County Council - Regular Meeting

She organized the whole dinner for the opening. But I don't want Oh, don't 6 a.m. Good evening everyone. Like to call tonight's meeting to order.

First of all, pledge of allegiance, please. Allegiance 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.

Optional prayer for Miss Showerman, please. This is from Mindset Drive. If you are serious about changing your life, you'll find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse. Thank you. Tonight we do have one citation uh brought forward by uh Mr. Bale for remake learning days. I don't know if somebody's here to accept it. We can do roll call. I guess I skipped that.

Mr. Mr. Bale here. Mr. Copelan here. Mr. Drexel,

Mr. Drexel here. [laughter] Mrs. Sherman here. Mr. WZ here. Mr. Warkski here. Chairman Scutella.

Okay. Now we'll move on to the citation. Mr. Bale, if you would please.

Is Maggie Brown or anybody from uh Remake Learning here today? Remake Learning Days. She was supposed to be here tonight. I'm going to go ahead and read it. Uh anyway, I'll use the microphone so everybody can hear it. Remake Learning Days. Whereas Remake Learning Days is a hands-on learning festival that began in Pittsburgh in 2016 and has since expanded throughout Pennsylvania and to communities around the world. And whereas the 2026 festival will showcase 15 events throughout Erie County and more than 115 events across northwest Pennsylvania hosted in many places where children and families learn and grow, including schools, libraries, parks, arts and cultural organizations, community centers, and local businesses. And whereas these events provide valuable opportunities for parents, caregivers, and families to learn together while encouraging children to explore new ideas, develop skills, and discover their interest through hands-on experiences. And whereas the mission of remake learning days is to spark joy, encourage curiosity, and create a sense of wonder for children of all ages and their families. And whereas events in Erie County will include a diverse array of educational and interactive experiences such as science Saturday at Ganon University, out of thisworld science at Blasco Memorial Library, free days at Erie Land Lighthouse and Prescow Light uh Prescow Light Station, Innovation in Action at Erie County Technical School, Art and Soul Second Saturday at Inner City Neighborhood Art House, and Wing It, a junior birding adventure with the Prescow Ottabbon Society. And whereas these collaborative efforts highlight the strength of Erie County's educational, cultural, and community institutions in supporting lifelong learning and youth engagement. Now therefore, be it resolved that the

Erie County Council hereby proclaims May 1st through May 23rd, 2026 as remake learning days in Erie County and encourages all residents to participate in and support the many opportunities for learning and discovery offered throughout the county. In witness whereof, we the county council have set our hands in the seal of your county on this fifth day of May, 2026. Thank you. Thank you. hearing of the public. We have signed up uh Cindy Triber. Is she here this evening? She is here.

Uh thank you council for those here and also those participating remotely. Um we are missing our chair Mr. Scatella, but for transparency sake I'll make sure that everyone receives a copy of the presentation. Um, I had sheriff uh give you Okay. Um, in front of you is information that should have been presented to you on February 26th or on March 10th had your constituents been allowed. The facts behind your closing of ECRSSA are as follows. ECRSSA boasts a 93% success rate for services provided. Erie County probation graduated 17 persons in three years. ECRSSA boasts a 7% recidivism rate. Erie County probation rate is 40 to 50%. ECRSSA is the only re-entry program in the county that contracts with employers for jobs paying more than $16 an hour. County agencies would use temporary agencies to avoid conflict of interest and bias and eliminate high-paying jobs. You voted for $89,365 increase in wages and a $65,484 increase in benefits package to foster this new program. So, let's talk money. In 24 through 26, there has been overund $111 million in grants that we have not accessed or failed to provide eligibility data for for funding this re-entry program. Uh since the inception of this program, over $2.8 million has been secured in funding through public programs, grants, and private donations, creating an operating fund of $300,325 a year. It's estimated that the program only needs $350,000 to operate a year. And it seems completely plausible that we could have secured $50,000 to run this program indefinitely or maybe given it a permanent home by a county that values its people. Let's speak to the running of this program in the heart of who it helps. Persons from all over this country come here to take part in this

groundbreaking, highly successful program with one of the country's lowest re-entry rates and most dedicated teams. multi-million dollar multi-generational companies that you see in front of you and some are in this room like McShane Welding, Don John, Eeries Magnetics, Lincoln Recycling, Morland, Inc. Wavepoint 3PL invest in financial growth and represented represent representation in Pennsylvania and globally. Their workforce, many of which are from ES ECRSSA, move this needle and give us a seat at the table we are often not invited to as a thirdass city. The profit you've created for the prison system by closing ECRSSA and creating a new bureau and county probation is a speck of dust in the universe compared to the money and power these businesses bring to our city. The impact your vote had on these businesses clearly escaped you. Much like the humanity of those using ECR SSA to rebuild their lives and futures, some of these businesses are now facing stagnant revenue growth instead of accepting new bids that increase their growth three-fold, as in $30 million more from one bid, one company. You see ECS, ECR, SSA matrix of success. I believe Michelle has had them showing up also. um compared to the Department of Correction uh re re-entry uh rates of 55.9%. Resources like assistance obtaining personal identification documents, housing, transportation, education, training, substance abuse guidance, and most importantly, mental health support are all showing success rates of 85 to 89%. You will see the 30 plus agencies that team up with ECRSSA to provide a future for our citizens. agencies like Mercy Center for Women, the VA Medical Center, Stairways, Community Health Net, Safe Harbor, all that recognize the humanity uh the value of humanity. Erie County Re-entry Support and Services Alliance

is create created simultaneously with United Erie's goal to address the violence in our city and joined with Erie United Erie as a part of their three-prong approach. This approach has been praised by our lieutenant governor and is recognized as an integral part of this administration's initiative to eradicate violence, create safer communities, and provide opportunities. American philosopher Eric Stoofer stated, "Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket." What began as an altruistic venture has gone astray, as often happens when a passion turns into profit and power over public good. What began as a data-driven method to create tangible change has seemingly now forgotten who the change was created to help and protect. For close to a decade, ECRSSA hard copy data has been collected and methodically calculated by Mercyhurst Civic Institute along with criminal justice program students. In 2025, a program was developed by current staff of ECRSSA to better track successes while protecting HIPPO private information not needed in the representation of the impact on our people and community. this re-entry program simultaneously destroyed by you on February 26th. Is that three or five?

That's five.

Um gave uh 371,000 at the same moment that you destroyed it. And the question remains why you acted with such urgency and in such a clandestine manner. You have now taken your place in a group of persons who look around the room and over their shoulder for those people before telling a joke. What you've forgotten is that the power is a facade that shapes narratives, but it does not eliminate truth. It is a social status, not a determination of worth. Poker power [snorts] is a poker chip and a game that only the almighty controls. And your power over the people in this room is ending. It should not escape any of us that the majority of clients from ECRSSA are black. We should not dismiss the proportionate percentage of those on parole and probation with the actual number of bipok individuals in the county. And those numbers do not exist because black people offend more or because black people have historically been viewed as less than. Those numbers exist because of systemat systemic racial injustices and the diabolic ways in which humanity is marginalized. It takes one of you to bring this ordinance back to the council to review, to hear from those you represent, to vote, and to resend. [applause]

Thank you. Sam Telerico Sam Telerico, chairman of the Erie County Democratic Party, speaking on behalf of the party. When I addressed this body at Thursday's meeting, I was I asked for simple fairness [snorts] and justice. The public got neither nor did Mr. Wartz. If the intent of Thursday's meeting was to embarrass Mr. words that failed spectacularly. Secondly, it's important to establish a record of Thursday's meeting since the public got let very little information from this grotesque error in judgment. Here is what the public saw from this side of the bench. Normal procedures weren't followed. A meeting was called, but not by the elections chair. The publicly had less than one day of notice. The public learned that somehow a Republican hatchet man became involved into the process and he wrote an internal memo with the sole intent of defaming Mr. Wartz. I would note that I was also contacted by the election truth alliance and the information that I received was stati was data and statistically based. This is not a fringe theory and the courts are dealing with it. Now, as a local chair, I made my own inquiry and I was treated respectfully. Quite the contrast with Mr. Wartz for just doing his job and addressing an election issue. After executive session, the public learned very little. One council member came to claim the conflict of interest. Period. No explanation, no detail. The elections office need to be protected. Again, no explanation as to why they needed

protection and no detail. And sadly, two members chose to say nothing. But no matter, your message was received loud and clear. We don't owe the public ex an explanation, and we're going to do this for the worst possible reason because we can. Mr. Copelan tried to save us from a colossal blunder with the motion to adjurnn, and Mr. Wartz voted no. And at that moment, Mr. Wartz won the room. That's when he demonstrated that he had nothing to hide and he wanted to put his cards on the table. He then proceeded to comprehensively explain his actions in complete detail and with full transparency. The public saw no unwarranted conflict. And if the opposition disagreed with that, they had ample opportunity to explain why. They failed to make their case. Not even close. Instead, they gave us a few feckless excuses, folded their cards, and said, "Let's vote." I ask you, who is the credible party here? None of this passes the smell test. I have a lot of respect for the council chair and I don't doubt his sincerity here, but council got this one wrong. Dangerously wrong. This board committed the mortal sin last Thursday. You broke trust. You broke tw trust with your fellow council members and you broke trust with the public and that's almost impossible to regain. So from this point forward, the public will be left to wonder. Were the votes cast based on the merits or were they votes cast just to settle a score, especially when the tally is the 4 to3 tally we witnessed on Thursday? Because

that's exactly what we witnessed last week. The good news is that the election office will still operate at its current professional level. So your decision will have no effect on that. So council gained absolutely nothing but permanent suspicion. That's not a good tradeoff. The bad news, the fact that fact will be buried by Thursday's calamity, which was a gift to those whose sole intent is to sully the great work being done by the elections office. As Mr. McCartney stated on Thursday, "The voters of Erie County voted overwhelmingly in in November to eliminate the deceit and petty politics that permeated this building for the last four years." And Thursday's election board meeting, this council chose to resurrect it. The ex election board claims that their votes were cast to protect the credibility of the board, but your actions had the exact opposite effect. So if your concern really is credibility, this body must reverse its decision. The very legitimacy of this council depends on it. I repeat, the very legitimacy of this council depends on it. And that needs to be your one number one concern. I ask you, is there anything else more important? And the only way that this body can salvage its integrity and remove the stench that transcends this body is to reconsider its grossly inappropriate decision and to vote to reinstate Mr. Wartz. I invite you to do so. This isn't a difficult decision. It's the only decision. [applause]

Thank you. Those were the two that previously signed in. Everybody else who would like to speak, you have three minutes. Thank you.

Hi.

Good evening. Kimberly Hunter from Erie, Pennsylvania. Councilman Wazarski, fellow council members, each of you were elected to represent all of the voters of Erie County, not just a not just a select few. And with the current climate and question of voter integrity, Erie Council should set an example. That is why I'm here tonight. I'm asking you to be the gold standard. You have to you have to represent both parties. represented appoint either and I'm asking you this evening to either appoint Charlie Bale or Ellen Sherman as the co-chair to the board of elections. They are both senior council members with experience and have worked well in the past with all of you sitting here this evening. Each of you ran on a platform of transparency, so please follow through on your promises now. I'm also asking you about the tiny home situation when it comes to the tiny homes and selling them. The materials and labors were not paid for with county tax dollars. So, I could be wrong, but I don't even think you can legally sell those. So, I'm asking you to consider donating them to a nonprofit. the veterans. Most people in the county are affected by a veteran in one way or another. We have many veterans right now that are homeless. Owning their their own home gives them a sense of pride. And by donating these tiny homes to the veterans, we are not out a single tax dollar. So, I'm imploring you to consider donating those tiny homes to

the veterans. And please have it balanced. Please consider nominating and assigning the co-chairmanship to the board of elections to either Charlie Bale or Ellen Sherman. They are both senior council members. You guys all get along well. Let's have true transparency and be the gold standard for across the country. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you.

My name is Doug Watts. I reside in Edinburgh. I'm the long I'm a retired teacher and a longtime track and cross country coach at the university. If I speak too fast, I'm trying to do the three-minute limit. Over a hundred years ago, a family migrated to the United States to find a better future. A family whose father had died. Fortunately, they had a mother who knew her five sons would have opportunities in the United States that were not available in their economically ravaged English coal mining community. Their prospects may not have been completely known, but hopefulness was based on diligent study and inquiry about American society and the way of life. One of those sons became a student of physics at the University of Chicago. At 19 years of age, as destiny seemed to ordain, my uncle Richard Watts found himself on December 2nd, 1942, a top the Chicago pile number one, the world's first artificial nuclear reactor, producing a self- sustaining controlled nuclear chain reaction. His assignment was to measure and record the energy created within. In fact, his announcement to the gathered scientist as the reaction successfully successfully began is historically documented. We're cooking. Uncle Richard continued to build successfully upon his scientific calling with an intense work with the Manhattan project in Los Alamos during the Second World War. Yes, he worked side by side with Robert Oppenheimer to develop the atomic bomb. It's interesting to note that scant hours before the world's first atomic explosion, he climbed on top of the actual bomb Trinity to recalibrate one

of the instruments he had created on July 16th, 1945. During that era and even today, many people questioned the positive and negative benefits of nuclear energy. I know for a fact that Richard knew, had conversations with, and discussed with people worried and doubtful about the use of nuclear power. And that to him was important as science requires investigation, exploration, inquiry, and testing to uncover the facts of a particular problem. I ask you, should Richard Watt's association with a broad spectrum of opinions and ideas cause him to be accused of conflict of interest or even the perception of such? Should his association with diverse thoughts cause him to be removed from his leadership roles in the Manhattan Project? Of course not. In the same correlation, Jim Wartz, a leader who only wants to protect a free and fair election, should not be labeled as having a conflict of interest in the election board proceedings just because he inquired about the statistical claims of the organization Election Truth Alliances. The condemnation and removal of Jim Wartz as chairman of the board of election committee is no more rational than Richard Watt's removal of his leadership in the Manhattan project because of his sense of duty to nuclear science. I charge the majority voting members of this council with a question. What is your conflict of interest with the application of scientific inquiry initiated by Jim Wartz? [applause]

Hi, my name is Michelle Dovashaw from the city of Erie. Council members, I'm here to this evening to address your unanimous 70 vote in favor of ordinance 23 2026, which polices the Erie County Re-entry Services and Support Alliance under the authority of the probation department. This ordinance was advanced to a second reading and voted on within the same session, an expedited process that raised concerns about whether sufficient review and deliberation occurred. During discussion, Councilman Rock Copelan indicated that this decision was driven by funding considerations with the belief that incorporation under the county would provide greater financial sustainability. However, publicly available information reflects that the district attorney's office has put in ECRSSA funding since March 2022. So to me this context makes the restructuring of a demonstraable successful program particularly concerning. ECRSSA has established a strong track track record as an independent initiative including a recetivism rate of approximately 7%. By comparison, county operated re-entry programs have reported significant lower completion outcomes over recent years. These figures drawn by public records suggest that ECRSSA's effectiveness is closely tied to its independence, specifically its separation from the same systems responsible for supervision and incarceration. They should not be held together. And for y'all to think it should, it should not. The decision to move this program under probation risked undermining the very factors that have contributed success when dealing with re-entry services. Outcomes are not abstract.

They're not numbers. These are individuals, families, and the broader community. I respectfully urge council to take a step back and conduct a more thorough review of this decision. I've done my research. I'm not a dumb chick. There are substantial funding opportunities available that could support, and we're talking millions, ECRSSA without altering its structure or compromising its effectiveness. A reconsideration would allow for a more comprehensive evaluation of both the data and the long-term implications. It only takes one member of this body to say, "Pull it back." And I I am pleading with you. I'm not going to beg, but I am telling you, you did wrong. Takes one member of this body to call for additional review and ensure that all relevant information is fully examined. The residents of Erie County deserve decisions grounded in transparency, careful analysis, and a genuine commitment to equitable equitable equitable and effective outcomes. I ask that you revisit this ordinance, examine all the evidence in full, and act in a manner that preserves what is working. The people of Erie County deserve thoughtful leadership and memberships and meaningful second chances, not abrupt decisions. Just like last Thursday, y'all did wrong. You know you did. [applause]

Thank you. Good evening. I'm uh Rob Triber uh Edinburgh and county council meetings are a cornerstone of local governance designed to inform residents, document decisions and ensure transparency. These meetings serve as a vital platform for public engagement, allowing citizens to voice their concerns and participate in the democratic process. Therefore, any reported violent outburst by a staff videographer not only damages the decorum of the meeting, but also undermines the very principles of transparency and trust that these gatherings are meant to embody. The presence of such incidents have farreaching consequences. When aggression enters the room, it creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation which can deter citizens from participating in the democratic process. People attend these meetings with the expectation of safety and professionalism. If they witness or experience violence, threats, or intimidation, they may hesitate to speak up, fearing for their well-being. This reluctance can stifle open and honest debate which is essential for the functioning of a healthy democracy. Moreover, the role of an audiovisisual staff in these meetings is one of of significant trust. They are responsible for capturing and documenting the proceedings, ensuring that public record is accurate and complete. When an employee in such a trusted position engages in violent or aggressive behavior, it sends a clear message that the environment is not safe or professional. This can erode public confidence in the integrity of the public record and the overall governance process. Leaders must respond swiftly and decisively to such incidents. It is crucial to document the facts to protect all participants and to take appropriate action. Treating such behavior as a mere stress related mistake or brushing it

aside is not an option. Clear workplace policies must be in place to address and prevent such occurrences. These policies should outline the steps to be taken in the event of violence, threats, or intimidation, and they should be enforced cons consistently consistently and without exception. In the context of repeated violent conduct, immediate termination is often the most appropriate recourse. Lesser forms of discipline, such as warnings or suspensions, may be seen as a sign of tolerance for behavior that endangers others, disrupts meetings, and undermines the transparency and credibility of the county government. By taking a firm and lawful stand, officials demonstrate their commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all participants. Ultimately, the county government must prioritize both safely and capability. A strong, decisive response to violent behavior shows residents that public meetings are indeed for the public and that every participant, whether an elected official, a staff member, or a citizen, deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. This not only reinforces the principles of democracy, but ensures that the public can continue to trust and engage with their local government. For my family and for everyone else's, we should tolerate nothing less. Thank you.

Thank you. [applause]

Hi, my name is Julie Hurt. I'm in Mil Creek. I would like to start out by saying I went to a meeting at Mercyhurst and found out about the re-entry program being ended and I was a little shocked that a program that appears to be so successful was ended and the probation department which has killed one of their clients in the past year was put in charge of it. I find that a little shocking and I would like it to be readressed. My other problem is in response to the board of election meeting last week where some of you voted to remove the board of election chair for supposed conflict of interest. I'd like to address a Rolling Stones article from November of 19 or 2021 reporting on an Erie County Commissioner whose role includes overseeing elections with fellow commissioners commission members and is one of 19 election done throughout the state of Pennsylvania with power over elections. This is a quote from them from the official saying, "Anyone in this country with an ounce of common sense knows the left cheated to some extent." Their philosophy isn't about making it easier to vote, just easier to manipulate that vote. This council person was not had no consequences for that statement and his conflict of interest was much worse. Mr. Wartz was doing his job from what all I can tell and I feel you need to readress this vote. Thank you. [applause]

Thank you.

They usually don't use notes but I am tonight. Uh my name is Hugh McCartney. I'm from Northeast and I'm trying to make contact with you three and you uh what happened on Thursday put you under a cloud and I it can only look like a cloud of corruption. Why don't you allow a account of the paper ballots? Let me explain to the crowd on on in a polling place. The first thing we do in the morning before we open the polls, we do a zero tape. If it's not zero, we don't use that machine. Uh throughout the day, assuming that the machine was good, it was zero. Throughout the day, we check all the time to make sure that the people that signed in matches the people [laughter] that that dropped the balance into the machine. At the end of the day, we run four final tapes. And we all have to sign these tapes. We all have to sign these tapes. Now, all this company, Election Truth Analysis, is asking is to recount some paper ballots. Let me let me explain to you why we bought the Dominion machines. We bought them because they have a paper trail. They have the original document, the original document. So, why don't you let this count go on? [snorts] It doesn't look good for you guys. It looks like you are corrupt.

Uh, oh, and by the way, you have to retain these documents for at least the only thing I could find federally is 22 22 months. But if you get rid of these documents, that's not going to look good. That's not going to look good. So, I can tell you I'm sick of coming here. I have better things to do,

but you need to take care of this. You could. And Charlie, I don't think you belong on a as a vice president or a vice chairman. You're the one they were talking about in the Rolling Stone. [applause]

Um, good evening council. Uh, my name is Stephan Durant. I am an Erie County resident. For context, I'm speaking on your decision about ECRSSA. I did send each of you an email on April 24th outlining a bunch of different things. Today, I will focus on two points. Um, just for context again, I am a SAMA gain center subject matter expert and forensic peer support. I am from Pennsylvania and I represented Pennsylvania on that council. What I also do is I am an advanced level facilitator for peer support in the criminal justice system. It's a curriculum built by Drexel University and the Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers Association here in Pennsylvania that is now, [clears throat] excuse me, nationally recognized. I have trained on under that curriculum in Alaska, California, Wyoming, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and a couple other states I might forget for the sake of brevity. Um, two things. First, a sequential intercept model. I won't go through the whole model. It's a framework that describes how people go through the criminal justice system. Intercept four is re-entry. Intercept five is community corrections. They have to be separate because re-entry is supportive. Re-entry is also voluntary. So the success rates that others before me have quoted are because people are allowed to walk into that program and say, "This is what I need help with." That program is able to help those people. By default, corrections is supervision and compliance. You are to do these things. This, this, this, this, this. You don't have a choice in it. There's a choice in re-entry. There's a choice in how people choose to reconnect back with the community. ECRSSA allowed people to do that with dignity. They can walk into that office and say, "I need these things. I need help with these things." Putting it under parole blurs those lines. Because Intercept 5 and Intercept 4 are completely

different. They're based on different standards. What happens when we blur those lines is now re-entry, a voluntary program, has the potential to become a compliance program. What I mean by that is that means that judges can now say we order you to go to ECRSSA. Parole officers can say we order you to go to ECRSSA. That diminishes the capacity of ECRSSA and it also makes it susceptible to the statistics you've heard before about recidivism. ECRSSA has 7% because people can volunteer to go. The rest of the system is at 50 60% depending on which number they're using. Recidivism is calculated at one of three levels usually one year, three year or five years. Most people report a three-year number which for Erie County is around 50%. When you take it out to five, it usually goes up about 10 to 12%. So if you look at fiveyear recidivism for the county, it would be around 65%. The reason I bring this up is because the program works. And the second point is simply that the staff of ECRSSA is completely different from the staff that you voted to fund. ECRSSA has folks that have what we call lived experience. They can connect with individuals because they themselves have been there. There's one person there that is a juvenile lifer that was let out uh by the Supreme Court. he can now reach out and have a gainful uh uh employment at a life sustaining wage and reach out to people under county supervision. It's going to come under act 73 with him being a juvenile lifer. I believe he had a murder charge. He is un ineligible for act 73. The county uses act 73 under child protective services law. Act 73

was ruled unconstitutional for older adults, but they never applied that to um children's protective services, which county falls under. That lived experience is why people can engage in that program. That lived experience allows people to walk in and say, "I'm on parole. My mom doesn't like what I did. My dad doesn't like what I did. I need some help." They can't do that in the in the probation office. Again, I referred to that email that I sent you for other information, other tips, but you should really reconsider uh respectfully that decision. Thank you for your time. Thank you. [applause]

Hi there, Kevin Bfka Eri side. Uh here to speak about the uh meeting from last week of the election boards. Uh I've known Jim Wartz for about 10 years. I served as an officer of the Democratic Party with him for six years and uh know him as a friend beyond that. And uh we've had countless discussions across the spectrum about everything. And never once did I hear him mention the uh election truth alliance. And um that seems to be what centered what was the center of him being uh uh removed. And I I thought maybe uh council needed a little clarification on on on on the definition of a a conflict of interest. So I'm going to offer that up right now. Conflict of interest would be a situation for example uh where a judge um [clears throat] makes an investment in a private prison and then proceeds to sentence people to that prison. See the the conflict of interest there is he's invested in the stock and he's getting money as he puts people in that situation. So, uh, I don't recall any discussion of Jim's conflict of interest with the ETA. Uh, and and I don't understand why that discussion didn't happen. Um, [clears throat] because Jim was just elected in November and uh and sworn in in January uh to and then and then proceeded to become the chair of the election board. but he has actually never sat as president of the election board over an election. And so he could not have done anything wrong if he's never presided over an election. Uh so

and and again I didn't see any conflict of interest discussed last week. So I can't see faulting Jim for anything. Uh but but who looks to be possibly um in question now uh were those who decided to call the meeting in the first place? Uh because what did he do? And if he didn't do anything, what are you trying to hide? And so maybe now the direction should be focused on why that decision was made and and the public should have a a clear view of that transparently see um why there was this rush to not allow this this topic to be put on the table. So uh and hopefully through that um Jim can be reinstated as the president election board because I know from the past uh He's fought tirelessly for transparency and true elections. And the case in point would be when he wrote that article near Reader a couple years ago uh where he cited a state senator, our state senator and our congressman uh for signing on to the amicus brief uh by the state of Texas when they were suing Pennsylvania saying that our mail and ballots shouldn't be counted. And um clearly that happened. uh that lawsuit was thrown out because it stood on its face. So again, wrapping it up with the bell, uh I think we need the real investigation into what's not being exposed as opposed to why Jim would be cited for anything.

Thank you. Thank you. [applause] Uh council council just to let you know that um councilman Drexel has left the meeting. Okay. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Ellis. Uh I live in or at Academy or by collegiate. I live by collegiate. Um uh so I wanted to talk today uh to you guys about the about ECR SSA. Um, so I I get where you guys are are coming from with wanting to um to set up um a s financially sustainable um environment for for it. But I can't help but be concerned with the with with this program being absorbed in the pearl program. Uh ultimately I'm worried about any potential for it becoming more of a punitive thing rather than a restorative justice uh kind of program. Um I was also concerned about the hasty passage of of this uh skipping the first reading. Um meanwhile it it just it it sounds like the continuity between the original program that had worked so well that that continuity doesn't it just I can't follow the trail of that uh that it doesn't seem like anyone that was a part of the of the original iteration of this is going to be in it doesn't seem like they're even going to be involved in this one. Um and uh let's see. So just need assurance that the that moving forward with this that there's go that uh service delivery is going to still be restorative in nature, not punitive. Um, I also wanted to want to just bring up to just the the concern that with it being taken into the parole program with that sensitive information, a lot of HIPPA protected information possibly

being accessed by folks in uh folks in the parole pro uh division that shouldn't be accessing those things. I would hope that that's not something that you would do as as a you know as a health healthcare worker my myself and but I I realize that that is a thing that happens though unfortunately um I also want to just make sure that the so the listing for the client advocate I was pleased to see that there is a preference for that in the job listing for that uh position for someone that has history of incarcerization. I want assurance that um that that will not be an issue with with an or with an applicant if being now that this is under the parole program. I want to make sure that that kind of insight and that insight experience and that uh kind of advocacy is going to be possible for the folks that are come coming through ECRSSA. But yeah, ult ultimately I just I'm just concerned. I just want to make make sure that that we're you know that we're good. So sorry. Thank you. Appreciate you guys.

Thank you. [applause] Abdullah Washington, Erie, Pennsylvania. uh one of our most popular founding fathers uh Ben Franklin wrote a whole lot and uh some inspiring things. He wrote on a lot of topics and one of them that seems to be a particular interest or absorption by some of the players on our county council as of late seems to be a work entitled if you are going to sin then sin boldly take off your shoes you know take a drink sin boldly said messing with the most vulnerable people in our community through the parole board if you're going to do it right. Well, at an election board hearing on August 22nd, 2024, Democratic Chairman Taler Rico addressed the board about an article in the July issue of Rolling Stone magazine. In it, a sitting member of the board made a statement about the 2020 election. Anyone in this country with an ounce of common sense knows that the left cheated to some extent. Their philosophy isn't about making it easier to vote, just easier to manipulate the vote. Now, for a board member to make such false, outlandish, and partisan claims in a national publication, directly questioning the accuracy of the

very election the individual is entrusted to oversee was disqualifying. That didn't constitute a conflict of interest. That didn't warrant any board action, Mr. Bale. Where was the outrage then? I ask you. AND OF COURSE, THAT VERY MEMBER, with no sense of irony, and blind to the hypocrisy, had no compunction about removing Chairman Wartz. Rules are for thee, but not for me. Yet, Chairman Works makes a legitimate inquiry about an election procedure supported by data and members of the election board dismiss it out of hand. Poof. Circle the wagons and call for his ouster. Why, Mr. Wowski, the double standard? Why, Miss Sherman? Why the extreme overreaction? and Mrs. Scatella, wherever you are, [laughter] the action taken at Thursday's meeting challenges the very legitimacy of this council, this council. That needs to change and this unspeakable decision needs to be reversed immediately. Thank you. [applause]

Hello Darren Mossrey, uh, city vary. I attended last week his council meeting and, um, it kind of it kind of seemed, um, unreasonable because the same very people that elected Mr. Wards are the same ones now they want to ask them, which it shows nothing but incompetence in the whole consult. Sorry, but this is the truth. And the more people are looking into it, the more they're saying, "What happened? What's so different? Why was it okay to elect him prior, but now the same exact people wants him out? Is it politically motivated? If it's so, just tell us. We'll understand." So, I don't see why we're doing this, especially three weeks into the election. People already having doubts and what you just created, even more doubts for no reason. And if shows anything, it really shows the competency of the console. Not Mr. Awards. I [clears throat] rest my case. Thank you.

Thank you. [applause] Uh good afternoon. Uh my name is Kennedy Orin, uh city of Erie. Um I just want to uh come and speak about the uh adult probation uh absorbing ECSSA. Um and pretty much uh to my understanding the decision was made I guess hastily um and there wasn't uh a tabled discussion uh about this um and the data supports that ECSSA is doing a good job. Um, and when you move it under something like adult probation, I feel like it would, I guess, lead to an increase in recidivism. Uh, because the very re-entry program that would be helping you with things that could send you back to jail would be housed with the people sending you back to jail. Um, something as petty as not uh having a driver's license while you're driving uh could lead you to not be being gainfully employed, which could lead you back to jail. What happens when the very same offices that you're going to uh to be re-entered into society are the same offices that are taking you right out of society. Um, a lot of people that are in and out of jail do have drug and alcohol problems.

Drugs and alcohol can send you right back to jail when you are uh on probation, you know. So, um, to my knowledge, there wasn't a first reading, second reading, and then it got passed. I don't know all the intricacies of government, but it's too hasty. Um, as was the ousting of Chairman Wartz. Um, I just don't think that we are in a point in time, um, in history where we could be making the hasty decision. I think things need to be well thought out. Um, and I'm not really seeing a lot of that in the city uh, of Erie or county uh, for that matter since we're here at the county. Um, but you guys could turn on the news on any day. Uh you guys could go to a archive of any day happening this year. Some decision that was made hastily is being walked back uh with this administration all the time. And I know leadership is a top- down thing and unfortunately the leader of our country makes decisions hastily and walks it back. I don't want our local government to get into that. um some certain things that you do can't be undone or it'll take very long time to be uh to be undone. So if the ECRSSA makes it into adult probation, how many people how many Americans won't be reentered into society? If you really want to see a growth in Erie County, I think that these people that are in this program matter. Um, and they matter enough to have their own separate thing going on aside from the people that are tasked with locking them back up. All right.

Thank you. [applause] Well, Margaret Watts, Washington Township. See a common theme running here. In the July 30th, 2024 Pennsylvania Spotlight news article, it was reported that Rolling Stone magazine identified 70 proTrump election conspiracist currently working as county election officials. The report cited 48 election officials who have questioned the validity of elections, naming my own Erie County District Council representative as having stated in November of 2021, I quote, "Anyone in this country with an ounce of common sense knows the left cheated to some extent. Their philosophy isn't about making it easier to vote. It's just easier to manipulate the vote. At the August 22nd, 2024 Board of Elections meeting, citizen and Erie County Democratic Chair Sam Telerico spoke out about this accusation. He cited more than 84 court cases around the nation regarding election irregularities that found no voter fraud and no election election cheating. He also went on to confirm that the plaintiffs in these election cases were unable to put forth a shred of evidence to support the false claims. Those were the facts and the facts were not in dispute. This quote quoted council member being entrusted to verify and certify election facts was asked to retract his statement because these false claims undermine trust in our institution place doubts about the democracy and is seen as a violation of the oath of office he took. Attending this board of election meeting and all other board of election meetings

during the past four years, I have never heard a retraction of this false claim from my council representative. Neither did I hear a public comment denouncing such accusations and conflict of interest from the three council members who voted to remove Jim Wartz as election chair at the intended discrete board of elections meeting on April 30th which was posted one day prior to this simultaneously scheduled finance committee meeting both scheduled at 4:00. Only two of the four voting members in favor of removing Jim as chair cited their reasons as conflict of interest, but gave no explanation. It remains unclear how the explicit proclamation accusing the left of cheating and having a philosophy of manipulating the vote made by my council rep was not ever questioned, denounced, or excoriated while he oversaw the computation. verification and certification of our elections after publicly making this accusation. How do the four of you explain your action or better said lack of action for my council rep's accusations? But we're all in favor of claiming conflict of interest for removing Jim Wartz. You owe the constituents of Erie County an explanation for your rationale, conflict of interest, as reason to remove Jim Wartz from the chairmanship, of which you unanimously elected him, as well as why your decision not to give attention or take any action for the explicit public statements by my council rep made in a national publication that was never retracted while he oversaw multiple eerie county elections. Why did you hold my count? Why didn't you hold my council rep to the same standard as you employed yourselves to do to Jim? [applause]

Hello city council members. I'm not here to speak to you. Alan Brown from the area. I am the first 16 year old 115 pound kid that was adult certified as an adult and sent to jail with a life sentence. I served 47 years in prison. At no time did I give up on myself. I continued to stay in academic mode. I educated myself. I am also the senior case manager at the re-entry program. What I would like to say to you is not just a mere question of reconsidering your choices. I would like you to understand greater of the action you took. That action in itself not only ended the program. It blung the children who would have had a father coming home having a chance at a life. It left a single mother trying to raise her kids alone and work and survive. Along with all of that, I would like you to be aware. I'm hoping I appeal to the more sensitive civil side of you. I would first like to tell you that United Nations Universal Human Rights Declaration, which this country is certainly signed on to, asks all civil human beings to never subject another human being to inhumane or degrading punishment or torture. These are the exact things that you will subject every person who has gone to prison found the motivation to do things I have. They come home with high hope. Fortunately, I didn't give up on myself. I came out here. Did I expect to stumble and fall? Did I expect staunchly conservative views to have this naive notion of deluding themselves into believing that once a person goes to

prison, they lack any redeemable qualities? That is such an error for human beings to have. It's in itself, I would say, criminal. As a re-entry person, I get to see the hopeless look on people's face when they first step out here. They don't expect anybody to give them a chance. We have an extraordinary number of people at Erie's greatest industries, Aries Magnetics. They have companies in eight other countries. We have a number of people there who have exited prison. McShane Welding is one of two companies in the whole United States that makes medical cabinets for all of the medic all the hospitals across the country. We have close to 30 people there. Don John Ship Building. I don't know if you don't remember the name. I'm sure everyone remembers when the ship hit the bridge in Baltimore and went down. It was this agency with our people who went down there and got that ship out of the water. [applause] To say that they are not worthy of a chance is far beyond my scope of imagination as to how you could think such a way. So let me ask you a question that I don't expect the answer to, but I want you to search your heart for this. If you had the opportunity to have to live next door to someone exiting prison, wouldn't you rather that someone be a human being that you wouldn't mind having living there as opposed to one you would? Because by denying them the chance to be that person that you wouldn't mind living next door, what do you do? You make them desperate. And as sadly as it is to say, if you make a person desperate, you cannot expect them to do desperate things. You leave them no options. These are human beings. Not one of us in

this room standing seated or on this council has ever been looked at any different. When all of our mothers had this little swaddling human being in her arms and she looked in our face in our eyes for the very first time, she seen something really special. Every mother sees her child that way. I feel a great honor to be in this room, but I have a great sadness that you could be so emotionally calloused in your hasty decisions that you don't understand the havoc you have rendered a lot of lives. You take people's hope away. I know what that feels like because I was expected to die in prison. I wasn't supposed to. Society decided hastily that I wasn't worthy of a chance. At 16 years old, child should be thrown away forever. Well, I proved them wrong. I was worthy of a chance. And I have touched so many lives that I cannot feel bad about anything. I've been able to accomplish for me to stand here and having given all of these people successful lives in front of the people who took the opportunities for others in those positions who are in prison right now waiting to exit who will not have any hope if they come to Erie. Do we dislike our city that much that we don't want successful people here? These people have the potential to be as great as you allow them to be. If you delude yourself into believing that once a person goes to prison that they lack any redeemable qualities, you are cheating yourself out of a chance to be a human being. That is such a callous attitude to have toward anything or anyone. So this I say, you should reconsider the hasty decisions that you make because they weren't just decisions. You have

blunging the hope of elderly parents if that's who they were coming home to take care of. Excuse me, sir. Could you please Thank you. Thank you very much. [applause] [applause]

My name is Fred Heffer and I live in the city of Erie and I'm a processoriented person. I want to encourage going to deviate here first. So, I want to encourage everybody to look at the county elections website and scroll down the page to the list of defective ballots and take a look at how many married couples, apparently married couples, their ballots are on that list because it says wrong signature. So, please couples out there, make sure that your ballot is in the correct envelope and you sign the correct envelope. Also, look at how many of the names on that list say no signature or no secrecy envelope. So, let's get it together. Everybody, just sign sign the envelope. Sign the right envelope. Don't forget the secrecy envelope and date it because date it with the date that you signed it. I want to say I was not at the election board meeting, but I've heard enough about it. And I was at an election board meeting when one of the county council people, one that we've heard quite a bit about already tonight, said that he himself did not like mail and ballots and would rather not have mail and ballots. This [snorts] is the same person who who thinks that people on the left are trying to manipulate elections. And these are the people who are voting hastily to um at a meeting, not even legally called and not called with reasonable notice to to oust our uh legally elected chair of the board of elections. And the the the very idea that somebody suggesting that that person who doesn't believe in mail and ballots should be the co-chair

of the board of elections horrifies me. Um so I didn't know all that much about the um the other issue about the um re-entry program, but after hearing Mr. Durant speak, um I believe it's Mr. Brown. Forgive me if I got your name wrong. It sounds like it's like letting having your therapist work for I don't know what a policeman or or what. It just doesn't sound right. Yeah. This is a program that from what I understand seems to be working. And I don't always agree with RDA, but I she's pretty well motivated in a lot of things. And I think a lot of the way the funding comes comes through her. Um, and I respect the members of the some of the members of the council who voted to to change the funding. And I think maybe they need to rethink the vote that they took. Some of the ones that are sitting here that I really respect and Andre Horton, he hated to second read something that was a first read. He had to feel it. It was a good reason to do it. And I don't think there was a good reason to do it. Thank you. [applause] Anyone like to speak? [clears throat] Good evening. My name is Deonte Kulie, lifelong Erie resident, and I hope I'm showing the same consideration as every other person who came up here and spoke when the buzzer went off. Um, a little bit ago, last month we came here. Um, it's unfortunate what's happening to you, Mr. Words. I'm not really too educated on everything that's going on, but welcome to our world. You know what I mean? Because clearly when elected officials make their mind up on

they can just do whatever they want for no reason. From what I'm hearing, that's what happened to you. Again, I came here last time to speak speak about us being able to have our cell phones and our recording devices. And you all received the email from a young lady for us to be able to have our cell phones active. And it's unfortunate that it still is a problem. It still is an issue because I want to know how does any rules in the courthouse um supersede law, supersede the Sunshine Act. And while you all were sitting up there looking so surprised when Mr. Triber was up here talking about being intimidated, he was talking about the situation that took place with me. Because as I was holding my cell phone up at the end of the meeting, the gentleman, he apologized to me. I will give him the credit for that. He approached me in an intimidating manner, raising his voice at me, yelling and screaming at me. And the the sheriff stepped to me. They didn't step to him. They stepped to me as if I was a person creating a problem. And you all just walk to the back. But again, there's issues with, okay, well, Mr. Worst is getting his his his right or whatever. He's get he's being pulled and you guys are all in the red. You're on Facebook making these long statuses, but what about the rights of citizens who just want to record meetings? What about the rights of people who when we talk about re-entry, you guys voted seven nothing. Seven nothing. I'm not sure if you had any part of that or not. It's seven nothing. Throw people away, but when it's okay, we don't want we want him to still remain president. Now it's 34 and now we can fuss and we can argue and we get people to come down here and want to speak up. But what about our rights as people? You guys, I've been I've had phone calls from attorneys. Judges have called me and said, "Yo, you were right. They're violating the Sunshine Act. You should be able to record those public meetings because there's not a court proceeding going on in this room." So, we have rights as citizens to be able to record. I'm not sure what gives you guys the right to violate that. And then on top of that, yes, I was it was an intimidating situation when you have a gentleman saying, "Don't hold your phone up cuz it's blocking a shot." I watched the video. Wasn't blocking a shot. And then when you come to a county council meeting, it's four sheriffs at the door. There's three right here at the desk. There's two right y'all got the head sheriff here now. So, is the sheriff here for you all's protection or for

all's protection? Because the last county council meeting, I was the one who was intimidated. I was the one who was approached and yelled and screamed at and talked in a manner to where the sheriff's even stepped to me. So now, is it seven of them here for for the AV guy? But here's another thing. Had I been able to have access to my phone, I would have been able to record that incident or somebody else. But because he controls the camera and because he controls the sound, that incident was not on camera. It was not on camera. So everybody was sitting here, oh, what's going on? What is he talking about? because there's no evidence unless we ask for the body cam footage. Um Chelsea was sitting here right now. She said, "What is he talking about? You look surprised. You look surprised." The man acted like he wanted to fight me. He stepped to me, raised his voice. I said, "Don't talk to me like they said, I'll talk to you however I want to talk to." And I said, "Well, if that's the case, then I'll talk to you in the same manner." So again, we're talking about our rights. What about our rights? What about the rights of the people who need those re-entry services? Because welcome to Erie. That's how they treat black people around here. When they want things to happen, however they want it to happen, they just say, "Well, this is what we're going to do." And we ask for an explanation. It's a simple, "Oh, it's a conflict of interest," or whatever the case may be. It's unfortunate. I have nothing but the utmost respect for you, Mr. Words. And also, thank you for the Ganon pictures, and I'm still waiting for the Ganon pictures from you. That's all I have. [applause] Thank you. Is there anyone else who would like to be heard tonight?

Can you find me 10,000 folks? Anyone else would like to be heard? Hello there.

Hello. Hello. Chelsea Alcorn, Mil Creek Township. Um, I was not planning to speak at this meeting. I was also not planning to speak at last week's board of election meeting. Um, I just I I want to make uh a statement for the record, not so much for you all council people who know, but for the people in this room and for the people watching on live stream. Um, the job of the chair of really any body, correct me if I'm wrong, after public comment is to set the agenda and to call the meetings. Um, you all removed the chair of the board of elections. So, you're preventing him from calling meetings, which the council chair can call, and from setting the agenda and running the meeting. He is still on the board of elections. Councilman Bale is still on the board of elections. Councilman Shank was still on the board of elections after he drove his stop the steel truck around this courthouse while he was on the board of elections. Everybody is still voting on election administration in this county. And Pennsylvania state allows the counties to administer elections. The county is also responsible for the administration of human services, which is a lot of what we're talking about here today. Um it's transparency week here, I guess, here in county council. Um and I thank everybody for their involvement um and their public comment today, as well as all of you. I I really think that all of you council members, including Scatella and Drexel, uh when they watch this stream, you all really need to consider what what is being shown to the public. Um I would like to echo Mr. Horton's uh statement about how we can't you can't keep making decisions and then rescending them. As far as I'm concerned on this board of elections situation, the damage has been done. Uh there's already mistrust in our elections across the partisan spectrum. That's what I said last week and I mean it today. There is not a lot of transparency going on. The public doesn't know what happened last week and the public is going to continue to not know what happened. It doesn't matter if you reinstate Chairman Wartz or Councilman Wartz. It doesn't matter what happens now. You need to move forward and can and take a lesson in transparency for the people sitting in this room, for the people watching the live stream, for the voters and the people who who otherwise don't know what's going on and want to be informed

and want their voices to be heard. So, I thank you all uh for being here today. Thank you. [applause] Anyone else would like to be heard? Anyone else would like to be heard this evening? Thank you all for coming out. Last call. Anybody else like to be heard? Moving on with the agenda, minutes of the prior meetings. I'd like to make a motion to approve the minutes from the prior meeting. Second. Mr. Copelan.

Yes. Mr. Drexel. Nope. Mr. Sherman. Yes. Mr. WZ. Yes. Yes. Mr. Bale. Yes. Mr. Warski? Yes.

As both A and B. Does that count for That was my intention. Okay. Okay.

Port of County officials. I don't know if we have anybody here from the county executive office. They weren't sure they're going to be able to make it tonight. So, I'll take that as a no. Uh finance. Uh Mr. Drexel is not here. So, is vice chair. Uh we bring to the agenda from our last Thursday's meeting under old business items A, B, and C. And under new business items A through D and there was nothing for personnel. And then do we have any other comments from councel? Mr. M.

Oh, go ahead. M

please. I'll defer. Uh, I I didn't expect to to really say anything, although I I repair I prepared um some brief remarks um for those of you uh in the room here tonight. Um, first and foremost, I'd like to thank everyone who showed up last week and this week uh to voice uh voice their support um and not only for the current situation but for your past um your past experiences with me. I think that in addition to to uh that support, there were a lot of other important issues [snorts] raised uh raised here tonight. I want to address um the uh the alleged conflict of interest that raised by certain members of of council. uh and only briefly and and generally to say that it was a topic of conversation that our our solicitor and I had engaged in um pretty routinely and we had uh we had come to the decision uh he and I had come to the agreement anyway that that should uh we didn't think that any issue for a vote or deliberation by this body would come up um and we had agreed that if it did um that I would recuse myself from that vote, which would be appropriate to avoid the e even the perception of of a conflict of interest. So, [snorts] between that between that agreement and and last Thursday's meeting, I I I don't I don't have a full sense of of what how how we got from one one to the other. Um but we did agree at that time that that was um the best course of act action.

The the road that we traveled um on that path reminds me a little bit of of uh the great Canadian poet Gourd Downey who once said the the secret rules of engagement are hard to endorse when the appearance of conflict meets the appearance of force. And um and and so at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later, we we get back we get past the distractions and on to the work of council because as so many of you have uh have articulated there there are important uh important issues um on the table through all of uh through all of this experience. it it isn't lost on me as M Mr. pointed out um that I represent perhaps mo both the the poorest uh and most diverse district in Erie County and many of my constituents um uh and those raising concerns today about uh re-entry uh feel that they are treated day in and day out um the the way that I I sometimes have felt that I've been treated by my by my colleague colleagues over the past few months. The I I just want to take one minute, one additional minute to address the the re-entry program. We did vote unanimously on the re-entry program in a first vote um in an effort to ensure that the re-entry program was continued that it that it existed. Hang on. That that's that's that's my understanding and I'm I'm giving that to you. what what we didn't consider fully, I don't think, uh, as a body was the the experience and the structure of the

re-entry program within within county government. And I'm not I'm not here with your data or anybody else's to be able to to give you a a strong articulation of this, but I've spent the past few weeks talking to a lot of folks that have had experience with that re-entry program um both as facilitators and a as clients. And the the the one issue that has come up over and over and over again, and it was pointed to many times tonight, um is the issue of having clients and potential clients have to work through the parole system in order uh in order to get there. We and I and I I think I can speak for my colleagues on this, but I I will speak only for myself here is that I I certainly don't want to do anything that would hinder folks who are trying to do right by themselves uh and do right by their families and do right by this community um by creating any spaces where they feel scared and alienated um from the services that are intended to to keep them on track. Um, so my commitment to all of you who are here with the concerns about the re-entry program is that over the next few weeks, uh, as I'm sure you all will continue to communicate, um, with us is that, um, in my pursuit just to get back to work is that I I'll continue to resolve to work to resolve some of those concerns raised here and in particular that structural deficit that might um, ultimately force folks um uh back uh into the system instead of being able to utilize the system to keep them amongst their community. Um and so uh as we uh continue to try to do the

best by people who are trying to simply do best by themselves, I hope that that's at the heart of all that this council does uh moving forward. Thank you. Take it back. Thank you, Mr. WZ. Mr. Copelan.

I want to thank everyone for coming to speak tonight. Um I I really do enjoy it when people come and address us. Uh Mr. Brown and Mr. Durant in particular. Appreciate your testimony. Um I didn't have a prepared statement on ECRSSA and I'm kind of glad I didn't after hearing what you had to say. Um gives me something to think about. Um but um what [snorts] I did have some prepared remarks for is um I'm I'm really ashamed of the events from last Thursday at our uh election board meeting. Um I have stark uh difference of opinion with many of my colleagues very often. Um but when we make decisions in the process followed correctly, that's democracy in action. Um, and for every proceeding that I've been involved in, um, I felt that our process was followed. Now, I understand that there's plenty of critique about why did you move something to a second? Why was this moved on to an agenda? And that's that's fair critique. I think we could do a better job of explaining that sometimes. Um, but, uh, the first issue about the meeting was how it was initiated. Um the board of elections uh has shared membership with council but as separate legal entities uh in our home rule charter and administrative code failed to provide for how uh a special meeting of the board of elections is called that it has been said that the chair of council could call that meeting but that's an argument of convenience only. Um, a fair arbiter would look at that and say it's analogous that the chair of the board of elections can call a special meeting, that three members of the board of elections couldn't let a chair know that they want to call a meeting.

Um, but at least the chair should know that a meeting has been requested before it's published and an agenda is created. That's not what happened here. Um but also this agenda was created with a single item for discussion. It is very clear through words and deeds that members intended to take official action at that meeting. It was not included on the agenda because they didn't want people to know. They wanted to obscure their intentions. And this is not just a violation of the Sunshine Act of a specific statute, you know, book, chapter, verse. is not just a violation of the spirit of the sunshine law. This is the entire reason the sunshine law was created was events like these. And at that meeting, multiple colleagues showed concerns about why the general public had come in such strong numbers. Heard some of my colleagues say, "How do people know about this? Who told everyone?" Councilman Worse was criticized for daring to inform the public of official actions that were going to take place and later in that same meeting in an executive session called supposedly for purposes of discussing personnel. In that meeting no privilege meeting was no privileged information was discussed. We deliberated deliberated entirely on the vote that we were going to take and in truth we just yelled at each other.

And this is another violation of the Sunshine Act. And I've also pointed to the Sunshine Law's clear rule on public recording of meetings shall shall allow public recording. And I think you're right. Um, and when I raised this point, it is yet again asserted that this is a rule of the chair that can be enforced and in violation of the sunshine law. And for the vote itself, there are no provisions in the home rule charter or the administrative code for the removal of a chair. Administrative [snorts] code addresses the removal of various appointments 19 separate times providing for specific cause. And this is important. There should be cause and process for that removal. None of our documents address removal of leadership. And in the absence of adopted rules, we usually follow Robert's rules. And if you refer to Robert's rules, you'll see that they do provide for removal of a chair. And it's a twothirds vote, not a simple majority vote that just occurred. And I've argued these points to exhaustion. and I present them here just for public information.

The solicitor doesn't agree with me. Um I don't think the majority of this body agrees with me. That's how we [applause]

but in this case we don't have to just uh rely on my arguments. Um, the question of removing leadership has already been answered by the federal third circuit court. In the case Monomiro versus Jim Thorp Area School District, a gentleman was elected president of their school board. Later, a week later, without any notice to himself or the public, they elected a new board chair. And this is highly analogous to what just occurred here. And the court held that the school board president had a constitutionally protected property interest in his job. They held that the school board's 14th amendment or schoolboard president's 14th amendment due process rights were violated and in short this precedence gives strong act uh argument that these actions were actually unconstitutional. Previously, I had objected to the removal of a chair and the president that would set and I made an entirely heartfelt threat that I would make a motion to remove him at every public meeting for the next two years. And I intended to do that. But after some introspection and research, the kind that I wish others had done before taking these actions, if I were to do that, that would be unlawful. So, I won't. the Thank you. [applause] My colleague Chair uh Chairman Scatella is not present in this meeting and I usually wouldn't speak ill of somebody when they're not here, but I'll tell you what I told him on a fairly amicable phone call. Um this is a failure of leadership.

Certainly. Yes. Um I I got to say I got to give thanks to uh Councilman Wartz and Councilman Drexel and towards the end of a very heated meeting. Um I think they acted with a lot of grace and composure and set it as example um that I want to internalize. I'm I'm more mad than I appear to be. Um I really appreciate their efforts to reassure the community of this body's commitment to the sanctity of elections. Um their voices in that moment uh reflected calm and strength in their leadership and uh they continue to lead in that way. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Copeland. [applause] Anyone else like to make a comment? We'll move on to old business. Miss Chilcott A. Ordinance number 38 2026 2nd 2026 public hunt health fund budget supplemental appropriation of $38,344 and creation of new line items for Great Lakes Restorative Initiative funding. So moved. Second. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. Mrs. Sherman, yes. Mr. Wartz, yes.

Mr. Bale, yes. Mr. Copelan, yes. Mr. Warkski, yes. B. Ordinance number 39, 2026, third 2026 public health fund budget supplemental appropriation of $15,692 and creation of new line items for Pennsylvania Department of Health funding for wastewater surveillance. So moved. Second. Any discussion [snorts] on this? Miss Chilcott. Mr. Wartz. Yes. Mr. Bale. Yes. Mr. Copelan. Yes, Mrs. Sherman.

Yes, Mr. Warkski. Yes, C. Ordinance [snorts] number 40, 2026, approval of waiver of bid requirements under the purchasing code to contract with Highway Safety Network Incorporated. So moved. Second. Discussion. Miss Chut. Mr. Bale. Yes. Mr. Copelan. Yes. Mrs. Sherman. Yes. Mr. Wartz. Yes. Mr. Workski.

Yes. New business. A first read of ordinance number 41, 2026. 2026. Children and youth services fund budget. revised expenditures of $345,000 for creation of expense line items for court-ordered placements. B. First read of ordinance number 42 2026 1st 2026 mental health intellectual disabilities fund budget supplemental appropriation of $346,454 additional revenue in calendar year 2026.

Mr. Chair, yes. Um, I should have made this motion earlier. I'd like to make a motion to move uh item C, ordinance number 43, to a second read. Do I have a second? Second. Discussion. Discussion.

Um, I think, um, I think some of the, if you let me speak, um, I think some of the critique about moving items to a second read is well warranted. And more than anything, I don't think that we've drawn appropriate um insight to say, "Hey, this is what we're thinking." You know, uh Councilman Horton's point of view of of not enjoying moving things to a second read continues to live on. And generally speaking, if any one of us has a major concern as to why that should not proceed, that's generally pretty honored. uh in the course of this particular item uh this [clears throat] uh money had been budgeted last year uh for work that started last year but CBDG requires that you report it in the year that it's spent. Uh this construction work is actually already completed. Um we have bills. We have a contractor that's calling the county regularly is like when am I going to get paid? Um we just want to get their bill paid expediently. There are times where um it's important to try to take care of people and that is the reason why this is moved to a second.

Mr. Copelan, yes. Mrs. Sherman, yes. Mr. Wartz, yes. Mr. Bale, yes. Mr. Warkski, yes. And that was a vote to move that to a second. Okay. for the reading. So now if you would reread it and Sure. Ordinance number 43 2026 1st 2026 planning fund budget supplemental appropriation of 105,000 dollars for creation of a new bureau and line items for CDBG program grant to Union City for curb cuts. So moved.

Second. Any more discussion hearing? None. Mrs. Sherman, yes. Mr. Wartz, yes. Mr. Bale, yes. Mr. Copelan, yes. Mr. Warkski, yes.

D. Possible sale of a parcel from the repository for unsold property at index number 33053225.0-00001.70.

So moved. Second discussion on that hearing none. Mr. Wartz, yes. Mr. Bale, yes. Mr. Copelan, yes. Mrs. Sherman, yes. Mr. Winurski, yes. And to close it up, our next finance personnel committee meetings are on Thursday, May 14th, 2026 at 4:00. The next regular meeting of county council is Tuesday, June 2nd at 6 o'clock. Thanks all coming out. Motion to adjourn.