting and traffic signals had its first reading. 
• An ordinance appropriating a $115,500.00 contribution from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acting through the Department of Community and Economic Development for the Strategic Management Program had its first reading.
• An ordinance appropriating $20,507,447.17 from the City of Erie Capital Bond Fund to be used to fund capital expenditures associated with the Public Safety Complex had its first reading. 
• A resolution pursuant to a public hearing held Wednesday November 19, 2025 in City Council Chambers, 626 State Street, Erie, PA 16501, and with the recommendation from the City Planning Commission, the request for Waterfront Conditional Use submitted by McErie Partners LP, for construction of Multiple-family dwellings, consisting of two three-story buildings totaling 30 units; located on nine consolidated vacant lots from Front Street to Short Street on Myrtle Street East on Short Street as 263 West Front Street, Erie, Pa. located in a W-R Waterfront Residential district was tabled unanimously by council. 
• A resolution pursuant to a public hearing held Wednesday November 19, 2025, in City Council Chambers, 626 State Street, Erie, PA per the request by D. Baldwin of Peach Street Corner LLC & 4125 Peach Street LLC to re-zone parcel tax id. number 18-053-0020-30300 from R1 to C-2 located adjacent to 4125 Peach Street (C-2), to consolidate the two lots to form a single commercial parcel zoned C-2 was approved unanimously and authorizing and directing the City Solicitor to prepare an ordinance to reflect that change.
• A resolution that Erie City Council member Jasmine Flores reappoints Dave Palotas of 215 West 41st Street, Erie, PA 16508 to the Erie City Water Authority to a five year term expiring first Monday of January 2031 passed unanimously. 
• A resolution that Erie City Council designates Chestnut Street between West 3rd and West 4th streets as "James C. Sherrod Way" after his passing, in recognition of his years as Director of the Bayfront NATO Inc./Martin Luther King Jr. Center and his service and contributions to the Erie community passed unanimously. 
• A resolution of the council of the city of Erie calling on the legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to pass legislation to allow for the creation of community energy programs in Pennsylvania passed unanimously.
• A resolution of the Erie city council requesting transparency and timely public updates regarding the death of Marchello D. Woodard and the ongoing investigation by the Erie County District Attorney and the Pennsylvania Board of Probation & Parole The resolution passed unanimously with amendments put forward by Council Member Chuck Nelson, including a request by City Council for the coroner to sign and release the death certificate. "It's particularly a problem because of Marchello's efforts to take care of his children in the untimely event of his passing and it's holding up life insurance for the children," Nelson said. 
• A resolution that the proposed Repository sale of one (1) property commonly known as E. 26th St. 46 x 133, Erie, PA, identified by Erie County Assessment Index Number 18-051-02.0-125.00, by the Erie County Tax Claim Bureau to J&M International Holding Group, LLC, 721 Burnt Tavern Rd., Suite C, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ  08742-4084, in the amount of $250.00 each property was tabled unanimously.
•  A resolution that the proposed Repository sale of one (1) property commonly known as Buffalo Rd. 40 x 140, identified by Erie County Assessment Index Number 18051-026.0-103.00, by the Erie County Tax Claim Bureau to J&M International Holding Group, LLC, 721 Burnt Tavern Rd., Suite C, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ  08742-4084, in the amount of $250.00 each property was tabled unanimously.