The Reader Beat Recap: May 2026

The Reader Beat aims to cover city and county council meetings as well as other important government and community-related meetings. All of the city council meetings had discussions revolving around affordability and development in the city. These discussions reflected constituents' concerns about rising rent prices, apartment maintenance, and increasing development along the bayfront. The following is a summary of each meeting for the month of April:

City Council Apr. 1: The meeting began with a presentation on the proposed Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) fund allocation. An initiative on improving literacy in the city was proposed. "Literacy, as we've talked about, is a social justice issue in the City of Erie. We have way too many kids who are reading under grade level," Mayor Devlin said, explaining that someone would be hired to oversee programs funded by the CDBG or others to ensure there are literacy components. During public comments, constituents addressed increased cost of living in Erie. Constituent Marty Nwachukwu (40 Under 40 Class of 2019) mentioned the continuing war with Iran and the fuel crisis happening worldwide. "Rent is expensive, utilities have been expensive, healthcare costs are hitting people," Nwachukwu said, referencing that wages in Pennsylvania have not increased in nearly 10 years. "We need to declare a cost of living crisis not only here in the City of Erie, but here in the county, so that we can go to the state delegation and the governor and ask for funds to be released from the Rainy Day Fund." During committee reports, Councilman Horton commented on the contrast between public comments talking about severe pest problems in their apartments and the public hearing for the new Bayfront hotel. "I think there are some continuing conversations to be had with the health department and our building codes people to see to their synergy and intersectionality, because some of these places should be condemned," Horton said. "We know that people live in those conditions for fear of being on the street."

Following the public hearing on March 18, the resolution to transfer a liquor license from The Sandbar Drafthouse & Grille, previously located at 2835 West Lake Road to be used at the restaurant facility on 2104 Hampton Road passed unanimously. However, City Council members expressed their concerns about another bar in the area and emphasized the responsibility of keeping a bar safe in a residential area. "You need security and you need patrons that are being held responsible for their actions," Councilwoman Schaaf said. "We need to hold restaurants, bars, and anyone who has a liquor license accountable. We don't want bad situations for your neighborhood."

County Council Apr. 7: There were few public comments during this meeting. However, Constituent Cyndi Treiber shared that in February she attempted to reach out and discuss with district police chiefs about policies and protocols but received little to no response after multiple follow-ups in March. "I know that you can help. I know that this is important. I'm a 52-year-old white woman from a law enforcement family asking for help, and if you don't help me, no one … is going to believe that you will," Treiber said. The 2026 General Fund Budget revised expenditures of $18,849 for salary increases to the Prison Fund Budget passed 5-2 with Copeland and Drexel voting no.

City Council Apr. 15: Many constituents attended to speak on the proposed market house project on the bayfront as well as affordability issues in the city like higher rent and utilities. The market house plans include a two story mixed-use building east of the previous GAF site adjacent to the Bayfront Convention Center that will carry Erie-made products from a variety of small vendors. Megan Loney of POH Architects discussed the proposed layout, including sidewalks and ornamental landscaping. "We hope to inform future development of the waterfront commercial campus, promoting growth and posterity in the community," Loney said.

Constituents had mixed feelings about the project. Freda Tepfer encouraged the team to use native plants in the landscaping as opposed to nonnative ornamentals. Other constituents had hope for the project yet also expressed concerns around vague statements of what the market would include. "I do wish that there was more intention behind what is actually going to be in this building and I hope that comes out sooner rather than later," Cole Schenley said. Constituent Sydney Zimmerman added that she's unable to make an informed decision on whether she is for or against the project. "We've got to get a little more creative to ensure that we don't have another repeat of what happened in Perry Square," Zimmerman said, explaining that the previous business combining Gordon's Meat Market and Erie Food Co-op in the space ultimately became a Country Fair. "It wasn't successful;  it wasn't meeting the needs of the community. I really think we need to be thoughtful in meeting the needs of the community."

During committee reports following public comments discussing affordability and maintenance of rental properties, councilwoman Flores said: "When I hear all of this development going on and that we're trying to attract more people to these areas – we're forgetting the people who are in the poorest zip code who can't afford these amenities." An ordinance appropriating $350,000 for the construction phase of the Erie Loop Bikeway French Street Project passed unanimously.

County Council Apr. 21: During public comments, some constituents discussed transparency in county government and brought up concerns about Erie County Re-entry Services and Support Alliance (ECRSSA) being disbanded and reinstated under the Adult Probation Department, including the appropriation of $175,484 and five new positions. The ordinance for this action passed unanimously without a first reading on Feb. 26. The personnel meeting on Feb. 19 that discussed this ordinance was not recorded, even though personnel meetings have been recorded and posted online since 2024. Constituents like Michelle Dovishaw called into question the reason for dissolving a program that ran successfully since 2016, explaining that having it run under the jurisdiction of the county's probation department would be counterproductive. "Probation decides if you're acting accordingly or not, and then sends you back to prison or jail. This is a problem and a conflict of interest," Michelle Dovishaw said. "You also have the fear in this city from parolees and probationers resulting from July 2 when Marchello Woodard was killed by his state parole officer."

"You all voted to make a $371,219 budget for a brand new program that has not been created yet, that is still not manned," Cyndi Treiber said. "This was presented to you as an alliance, a project that was not receiving funding." However, Treiber went on to explain that ECRSSA was receiving funding, in part from the District Attorney's office, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), the Erie Community Foundation, and the YMCA. Councilman Copeland explained his vote on the ordinance back in February, saying, "That program had been funded by a hodgepodge of several different grants. One thing that it never had was a local contribution. The DA's money, the PCCD's money, is passed through the state and I think it's really important that the county actually contribute and make a meaningful effort to assist in re-entry efforts."

Coming up this month:

County Council: May 5 at 6 p.m.

City Council: May 6 at 9 a.m.

City Council: May 20 at 6:30 p.m.