The Reader Beat: County Council Notes from March 25, 2025

Following our notes on the County Council meeting held on March 25 at 6 p.m.

I attended the County Council meeting on Tuesday, Mar. 25 at 6 p.m. Throughout the meeting, the tension between the Brenton Davis administration and council became clear as issues with inefficiency and allocating funds were mentioned by constituents and council members alike. The meeting centered around the following ordinances and resolutions. 

• An ordinance to amend Ordinance 89, 2023 and approve of memorandum of agreement for public safety telecommunicators in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Clerical/Technical Labor Agreement provided the reclassification and promotional wage increases referenced under the attached amendment and approved by council shall be expensed under the current 2025 Public Safety fund budget and not under the transfer of funds by the general fund budget was passed unanimously. President of AFSCME Local 2666 Gary Snyder discussed the importance of eligible funds for 911 operators and encouraged council to pass the ordinance despite budget issues and the current court case.
• An ordinance to override the County Executive's veto of Ordinance 11, an ordinance to establish restrictions on the use of county resources and to limit their use to official government business passed unanimously. 
• An ordinance to override the County Executive's veto of Ordinance 12, 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 passed 5-2 with Council Member Charlie Bayle and Council Member Ellen Schauerman voting no. Chairman Terry Scutella discussed IT issues the council was having in getting information out to the public and his interest in having the courts take over that work as opposed to the Davis administration. "No cooperation, and I'm not saying with the employees, it's with the fifth floor," Scutella said. "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." 
• An ordinance for the supplemental appropriation of $160,736 from the DCED Existing Owner Occupied Housing Grant and the creation of an existing owner occupied housing bureau was not voted on. 
• An ordinance for the approval of a waiver of the bid requirements under the purchasing and sales procedures of the administrative code and approval of a sole vendor contract between Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. and the County of Erie was not voted on. 
• A resolution to approve the amendment to the IGT Agreement between the PA Department of Human Services and the County of Erie was passed unanimously. 
• The possible reappointment of Jack Hewitt to the NWPA Job Connect - Workforce Development Board was passed unanimously. 
• The possible appointment of Sara Shinsky to the Erie County Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission was passed unanimously. 

During public comments, both Paul Johnson and Regina Julius of Wesleyville requested funds to refurbish and update Morrison Park to be ADA compliant. Council Member André Horton responded, explaining that supplemental funds that come from outside of the current budget need to be approved by the County Executive. "If the administration brings forward a supplemental appropriation, you have my support," Council Member Rock Copeland said. "Unfortunately I feel you're being used as a pawn to exacerbate the already tense situation."