We'll go ahead and call this meeting to order.

Roll call for the city council meeting of Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

At 6 30 p.m.

members Titus Brzezinski, Flores Horton, Pol Shoff, and Truth.

At this point, we will stand for a positive allegiance, but we will begin with a moment of silence.

And then to the Republic for which Ms.

My nation and uh invisible I have a motion to approve the minutes from the January 7th meeting and bills for payment on January 23rd and 30th.

Members Brzezinski, Flores, Horton, Pole, Shaw, Troop, and Titus.

At this point, we have no presentations this evening.

So I will ask, do we have anybody present for a repository sale?

If you could state your name and the and the properties in which you are.

Okay.

At this point, we'll go through a structured list of of questions just to ask.

Sure.

And feel free any of the council members to please jump in as well too.

Right now, do any of the parcel numbers have property on them or are they vacant?

No, vacant.

What are your plans and your intentions for the properties?

So I have a construction company, me and other three partners.

And uh we got a approval for a new construction loan with uh PNC and Truist Bank.

So we're looking for this uh vacant lands in order to build house for the next I would say 18 to 24 months.

So the plan is to build nine houses?

Yes.

Do you live near or reside near any of the properties?

So uh I don't live near, but we have people here.

We have a contractor, a local one, uh, who would be responsible directly for the sites maintenance and uh secure the properties.

Could you go a little bit more into the the maintenance of the properties?

That's been something that we've had um as I said he'd really struggled with um making sure that when properties are bought that they are also maintained.

Okay, so um if I don't answer your question as I should you let me know, okay, because I don't know exactly.

Um so our plan would be as soon uh if we get the approval, we would uh secure the the property uh clean keep it clean um and start um check the ordinance in order to see what's required by the city and follow the steps that are in the ordinance.

Um the properties that you want to build will they be for rent or for ownership?

No, for ownership.

So my company we have actually we have two businesses.

One is uh fix and flip and the other one it's new construction.

We have um we are finishing in Dayton, Ohio, uh few properties now, and that's why we're planning to come here to Aerie to Uri.

Um so uh our plan would be build and sell it.

Do you happen to have a picture of what you did in Ohio?

Sure, yes.

Uh, can I get my phone?

Sure.

So here's a people have two pictures uh from a lead.

Here would be my request.

Since we won't be voting on it tonight, if we could get those pictures, if you could email those in and then we can distribute them to the council members so they could see them.

That'd be and then I just have a couple questions.

And also is there a timeline?

So the company in our office we have uh eight people.

Uh but we have another company, the name is VMS, where we have some partnership.

Thank you.

And they are the constructors.

That's what so we have two divisions inside the company.

So these eight people are responsible for managing um the structure and uh um the constructions.

And uh we also have uh virtual assistants uh who who helped us with the selling process.

Uh will these be tiny homes, will these be two bedroom, three bedroom, will they be multiple units?

What type of housing are we talking?

Would be uh between uh twelve hundred, twelve hundred and fifteen hundred square feet, uh two bedrooms at least, but the plan is always keep uh at least three bedrooms because it's just easier to sell after.

Um and the timeline I would say the nine units between eighteen and twenty-four months.

Thank you so much.

Are these houses uh one story or two stories?

Mainly uh two stories.

Two stories?

Yeah, it will depend uh the size of the land.

We check the ordinance so we know that every uh lot they are eligible for single families.

Um but we didn't check um it uh exactly which prop which model I would say of property we're gonna put in each land because we were expecting to have the approval or not before.

Thank you.

What's the uh plan for the parking?

How will people park?

So the house we built, um we usually leave a space on the side because this lands uh they would so some of them we checked and there is enough space to put us uh on the side a driveway, I would say, but mostly they don't.

So we visit each of the lands and we saw that in that streets uh people park in front.

Okay.

So on street parking?

Yeah.

I would say from the nine.

Um two we may be able to make a little driveway.

Uh the other uh seven would be street parking.

And last will these will in no shape, form or fashion be Airbnb properties.

No, we don't we have Airbnb division and we also work with furniture finder, but this we work usually in big cities, not that area it's not big, it's big enough, but like uh Philadelphia um Pittsburgh, we have some units, but our plan for this properties, especially because we are working in partnership with the bank, so there are requirements, so we need to build and sell.

Okay, so are you a property management company?

So inside the comp.

No, no, it's perfect.

So in the company we have few divisions.

So the first one it's the VMS, that it's the um the construction itself.

Okay.

The second one it's the fix and flip.

So we buy properties in auctions.

Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Um we fix and flip.

Uh the third um division is management.

So we don't manage other people's properties, but we manage ours.

So in this division would be um sales area would be um Airbnb, furniture finder, um and uh look um rentals.

Where uh the the parcels that that you're asking about.

I see.

Uh I think it uh I think it changes the character of the neighborhood.

I understand, yeah.

For this specific lots, we wouldn't uh consider an Airbnb just because of the kind of partnership with the bank.

So uh they require us to sell it within two years.

So we would have to sell it.

properties were uh the the parcels that that you're asking about i see uh i think it uh i think it changes the the character of the neighborhood i understand yeah for this specific lots we wouldn't uh consider an airbnb just because of the kind of partnership with the bank so uh they require us to sell it within two years so we would have to got you because I mean clearly we need housing so we're looking to partner with companies like yours but you know our my uh always first and foremost to the people uh who are going to be affected mostly by it and that's the people where you're built next to where you're building oh that's good to hear also we are also we're also working with the land banks here in Erie uh in order to um find properties that needs to be uh remodeled um so we are also exploring this right and so lastly I would say that although we're looking to partner with companies like that we're mostly looking for local home ownership not looking to be managed by out of town company property managers and I just want to be really honest with you about that.

Perfect thank you.

Mr.

President a point of order maybe from the solicitor.

I know our zoning laws have become rather mercury here lately but isn't there a minimum frontage a lot of these lots that you're buying don't meet the minimum frontage that I knew of when I was a rooster actively.

Well um there was a amendment to the zoning code I believe in late 2024 that uh allowed homes that wouldn't have been possibly met on these types of lots.

So I would ask her probably to refer to the zoning office um they would have the important thing in these schools you're buying these lots of them and you can't put them so right so the zoning office will be the for your contact yeah so we checked um with the assessment office I don't know if it's the same um no the assessment office is over at the courthouse and so they deal with the taxes obviously but you you want to look at the zoning office here in the city hall for the requirements.

Right so there's in our zoning code it's online on eco.com they might be able to direct you um and we have very good zoning officers that are very knowledgeable so I would have you contact them probably we did yes uh especially because there are two lots that they are not uh within the the front edge requirement so we requested to check if it was possible to have a um exception and I have an email they say that's all I was bringing up oh no we checked yeah check you yeah did you visit the neighborhoods where your lots that you wish to purchase are located yes because I think it would be good to like understand maybe a little bit of the history of the neighborhood are you um partnering with a bank that's local or an out of town bank it's PNC.

PNC.

Yeah in truist the PNC we have a contact local uh local contact uh tourist it's not from here at least our managers not in area do you know how much after construction you would sell the house for yes so uh in between these nine lots we saw that three um has um sorry I'm a little nervous so if if you don't understand anything I say just let me know so three of them are higher price so they are uh running around uh 130,000 to 14000 dollars uh the other ones are between 110,000 and 12000 thank you and also I think it's important to mention that we have a um manufactured home okay it's not a mobile home it's a manufactured so it's exactly the same appearance as any other house here so we can build a house with 70,000 okay so um I just want to clarify this because maybe you're asking okay you are selling a house for 110,000 what's your profit so we have this um this margin of uh 30 to 40 thousand so they're they're kits they uh the they are not so we have uh wooden kit we do have it uh but we have another another technology that we build um I would say the walls inside and just take to the to the site so we make we make this lab and we place the walls on it.

Okay because I'm I I'm working that industry and I just ask I know on 19th and parade we have passive we have passive housing built there too and it's the same thing it only only difference is instead of putting in a concrete foundation uh what makes that passive up there uh are they're actually built on styrofoam and they're parched uh and in the bottoms are pared it looks like a concrete it gives the appearance of concrete but they're actually built on it's a kind of styrofoam right and so we home and we had the walls just brought in and we just put it together like a uh a puzzle I mean they're they're solid but I was just yeah I know the Amazon and it's a lot of technology where they're they're they're not just modular they're not your father's modular home.

And so we and we had the walls just brought in, and we just put it together like a uh a puzzle.

I mean they're they're solid.

But I was just yeah, I know the Amazon, and it's a lot of technology where they're they're they're not just modular, uh they're not your father's modular home.

So yeah, I've worked with this technology, and it's amazing.

It's really good uh for isolation and everything.

Uh but uh out of the country, not here.

In Africa, we did this technology, but uh here we we have wooden um and also um the manufacturer that it's a whole house itself.

We made it, we make it, and we just transport and put a nice lab.

Oh, there wouldn't, and there wouldn't be and it is a slab, uh, but the foundation itself instead of being blocked, it it's on styrofoam.

So I know it exactly what you're referring uh to, and they're solid.

Perfect.

Mr.

Check, do we um have those type of homes allowed in the in the city?

Off the top of my head, I wouldn't know, but that would be something I could ask uh Mr.

Yerkovich.

Yeah, definitely they they would be allowed in the city.

We have a whole apartment complex uh uh built in similar fashion.

And it the concern would be because of the the as with any place in cold climate, uh, would be the would be the concrete slab uh itself in the in the free in the the uh permafrost or the freeze.

My recommendation um just to that would be to take the plans and make sure that you touch in with zoning.

So we won't vote on anything tonight, it'll be on the next agenda.

This would give you time to like now that it's we're aware and the plans are out there.

I would touch base with zoning because then it also will give you time so if they report back that you can't do this plan that you could pull some of them so you're not buying a property that you don't that you can't use for the project.

So that would be my suggestion is now that it's out and you know what you're gonna do, check in with zoning to make sure that it's you can do all of those things.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Sorry, should I take uh should I send the pictures to this email?

Yes, please.

Okay.

Sounds good.

Thank you.

Do we have anybody else here for repository sale?

Mr.

Um Dr.

Titus, yes, just apropos to uh to the last item.

Um because there are such an in uh influx of people purchasing property uh that don't necessarily reside with uh within our geographical boundaries.

Um I I will be I would like the solicitor to look at the shared parking driveway too, because if we're going to have uh the developers come in, I don't think that someone who uh senior citizen or someone that's in a shared parking situation should have to do that with a Airbnb or with a necessarily, you know, uh without being a vested uh taxpayer who actually resides in the city.

So I I will ask the solicitor to look at some of that too.

Thank you.

Good evening.

Uh my name is Mark, M-A-R-K-E-Bright, E B R I G H T.

Um, I'm looking to purchase the property uh 461 East 25th.

It's on 25th in Wallace.

It used to be uh Chuckles Bar, I believe, and they caught fire.

And isn't and right now it's vacant, there's nothing on it.

Uh the reason for the purchase is for personal use.

Uh at first it would be just to park uh my vehicles in like a camper there.

I plan on uh fencing it off with a six-foot you know wooden privacy fence, um, and then like backfilling it with B2 uh limestone gravel uh you know to maintain so it's not overgrown with weeds or anything like that.

And I reside at 2606 Ash, so it's basically around the corner, so I would be taking care of the property myself, maintaining it, snow removal, trash removal, you know, taking care of the property that way.

Uh but uh eventually um is I'm gonna build another building on there, probably a personal garage.

Because my property right now I have a single car driveway, but I don't have room for anything else.

You know what I mean?

There's no room there on the street.

So and this one isn't too far from my home, so I figure that's that's the reason for the purchase.

Do you have any code violations in the past three years?

No.

No, and and my home is is owned, like there's no loan or anything like that on it.

I own it.

Any liens?

No.

Or back taxes unpaid?

No.

Okay.

Any uh counselors have follow-up questions?

Uh-uh.

Well it'd be a personal use garage or okay.

Well, my well, my nephew at first, because right now it's zoned for commercial because it was that that bar on there, and I would probably leave it that way.

And I would probably leave it that way.

Uh my nephew graduates this year as a Pennsylvania state inspection mechanic, and my brother is also auto mechanic.

So maybe down the line, you know, that they could work out of there, and it would already be zone commercial, so I wouldn't have to like go back through and you know deal with that.

But I love the fact that you're homeowner and that you actually live in in the area.

I know the area well and friends and family and loved ones in the area, and I think all too often people who uh outside of the area aren't as committed as those who live there.

Yeah, there's only two houses on that block, mine and the neighbors that face Ash Street, directly across the street in St.

Mary's.

And the maintenance guy that works there has been kind enough to let me park my vehicles in their parking lot because they built the one, the brand new one up on 28th, but they still have the one that's on the side there.

And I keep having to move them for him so he can plow there.

And I figured, you know, if I have my own area to park, because I have like five vehicles and a camper and you know, between me and my wife.

So thank you.

Any other follow-up questions?

All right.

Uh we won't, it won't be on the agenda tonight.

But we will, it'll be on the next one.

All right.

Thank you very much for your time.

Have a good evening.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else here to speak on a repository, Sam?

Anyone else to speak on a repository, Sam?

Anyone else to speak on a repository?

Right.

So this will move us into the public comment section.

What I would ask is that when you come up that you please speak your name clearly in your municipality clearly for us to hear, if you could sign in so that we are able to follow up with you.

It's important to note that you will have the five minutes, but we as council don't dialogue back.

This is the public's time, and this is your opportunity to share with us, and it's our job to listen.

Um I just I think that's important for maybe people who have not been here before, because sometimes they can feel like we're not paying attention or we're not engaging.

But this is your time, and so this is your uh your time to take the podium.

And if anyone would like to come share, please just come up and speak your name clearly.

Um you'll have five minutes.

My name is Freder Chaper.

I live in the city of Erie, and I have uh several things I want to talk about.

I do um encourage you to vote to rescind the uh resolution on the home rule charter.

Um there's a lot of reasons.

The idea that anybody's gonna have to collect 200 signatures for petitions in February and March, 200 signatures.

You only you guys on the council only need a hundred.

Um as a judge of elections, I really shudder at the confusion that will result from having to have three different ballots, not two at the primary, and to have uh a ballot that is just for the people voting on the home rule charter.

Um maybe you want to do it later or maybe not, but please don't do it at the primary.

We and and it is only fair to the people collecting 200 signatures that they don't have to do it in the dead of winter.

Um the rest of it, it's up to you whether you figure it out.

I don't understand it enough to have an opinion.

Um we have a quality of life program.

We fund the quality of life program, we have inspectors, one of whom cited me for having my grass over 10 inches, and yet we have never yet has the home on 23rd in Green Garden that I've complained about several times, moved their hedge back off of this encroaching the sidewalk.

Never yet has Teresa's on Green Gardens stopped piling snow across the sidewalk in the wintertime when they clear their um when they clear their parking lots.

In fact, there's a really impressive berm, the most impressive berm I've ever seen on West 12th on the north side of the street, um, between Wesler and the street to the east, and there's a sign on the building says CNC machinist and programmer.

It is the biggest berm I've ever seen across the sidewalk.

So my point is so we have this quality of life program.

Who's quality of life?

What about the quality of life of the people who would like to use the sidewalks?

I I'm concerned about the businesses that hire somebody to clear their parking lot and then leave a huge pile of snow across the sidewalk.

And I have complained about the same businesses over and over, and nothing happens.

And then we have the businesses that are doing sidewalk closures, including Erie Insurance, Gannon University, and the Catholic Church that are going and the redevelopment authority that are going way beyond the 180-day limit to have a sidewalk closure.

What about our quality of life?

Not just the 10 inches of the grass.

And Erie is in there as a silver business being sustainable.

And there's one line in there that I found amazing.

They checked off, yes, where it says staffing is in place sufficient to enforce building and maintenance codes.

Well, if that's the case, why are all these sidewalk access issues not taken care of?

Um sidewalk access resides in engineering.

They don't have a funded quality of life program the way code enforcement does.

But that that is a um it's not fair to everybody.

Um with my urging, the city passed an LED reader board ordinance, but it doesn't apply to signs like the sign in the window that country fair has by Perry Square that it's flashing and fast moving and flipping and spelling all the things that the sign ordinance does not allow for LED signs.

And there's a lot of reader boards that are small, that the church schools have, that um Sloppy Duck has that do not comply with the ordinance.

If you're not visually sensitive, you don't understand that this matters, but there's a lot of us that are sensitive to these kind of visual things, and we shouldn't have it in our viewscape.

Um I guess that's all I get to talk about.

My new friends on the council, please, please use the microphones.

Thank you.

Anyone else for public comment?

Savannah Wilson, I reside in the city of Erie.

I'm addressing the media later crisis tonight for Facebook.

I'm very concerned about racist rhetoric that is spewing online.

And let me be clear, I'm not asking anybody to be the internet police, but this is a problem with our governance and how social media is now playing a huge part on online discussions.

When city affiliation pages, news outlets, comment sections become unchecked reservoirs for racist rhetoric.

It creates a sense of consent that this is okay, and I know that this is not how our city is to operate.

This is reputational risk and civic harm.

The solutions that I'm going to propose is to turn off comments, delete comments, and to make public statements addressing inappropriate comments underneath viral posts.

I get a lot of attention.

AI is a serious issue, and we need to be paying close attention to it.

Platforms like Facebook are training grounds for this data, and it is pushing bias and racist rhetoric into this training.

And I understand that you might not know fully what that means, but the larger issue to this statement is that in this city we are critically behind on our technical knowledge.

And the avoidance around AI conversation cannot be ignored anymore.

Algorithms are isolating people into online realities where harmful topics are being normalized, shared, and repeated.

Donald Trump is pouring billions of dollars into segregating people online, and it is very dangerous.

Very dangerous for our city and our environment.

Facebook is the main place our constituents talk about political opinions and share deep truths, which I personally feel like is a great place to dissect and redirect the conversation.

We are no longer benefiting from consuming the media unconsciously.

We have to be conscious consumers.

And I wanted to say to all the people out on Facebook that are watching this, please sit and spin.

Thank you so much.

Anyone else for public?

Good evening.

I'm Anthony McGowan.

Um long-term Erie resident, um, program director, boys to manage a youth uh mentoring group.

Uh, all the boys wanted to come in and meet you guys tonight.

Um, interested in politics, so I brought them in here.

They all wanted to speak tonight, but um it's getting kind of late past the bedtime.

I see them back there yawning, so I'm gonna get them out of here, but I just want you guys.

Um, there's no we we were here to just to meet you guys tonight, okay?

That's it.

Thank you.

We heard the pledge.

We don't typically do dialogue back and forth, but I do want to say thank you very much for bringing him down.

This is exactly what should be happening, and we should be engaging more.

So thank you all for coming down and doing this.

Absolutely.

And I just wanted to also add that um if you do want to get a personal meeting with the council, like we can set it up.

Just reach out to us through email because we can meet them before caucus or during caucus, um, if we can show the agenda slight, that way they can actually get some FaceTime with all of the council members.

Thank you.

I promised them library cards.

But that's I'm still waiting on you.

I'd like to host them at the library and the maritime museum.

Welcome.

That's grateful.

That's excellent.

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Jennifer Kennedy, longtime resident of Erie Pennsylvania.

So good evening to our new president, Dr.

Titus, Mayor Devlin, and members of Erie City Council, including our newly sworn-in members.

I'm here as a resident who cares deeply about the city and believes that trust, transparency, and equity are not optional, they are essential.

Regarding the killing of Marcello Woodard, what our community has been asking for is not interference in the legal process.

What we're asking for is clear, consistent communication and visible advocacy from our elected leaders so that silence doesn't take the place of accountability.

City council may not control the district attorney or state agencies, but you do have influence.

Continued pressure for regular public updates where legally possible, advocacy for accountability tools like body worn cameras across all agencies, and structured public forums matter.

Those actions help rebuild trust where it has been strained.

Thank you, Mayor Devlin, for already introducing some of those public forums.

I'd also like to raise an issue tied directly to community trust and safety.

What is the City of Erie's current approach to interactions with federal law enforcement agencies, especially ICE?

We need clarity on how information is shared and how civil rights and community safety are protected, particularly for immigrant families who already live with fear and uncertainty.

However, recent events have also shown ICE agents will come after Americans and anyone of any race.

So how is our city protecting us?

For many people, especially in the BIPOC community, voting against home rule charter isn't about being against change.

It is about concern that the conversation is moving way faster than public understanding or inclusion.

I had no clue before Councilman Horton brought it to my attention.

Home rule is complex, it shifts power, it changes tax authority, and it reshapes how decisions get made.

Without strong intentional equity protections built in, those changes land hardest on the same people who already carry the most burden.

Low-income residents, renters, and communities of color.

Pausing that process shows that council is willing to slow down rather than rush past community voices that matters.

Thank you.

Looking ahead, there are real opportunities in front of us.

First, community policing and accountability.

Erie has talked for years about partnership between residents and law enforcement.

Strengthening that means civilian oversight, expanded non-police crisis response, and working with trusted community organizations.

Not just after decisions are made, but while they're being shaped.

Second, addressing racial inequities.

Disparities in policing outcomes, housing, economic opportunity, and health are real here.

Those disparities are very real.

Council has the ability to apply equity lenses to budgets and policies.

Support BIPOC-led organizations and ensure community voices are present where decisions are being made.

Third, bringing the community together.

That looks like regular town halls, transparent reporting where possible, and shared tables where residents are partners in solutions, not spectators.

City Council sets the tone for Erie.

You shape priorities, elevate voices, and signal what kind of city we choose to be.

Thank you for your time for listening and for the work you do on behalf of this community.

A safer eerie is one where policies are shaped with the community, not simply explained to them afterward.

Which is why when we continue to press for justice for Cello, we are pressing for justice for all.

Thank you.

Good evening, council.

My topic of concern today is uh police accountability.

Um today was the preliminary hearing for uh the Marcella Woodard incident, and which in my view I see as a extra extrajudicial execution uh by the by the state parole board.

By the state parole agent, excuse me.

Um furthermore, the main topic I wanted to dive into about police accountability is the public safety building that's being considered right now at the old uh Millerbrose uh uh facility.

And maybe there can be some education done here uh during this session, but my concern with this uh public safety facility that we're constructing, or I think of constructing, excuse me, is the prioritization of the police in regards to this uh new facility.

I want it to be hopefully not used to store MRAPs or otherwise high uh highly armored vehicles or for the police.

Um it was my hope that uh that facility can be used to prioritize uh a city-run EMS service, uh more uh facilities for the fire department, uh, etc.

etc.

Um, I find it very concerning sometimes when we hear about these public safety uh buildings, especially uh in regards to when what some people might call a COP city.

I've heard that in Atlanta, this is a very cons uh contentious uh facility that they constructed in their own city, and I hope that this council with their power of the purse is able to direct funds to more relief more support fire, rescue, otherwise uh uh other social services within that building.

Um furthermore, uh just to kind of touch on what the previous speaker spoke about in regards to ICE cooperation.

Uh it is my it is a very large concern of uh myself and other communities here in Erie that cooperation between the city uh and ice be limited as much as it legally can be.

Um it's very hard to see what's happening around the country uh and see that it could potentially happen here, as it actually already has happened here.

Um frankly, it's very scary for people that are just a couple tones darker than myself to be walking around the street and you know, they see, oh, why is uh why is a person of color walking in a s in uh in a city full of snow?

It sometimes it can frighten these ICE officers, which you know frankly speaks to more about how ICE is being operated as to uh the dignity of our citizens.

So as we consider uh you know constructing uh public safety buildings, um, investing more into our police, you know.

I hope it is considered by this council that the really bad reputation that law enforcement agencies have across uh in all in all manners, from police to parole board to parole agents to federal agents, etc.

etc.

So please with your powers, hopefully you can understand that many of the the concerns that citizens have isn't exactly with the police officers themselves, but is the actual systemic issues that occur within the police departments and other law enforcement agencies.

I hope that even a small message like this can hopefully deter funds be used for any sort of hot, you know, high caliber weaponry, you know, as I mentioned before, MRAPs, as that seems to be very prevalent among uh police departments, and I hope that we can use some of those funds that may be going to the police for community policing, for uh housing the unhoused, et cetera, et cetera, to hopefully you know prevent even use uh of the police in the first place.

Um it's very hard to see sometimes, especially since we don't really seem to get a solid conclusion from what I view as unauthorized uses force against uh civilians.

I hope that this that the city is able to use those funds to, you know, in prevention.

Every uh some people say that an ounce of prevention is uh more than a pound of the cure.

So I that's all I have to say today.

Thank you very much, Council.

Good evening, city council.

Name is Michael Woodard, lifelong resident Eri PA.

I'm here to speak about Marcella Woodard, and um I just want to give thanks to uh the whole city abroad for sticking together and fighting for the family.

This leadership doesn't start in Erie PA, but it seems like it just has begun across our nation.

This is the second time in U.S.

history that a parole agent shot and killed an individual.

And Erie PA has stood up with leadership that's going to go across the United States of America.

We want to thank the individuals who bumped heads with other individuals this whole time and brought this to light.

The DA, we didn't know who she represented this whole time, but she fought for the family today, like no other.

She went up against the defense.

She held it down, she kept a professional, and she showed what it means to live in EREPA.

This started here.

We want to continue to make sure that our community members are being heard, they're being covered, and they're being supported by continuing the push for those body camps.

Because we don't need something like this to happen again by uncontrollable parole agent that's walking the streets of EREPA.

So let's continue to move that forward with those body cams and don't leave no stone unturned about this.

Now I would like to bring it back to the situation of leadership.

You individuals right now have touched the hearts and the souls of many that won't even speak right now that don't have the courage to speak.

Those people that are sitting at home right now, I get text messages from, phone calls from moms, dads, uncles, nieces, people that want to talk, they want to come up here, but they're too scared to talk.

Because if they spoke about the actions of the parole officer, they felt like their loved one might be threatened to get put in jail.

These actions could be put forth again with those body camps.

So please don't leave these families stuck in the dirt or in the dark, but not moving forward with those body camps.

And I also want to say I hope that this change shakes the ground between the inner city and the county of Erie, Pennsylvania.

If this doesn't do it, what else will?

In the whispers in which your eyes open about what transparency means and advocating for something that was done wrong.

Thank you.

I'm going to thank you.

Hello, everybody.

Happy New Year.

My name is Sidney Zimmerman.

I live in the city of Erie.

Very glad to see everybody.

Everybody looks well.

Congratulations on your new positions as uh council members, president, vice president, and mayor of the city of Erie, congratulations to all of you.

So we've heard folks talk about AI.

We've heard about policing.

We've heard about ICE.

We've heard about our local leaders advocating for what is right when those in authority misuse that power.

So first and foremost, let me just say that I am so happy for the Woodard family to be able to receive some type of justice.

They're going on that path, and I'm sure that that is at least a little bit of a comfort to them.

So thank you for coming and speaking.

Greatly appreciate it.

So when thinking about these things, I am happy to hear that the new mayor is going to be having community conversations, already had community conversation, and that we are looking at the city as uh uh improving our neighborhoods, you know, not just our core.

Um, and so with that comes a lot of responsibility to be forward thinking, to be proactive instead of reactive, the way that one of our citizens mentioned.

And so as we look ahead to fund things like celebrate Erie or uh America 250, um, and as we look towards the future that might hold things that are the exact opposite when thinking about um ice specifically, I think it's important that we start to plan for what we're going to do in those instances, especially the ones that are uh not as fun, the ones that are a little bit scarier.

So I hope that in the same way that we have stood behind um you know Marcello and his family and made sure that justice was had and that local authorities were advocating and doing what they needed to to hold folks accountable.

I hope that we can plan locally to prepare for the very real possibility that things that are happening across our nation, like in Minnesota, could very well happen here in Erie PA.

And do we have a plan?

Do we have an apparatus?

How are we gonna handle that situation?

And how can we involve the community as another gal stated?

How can we involve folks?

So um I have yet to see where all the planning or the schedules for the community conversations are.

So if somebody can mention that throughout the meeting, that would be fantastic, or I can touch base with you.

But just for others watching this as well, and um, you know, just thinking about all of these things, I wanted to say that I think of uh being in like fifth or sixth grade and learning about our country's revolution and thinking about the one of the flags of together we stand, divided we fall.

So uh if we can come together and we can make a plan and be prepared and not wait until we're in the middle of the situation.

I think that we're gonna do well both for the fun things and the not so fun things.

Um my other comment feels very small underneath all the weight of things that have been brought up, but I would like to bring it up, and if anybody would like to talk to me afterwards about it, that'd be fantastic.

Um, our code for our city um it describes parking meters or defines parking meters.

Yep, knew where I was going, um, as uh like a mechanical machine that can have coins, the sign needs to state like um the time availability of of when you need to pay to park there.

Um we have many places in the city of Erie that does do not adhere to this code, and so I fear that myself and others have been basically illegally ticketed because it's not in line with what our city code is.

Um so in fact, I I got uh my ticket money back, but I had a late fee on it and I did not get that money back.

So uh, you know, just thinking about that in terms of like I'm paying a late fee for something that maybe I shouldn't have even had to pay at all.

Uh I wonder how many other folks in Erie are paying their tickets when perhaps they were ticketed at a spot that does not meet the requirements per our city code.

So be happy to talk to anybody about that.

Um just wanted to bring it to everyone's attention since I know that it's expensive to park and it's not always easy for people to pay the tickets afterwards.

So that's all I have to say.

Thank you so much for being here.

And I hope everybody has a nice start to the new year.

Anyone else here for public comment?

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Bob Strasser, resident of Erie's Lower East Side.

I first want to congratulate all the uh members of City Council, the new members, um, also want to congratulate the new mayor and her administration, hoping that everyone will work together, even along with us citizens to uh do everything we can to make Erie a better place and move forward.

Uh so along those lines, I'm gonna again talk about stuff related to AI, and um this topic could take place probably within the next two to seven years.

So I'm gonna be dealing with what's called post-labor economics.

Um there are currently three pillars of uh world economics, and the first pillar is wages, human and human labor.

The second one is properties and assets, the third pillar is government subsidies and social contracts.

Um, and a lot of this um I have uh taken from someone um that I've studied, and he has also been researching for the last number of years.

His name is David Shapiro and all the people he works with.

But under pillar number one, wages and human labor, AI and robots perform all the human jobs or almost all of them.

Um so we go down to a pyramid of prosperity where AI robots replace human labor and wages, which causes the post-labor shift.

AI provides labor at zero or near zero marginal cost.

So basically, what that means is the cost of everything will come down dramatically because the AI and robotics will be doing everything so much uh cheaper than human labor.

Pillar number two, properties and assets.

This is the ownership pillar.

As wages and human labor decline, uh one of the few ways for households to survive is to move from being a laborer to being a to being an owner.

Um so number one under this is the traditional view, assets like homes, properties, stocks, etc.

Um, are a way to store wealth from labor.

Uh then number two under here is the post-labor shift.

AI does the work, those who own the compute and the robots capture the value.

Uh model suggested along the lines here is universal capital approach.

So that's where everybody all across the whole world and all the different countries and stuff will be able to have access to the compute and and the value.

Um, and and reality right now, we are transitioning towards a sovereign wealth funds and a collective ownership.

Uh tokenized assets allowing families to own a fraction of the uh automated productivity in their own zip codes.

So for like here in Erie, that would be like Erie's industrial AI hubs as as we uh form those.

Uh pillar number three, um, which is government subsidies and social contracts.

In this pillar uh would include things like Social Security, um, other government benefits, um, things being discussed right now, like universal basic income or universal high income.

Um the pillar represents the safety net and uh the rule of law that ensures the other two pillars don't collapse into a cyberpunk dystopia.

This this pillar goes beyond just the check.

It includes things like subsidized electricity, data, transportation, and other services.

So basically, what we're talking about here is universal basic services for everyone.

Um, just uh to continue to push on trying to think that this is going to uh advance rapidly, more so than what most people think.

I'm trying to use as an example here, maybe in Erie, or maybe one of our largest employers, let's say it's Erie Insurance.

Okay, they just built the new building with offices and cubicles for employees to work.

As AI advances, they will replace the humans with robots and that, and even in the building that they're renovating, the old building.

Um those people that say, oh no, that won't happen.

Well, um, another city that I visited years ago in Springfield, Massachusetts, where there's a lot of uh insurance companies.

Once those companies start um adapting to this and proceed in that way, Erie Insurance will be forced to do the same thing.

So what I'm saying is all the different industries and uh sectors in Erie, um, this type of stuff will take place.

So we need to think about it and how we're going to um uh be able to have AI generate the wealth for us here in Erie and distribute uh that wealth amongst our citizens.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Anybody else for public comment?

Hi, my name is Brenda Spears.

Um, since she brought the subject of the parking meters up, I live in the 300 block on West 8th Street.

Um the snow, we do have a driveway, but you can't park in there because when the snow clouds come by, you can they pile you all the way in.

You cannot, and I have a physical disability.

I cannot keep doing that.

Um the other day I parked on the street, put a quarter in a meter, and all of a sudden the meters don't work.

I don't have a credit card.

So obvious that block really needs to be looked at because there's hardly any businesses on that block, and I don't understand why we have meters because you can't keep and they gave I called the person to sit to get the meter fixed, and they oh the line was full, they couldn't take any more messages.

Um if I stayed there, then I would get a ticket.

Um so if you guys could relook at that situation, because that's the only block between 9th and 4th Street that has meters.

It's crazy.

Thanks, thank you.

Anybody else for public comment?

Anyone else for public comment?

Anybody else for public comment?

Okay.

Go ahead, Louis.

There are no ordinances for final passage, so we'll just move on to first reading.

Council file number 16583, an ordinance amending Article 1501, 1503.21, 1503.27 of the UCC ordinance adopting the 2021 UCC and Chapter 11 and appendix B of the 2021 International Building Code, the IBC for new construction, along with the accessibility provisions contained in the 2021 existing International Building Code, IEBC, the 21, the 2021 International Plumbing Code IPC, and the 2021 International Swimming Pool and SPA Code, the ISPSC, as adopted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on or about January 1st, 2026.

Sponsored by Councilmember Flores, seconded by Councilmember Schoff.

The council file ordinance 16583 haven't been read is hereby adopted on first reading by city council.

Members Brzezinski, Flores, Horton, Pull, Schoff, Troop, and Titus.

City Council rent and adopt council file ordinance 16583 by A7, Nay Zero on first reading.

Council file number 16584, an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Erie, the city determining to incur lease rental debt, evidenced by the guaranteed revenue bond, and the maximum principal amount of 370,884 to be authorized and issued by the Erie City Water Authority in connection with the construction, alteration and improvements to the public water distribution facilities in and about this city, including but not limited to the customer side, galvanized service line replacement project, phase four, and paying related costs, fees, and expenses, specifying the realistic useful life of the project, authorizing and directing appropriate officers of the city to take certain actions and to execute certain documents, including a guarantee agreement between the city as guarantor and the Erie City Water Authority and the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, approving the form maximum guaranteed amounts and sources of payment of the guarantee agreement.

Authorizing and directing appropriate officers of the city to take certain actions and to execute certain documents, including a guarantee agreement between the city as guarantor and the Erie City Water Authority and the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, approving the form maximum guaranteed amounts and sources of payment of the guarantee agreement, creating a sinking fund in connection with such guarantee obligations, and appointing a sinking fund depository and providing for the repeal of all inconsistent ordinances or parts of ordinances.

Sponsored by councilmember Schaft, seconded by councilmember Brzezinski, the Councilfile Ordinance 16584 haven't been read is hereby adopted on first reading by City Council.

Members Brzezinski Flores Horton Poll Schaaf Troop and Titus.

City Council read and adopt Councilfile Ordinate 16584 by YA7NAZER on first reading.

Thank you.

Councilfile number 16585.

An ordinance amending the following sections of Article 112 Rules of Council and more specifically 11201B caucus meetings to improve the efficiency and time involved in the legislative process for city council.

Sponsored by Councilmember Titus.

Seconded by Councilmember Schaaf.

The Council File Ordinate 16585 haven't been read is hereby adopted on first reading by City Council.

Members Brzezinski Flores Horton Poll Schaaf Troop and Titus.

City Council rent it adopt councilfile ordinance 16585 by YA 70 on first reading.

Councilfile number 16586, an ordinance appropriating the sum of 140,000 from unappropriated and anticipated revenue to be received from the business development revolving loan fund for utilization and the flagship commodore fund.

Sponsored by councilmember Schaff, seconded by councilmember Titus, the Councilfile Ordinate 16586 haven't been read is hereby adopted on first reading by City Council.

Members Brzezinski Flores Horton Poll Schoff Troop and Titus.

City Council Rentant adopt Councilfile Ordinance 16586 by YA70 on first reading.

Council file number 16587, an ordinance appropriating the sum of $25,000 from unappropriated and unanticipated revenue received from Erie's manufacturing for the expenditure thereof for police capital improvement fund projects.

Sponsored by Councilmember Schoff, seconded by Councilmember Brzezinski.

The Councilfile Ordinance 16587 haven't been read as hereby adopted on first reading by City Council.

Members Brzezinski, Flores, Horton, Poll, Schaaf, Troop, and Titus.

City Council Rentant Adopt Council File Ordinance 16587 by YA70 on first reading.

Council File number 1658.

An ordinance appropriating the sum of 15,000 from unappropriated and unanticipated revenue for the expenditure thereof.

This contribution is from the Mercy Terrace Apartments for the purchase of police fire and winter maintenance equipment.

Sponsored by Councilmember Schaft, seconded by Councilmember Brzezinski, the Council File Ordinate 1658 haven't been read as hereby adopted on first reading by City Council.

Members Brzezinski Flores Horton Poll Schaaf Troop and Titus.

City Council Rentant Adopt Councilfile Ordinance 1658 by YA70 on first reading.

Council file number 16589.

An ordinance appropriating the sum of 389,218.37 cents from unappropriated and unanticipated revenue for the expenditure thereof the police capital and food improvement fund projects.

Sponsored by Councilmember Schaft, seconded by Councilmember Brzezinski, the Council File Ordinance 16589 have been read as hereby adopted on first reading by Erie City Council.

Members Brzezinski, Flores, Horton, Poll, Shaw, Troop, and Titus.

City Council Red and Adopt, Councilfile Ordinate 16589 by YA7, Nay Zero on First Reading.

Finally, Council file number 16590.

An ordinance to repeal ordinance 58, 2025, passed and approved by Erie City Council on August 20th, 2025.

Sponsored by Councilmember Titus Specialist.

Seconded by Councilmember Schaff, the council file ordinance 16, 590, haven't been read as hereby adopted on first reading by City Council.

Members Brzezinski, Flores, Horton, Paul, Shaf, Troop, and Titus.

City Council rent it adopt council file ordinance 16, 590 by Yay 7, Nay Zero on First Reading.

Council President.

This takes us to new business.

I'll motion.

I'll second.

Do we have any separations?

I think I took your line there, Lori.

Sorry.

Any separations.

Moving the balance of the agenda, members Brzezinski, Flores, Horton, Paul, Schaff, Troop, and Titus.

Resolution passes Yay 7, Nay Zero.

All right, I believe this brings us to committee reports.

So just as a reminder to my colleagues that we um have five minutes to go over our reports and to keep please keep those reports within our liaison and our assigned duties.

And I've asked Lori to help keep us on track.

Um so if we hear that timer go off and we still have more to say, please submit the rest, and we can attach it to the meeting minutes so that we make sure that everything is documented.

Um we'll go ahead and start with Councillor Paul.

Uh good evening.

Um, seeing that we just received our liaison lists.

Um I have nothing to report.

Hopefully, next meeting after I get into uh seeing everyone that I have to deal with.

Um, I'll have something to report, and I have a few meetings coming up.

So thank you.

Councilor Trump.

Thanks.

Uh Dr.

Titus.

Um just um same as um Councilwoman Poll.

Um, but do like to thank the citizens that came down here today.

I'm lucky it was 10 degrees warmer for them today.

It felt like summertime.

Um I did want to mention that I attended the MLK march.

Saw a lot of our colleagues, the mayor and different people there, the superintendent.

And that was it's great to see everybody, great to do that annually.

Um I was really happy to see um the dedication of the James Sherrod Way.

Um deserved.

Um lastly, just want to wish my condolences to his family once again, and specifically his wife.

Um, as you know, I'm a musician, and over the years she's been a big supporter of my band's really big supporter.

So want to just uh wish her the best in um her um grieving process and to the whole entire family.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilor Coraz.

Um, I just got my committee assignment, so haven't quite gotten um to a meeting yet, but I look forward to working with everyone on the board and the authorities and the committees that I'm going to be sitting on.

I just wanted to go over.

Um, I did attend the 15th annual dark Dr.

Martin Luther King dinner on Saturday, January 17th.

It was a great room to be in, full of community, um, full of like-minded people who want to see that advancement of our society.

Um, I was privileged to sit at the same dinner table as our mayor.

Um, and it was just great to get the acknowledgement from um attorney crump.

I guess I made an impression he gave me a shout out, so that's always great.

Um, I also attended the MLK march on uh January 19th, which started in Perry Square, and it goes all the way to our local MLK Center where we did do the sign reveal as a council member.

We get two sign rededications, and I was honored to be able to use my first um sign dedication for Mr.

James C.

Sherrod, who had passed away at the end of the year, and he had served as the CEO for MLK Center for 18 years.

And now every time they're on the on that street, they'll get to see the remembrance, but also just acknowledging his service to the community and the dedication that he gave us was a great way to honor his family.

So it was great to give the proclamation to his nephew Lonnie and just let it be known that Mr.

Sherrod made a great impact on a lot of us, and he will be remembered.

And I just hope that those of us who were able to learn something from him are able to continue to be great leaders in our community because the next generation needs great leaders, and we did lose a great one.

So we have big shoes to fill in, and I'm hoping that a lot of us do step forward.

I just want to say with the roads being a little dangerous.

I do also acknowledge Freda for being an advocate for pedestrian access.

Now that those sidewalks aren't as clear as they should be, we have a lot of citizens who do travel in the streets.

So we're in a car.

Please be mindful of the pedestrians who have to charge who have to travel in the streets and be aware that you know sometimes we are a little bit too much in a hurry.

We do have to take our time, and we don't always have to be in such a hurry to make our left-hand turns.

So just be mindful.

We have a lot of young people, we have a lot of elderly people, we have a lot of medically inclined equipment people.

So let's just be great neighbors and stewards of just making sure everybody gets to their destination safely.

And that's all I had to add.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Counselor Brzezinski.

Counselor Horton.

Echo by my colleagues.

We we just received our assignments, but I'm pleased this punch and I'm excited.

Um enthused about getting to the work.

Uh I think it's been a great week.

I can't stop smiling.

I'm excited for the city residents and uh for the um people that they've elected.

I'm excited for the mayor.

Um, but I also just want to give a big shout out uh to our streets uh department, the guys that are out there in the elements doing what really uh at the end of the day, municipal government's about services, man.

It's about garbage and refuse and piling the streets and filling the potholes.

I never want to forget the working men and women of the city and their sacrifice and not only theirs but that of their families.

So thank you all so much.

Thank you.

Uh Councilor Shaff.

Thank you, Dr.

Titus.

I would like to uh recognize uh Freda Tepfer in the office in the audience today, uh, who was sworn in as the judge of elections in Erie County, and uh to the others who were also um Rose Pestuka, um my neighbor passed away about a week and a half or so ago, and um she had um given a lot of her time on uh my polling booth for many, many, many years.

Um I should inquire at the office to see how many times um how many years that she was involved.

But I thank everyone who dedicates their time and their service because that is definitely uh full day, sometimes longer commitment.

So thank you.

I attended uh three Martin Luther King events, um one at the ambassador hotel, and they awarded um several citizens for their community activism, which um was a nice thing to do, and um they mentioned uh Cello Woodard and his family and those who continue to um fight for the justice that he deserves, and I also uh walked, it seems like it's always a cold day, but I figure um if the Horton family can do it for many years, um I'm younger than they are, so I can do it too.

Um and I attended the second Baptist Church.

They had invited um elected officials, and I always uh feel welcome there, and they had a talk afterwards for us, and I think it was pretty interesting.

I didn't know this.

They have a program with CVS.

And their program is a nice collaboration with CVS, where people get information and like have the schooling so that they can be pharmacy techs, etc.

And also mentioned that this collaboration is also in the city of Pittsburgh.

And if we ever wanted to go and visit down there and see that collaboration, we could.

Thank you to everyone who came and spoke today.

Twice in my car.

Once someone ran a stop sign, and we almost I did not have the stop sign.

And another time I had the green and the person ran a red light.

Especially in this inclement weather and the streets.

So we need to definitely be careful.

And I am thankful for that.

They're going to also put in a new playground and parking figuring out a new way along 36th Street eventually, and it'll ease up the parking and pickups and drop-offs, whatever.

So I think that's a wonderful thing.

And McInnes World Rings is expanding.

So it's always great to see an eerie business flourishing.

And Harbor Place is going on.

Thank you.

I'm that was actually one of my new year's resolutions before it was even mentioned.

Look at that.

Teamwork is the dream work.

And my commitment and my my pledge is accountability and transparency, and that is my goal.

I want to make uh municipal government more accessible and more the public and community more included in this process so that we're more aware.

So as we was as we move forward, uh being able to make sure that you understand what we can do and that we're we're available to our public, and and that's how I would like to operate.

We do have a lovely nether weather storm coming in this weekend.

So being mindful again to echo what Councillor Horton said.

I know our our our public works um team is has been phenomenal, and and the street team out there who is plowing and staying ahead of this.

Truly grateful.

Uh and and we as a city owe owe a lot to them.

So I'm very grateful for the work that they are doing.

It is not easy work.

But to make sure that we are also checking in on our neighbors, um, especially those who who may have a difficult time getting around, uh being mindful if if they're unable to get where they need to go, try to get those things, especially to the pharmacy before the weekend hits.

Um and then with that I'll I will conclude my report and we will go over to controller.

Do you have a report for this evening?

No, I don't have anything to report.

Well, that's really loud, sorry.

Um, I just want to thank everyone, and uh I'm very excited.

Um this has been a very positive uh first two and a half, three weeks uh here in Seahall.

I think we have a really positive attitude, and everyone's looking at uh you know positive attitude of collaboration, and I'm very grateful for that.

Uh I do echo your same sentiment of accountability and transparency, and that's of course what my office will try to maintain all of the time, but um it so far things are looking good.

Thank you.

Mayor.

Sorry, that was your solicitor.

Yes.

The solicitor's office has a lot of things that we're working on, and we're gonna to do them as quickly and efficiently as possible with the mayor.

Thank you.

Thank you, Dr.

Titus.

Um, I do have a few things, and I'll be quick.

I know it's late, but on the other hand, I want to make sure we have open communication.

So I want to echo the statements that many of you made and thank the staff, our incredible staff here at City Hall at our garage.

Um we, you know, Dave Rocco did a phenomenal job at the MLK march and the with the sign um reveal.

Uh I went today to a code training uh that Steve Yerkowitz put on, got to go inside one of our houses that's been bladed and kind of see what our uh what our inspectors are looking at.

Um Jackie Spry today put on a fantastic workshop for over a hundred attendees online.

These were developers and contractors to explain to them our new land development process.

She and Cooper Moore were incredibly prepared.

They laid out the information clearly, and as we move forward with development in the city, this is the way that we do it to make sure that our contractors and our developers know what's expected of them and how they are to interact with the public and neighborhood groups.

So I think you're gonna see the fruit of those labors.

Very impressed.

Um, I mentioned in caucus, I was very lucky to go up to the municipal garage, talk to our streets department, even went on a plow ride along, which was really something to see them in action.

Um I encourage you, council.

I think if you're interested, they'd be happy to do it with you.

Um we're gonna be trying to do more communication up there.

So the public understands what goes on up there, how do these processes work.

Um, I want to thank the community.

We've had a great couple weeks.

We did coffee with the mayor a few weeks ago, and then as I think someone noted, the community conversation at Booker T Washington Center, that was the first of many.

Um, so we can you know want to continue those conversations going.

I want to make council aware uh that on Tuesday, the 27th, so that's a week from yesterday, we will be uh launching and releasing our transition team report.

So you've heard me talk about that quite a bit.

There will be a press conference here in council chambers at 11 a.m.

that morning.

We'll send you all an invitation, but you'll see the full report from our transition team and how that work is going to guide us in this year and beyond.

And I'm really excited to announce that we're also going to be holding a full City Hall workshop day on February 6th.

We're gonna go over to Gannon and we're gonna take all of our critical folks from City Hall, plus the municipal garage, our off-site locations, and do workshops about how we're going to achieve our goals this year.

And I think that's gonna help everybody feel part of that.

Council, you're welcome to attend.

We'll send you information on that as well.

Um and then just a few other things I think council, you should be aware of.

I think there's been some questions about our welcoming cities application.

Some of you know that the previous administration filed an application to extend that.

Um we did receive feedback from the welcoming cities um oversight organization.

We owe them some things.

One of the things we owe them is a written plan and how we will deal with ice.

So I want you to know that we are working on that.

Uh we've spoken with the police command staff.

I've tasked our new American Affairs Coordinator, Wuji Ahmad, to look at other communities like ours and give us a draft.

And this is something we will work together with our community and our police and the administration to make sure we can all agree on the language as we put it forward.

So more to come on that, but we are working on it, and we have to be in order to continue our welcoming city status.

I also want you to know, because I think it's relevant to you.

We are doing a complete overhaul of our authorities, boards, and commissions nomination process.

Um the city had a portal where folks could apply if they were interested.

I'm not sure how that worked in the past, but we're gonna start fresh.

So you will see from my administration very soon a new way for folks to submit their interest in our authorities, boards, and commissions.

We can share that with you because obviously you have your own appointments that you do, but we need to be more thoughtful about how we do this, what our authorities, boards, and commissions need.

We need to do training with them.

Councilman Schaff, I saw you a planning commission yesterday.

They're asking for training.

We need to give it to them.

Robert's rules of order, what they're there to do.

So we're really looking to overhaul that whole system.

We'll keep you informed on that.

And lastly, I want to say emergency preparedness is on all of our minds.

I heard it mentioned tonight.

Mr.

Strasser always brings us, you know, his warnings about AI, but we have emergency preparedness needs across the board.

We're doing this at City Hall right now to make sure we're prepared for an emergency here.

We're doing it with our teams at streets to make sure we're ready for a snow emergency, and the fire department is gonna be hiring an emergency coordinator so that we can begin to do community-wide emergency preparedness work.

That's an incredibly important thing, I think, for all of us, and I just want you to know we're working on that.

So, as the controller said, great, but busy couple weeks.

So as the controller said, great but busy couple weeks and we look forward to continuing to keep you updated.

Look forward to talking more with you and if you ever have questions from me please just feel free to ask we're happy to give you as much information as you need.

All right this concludes the city council meeting