Erie Town Council Special Meeting for Planning Commission Interviews - April 1, 2025
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Erie Town Council Special Meeting: Planning Commission Interviews - April 1, 2025
On April 1, 2025, the Erie Town Council held a special meeting to interview four applicants for a vacancy on the Planning Commission. The council had narrowed the pool from eleven applicants. Each applicant was interviewed for 30 minutes, and the council deliberated afterward before voting to appoint Andrew Sawish.
Discussion Items
Applicant Interview: Matt Sundine
Matt Sundine, an attorney and 14-year Erie resident, previously served on the Lafayette Planning Commission and held various government and nonprofit roles. He described the planning commissioner's role as probing staff recommendations while respecting their expertise, and stressed managing growth to ensure developers contribute infrastructure and amenities. He expressed support for balancing competing interests and hearing residents' concerns, and committed to supporting the council's work plan even if he disagreed.
Applicant Interview: Sarah Cornelly
Sarah Cornelly, who moved to Erie in 2019 and studied environmental policy and planning, served on the town's Home Rule Charter Commission. She saw the planning commission as a first line of defense and a communication bridge. She advocated for affordable housing, improved transportation, and proactive community engagement (e.g., a regular presence at the farmers market). She acknowledged needing to become more familiar with key planning documents.
Applicant Interview: Andrew Sawish
Andrew Sawish, a former Erie planning commissioner and town council member, proposed expanding the planning commission's role to include long-range planning, conformance reports, and strategic oversight to assist the council with growth management. He discussed oil and gas regulations, cumulative impacts, and infrastructure planning. He stated he had read all town master plans. Some council members later voiced concerns about his past treatment of town staff, but others valued his experience and vision for the commission.
Applicant Interview: Christine Hackett Eisenberg
Christine Hackett Eisenberg, retired from a 30-year career in architectural/construction business development and a 5-year Erie resident, framed the planning commissioner role as an advocate for residents, businesses, and council. She emphasized thorough vetting, community outreach, and fiscal impact analysis. She defined Erie's small-town feel as safety, space, walkability, historic architecture, and community events. She had already met with several staff members and came prepared with extensive notes.
Key Outcomes
- After deliberation, the council voted 5–2 to appoint Andrew Sawish to the Planning Commission (Resolution No. 25063).
- In favor: Mayor Moore, Mayor Pro Tem Bell, Councilmembers O'Connor, Pessaromelli, and Mortalero.
- Opposed: Councilmembers Hoback and Bear.
- Council members praised all four applicants as highly qualified and expressed difficulty in deciding. Councilmember Hoback specifically noted concerns about Mr. Sawish's past interactions with staff, while others highlighted his unique experience as a former commissioner and council member.
- The meeting concluded with Mayor Pro Tem Bell thanking the Erie Police Department for their efforts in locating a missing child earlier that day.
Meeting Transcript
I'm gonna call to order the town council meeting on April 1st, 2025. This is a special meeting for us to interview the applicants for the planning commission. We have four applicants tonight that we'll be interviewing. The interviews will be for 30 minutes each, and we will do a um a method uh starting on the outer side of the dais and moving in with one question and I'll alternate between the sides. And um if we have additional time, um I'll ask the council if there are any other pressing questions, and then um at the end we'll deliberate and determine uh if there's a motion to appoint uh one of the four. All right, with that, I think we are ready to go. And if you can bring in um our first applicant, which is Matt. We're gonna need to take a roll call. We're gonna need to take a roll call first. Oh, I'm sorry. That's okay. Yeah, this Robert will take roll. Oh, I need to do the Pledge of Allegiance too. This is a formal meeting. I'm thinking this is like partially a study session. I'll get with it. All right, please rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. All right, well, Miss Crawford, please take roll. Mayor Moore? Here Mayor Pro Tembell. Here. Councilmember Baer present. Councilmember Mordelaro? Here. Councilmember Hobeck? Here. Councilmember Pesarumelli. Here. Councilmember O'Connor. Here. You have a quorum. All right, great. Do we have a motion to approve the agenda tonight? So move. Second. All right. We have a motion and a second. I think Councilmember Hobeck got it in just a bit before. Councilmember Mortuelli. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, say no. All right, we have an agenda. All right. With that, um, I think I had um given the overview of what we're doing tonight. And so I think if our first applicant, Matt uh Sandine could join us, we'll get the process started. She's gonna bring in. Okay. Welcome.
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