The Reader Beat: City Council Notes from May 20, 2026
Summary of public comments and ordinances
I attended the City Council meeting on May 20 at 6 p.m. Councilman Troop was absent. A public hearing was held at 7:30 p.m. to discuss designating the Former South Erie Iron Works building and Former Labor Temple as historic sites. Public comments addressed the city's budget issue and the wealth gap continuing to widen. Marty Nwachukwu said, "We don't actually have a cost of living crisis, we have a cost of greed crisis." She referenced New York City being able to balance their budget without cutting services or raising taxes. "We need to be really aggressive with the state. They need to be closing the tax loopholes that a lot of these corporations are getting away with," Nwachukwu said. Constituent Cole Schenley discussed needing a higher population in the city to increase the tax base, but that the average family may struggle if services are cut. He also mentioned Pennsylvania Senator Dan Laughlin planning to pressure the city to make cuts to these services, including breaking the firefighters union as Laughlin mentioned in a social media post. "What are we doing for the poorest that live here? I really want you to consider that in everything you do," Schenley said.
Constituent Freda Tepfer referenced the city's budget issue and criticized the resolution to approve the construction of Erie Events' Bayfront Market House. "I am concerned because I know that the county's on the hook for some of the debt that Erie Events incurs and this is yet another nonprofit that won't pump any tax money back into the city," Tepfer said.
The meeting addressed the following ordinances and resolutions:
- An ordinance appropriating $500,000 from the Paving & Sewer Revenue fund for the 2026 Streets Paving passed unanimously.
- An ordinance appropriating $1,000,000 from the Liquid Fuels fund for the 2026 Streets Paving and Street Lighting/Traffic Signals passed unanimously.
- An ordinance appropriating $746,320.44 for the construction phase of 2025 Green Light-Go Funding Program and the W. 12 St. and Pittsburgh Ave. Signal Upgrades Project passed unanimously.
- An ordinance appropriating $205,474 from the PA DCED Local Share Account to purchase a Screener Machine for the Bureau of Streets passed unanimously.
- An ordinance amending Ordinance 26-1958, the Traffic Code of the City of Erie by the installation of stop signs at three intersections had its first reading. The intersections include:
1.) McCarter Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue – stopping at McCarter Avenue.
2.) Atkins Street and Birch Court – stopping at Birch Court.
3.) West 39th Street and Fruit Street – stopping at Fruit Street.
- An ordinance that the city incur lease rental debt of $2,784,063 to be authorized and issued by Erie City Water Authority in connection with the construction, alteration and improvements to the public water distribution facilities, including the customer side galvanized service line replacement project had its first reading.
- An ordinance that the city incur lease rental debt of $8,000,000 to be authorized and issued by Erie City Water Authority in connection with the construction, alteration and improvements to the public water distribution facilities, including the West 12th St. maintenance facility renovation had its first reading.
- A resolution to designate the former Erie Maennerchor Club as a Historic Building and Site passed unanimously.
- A resolution to approve a waterfront conditional use for a new two-story building known as the Market House failed 2-4, with Horton, Pol, Flores, and Titus voting no. Councilwoman Pol spoke out against corporations and nonprofits dividing up the bayfront over the years. Councilwoman Flores connected the conversation to the tax base and budget concerns. "We have to be mindful about the deals we make to entice people to do things here and then later it falls on our taxpayers," she said. "I don't agree with the nonprofit sector making profits but also not paying their taxes when other smaller nonprofits have shown that they can pay their property tax."
- A resolution affirming the importance of the arts and calling upon State and Federal representatives to preserve arts funding in Erie passed unanimously. Councilwoman Schaaf spoke about the importance of art programs in the face of possible cuts by the state. "I, as an art teacher, know kids may not do well in other academics of life but they may thrive in art and that gives them purpose," Schaaf said.
- A resolution receiving communication from Mayor Devlin and confirmed by City Council that Allen W. Clark is recommended to the Honorable Josh Shapiro for appointment as the City of Erie Emergency Management Coordinator passed unanimously.
- A resolution that the mayor and other appropriate city officials are authorized to amend the agreement between the City of Erie and St. Patrick's Haven whereby the city will make available Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding in the amount of $6,174.74 was unanimously tabled.
