County Council - Regular Meeting

2026 to order. Please rise for the pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mrs. Showerman. Thank you, Terry. Uh, in honor of Earth Day tomorrow, uh, tonight is from Jane Goodall. You cannot get through a single day with have without having an impact on the world around you. Thank you. Roll call. Mr. Bale

here. Mr. Copelan here. Mr. Drexel here. Mrs. Showerman here. Mr. Wartz here. Mr. Warkski here. Chairman Scutella

here. Next up, Mr. Wartz. You got a lot of that. All right. Joining us today from the Ganon's uh men's basketball team, our coaches Eastston Bazulli and Mike Chalice. Thank you gentlemen so much for being here uh in recognition of your your great accomplishment and the hard work of your team this year. Um we have a uh a citation for you, a proclamation, and uh I'd like to read it here for the audience and for the record. Uh whereas Ganon University stands as a pillar of academic excellence, service, and leadership within Erie County, shaping generations of students and contributing to the vitality of our community. And whereas the Ganon University Golden Knights men's basketball team have inspired our community with their remarkable journey. And whereas through an extraordinary season of competition, dedication, and resilience, the Golden Knights achieved the highest honor in Division 2 basketball by winning the 2026 NCAA Division 2 National Championship. And whereas the success of the Golden Knights has brought pride, excitement, and national recognition to Erie County, uniting our community in celebration and serving as an inspiration to future generations of student student athletes. Now therefore, we the undersigned members of the Erie County Council do hereby congratulate the Ganon University men's basketball team on their historic victory and recognition as national champions. And be it further resolved that Erie County Council commends the players, coaches, and staff for their outstanding achievement and for serving as ambassadors of excellence for Erie County. And be it finally resolved that this proclamation be presented as a

symbol of the pride and gratitude of the people of Erie County. In witness whereof, we, the county council, have set our hands and the seal of Erie County on this 21st day of April, 2026. Congratulations again, guys. Thanks a lot. Congrats. Thank you.

And one additional uh note of recognition for uh Ganon University. uh we don't have prepared for tonight, but we'd like to acknowledge uh another champion uh from Ganon University, Dorian Crosby uh won the D2 National Wrestling Championship this year uh as a a graduate student, a non-traditional student, a father uh really uh pulling out all the stops for his final year of eligibility uh and taking it all the way to the national championship. So, I think we'd like to uh more formally recognize him at at another time, but I I wanted to just acknowledge that uh here tonight as we uh as we celebrate the men's basketball team and all that Ganon's doing.

Hearing of the public. Good afternoon everyone. Uh my name is Deonte Kohley, lifelong area resident. Um I normally don't bring notes, but tonight I brought some notes because last time I came here I spoke about the sunshine act. Um especially about us being able to have our phones and it was great to see Miss Chilcott and Mr. Worst get photos of the gay and basketball team because I would have liked to been able to have my own photos myself but cuz my cell phone is locked up I don't have access to it. Um so what I read was um 7-Eleven use of equipment during readings recording devices except as provided in subsection B a person attending a meeting of an agency shall have the right to use the recording device to record all the proceedings. Nothing in this section shall have pro prohibit the agency from adopting and enforcing reasonable rules from their use under section 710 relating to the rules and regulations for conducts of meetings. This was an issue that was brought up in November of 2022 where there was a closed work session county council had. There was no media coverage and decisions were made about a preliminary budget. This is also a concern brought up in March of 2023 where again people had issues with not being able to have their devices to record for their own concerns. I'm not exactly sure what rules um anybody in this building or in these room in this room that can make that can supersede law, but per sunshine uh act, we should be able to record ourselves and then to literally see an event as such is to somebody come take pictures for you and to watch this lady here take pictures herself. I'm a fan of the game's basketball team. I would like my own photos. Am I able to Hey, send me that. Hey, send me that. You know what I mean? Like, or do I have to wait on this gentleman? And then also, I know recently there was a meeting that you guys held. Um um it was a personnel meeting. There's no recordings. There's no minutes. But last time I was came here, we were told to trust that the recording devices are always working. So

I know also in Burks County, they open the phones for people or they allow people to have their uh phones for these meetings because by law, we as citizens have the right to record these meetings with audio devices and video devices. And that right is being refused of us to where like we can file complaint with the district attorney and it shouldn't have to go there because I'm not here to make a fuss about that. But it's times when I speak I would like somebody to record me from my own personal angle. If somebody's sitting there like you all because things I like to see nice things when things are being presented. I should have the same ability as you just did and you just did right in front of my face. So again, I'm not sure now at this point to witness it happen in front of me and in front of all of these other people and for it to be live streamed and recorded to where why we as citizens should not be allowed to have our phones unlocked. And I would like my phone to be unlocked right now. And I know that you can make the decision to do so. And also per the Sunshot Act, it's not that you guys can't speak to us. is actually encouraged that sometimes you do to engage with us and there's little to no engagement because again I'm still waiting for an email from you from it'll be a year now and outside of that the only people I can really get in contact I can get in contact with Mr. WS Mr. Drexel Mr. I will say that. But as far as that, like when do we have our and then it's kind of intimidating to have all these security. I'm not intimidated by him. Understood what happened last time, but to have it's like seven sheriffs in here right now. That's all my time. Thank you.

Thank you. Can I get my phone? We are going to complain if I don't get my phone. It's the second time I requested.

Good evening. My name is Michelle Dovashaw. um city of Erie. I haven't been able to get to some of these meetings because of working second shift and now I know why I'd like to address the matter of the Erie County Re-entry Services and Support Alliance that was being offered by the Y at the Y. This program has been ran separate from the government from my understanding and it has had excellent results. On February 26, there was a council meeting where there was a packed house because of ordinance 18 to drop the ICE agreement from the Marshall's contract. It was emotional, heated, and then after that went through, you did the first read of ordinance 23 2026 for the appropriation of $175,484 for creation of a new bureau re-entry program with five positions in the adult probations department from the personnel committee, which that meeting was the one he was talking about that wasn't recorded. This is a problem for me because I was told that the ECRSSA would be consumed into the adult probation department and would be under the supervision of both the probation department and the president judge. Have no problem with the president judge. But I have a problem with this program having been sent to probation. This is why if you've never been to jail or prison, you will never know the feeling of people turning their backs on you. You never know the feeling of walking out the door to nothing, losing everything you have and then there's supposed to be people to help you. Then you go to probation and you report to them. You don't want to go to them, but you have to. Now you got to go to them for all the re-entry programs. Probation decides if you're acting accordingly or not, and then they send you back to prison or jail. This is a problem and a conflict of interest to

have this program under the same people that decide if they're going back to prison or not. You also have the fear in the city of paroleies and probationers resulting from July 2nd when Marcelo Woodard was killed by his state parole officer. They are literally in fear of their lives and you approved this program to be mu moved. It was wrong. It is a conflict conflict of interest and it's not okay with me. Also, I was under the impression, but I got a little clarification there's supposed to be two reads for something to get voted on if I'm wrong and I got information on that. It says first read ordinance number 2023 2026 for the appropriation and it was voted on and approved the same day. I had it right here. Same day it was read for the first time. Now, I don't know about you, but $175,000, it didn't require a second read. Just saying. Also, I thought So, we move on to the paperwork approved unanimously by this board in this packet in job descriptions. I'm almost done. I promise. Usually the most important feature of a job description comes first. Am I right? your most. It says for the program manager, it says, and I quote, responsible for coordinating the Erie County Re-entry Services and Support Alliance and servicing as the central point of referral for the United Unified Erie Group and Gun Violence Reduction Strategy launched targeted towards offenders and those trans those transitioning clients returning to Erie after incarceration. How are you already targeting people that are just getting out of prison? So, I'm asking you now,

how is this not a conflict of interest? Or is this another way for the gun task force to be able to use no knock warrants and more people of the BIPO community because that's who it's affecting the most to be returned to Erie County Prison and other counties to make the prisons money. Thank you. Thank you. Is there anybody else that would like to speak?

Hello, council. Uh, my name is Kendrick Tate. Um, I live in the city. Um, I am much more of an observational and reserved kind of person. and I don't really speak often, but sometimes we're obligated to share our understanding of what's going on around us. Uh, first, I want to preface my concerns with my perspective. I don't consider anyone that's been given the authority to make decisions for others to have more value than the person making decisions for their own personal survival. People with authority are given the ability to value themselves differently than those without authority. And those people with authority hold themselves to certain standards that those without that authority aren't able to. You earn the opportunity to have authority. And in all cases of authority, you have a choice to value yourself differently than the people around you or share the value of the people around you. The guidelines and rules that you follow are yours and you have your own standards. But when you are given the authority to make decisions for others, their standards apply to you as well. Authority is a product of a given opportunity and it's not an innate right. Make it clear whether you value your standards differently than the standards of those who gave you the opportunity of authority or if all of these standards share the same value in your eyes. That said, my concerns lie with the standards that this body has set. It spent years in dilemmas with the former county executive on budgetary, administrative, legal, political, and procedural fronts, arguing against unilateral decisions being made and the merit and value of those decisions. This was framed as the central issue from stopping the government from functioning as it should. When the current county executive Vogle was sworn in, the presumption was that council would then be able to work as intended. At the end of February, a unanimous decision was made by this body to take on the responsibility of the nonprofit United Unified ER's re-entry program to pre prevent people from slipping back into

the judicial system. There's a substantial amount of concerns with the justification for that to happen that need to be addressed and those who are more deeply involved in the system and the process deserve to have significant answers. Specifically for myself, I'm concerned with the effects that this transition is having on the current staff that makes up the re-entry program. But for the sake of everyone's understanding, I want the reasoning for why council decided to bypass the initial procedure for taking on the responsibilities of that re-entry program by omitting the public comment and voting after a single hearing of the ordinance. Why there is no record of the presentation that convinced council to take on the responsibilities or discussion about the presentation. Why the takeover of that objectively successful program is necessary. Why this decision was timely for this particular moment. Why County Executive Vogle's certification for funding for new positions to the adult probation department did not state the explicit creation of a new bureau within department with the addition of new line items and why this decision is any different from the unilateral administrative and procedural decisions made by the county executive in the past. I don't I don't subscribe to the idea that authorities changing hands immediately fixes the problems with it. it is given and those that it's given to are trusted with it. That trust is broken when there are understood standards that are not met and those authority with authority have to make the intentional decisions to fix them. This body of council has standards and they have set for themselves and the people who put them in these positions have standards that they've set for them as well. The shared understood standard is change. The people around you with authority have changed because of the intentional decisions of the people who gave you the opportunity of authority. You are trusted to make the intentional decisions to fix the problems with government. And if that trust is broken, your authority will be shortlived.

Thank you. still mine, too.

Hi, my name is Cindy Triber from Edinburgh and um I'm here and I'm very disappointed. I I don't even know what other word to put on this. Rock, I'm sorry for not calling you back, but I have nothing positive to say right now that that would have been mature to say, so I apologize. Um, on February 19th, you had a personnel meeting that was presented information that was erroneous by Amy Isert and Robert Catellini. We have 35 documents now showing that that was erroneous information, including PA stategov. bund budget funding um as to where money was coming from for that program, including funding grants from the ECF, including um statements from employees, um including newspaper articles. We have a plethora of information showing that the information that you were provided was erroneous. Now, we would have loved to been able to see the dialogue, the questions asked, cuz I'm sure you did ask questions. I'm sure you did. Well, I would I would hope and pray that you did. and the dialogue that happened back and forth, the tone of the room, that would have been great. But of 611 meetings on Civic Link and on YouTube, this meeting happened to be the only meeting that does not have a meeting recording. Out of 611 since January of 2024, your personal meetings have been recorded without fail, except for this one. So, you had a meeting with a presentation with information that was erroneous. On the following agenda, you said it was going to be a first reading. You very sneakily voted it would be a second reading as if implied there was a first one. And then you voted on the spot unanimously, which never happens with you guys, ever. Ever. What is deeply concerning is that in one foul

swoop, 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. They do not have anyone to man that as of today. That pro that amount is 30 something,000 more than it would have cost to continue the funding for the existing program. a program that in the spring received $100,000 or in end of January from the Erie Community Foundation and I'm sure they would love to know where their money went since the date on the job creations were 10 days later. This is the kind of stuff when we I don't know if if you're not understanding or you don't care or it's just getting caught up. We know how to research. You cannot eliminate information. Okay. When we're talking about this funding, we're we're talking about a wage package that was already approved before they even came and saw you. We're talking about a benefits package that you guys approved at a meeting without a first reading. This program has a 7% re-entry rate. Seven. I signed up for five minutes and I never got an email back. So, I'm going to speak for a little bit longer because I was not told no. and I will reclaim my minutes. Um, if I'm not told that I cannot have,

you can finish up, but not the whole thing. You've had your three minutes. Um, you didn't sign, we don't have you signed up for five minutes. I can show you the email.

Oh, well, I can't because you don't have my phone. Um what is really concerning to me is um this was presented to you as a a an alliance a project that was not receiving funding as of 2022 according to PAS state gov um forms and documentary budget forms. This funding this program was funded by the Erie District Attorney's Office. This funding has received money from PCCD, from Erie Community Foundation, from the Y. the Y has possibly maybe misused some of the money because the program didn't even get the full $100,000. The 50,000 of it went somewhere else. They had an actual conference in the in the spring that included 15 ECCRSSA had 15 agencies, police departments, hospitals where they all got together and talked about how they could benefit this community. And immediately after that, the program was put on on a Nick's list. They're working with the community. The guy in charge of it is a retired DEA law enforcement. One of their case workers is a veteran or a 42y year incarcerated person. I cannot even imagine a better scenario in which you would want to bring people into Erie. We they were even told this will be my last comment. They were even told that they should not be in existence because people are coming from all over the country out of jail to come into this program. That's how well known it is and how successful it is and they are placing people in industries. McShane welding all over the world. Don John, they go to every interview with every person. We are bringing in new community members. And on the same day that you guys prioritized a certain community by exposing the ICE contract, you marginalized a whole another community

by removing their resources. Like humanity is humanity whether it affects you in your house or not. Thank you. I'm going to tell you I'm going to file whatever I have to file to make this be be done because they're still getting paid. So that means the program hasn't ended. Thank you. Y'all record for me since I can't record for myself. Jim, you can take pictures again. Do you guys have earphones? They do. They were just recording. That's it. I was just You want to speak? We'll give you three minutes. Okay. We're not going to give you answers. Don't bother. We're not going to go into a debate. Another white show's whiteness. Shame on you.

Shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you. You're half in the grade. I'm not doing good night. Is there anybody else that would like to speak?

Hello friends. Uh Caleb Sundance, City of Erie. Um, real quick before I get into what I was going to uh say, I did want to just um express my support for what Deontto was saying about the phones. I think it's very unusual. Um, uh, I don't know why there's really that restriction or I know what I've been told, but uh, it doesn't make any sense. Um, and I see that plenty of other people have their phones. So anyway, um, what I'm here to talk about is, uh, some of you may know about, uh, the flock petition that has been going around recently. Um, if you don't know about the flock safety cameras, uh, it is an a very existential issue that, uh, we should all be paying attention to. Um, it is presented in some way as a, uh, uh, partisan issue. If you're a pro cop, it it seems like some people seem to think that you should be for these cameras. Unfortunately, this is not the case. or sort of fortunately if you recognize the bipartisan nature of this, it uh it would be uh really good to to rally behind getting these uh cameras taken down because uh one example uh is that this is a private corporation that has invasively put a lot of these cameras up. They're not directly in the control of police even. And uh there was an example in Denver, Colorado where someone through uh access of these cameras was able to display all of the movements of the cops in that city for a period of time. So um it I'm a software engineer and I know that uh a lot of this is possible. There's nothing nothing preventing people from doing this and the very premise of PLA of flock safety allows for the facilitation of this sort of vulnerability. um it's a national security threat even unfortunately a lot of the state and national laws have not uh coalesed around uh outlawing this sort of thing um but I am more than confident that laws can be put in place to make sure

that we uh uh differentiate between the types of cameras that are used to facilitate this sort of thing whereas uh traditional uh security cameras and license plate readers uh uh don't have this sort of vulnerability um some of the newer AI powered bird uh cameras uh get really really uh wild when it comes to what is it's possible to do. Um and the vulnerability just continues as more uh AI is used in hacking these sorts of things. If you look up the statistics on uh data breaches for example, they are ever increasing and uh there is no uh there's no secure enough system to prevent that from happening and the incentive is far too large. Um so there's a lot of things that we can do. Um, I can see about uh sending y'all some uh more information on this because there is a lot to unpack here. Um, I will be also around for uh further discussion. Um, I've been looking into this for some time. If you know uh uh I've been speaking to the Mil Creek uh township for a couple months now uh because they recently put some of these um or they helped facilitate put these putting these cameras up in the Mil Creek Mall uh which is very concerning. So, uh thank you.

Thank you. Is there anyone else that would like to speak? Hi there, Teresa Emil City. Uh, first of all, just want to say like I'm so proud of my community. Um, all of these voices, they are amazing and they need to be heard and listened to and really feel what they're saying, you know. So, please pay attention, re-watch the video, see what emotion is going through the community. I think it's really important. Um, I'm speaking on behalf of Trust. It's a team for reimagining unity, safety, and transparency. We are an eclectic group of community members from every corner of Yuri County. We have been working to get House Bill 2299 passed. Currently, it is at the PA State Judiciary Committee. Representative Ryan Bizaro realized the oversight that this bill will resolve. Wiretap act has included all other law enforcement including county sheriffs, state parole officers, and this will add the exclusion of the county parole officers to the act for bodywn cameras. Our ask is for council in your individual capacities. would you please reach and we will reach out um in followup with an email to you, but we would like for you to send an email to the other four PA state representatives to co-sponsor with Ryan Bizaro. Um so that is Robert Murski, Jacob Bana, Patrick Harkkins, and Brad Roy. Um, this is really important and Erie County would appreciate them unified and co-sponsoring HB22 body cameras for

county probation officers like they did recently with HB22000 PA and National Medal Honor Highway. So, they know how to work together. We need to encourage this and this is the body that I need to encourage to help us to do this. So, like I said, we'll follow up after this meeting with an email, include a template if you would not mind just hitting send, add some words yourself. Um, this United Co-sponsorship will go a long way to encourage Dan Laughlin when it arrives on the Senate floor. It also goes without saying to all community members, take this as an invitation to support the community and law enforcement and send letters of support for HB2299. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there anybody else that would like to speak? Is there anybody else that would like to speak? Good evening. Good evening.

How you all doing? Uh I hope I can be as exciting as the the theme tonight. But anyhow, I'd like to say a little bit about the DEI. But first, I've got some good news about the Mississippi schools have gone from 49th to being a top 10 state position for fourth grade learning to read. It's a huge accomplishment and an inspiration for the future of child education. That's good news, huh? Scott, can you state your name for the record?

Oh, yeah. My name Scott Rasteder. uh Gerard Township. Uh most people think of DEI as a racial subject. I believe it is actually encompasses everything just like the balance needed for all environments. The planet needs balance, a symbiotic relation of all living things. Yes, we are a long way off from figuring out all of that. But today is the first day and we are being bombarded with living learning and there are a lot of uh inequities not even thought of in in our day-today lives anymore. Uh the lessons being presented are hopefully going to inspire change. Open minds to break the habits that hinder progress. I told you all about George Washington's farewell address, political parties will ruin our democracy. A quote that is 250 years old. And I told you about Jane Goodall's last words. Apathy is our worst enemy. And that same message we all heard about 60 years ago uh when old Nixon was president. I looked into running for Congress. I believe it is time to bring that office back to the center of the largest population in the 16th Congressional District. The Republicans won't have me because I promoted and voted for the community college. One of the Republican heads said to me, "You could have done better things with that money." But no, that's not true at all. And now look at the college and the Democrats are still hung up on the party

thing. Even though I got them things they tried to get for years. I could run as an independent, but that requires 5,137 signatures on a petition. You have four months to get them, but that is not practical unless you have several hundred people circulating your petition. That is more signatures than it takes to run for governor. I was told that it takes a quarter million dollars or that it would take a quart million dollars. Republicans also told me that they were already grooming someone for the next election cycle. To me, that is not an independent thinking representative of the people. They are like a robot for the status quo. Where there is diversity, equity, inclusion, the balance, it is government, it is government by cult or click. It is not what the founders wanted or expected after gaining independence from a monarchy. The lesson we should learn from this time in our history is we should not wait. Someone may come along that will succeed in changing our country for the worse. Voters, military can be swayed to believe in the talk, persuaded to choose party over country. There are ways to take the money out of politics, to level the playing field, break the bad habits that hinder men's nature. It's all in the Bible, too.

Thank you, sir. One sentence. Don't let them say you can't. Let the independents vote. Thank you, sir. You're very welcome. Thank you. Thank you, Scott. Take care.

Is there anybody else that would like to speak? Is there anybody else that would like to speak? Is there anybody else that would like to speak? Thank you. Reports of county officials, Mr. Groner. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good evening, council. I'll be very brief. I just need a minute. Uh, a couple of the things that administration is uh working on this week. Uh, we had a good meeting with uh controllers office to review their annual uh report. Um, may seem like boring stuff, but uh we uh want to make sure we take that seriously and look at uh some of the issues that were highlighted. Uh, of course these are looking uh back to last year, but we want to make sure that uh moving forward we can try to uh tighten up things that need to be uh looked at. So, uh some of that may include um some language that needs to be revised. Uh so you may see some requests coming down that's tied to uh reviewing that report. Uh we continue to work on the language for a revised project labor agreement and responsible contracting ordinance. Uh that's taking a while. want to make sure that language is correct. So, I still anticipate bringing that to your attention soon. Um along with uh possible requests to uh some of our uh language with purchasing as we look to move to e- bidding. Um other quick reminder, uh this week, Thursday actually, is uh bring your child to work day. Uh we're encouraging county employees to do that. Uh this year's theme is the future is at work. How to empower young people to take bold steps towards their dreams uh and future success. And so we are supporting that. Uh I think it's a good

thing. Hopefully some folks bring their kids to work and show them what it's all about. So um that's all I have at this time. Thank you. Thank you. Yep. Finance Committee, Mr. Drexler. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um this past uh Thursday, the finance committee met to bring forward old business A and new business A through D. Thank you. Personnel committee, Mr. Copelan.

Yes, Mr. Chair. Personnel committee also met on last Thursday. Bring forward a jam-packed agenda consisting of new business items E and F. Thank you. either. Mr. Chair, if I can, Mr. Copeland.

I'm one of those rare, maybe slightly mentally ill people that has actually watched all all of the videos on uh county's YouTube page. I think it goes back to uh ear or late uh 2015, early 2016, somewhere around there. Uh I've watched every video on that dang thing thing. Um there's several hundred several hundred videos that are missing. Finance and personnel committee meetings were never recorded up until 2024. Um at my insistence we started posting those because I felt that they were profoundly important. Um, one thing I would ask of people is to understand that uh, people are not infallible and due to a clerical issue, one meeting was not posted. Um, most of the people in the audience know me by name, have my phone number. If you don't, I'll give it to you. Have my email. Talk with a couple of you on Discord and a couple of other online places. um you guys want to have a conversation about the decisions that we're making and how we arrive at them. I'm right there. Now, to that end, uh Unified Erie created the um re-entry program around 2016. It has been run by a couple entities. The the Y was the latest. Uh and I just want to explain my vote and my thought on this because I think it's important. That program had been uh funded by a hodgepodge of several different grants at different years, different grants that ran that program. And the one thing that it never had is a local contribution. The DA's money, the PCCD money is passed through from the state.

That is not true, Rob.

But I I give you your time to speak. I'll take mine. And uh I think it's really important that the county actually contribute and make a meaningfully um meaningful effort to assist in re-entry efforts. And the city of Erie is a major contributor to that too. For the first time ever, they're coming in to support half of our funding. And I just wanted to uh uh offer you an opinion that uh us creating a bureau under a department towards re-entry is a commitment to re-entry work. Not walking away from it. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else?

Okay, we'll move on to old business. Ordinance number 36, 2026, approval of waiver of bid requirements under the purchasing code and approval of sole vendor contract between Eaton Corporation and the Erie County Public Safety Department. So move second. Any discussion? Mr. Jcott. Mr. Copelan. Yes. Mr. Drexel. Yes. Mrs. Sherman. Yes. Mr. Wartz. Yes. Mr. Warski. Yes, Mr. Bale. Yes, Chairman Scutella. Yes.

New business. First, oh, I'm sorry. First read of ordinance number 38, 2026. 2nd 2026 public health fund budget supplemental appropriation of $38,344 and creation of new line items for Great Lakes Restorative Initiative funding. B. First read of ordinance number 39 2026 3rd 2026 public health fund budget supplemental appropriation of 105,692 and creation of new line items for Pennsylvania Department of Health funding for wastewater surveillance. C

first read of ordinance number 40 2026 approval of waiver of bid requirements under the purchasing code to contract with highway safety network incorporated. D. Possible sale of a parcel from the repository for unsold property at index number 07026080. So moved. Second. Any discussion? Mr. Chair Cut. Mr. Drexel. Yes. Mr. Sherman. Yes. Mr. WZ. Yes. Mr. Warkski. Yes. Mr. Bale. Yes. Mr. Copelan. No. Chairman Scutella. Yes.

Motion carries six to one. E possible appointment of a Jenna Bickford to the Erie County Redevelopment Authority. Term to expire December 31st, 2030. So moved. Second. Mr. Sher, discussion. Sorry. Any discussion?

I just want to take a moment and honor the service of Kate Phillips that had uh been in the seat for nine years. It's pretty interesting. the redevelopment authority is a radically different entity than what it was uh prior to her tenure. Uh during that time uh she was key in the selection of Tina Meneen deciding vote to make her uh the leader of that organization. I think that she's done very well with it. Um, and you know, it's a it's a long tenure service and really appreciate uh service to county and and all the good that it's doing particularly in my district for um well just outside of it EMI is over the train tracks but real close to my district and appreciate their efforts. Mr. Chair, Mrs. Sherman, yes. Mr. Wartz,

yes. Mr. Warkski, yes. Mr. Bale, yes. Mr. Copelan, yes. Mr. Drexel, yes. Chairman Miss Gutella. Yes. F. Possible reappoint of Adam Groves to the Erie County Library Advisory Board. Term to expire December 31st, 2028. So moved. Second. Any discussion? Mr. Chair, Mr. Cop.

Yeah. Uh, Adam Groves is a great contributor to the library advisory board. Um, my fiance happens to sit on that board as well. And with some pillow talk, she tells me about all the great things that are going on at the library and was a big advocate for Mr. Groves. I just want to highlight that Mr. Groves was an appointment of the past county executive. And uh I really believe that when people are contributing well to the organizations that they're a part of, we should see fit to reappoint them if they're doing a good job. And so I'd just like to thank the county executive for reappointing uh Davis's previous appointment. Mr. Jerk. Mr. WZ. Yes. Mr. Warkski. Yes. Mr. Bale. Yes. Mr. Copelan. Yes. Mr. Drexel. Yes. Mrs. Sherman. Yes.

Chairman Scutella. Yes. The next Finance and Personnel Committee meeting are Thursday, April 30th, 2026. The next regular meeting of county council is Tuesday, May 5th, 2026. Motion to adjourn. Mr. Chair, would you want to take an executive session? We're not joining. Do you want to consider a motion to uh uh recess? Motion to recess. Executive session. We're going into executive session. A motion to do that by one of the council members. So moved. And the same thing, a second vote. Second.

Can you clarify what we're doing? I'm sorry. There was a lot of back and back and forth. I just don't understand. We're not adjourning. We are going into recess. We're going into an executive session. Thank you. Yeah. I don't think you want to see. No. Oh, it's going to be here. The executive session is going to be here. No, but you're coming back after. Just discuss our phone.

lights are on. We're back in session at 80 6. Motion to adjurnn. So moved.journ.