County Council - Regular Meeting

I'll call tonight's meeting Tuesday, August 25th, 2026 to order. Would you please stand for the pledge?

I pledge 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.

This is Showerman.

Good character is like good food, it's usually homemade.

Thank you. Roll call, please.

Mr. Bale?

Here.

Mr. Copeland? Here. Mr. Drexel? Here. Mrs. Showerman? Here. Mr. Wertz? Here. Mr. Winarski? Here. Chairman Skutella?

Here. Hearing of the public, Cindy Treiber. Is there anybody that would like to speak?

My name is Freda Tepfer, and I live in the city of Erie. And I work with a volunteer group, and one of the things we did last couple of elections is call people whose mail-in ballots are undeliverable. So across Pennsylvania in the primary, there were thousands of people whose ballots were undeliverable, not like thousands, but probably less than 20,000. Still, for a primary, that's a lot of people. These are people who maybe they're snowbirds, maybe they're kids in school and they change dorms. Mail-in ballots are not forwarded. So people who are going away, who have changed dorms or whatever, you need to be sure, I'm speaking to the public now mostly, you need to make sure that your correct address is there when you apply for mail-in ballot and you check your voter registration. You can change... how you applied for mail-in ballot. The last day to apply for mail-in ballots is October 24th, but that's really too late. The last day to register is October 19th, and you should probably apply for a mail-in ballot by then. I support the idea of allowing people to open their phones. There's a couple things I would have liked to have been able to look up while I'm here getting ready to speak, and I can't. And I see there's something about mental health, and I just want to urge the council and county government to be sure that we support the right of people with disabilities to receive home and community-based services so that they can live at home, they can receive care at home, care that is cheaper than somebody being in an institution. And whether or not the federal government is going to enforce the law, which the Supreme Court decided in the 1990s, I hope that our government in the state, in the county, makes sure that people have the home and community-based services they need. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there anybody else who would like to speak?

Good evening. My name is Deonte Cooley, lifelong Erie resident. First and foremost, you all already know how I feel about the cell phone thing, so I can appreciate you all taking a look at the Sunshine Act to make sure that we are actually following what we are supposed to be following. Another thing I will say is because I've come down here and been very critical, and I'm not sure of all the workings that you all have been doing, but it does feel and seem as though the pendulum is swinging as far as things that are being done in Erie County and for Erie County. I know we do have a long ways to go, but... I mean, as I'm reading the agenda tonight, and I see some things about mental health, and then I see the new appointment of Scott. I don't know how to say this. I always ruin it. Scott Coogner or whatever. Like, I've worked alongside of him. He does good work. A couple things that I would, I guess, ask of you all as elected officials, and I'm not sure how active you all are. So today was the first day of school for Erie Public Schools. You know what I mean? And I know, like, I'm a huge advocate for young people, and I try to put myself in places so they can see me. And I'm not sure if you all are doing the same, and I'm not sure what all – School districts you all live in, but being more active and being more involved with young people, talking about civics, letting them know why you do the things that you do. If it's reading a book to kids or, you know, going to schools, volunteering and stuff like that. And again, I'm not saying that anybody up here doesn't, but I would like to see that more. And then also on top of. And I'm not asking you to publicize your personal life, but as far as being elected officials and public servants, it will be nice to see some of the things that you all do for your communities and the people that you serve on social media. County Executive Christina Vogel is doing a great job. I'm not sure if it's just with John Stalen being the guy who's doing that. But even some of the things, like I follow you, I'm friends with Rock, so I know you all are doing different things in the districts that you represent. But if you all can be a little bit more present, because... That is the way the young people are learning. That is the way young people are viewing things. And even people who are middle-aged or older adults. And it may be unfortunate to some of you all to not agree with or understand it, but that is the way the world is going, and our young people are important. And if you even if you aren't, you don't live in Erie City, like I would like to see some of you go to some of those Erie public schools as well. Like I did some work at the Erie County Technical School and served a lot of students who I probably will never see in my life again. But I did it because I care. I did it out the goodness of my heart. So even if those aren't your areas, like I would like to see more involvement from our elected officials with young people in the Erie public school, specifically because that's where I come from. But I know that they're not teaching civics how they used to. We're having a lot of problems with our young people with the law, and everybody is expecting people to follow the law, but we're not being taught the laws. And then there are certain adults who don't know the law, so we can't teach our young people the law. So when they violate laws, and it's also outraging, these kids don't get it, these kids don't know, like, they legitimately aren't being taught. And you all have signed up to serve for free or next to nothing. So, like... Not trying to control anybody's life, not saying publicize everything that you do personally, but when it comes to having an impact on Erie City and when it comes back to having an impact on Erie County, I believe that you all can do more at least publicizing because I'm not trying to discredit anybody and say you don't do anything. I'm not aware of what everybody does, and I know that our young people need it, and I know work has been being done. So thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Hi, my name is Cole Shenley. I live in the city of Erie. I'm just here to briefly talk about the cell phone thing. And I really hope that you guys do decide to pass this ordinance to open up the cell phones and let people use them during a meeting. I listened to the conversation you had during the finance and personnel side of things. the meeting from last week. And I know there was a lot of conversation about people recording during a meeting and whatnot. I would like to bring up the fact that if you see how people use them, say like at a city council meeting or some of the other like council meetings that where this thing does not have, you know, your phone's not getting locked up or whatever, I would point out that most people are just using them purely for informational use sort of read off of a speech or something like that. I would hope you would take that in consideration. It's not likely that there's going to be a lot of people coming here filming parts of the meeting or whatever. More than likely, they're using it purely for reading a speech or something along those lines. Thanks so much.

Thank you. 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?

OK, thank you.

Need a motion to accept the minutes from 6-22-26 regular meeting.

So moved.

Second. Any discussion? Ms. Chilcott?

Mr. Copeland?

Yes.

Mr. Drexel? Yes. Mrs. Schauerman? Yes. Mr. Wertz? Yes. Mr. Wynarski? Yes. Mr. Beall? Yes. Chairman Skutella?

Yes. Motion to accept the regular meeting minutes from July 21st, 2026. So moved. Second. Discussion? Ms. Chilcott?

Mr. Drexel?

Yes.

Mrs. Showerman? Yes. Mr. Wertz? Yes. Mr. Winarski? Yes. Mr. Bale? Yes. Mr. Copeland? Yes. Chairman Skutella?

Yes. And? A motion for the special meeting minutes for July 30th, 2026. So moved. Second. Discussion? Ms. Chilcott?

Mrs. Showerman? Yes. Mr. Wertz? Yes. Mr. Winarski? Yes. Mr. Bale? Yes. Mr. Copeland? Yes. Mr. Drexel? Yes. Chairman Scutella?

Yes. Next, reports of county officials. County executive?

Good evening. This will be brief. So I just want to kind of reiterate a couple of things that have happened in the last four weeks since we've been back. There was a $15 million addition. Hayside had a groundbreaking back in mid-July, which will bring another 30 jobs to Erie County, which is great. We had an employee appreciation day on July 31st. Thank you, Rock. I know you were there for coming. That was great. I'd appreciate all the work that all the county employees do every day. CCAP annual conference was the beginning of August, which I thought was very helpful, and I just want to remind everyone that that will be in Erie next year, so I hope you will all be in attendance and involved. I continue to work on the Maritime Initiative with a lot of different groups that are working on different workforce initiatives with that. We are in the middle of the budget process, which is my first time doing that, so that's been an interesting couple of weeks, will continue to be an interesting few weeks. Tomorrow we are doing a trip down looking at union facilities, four different union facilities, training facilities, And I know Councilwoman Schauerman is going with us for that. On Friday, Senator McCormick will be here for a roundtable with housing and homelessness and some issues like that. And then the last thing I will say is we are going to submit for a multimodal grant specifically for the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail. That opens up in mid-September. And I hope that you guys will all attend the 100th commemoration, the rededication on September 10th of 2020. The Perry Monument, that's at 10 a.m. And then on Friday, September 11th, we're going to have the 25th anniversary of September 11th. That will be behind the library at the Maritime Museum on their pier there, that concrete pier, at 830. And Brian Johanson from the Mission, who was in New York and lived in New York at 9-11, will be our keynote speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. NEXT, FINANCE COMMITTEE, MR. DREXEL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FINANCE COMMITTEE MET IN OUR PREVIOUS MEETING AND BRING FORWARD OLD BUSINESS A AND B, NEW BUSINESS A THROUGH E, G AND H. THANK YOU.

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE, MR. COPLIN.

YES, MR. CHAIR, THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE ALSO MET ON AUGUST 20th, BRING FORWARD OLD BUSINESS C AND D AND NEW BUSINESS F AND I.

Thank you. Any other reports? Move on to old business. Ms. Chilcott.

Second reading of ordinance number 65, 2026, 11th, 2026, general fund budget supplemental appropriation of $503,957 for PCCD justice reinvestment initiative grant in adult probation. So moved.

Any discussion? Ms. Chilcott?

Mr. Wirtz?

Yes.

Mr. Winarski?

Yes.

Mr. Bale? Yes. Mr. Copeland? No. Mr. Drexel?

No.

Mrs. Showerman? Yes. Chairman Scutella?

Yes.

Motion carries five to two.

The second reading of ordinance number 69.

Second reading of ordinance number 69, 2026, amending ordinance 76, 2010, Erie County Land and Subdivision Ordinance, Saldo.

So moved.

Second. Motion to table.

In discussion. Okay. Well, motion to table then.

There's a motion to table. Second. Ms. Chilcott.

On the motion to table, Mr. Bale?

Yes.

Mr. Copeland? Yes. Mr. Drexel? Yes. Mrs. Showerman? Yes. Mr. Wertz? Yes. Mr. Winarski?

Yes.

Chairman Scutella?

Yes. Mr. Chairman, before we move on, I'd just like to address the tabling. We've kind of bumped through the discussion on that motion. So we had a public hearing last week. We heard from a few members of the public who had relevant concerns about the breadth of the saldo and had some other suggestions. In addition, Councilwoman Schauerman, Also brought back with her from the National Association of Counties several recommended best practices. And so the culmination of those concerns and additional elements coupled with the governor's executive order, which we want to both ensure that we are in line with and ensuring that it reaches the municipal level here in Erie County. HAVE ASKED THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO GO BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION JUST TO LOOK AT THESE ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS INCLUDED IN THE BEST PRACTICES. SO THIS IS NOT A TABLED FOR DEBT ISSUE. THIS IS JUST ENSURING THAT WE GET IT RIGHT BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC AT THIS TIME FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. I don't want to take your job away from you.

Second reading of ordinance number 71, 2026, approving the temporary unlocking of mobile devices for individuals attending public meetings of Erie County Council in order to facilitate public access and recording rights consistent with the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act.

So moved. Second. Any discussion? Mr. Chairman, I'd like to amend the ordinance in both title and substance. And given that this is a substantive amendment, I will read them both into the record here. The amendment to the title shall be mobile device access at county council meetings. And the substance of the body of this ordinance will read, whereas on April 27th, 2016, the Honorable John J. Tresilla of the Court of Common Pleas of Erie County issued an administrative order at docket number 55 of 2016, which prohibited the broadcasting, televising, recording, photographing, or otherwise electronically duplicating proceedings or in transmitting communications regarding the proceedings within in the courtrooms and hearing rooms of the erie county court of common pleas and the areas surrounding the entrances and exits to any hearing room or courtroom whereas the court order of april 27 2016 is limited to the prohibition of the use of mobile and other electronic devices within the courtrooms and hearing rooms of the erie county court of common pleas and to mobile device access during the normal business hours of the courthouse from 8 30 a.m to 4 30 p.m And whereas the safety concerns and purpose underlying the court order of April 27, 2016 are not applicable to county council meetings or to persons who would attend the meetings of county council. Now, therefore, the court order of April 27, 2016, having no application to the meetings of county council or meeting attendees. who would access their mobile devices county council hereby authorizes attendees at its meetings to carry their mobile devices and access them for purposes of communication so long as the use of such mobile devices does not interfere with the maintenance and orderly conduct of the meetings of county council this ordinance shall take effect immediately upon adoption a second the motion to amend

Any discussion on the amendment? Ms. Choka?

Mr. Drexel?

Yes.

Mrs. Showerman? Yes. Mr. Wertz? Yes. Mr. Wynarski? Yes. Mr. Bale? Yes. Mr. Copeland? Yes. Chairman Scatella?

Yes. Now we need a motion on the ordinance.

So moved.

Second. Any discussion on the ordinance?

This is a point of order. There was a motion by Councilman Wertz and a second by myself that opened up discussion upon which we amended it. It was already motioned and seconded just for clarification.

So we're going to vote on the order.

Discussion.

Discussion on the order. Ms. Chilcott. I will.

I'm just going to say that the way we have been doing things is definitely not against the Sunshine Laws. And I understand people's feelings. Our meeting with the sheriff, though, he is very, very much against this. So my vote is going to be a no.

Anybody else? Ms. Chilcott.

Mr. Copeland?

Yes.

Mr. Drexel?

No.

Mrs. Showerman? No. Mr. Wertz? Yes. Mr. Winarski?

Yes.

Mr. Bale? No. Chairman Scatella?

Yes.

The motion carries four to three.

D.

Second reading of ordinance number 72, 2026, general fund budget revised expenditures of $6,512 for change in grade four position 004110-035 in the prison. So moved. Second. Any discussion?

Mr. Chairman, I motion to amend the title of this ordinance to 2026 general fund budget revisited expenditures of $6,512 and approval for change in grade position, et cetera. So the addition of and approval between the dollar amount and the following clause.

Second. Any discussion on the amendment? Ms. Chilcott?

Mrs. Schauerman? Yes. Mr. Wertz?

Yes.

Mr. Winarski?

Yes.

Mr. Bale? Yes. Mr. Copeland? Yes. Mr. Drexel?

Yes.

Chairman Skotella?

Yes. Ms. Chalkot on the ordinance.

First reading of ordinance number 75, 2026, second 2026, capital- No, no. Sorry.

We need the roll call on the amendment, I'm sorry.

As approved, as amended, I mean.

I missed the first motion on that then.

We had the motion and then the move to amend, and we approved the original motion, I believe it was me.

Okay, Mr. Wertz? Yes. Mr. Wynarski? Yes. Mr. Bale? Yes. Mr. Copeland? Yes. Mr. Drexel? Yes. Mrs. Schauerman? Yes. Chairman Scatella? Yes.

New business.

Mr.

Chair.

Mr. Drexel. I want to make a motion to move new business item A to a second read.

Is there a second? Second. Any discussion? Mr. O'Connor.

Mr. Winarski.

Yes.

Mr. Bale. Yes. Mr. Copeland.

Yes.

Mr. Drexel. Yes. Mrs. Showerman. Yes. Mr. Wertz. Yes. Chairman Scutella.

Yes. BE.

NO. SECOND READ OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 75, 2026 SECOND 2026 CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND BUDGET SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION OF $120,907 FOR CREATION OF A NEW LINE ITEM FOR THE PAVING PROJECT AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

SO MOVED. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION?

Mr. Bale? Yes. Mr. Copeland? Yes. Mr. Drexel? Yes. Mrs. Showerman? Yes. Mr. Wertz? Yes. Mr. Winarski? Yes. Chairman Skutella?

Yes. B.

First reading of ordinance number 76, 2026, 2026 mental health intellectual disabilities fund budget revised expenditures of $517,632 for creation of new line items for state cost centers.

See.

First reading of ordinance number 77, 2026, approving a transfer between departments in the amount of $171,925 for telephone upgrades.

D. Mr. Chair.

Mr. Drexel. I would like to make a motion to move new business item D to a second read. Second.

Any discussion? Ms. Chilcott.

Mr. Copeland.

Yes.

Mr. Drexel.

Yes.

Mrs. Showerman. Yes. Mr. Wertz. Yes. Mr. Winarski. Yes. Mr. Bale. Yes. Chairman Skotella.

Yes. Now on the ordinance.

Second reading of ordinance number 78, 2026, approval of waiver of bid requirements under the purchasing code and approval of sole vendor contract between Velocity Network and Erie County.

So moved. Second. Any discussion? Ms. Chilcott.

Mr. Drexel.

Yes.

Mrs. Showerman. Yes. Mr. Wertz. Yes. Mr. Winarski.

Yes.

Mr. Bale? Yes. Mr. Copeland? Yes. Chairman Skutella?

Yes.

E. First reading of ordinance number 79, 2026, amending article 3, section 1E of the administrative code, purchasing code of Erie County. F. First read of ordinance number 80, 2026, approving the amendments to the Erie County Human Resource Code. gee first reading of resolution number 25 2026 authorizing the county of erie to enter into a contract with the city of erie for community development block grant funding in the amount of 65 000 h resolution number 26 2026 approving the 2027 to 2029 erie county operational and capital plan so moved second any discussion

Ms. Chilcott?

Mrs. Showerman? Yes. Mr. Wertz? Yes. Mr. Winarski? Yes. Mr. Bale? Yes. Mr. Copeland? Yes. Mr. Drexel? Yes. Chairman Skotella?

Yes. Aye.

Possible appointment of Carrie Ennis to the Northwest PA Job Connect Board, term two expired July 31st, 2028.

So moved.

Second.

Any discussion? Ms. Chilcott.

Mr. Wertz. Yes. Mr. Wynarski. Yes. Mr. Bale. Yes. Mr. Copeland. Yes. Mr. Drexel. Yes. Mrs. Showerman. Yes. Chairman Skutella.

Yes. The next finance and personnel committee meetings are Thursday, September 3rd, 2026. The next regular meeting of county council is Tuesday, September 26th. We're adjourned.