The Reader Beat: City Council Notes from November 19, 2025

I attended the city council meeting on Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m. Speakers during public comments encouraged the council to consider a community police advisory board in light of the death of Marchello Woodard. Since Woodard was shot by a state parole officer in July, no arrests or charges have been made. Some constituents discussed town halls happening throughout the city to address inequalities among community members, like No Hate in Our State. Shateria Franklin, Founder of Destiny of Our Daughters and mother of Marchello Woodard's youngest son, spoke at the event at the Erie Art Museum on Nov. 13. "She spoke so clearly, so personally, and really so generously not just for herself but for every person in this city and for the need for transparency, accountability, and justice," Constituent Mimi O'Conner said. "Throughout most of her presentation she had tears running down her face." Before the council addressed ordinances and resolutions, they held a public hearing on a possible new residential build in the West Bayfront neighborhood. 

• At the request of the Planning Department and recommendation of the Planning Commission, pursuant to Official Ordinance No. 80-2005, known and cited as the revised Zoning Ordinance of the City of Erie, City Council held a public hearing during the meeting to consider: 1. A 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 9 consolidated vacant lots on the intersections of Front Street, Short Street, and Myrtle Street East 263 West Front Street, Erie, PA, located in a W-R Waterfront Residential district. Council member Flores expressed concern about the apartment building potentially blocking the view of the water for current residents in the area. Constituent Chanel Caljean mentioned that Erie is a community-centric city but did not see any shared community space on the building's grounds. Constituent Martha Nwachukwu brought up the historical and cultural significance of the neighborhood for the BIPOC community and encouraged the developers to consider it in their planning
• 2. A request to re-zone parcel tax id. number 18-053-0020-30300 from R-1 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.
• An ordinance appropriating $34,268 of program income generated through the HOME program through the HOME (M18) projects passed unanimously. 
• An ordinance appropriating $1,000 from a donation made by the McDonalds 9/11 Fundraiser passed unanimously. 
• An ordinance appropriating $1,000 from a donation made by the Irish Wolfhound Association of Lake Erie passed unanimously. 
• An ordinance determining to incur lease rental debt; evidenced by the guaranteed revenue note in the amount of $12,000,000.00 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 but not limited to, the Sigsbee/RSW pump stations, Sigsbee valve vault, and line replacement project and paying related costs, fees and expenses passed unanimously.
• An ordinance determining to incur lease rental debt; evidenced by the guaranteed revenue bond in the amount of $3,032,351.00 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 but not limited to, the customer side galvanized service line replacement project – phase three and paying related costs, fees and expenses passed unanimously.
• An ordinance appropriating $1,000 for K9 training passed unanimously.
• An ordinance adopting the general fund and certain other budgets for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2026 had its first reading and was not voted on. 
• An ordinance fixing the tax rate at 14.12 Mills for all City purposes for the Fiscal Year 2026 had its first reading and was not voted on. 
• An ordinance appropriating $15,000 for K-9 via donations had its first reading and was not voted on. 
• An ordinance amending the Codified Ordinances of the City of Erie, Part Nine Utilities and Public Service Code, Title Seven - Other Public Services Article 951 - Residential Refuse - Section 951.09 - Garbage and Refuse Collection Fee increasing the quarterly collection fee from $322.93 per year. The annual collection fee shall be assessed against each dwelling unit and billed on a quarterly basis. The ordinance had its first reading and was adopted 4-3 with Witherspoon, Brzezinski and Titus voting no. 

• A resolution that Ryan Bergquist is reappointed to the Erie City of Erie Airport Authority by Council Member Nelson for a five-year term
• A resolution that Janelle DiFuccia is reappointed to the Erie City of Erie Blighted Property Review Committee by Council Member Nelson for a two-year term
• A resolution that Erie City Council member Ed Brzezinski reappoints Heather Harrington, Esq. to the City of Erie Water Authority as a representative of Millcreek, PA  in her first full-term.