The Reader Beat Monthly Recap

The Reader Beat aims to cover city and county council meetings as well as other important government and community-related meetings. The following is a summary of each meeting for the month of April.

City Council Meeting on Wednesday, Apr. 2:

An ordinance amending Part 7, General Offences, to establish Article 723, entitled "Unlawful Manufacture of Firearms" to add prohibitions on the use of 3D printers, to impose prohibitions relating to the transfer, use, or conversion of unfinished firearms, the manufacture of firearms, and to prescribe additional penalties for violations of the Article was motioned to be tabled but failed in a tie vote. Councilmembers Jasmine Flores, Chuck Nelson, and Tyler Titus voted no to tabling the ordinance. Following that, the council voted on the ordinance but also failed due to a tie vote, with councilmembers Mel Witherspoon, Ed Brzezinski, and Maurice Troop voting no. Brzezinski suggested holding off on the ordinance until after the Supreme Court makes a ruling on a similar ordinance passed in Philadelphia. Public comments also raised concerns over this ordinance, claiming that it is considered a gun ban which is prohibited by state law. Constituent Keith Hammer said, "We need to focus more on crimes that are actually hurting people. There's only been two cases in the City of Erie that I can find where they've had so-called ghost guns."

County Council Meeting on Tuesday, Apr. 8:

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 passed unanimously. The primary issue during the meeting arose during public comments, where many constituents emphasized taking the county budget audit to the Pennsylvania Auditor General in light of an Erie Times News article highlighting a report from the County Controller's Office, revealing that County Executive Brenton Davis made changes to the 2025 budget without council approval. Candidate for County Executive Perry Wood said: "I just want to say thank you to the people that came here today and stuck up for this issue and reminded you that the power of the purse string lies with you. It's your responsibility to make sure that an entity like the Auditor General's Office looks into this."

City Council Meeting on Wednesday, Apr. 16:

An ordinance for the sum of $5,000,000 for upgrades to the expERIEnce Children's Museum Facility and pass-through funding provided from the PA Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) Grant was passed unanimously. The council chambers were full of constituents, some there to express their concern about immigration and detainments in Erie. Specifically, some speakers referenced a video of a man being detained on Parade Street during a traffic stop. Constituents questioned if there was a possible collaboration between the Erie Police Department (EPD) and ICE agents. Carlos Mora of Erie County United referenced Erie's status as a Certified Welcoming City, "If we have decided as a community that Erie is a sanctuary city, we need to hold those values," Mora said. "Erie should not be cooperating with immigration enforcement under any circumstances."

County Council Meeting on Tuesday, Apr. 22:

An ordinance for a supplemental $77,330 to the 2025 library fund budget for state aid-district deferred revenue passed unanimously. This meeting was less than 10 minutes long.

What's coming up this month?

County Council Meeting, May 6 at 6 p.m.

City Council Meeting, May 7 at 9 a.m.

City Council Meeting, May 21 at 6:30 p.m.