So we will go ahead and get started.

We do have quite a bit to kind of go over.

So I just wanted to open up and we'll start with our ordinance for final passage if anybody had any questions.

This is the one again that takes all the ones that we've codified before and gets them uploaded into e-code.

So this is more of just a business measure a dotting, a dotting of the I's and crossing of the T's.

And then we've got 350,000 anticipated for the Erie Loop Bikeway French Street Project.

And before we go into that one, because I'm sure there will be questions.

Yeah, Dr.

Titus, if I could just add that, so you'll actually have three votes on uh this French Street project.

You'll have two readings on the allocation of the funds, and then there will also be a contract.

So there will be three opportunities.

This is the first.

We did ask just for a little bit of grace from you.

Because this is a morning meeting, we have another presentation from CDBG.

We didn't want to overload you.

Um so on the 15th, we will have that presentation.

And and as I noted in my email, you know, um, at Mr.

Brzezinski's request, we won't just be showing you what this French Street piece is.

We are going to show you the whole comprehensive plan for bike lanes so that we can be talking about this as an entire community, hoping you know, to avoid any confusion or concerns, make sure we have lots and lots of time to to really talk um thoughtfully about this.

But this piece of the puzzle is from 10th Street to 26th Street on French Street.

That's what's being discussed here.

But on the 15th, we'll give you the whole plan for how all of this connects throughout the city.

And again, three opportunities to vote.

We don't want you to feel like you're voting today with no information.

This is just the first of three.

Any questions on that piece?

So there are a couple things that I wanted to make sure we had had time for.

I don't mean to keep us rushing, but there are a couple big ones that I wanted to get us to.

Uh we do have the old business in that under there is the uh intermunicipal transfer of the liquor license that we had the public hearing on.

Um the the information on the other public hearing will be at the next meeting to give us more time to review everything.

But with this one, I wanted to see if we had any questions specifically for the solicitor uh to so that we're gonna be casting a vote today on that that transfer that liquor license.

So I wanted to get to that one first.

Any counselors have any questions or any anything that they would like to clarify on that transfer.

Did we find out if they're making a sidewalk around that area?

No, I think but that one was more with within the zoning plans of it.

Um I think that that's where we'll be holding accountable.

I don't believe we received anything about this the sidewalk component of it though.

I think we have two competing thoughts.

So when I did talk to attorney Bruno, and he did confirm that he has the communications from Jake Welsh, our old zoning officer, who at the time of the purchase um said that when they asked when they when he asked about when they inquired to buy the property.

Jake Welsh confirmed that the conforming use was still in effect.

And based on that, I believe that was probably part of the decision that went into buying the property.

Um I do think that uh the current zoning office thinks there might be some issues.

Um there is a definition of abandonment in our zoning code.

No, and then it's not what I would call the most ironclad definition.

So in working out the resolution today, we put in there to make sure that if you approve it, they have to follow all the laws of Pennsylvania, of course, the ordinances of the city of Erie, and any rules and regulations through the liquor control board.

So the zoning part of it, since that's part of our zoning ordinance, or ordinance is part of zoning is part of our ordinance, I should say.

Excuse me.

Um they would have to go through and confirm that with our zoning office.

We do have Mr.

Bruno in the audience.

Yes, I do see him in the audience.

So how do you know?

Well, we're voting on something.

Well, one legal license didn't have to be a good thing.

Well, well, just like attorney Bruno said, and I I'm not to quote him specifically, but I mean, sort of in an agreement.

If you have a client and you want to go through a process, you would say, can I go through process parts two, three, and four before I know about process one.

So before he can even say I want to do the liquor license uh or the the zoning aspect of this building, I need to know if I can even open up.

And if it and if he needs to go in front of the zoning hearing board, that would be a part two of this.

Those were the questions that I raised.

So uh while he was while they were here talking about it a couple of weeks ago, it just seemed like the cart was before divorce.

But I have no I welcome any business that's moving into Erie, but I just uh that shouldn't be uh it may seem like a small thing, but it's the little foxes, and that should not be the way that we do things.

I don't have a problem approving it, and I and I will vote yes for it, but uh anything else that comes down here like that I probably won't.

Yeah, you know, and so the only thing that concerns me about my my yay vote uh so I don't want to set precedence uh or anything either.

So I you know well that's why we're and it and and although it didn't change hands, it changed LLCs is what it did.

Well, without getting into the legal analysis, you know, our ordinance says abandonment is two years by the owner.

This has changed hands by several owners.

And from the point where I was I was informed the restaurant was closed, has been less than two years for each owner.

So if I'm an attorney, I think you have some wiggle room.

So I'm saying there's a possibility that it hasn't been abandoned just based on our definition.

There's no aggregates.

It says two years by owner.

So if you close the restaurant within two years, sell it.

Is there still abandonment?

Or is there an intent?

I don't want to get into the weeds on the that's what I mean.

So that's just because if we do, then it just furthers the point of why we should not put the cart before the horse.

Well, and that's also part of the reason why the language says follow the laws of Pennsylvania, the ordinances of the city of Erie, and let the zoning office work it out.

And that's what that's essentially what they're here for.

And my own.

I would ask that that not become a regular practice.

Well, I think what we need to do is actually is tighten up our definition of abandonment in the zoning ordinance.

I think in my opinion, that's where we have a little bit of not wiggle room, but it's unclear.

And it's not it didn't matter to me whether the who had the who had the who the owner is, where this location is, it's just the action, and I think process matters.

Yeah.

Well, and that's something else I think we can deal with in zoning too.

So if you're gonna bring change that provision, if you're gonna bring a liquor license into the city or a restaurant, zoning needs to maybe go to zoning first before it comes to city council for the transfer.

Yeah, and just as a sidebar to that, uh, because it's no different than people coming down here saying, Oh, I want to buy all these lots, even though I know I can't get a variance to put home on it.

And so we've declined those.

And so just as a you know.

Yeah.

And I'll get off it.

Any of my PRs here uh receive any calls from neighbors?

Yeah, I haven't received anything.

I'm just going off the last meeting where we had a lot of concerned neighbors that didn't want that business reopened.

Um and I talked to um uh public safety about that, and they said they had a problem because it became a nuisance bar.

And that's probably what they're trying to avoid.

Trying to avoid.

So I don't have a problem with them reopening.

Um I just think that we need to nip things in the butt if we see that getting out of hand again, because you know, um he he spoke as you know, he's just gonna have small events or small karaoke or whatever, but if it starts getting bigger where it it goes outside with I just I think that would get into the neighborhood.

Um I think the neighbors would be able to handle it better if it stays.

Yeah, you know.

Dr.

Tidans, can I say something?

I just want to let you know maybe all of counsel.

So the nuisance bar task force that we have, you know, is is really I think working very well right now.

We've had a couple complaints for a few bars.

Um, and what I really like is it's it's it's working between zoning and also the police department.

So I just I guess I want to assure you that I'm not sure in the past, I I don't know, but I know that right now I feel very good about how that's working, and I think this we could be on top of this to make sure that that doesn't get out of control.

Yeah, thank you.

Against it, and you know, the attorney's great presentation.

Uh I think it's a little disingenuous to say that it's not a lot of houses over there.

Uh because I rode over there, and it's right there on the house.

The there's a patch of little woods where you go on the north side of it, but it's surrounded, it's houses there.

Um so they'll have to deal with those concerns that that uh uh that the anyone else would have to uh that opens the bar, but I don't want to sit here and say that there hasn't been opposition from the neighborhood.

Yeah.

I mean attorney Bruno is here if you want to hear from him again, and also Amy Francis or any officers here.

If you'd like to hear from her briefly.

Amy, do you have something to say?

Yeah, the only thing I just wanted to mention is that the um uh the property owner is on the agenda for zoning hearing board in April.

They have filed all of their paperwork, they are preparing their case, and they will be heard in front of zoning hearing board to get approval from zoning.

Uh once that takes place, they would be required to go through the proper permits, all of the building code, all of the things that we encourage them to do from the door.

This one just had to come, the liquor license had to come a little differently.

So uh the board is on uh agenda, or I'm sorry, the property owner is on agenda for April 14th, so you will hear that as well.

Thank you.

All right.

We do have um the DCED funding, and we have um Miss Deb Smith and her team down here.

So uh I I wanted to give us time.

We're gonna get a presentation from her, but if we had questions that we wanted to raise now to make sure that we had the opportunity to kind of go over some of these numbers, she had sent out a packet to to all of us last week with those numbers again going over knowing that we haven't received the funds that we've we've put in and we're we're basing this estimation on what we've received in the past, um, and they're allocating according to to the presentations that we had, and they had gone through based on the numbers that we had received before.

So this is not set in stone, it could still change, and we'll see that in the presentation.

But I wanted to give counselors a a time to ask any questions or follow-ups on that that funding.

Dr.

Hides, I just do want to be clear.

I did not ask uh Miss Smith and her team to do PowerPoints or anything.

You have the numbers, she'll talk briefly about the numbers and then really answer your questions.

So whether you do that now or do it during the time during the regular meeting, that that's the approach that you know, she'll just be here to answer your questions as you review them.

Uh the one question I did have um is I I see where we had the the proposals and the request, um, and then in 2023 there's one that's marked allocated.

Um I just wanted to be make sure I'm reading this correctly.

So when we see proposed request, proposed request, does that mean the numbers are are some of them are shifting, but does that mean how much they were actually allocated?

Deb, do you want to come up to the mic and answer that question?

Thanks.

Good morning.

Um which column were you referring to?

So when you uh you have the in each in under each like of the programs that we are that we're allocating money, it's like says fiscal year 2026 proposed, fiscal year 2026 requested, and it says the same um for 2025, 24, and 23.

It just shows the proposed and request.

And I just want to make sure I was reading it correctly.

Uh I believe those numbers are correct.

Um there may be a couple little shifts on some of the ones from prior years.

Um, but normally they are what was allocated.

That's what's allocated?

Okay.

The proposed is what they asked for, and the requirement, the request is what they asked for, and the proposed is what we propose to give them that year.

Do we have the numbers on how much was spent?

Because I know sometimes we're seeing some of that come back, and that was just one of the other questions I had had.

Like uh, we do have that information.

I don't have it here.

Um we have nothing reports that I could actually uh get to you if you uh want to know what was actually allocated.

Are there any particular uh projects that you are interested in?

Um mostly the public service activities is what just how much they've been able to spend down, um, just because as we're as we're I know we're we've kind of got the allocations and the applications are what the applications are.

Um but if they've not been able to spend down that money before and we're reallocating more money, I just get worried and I would like to know like what shifted, how are they prepared to better respond or like spend the money that we're we're allocating?

Sometimes there are uh different reasons.

Sometimes it could be uh staff turnover.

Uh some agencies may decide that they don't want the CDBG funding.

Um a lot of it is staff turnover where you know they can't find anyone to hire, and so sometimes that funding is not uh expended.

And there is still one more public hearing, right?

To go to go to the public hearings on Monday, April 13th, one will be at 10 a.m.

and one will be at 6 p.m.

Uh we look to uh uh put our uh draft proposed annual plan, which is fiscal 2026 on display on April 3rd.

It will be on display from April 3rd to May 4th.

We will then come to city council if we have received our allocation.

We may make adjustments depending on if we have our allocation or not.

If we don't have our allocation, we won't come to you on May 6th, we'll come on May 6th requesting to submit our plan to have.

Okay.

So there's still time, I guess, once we go through that.

Okay, thank you.

And Deb, I have one more question.

Let's say a nonprofit didn't spend all their money.

We take that back, correct?

Right.

We reprogram it to um other projects.

And so we actually have the programming dollars that we will be reprogramming.

They are not part of this budget right now.

Uh we're still looking at exactly where we want to uh place those dollars.

Thank you.

And we will bring you those numbers when we have them kind of a it's a separate pool.

This is just about how we want to spend the next year's money, but then we'll come to you with any of kind of the leftover and let you know our proposal for reprogramming.

I do want to say, having sat through, and I know many of you came to some of those, you know, Deb and her team are very diligent about saying, okay, you asked us for this, but you didn't spend it all.

Why not?

I mean, they're asking those questions, and I I do feel that the numbers that they've proposed have taken some of that into account.

So just they do a very, very um thoughtful and and careful job with these with these proposals.

And there's more parameters on this than I think I've seen it with any pot of money ever, ever on how strict and every it's very strict.

And so I know it becomes very cumbersome if one organization can't do it.

How do you reallocate that in a way that the state and the federal level permits?

Uh it's more in it's not so my questions aren't necessarily they're not they're not uh directed at the office, it's more around the organizations if they're coming in for them to understand how tied your hands get uh with reallocating money that they are proposing to spend so that to make sure that they are and I know staff turnover and everything happens, but this really puts the city in in quite a position if we are if they're not able to spend all the money that they've been granted.

And so just be mindful when organizations are coming in and asking of the city.

Any other questions?

I don't have any other questions.

Is anybody else have any questions?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yeah, so um it was just with the the amount of information that we still had to like back collect on the question was, and I don't know if it was heard, was why the harbor place is not on the agenda today.

And just given the amount of public comment and information that had come in at that meeting.

Um I wanted to give council more time to review the last project.

Uh the last plans, there was indication that there were um uh stipulations that were placed on the waterfront conditions with the last project.

Uh and so I wanted to make sure we were able to present that all to council so council could look to see what was promised last time versus maybe what's being promised this time and make any stipulations that we would want to on the application just to give counsel so they didn't feel so rushed.

It will be on the next agenda though.

Ed and I are not going to be present and the April 15th meeting, just to let you all know that.

Um if there is anything that you both would like to add, I'd be more than happy to make sure that that gets that your your views are are represented at that meeting.

I'm flying out at breeze and I'll be in the air at the meeting.

It's my 16th, um, my granddaughter's 16th birthday and my daughter's engagement party.

Yeah, so let's we'll definitely meet before that way.

I can make sure that and we can even give it to the solicitor too, so that way he can get any of the questions asked that you might have the same for you, Mr.

Brzezinski.

Any other questions or things that we want to go over on today's agenda before we go into the public meeting?

It's not on the paper that we have, but um who takes care of the property that is that little tiny parking lot after the senior residents there.

Um Larry and I did a walk yesterday, and there's so much trash in the it's a little tiny public parking where's that area by the creek by frontier, right after that senior residence on the bay front.

And uh it's there's so much trash that one of the parking spaces could not be pulled in because there was trash there.

It needs a definitely pickup.

I don't know if it's Port Authority or Erie City.

It's not a part, I don't think, of the senior residents because they have their own parking.

But it's sort of like a public, it's all I've always parked there for different things.

I I just said to the solicitor, I think that's Port Authority property, but I don't know that I'm not trying to pass the buck.

So we will side of the property.

It's going towards frontier on the west side of the property.

From the west side of the residence property, yeah.

And like where the people who have that gated, it's near that gated community.

The gate is insane.

Is it east or west of the gate?

It's west.

It's there's only like six marking spots there.

It's by the parking spots, right?

I don't know who problems that.

But it's right before the bridge.

It's like between the part the between the senior center and the bridge there.

There's and I I don't know.

I I again I don't want to pass the buck.

We'll talk to the port authority and find out if it's ours or theirs and make sure somebody gets over there.

Yeah, first of all.

I'll give you the order was here yesterday, and I uh one of the residents thought we were talking.

There's a mudhole or dust hole or whatever.

Fenced so that they change my windows.

I can't keep my windows clean because the wind comes across with the dust in the dirt.

And you guys are solid individual, and we stop making it up.

We drive by it every day going home.

Okay.

We'll talk to public works.

Yeah, it's on the east side of the street.

East side.

West side, okay.

25th in French.

Okay.

And I don't know what happened last night.

It's trash day on the lower uh part of parade area, but um like from I don't know if it's eighth or seventh.

There's like two blocks where something happened.

It looks like someone toilet papered two blocks of the street.

I don't know what it was because I couldn't, I didn't want to stop and see what it was because I was in the other lane of traffic.

But it it needs like a street sweeper or something, something happened.

It's like an explosion of white something or other on parade on parade, like from 7th to 6th or 8th to 6th.

There is one thing I wanted to bring up, just to make sure that council was aware, and I apologize.

Under contracts, number item number three.

We have the build better fields.

Um the the uh mayor had sent out a message again on last Friday going over just this lease in this program that was offered, but I wanted to make sure I know we have just a few minutes here.

Um, but that if you wouldn't mind just kind of explaining just how this came to be.

Um I'll be brief.

Uh I think some of you may have heard of this organization, Build Better Fields.

It's a 501c3, they started in Mill Creek.

Um, their intent is to try to bring um baseball fields essentially back up to um good condition.

They're very very passionate about youth baseball.

Uh so they started in Mill Creek, they worked a deal with the Mill Creek School Mill Creek School District owns most of their fields, not the township.

So they had a lease with Mill Creek School District um on the fields behind J.S.

Wilson.

Um, the way the lease worked essentially that the school district leased the baseball field to this organization for like a dollar, and then in return, um, the organization build better fields put in a significant amount of investment.

They raised private dollars as a 501c3.

They can do that.

So they did fundraising and then um upgraded the fields, really great condition, and then they were able to kind of sub-lease them to any organization that wanted to use them, so they kind of took over control of the scheduling of the field, although Mill Creek School District remained had right of first refusal.

So school district always had first right to schedule, and then after that, the organization.

So they came to us after doing what they did in Mill Creek and said, we're really interested in helping you guys update your fields in the city of Erie.

You know, the the the status of our fields is not great.

Baseball has really fallen off.

We don't have youth baseball anymore in the city.

This is kind of a tragedy.

So they said, could we pilot something with you?

And so they came to us and asked about Hillside Park, which is that park right off of Old French Road behind Mason Farms up there.

They said, you know, if you would be willing to enter into a similar agreement with us, we will we have a hundred thousand dollars to invest in the two fields up there.

They had significant funding from some local businessmen who really want to see baseball come back in the city.

Um so that's what we're proposing.

It would be a uh a lease where um we would always have again write a first refusal.

So we can write in there, you know, perhaps on Saturdays and Sundays we want it to be open to the public, or however we want to, we don't have our own programming, but we can write in when the city wants access, and then everything after that they would kind of be managing for us.

They will take care of maintenance of the field.

Um we took mowing of this area out of our mowing contract because if we go forward with this, they'll do all the upkeep, all the maintenance of the field.

Um so we feel it's a good way to get a significant investment that we don't have in our baseball fields, hopefully get more activity up there.

Um we are looking long term about trying to bring little league back in the city.

That might be something the city actually takes on because we need this to be done.

So we think it's a good partnership.

Um I was skeptical, but having sat with them and listened to what they are proposing, I think it's a win for the city.

So we are not giving away.

We are our leasing the property.

Mr.

Horton.

Just a bit of history.

Uh that field 142nd she possibly French Road is there because Mary Siblacki made deal with me.

They were taking baby, which was a hardball field, baseball field, making it a walking park or something like that.

I told Joyce, I said we're losing our fields 20 years ago.

More than that.

And she said, if I build you up a baseball field up there, will you be okay with the baby?

That's how God.

Like we had a beautiful field on 38 uh before you get to state 79.

It's gone.

Uh I had another.

I'm kind of a baseball nut too.

Uh when uh attorney Tui was getting a property together for the tops market.

One of the things that they promised and did was you put a lonely field in it's gone.

Our fields disappeared.

It's terrible because kids aren't playing playing home.

That's why I hope to work with them.

I should also note it is Sam Jethro Field up there in Hillside Park, which is critical.

You know, they were very adamant that would never change.

I mean, that's such a big important part of Erie history.

So I just want to be clear, the name and that dedication would never change.

Well, that's exactly I'm glad you said that because I was waiting uh for my turn to say that that field should never change its name.

And we weren't okay with Bayview Park uh uh becoming a walking park or or whatever else it has become, and we are pleased that I say we because I'm from that neighborhood, New Jerusalem, and we were pleased to see it returned back to Pontiac Field.

Uh uh that said, uh I happen to know that the uh I don't want to say Special Olympics, but disabled children play up at that uh first field opposite Jethro Field uh on a uh every weekend, and I would hope that they would have a a priority listing and that they would not be uh removed or forced out uh for someone else.

And finally, uh it it is a shame uh that we don't have boys baseball in the city of Erie.

I'm a product of boys baseball.

Judge Tresilla was on my team.

Tim McCastro was on my team, and we used to kick the crap out of Owen McCormick in the Grandales.

So uh and so with Steve Franklin, she former Chief Franklin, uh being the commissioner, the last commissioner, the last time we had boys baseball.

I would hope that if we are able to bring something back, and there is an opportunity that we would honor uh Chief Franklin in that way.

He fought like the Dickens to try to keep boys' baseball.

None of the fields in the city of Erie are regulation size to even play boys' baseball, so they have to be adopted, adapted.

They were all transferred into softball fields.

Uh and and uh Yeah, and so the shame of it is uh not a lot of black and brown people play boys' baseball in this not just in the city of Erie, it's not just an indigenous uh uh problem to Erie, but in inner cities across America.

Uh we don't slab will be man.

I've worked I've worked my you know what off to see that that come through.

And there is uh very prominent person uh who and I won't give his name uh because it was the last two or three years, I will reach back out to him uh uh who uh has a really really big interest in bringing boys baseball back.

Thank you.

I do want to note the um specially abled team that plays up there.

That was discussed in these negotiations.

Everyone was in full agreement, those permits will stay, their schedule will stay.

That was an absolutely a priority for everyone.

If you're not doing something some Saturday around noon uh in the summer and you like baseball, you should go up there and watch those that support those children.

Uh uh, it's one of the best, it's one of the most uh rewarding things I get to do.

Nobody's up there asking you about a grant.

Nobody's asking about telling you the garbage ain't get picked up, they're just up there supporting our children.

Thank you.

I get those questions at school every day.

I get them at church.

I have to tell them I have to say, hey, I'm an assistant principal right now.

I'm not wearing that hat right now.

It is 9 02.

Um, so I do want to give us time to uh get set up and get our meeting started.

So if we will we'll just take a quick break, slide the tables back and we'll get our meeting under wraps.

Yeah.

And then we will go ahead and call this meeting to order.

Roll call for the city council meeting of Wednesday, April 1st, 2026 at nine 9 a.m.

Members Titus, Brzezinski, yes, Flores, yes, Horton.

Here, poll here, Shaw here, Troop.

Yes.

All right, this brings us to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Um, but as we stand, I'd like to take a one in our moment of silence to um honor and acknowledge and hold space for the the young children we lost over the weekend and the fire and all those who have been impacted, including our first responders who were who were there.

And to the republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty as motion to approve the minutes from the March 18th meeting and bills for payment on April 3rd and 10th, 2026.

Members Brzezinski, yes, Flores, yes, Horton, yes, hole, yes, Shaw, yes, troop, yes, Titus.

Yes.

So this is gonna take us to uh our presentations this morning.

We have a presentation from Kath, Miss Katherine Easterling uh and Miss Deb Smith on the C C D B G allocations.

So we'll just take a minute to to go over some of that what we have talked in caucus, but for the whole public to see.

Good morning.

Good morning.

So Department of the Uh Economic and Community Development is required to submit an annual plan to HUD each year.

Um every five years we do a five-year consolidated plan.

Last year we did a 2025 to 2029 consolidated plan.

Uh in addition to an annual plan.

And so we are proposing these numbers for our fiscal year 2026 plan.

We don't have our allocation yet, so these numbers are proposed.

I'm not gonna go down each of the individual projects.

I'll give a total if there's a question on any of them, just ask the question.

All right, so we are using last year's numbers, which um our proposed allocation was 2,775,245 dollars.

There was program income of $5,000, so we had a total of $2,780,245.

For our proposed City of Erie requests, we are looking to propose $1,575,000, $49.

Are there any questions on that line item?

I mean, I guess I'm just uh I'm um I've talked to Tyler about it.

Um I see that the street improvements are over 700, well, 700,000, and then we have the DECD um administrator cost, that 555,000.

I guess I have an issue and then curve cuts being 200,000.

An issue with these specific funds being used for these specific purposes outside of the administrative cost.

Um these are community funds that could be used for programs.

As I'm going through the list, I see that we don't have any funds allocated for mules on wheels.

We don't have any funds allocated for nutrition, hearts, human resources.

We don't have any funds for Erie City Missions, human resources.

Um then I guess you want me to.

I'm not sure which ones you're you want me to answer.

Um, I guess I'm just concerned on why some of these programs have no allocations.

And then there is a specific question that I have about what is the City of Erie's literacy program.

I see that it's getting overseas.

So all right, I'll go back to City of Erie request.

Um, those were the requests.

Keep in mind that any of our projects that we um provide funding to have to benefit low moderate income individuals.

So all of these projects are benefiting them in some way.

It could be streets, it be it could be curb cuts, it could be park and playground improvements.

All of those um projects benefit low moderate income people.

In regards to our public service, we are kept at 20.96% of what our base allocation is to provide services there.

In regards to mills on wheels, we actually funded them last year.

They contacted me in December and said that they couldn't use the funding, so they did not apply for this year.

Nurturing herbs, we provided funding to them last year.

Their program changed, they couldn't use the funding, they did not apply this year.

Uh in regards to the Erie City mission, uh, they changed their program last year when it came in for funding, and so uh we're we're unable to find them now because they changed their program.

We didn't meet with them to see if they wanted to go back to what they uh originally submitted to us, but they didn't, so that's why they're not funded.

Which other ones?

Um the JFK summer program.

Uh JFK opt to not have a summer rec program.

We provide whatever that total funding is in our human resources.

All righty, and then can you tell me what the city of Erie literacy program is?

So the city of Erie literacy program, we are still actually kind of working details out with that, and so what will happen?

Uh someone from the city will be hired.

Um that person will go out to all of the different agencies, they will look and see what kind of literacy programs they have.

Um we will look to have some kind of model to ensure that maybe we can improve whatever they're doing with like their after-school program, their summer rec program.

Everything's not ironed out yet, but that's what it basically is.

Okay.

If I could, Dr.

Titus, I want to help Deb.

This is this is my initiative, so I want to absolutely support her in this.

We as you know, we've talked about aligning the city's programs with the school district's um main priorities.

Literacy, as we've talked about, is a social justice issue in the city of Erie.

We have way too many kids who are reading undergrade level.

So we, as part of the CDBG um initiative this year, asked for an allocation so that we could hire someone to oversee any program that is receiving dollars from the city of Erie, whether that's through CDBG or whether it's through our summer rec, our parks program, that they have a they add a literacy component that aligns with the school district's priorities, and that this person can go out and make sure that outcomes are being measured, that we're understanding what that literacy component is and make sure it's all aligned.

Deb and her team have their own measurement outcomes they have to follow.

This would be a separate initiative to make sure, as I said, that we are the cities providing that level of oversight for those programs.

And are we taking into consideration that our community is multilingual?

So English is not the absolutely, and I appreciate you saying that.

When we've talked with the school district, for example, their new Parent Square program immediately translates.

They have instant access, so we'll be working with them as we push these things out to make sure that they're in multiple languages.

And if I could just also add, um, Ms.

Flores, I want to say your question about streets is absolutely I I share your frustration and concern.

However, right now, we have no other funds to pave our streets.

So we, as I've said before, we want to work with you in future budgets to see how we could do this differently.

We are open to that, but for right now, given the budget that we had, we we do also, I can't tell you how many pothole calls we're getting and so we we wish we didn't have to do this either, and I want to work with you in the future not to, but this year we need those dollars to pave our streets.

Mr.

Horton.

Thank you, Dr.

Titus.

Thank uh Ms.

Flores for questions.

Um very relevant, meaningful.

Uh but I want to just comment to the what the mayor's initiative, the literacy program.

I think it's uber important that the three tax embodies uh work together in a comprehensive manner uh to address literacy.

Uh I would hope that whoever the person is would use the same, yeah.

And I don't want to hear best practices because best practices is whatever you put in your garbage in, garbage out in a lot of in a lot of instances.

But I would hope that whatever happens, there is a summer reading component uh to it.

Because reading is fundamental.

If a child can can't read, uh, and I would hope that they would focus uh on the middle school, uh elementary school age, although I do know that there are high school students who cannot who cannot read, sadly.

School district and we as a community have failed them.

Uh and I think that whenever you start talking about doing that type of interaction, uh, that it has to start at those ages.

If you're realistically trying to uh do that as for the upper grades, I'm not writing anyone off, but we do have existing programs, GD, and and uh at some point the community college should bring something online uh to catch those who are falling uh through the uh through the net.

Uh so I commend you on that.

Um I look forward to helping uh with that component.

If I if I did, if there was one thing I wish I would have done more uh in my youth, it was read.

And so one of I'm a proponent of it.

I'm always trying to get children to go down and visit our wonderful, wonderful Blasco library.

Uh the children's section is under construction.

Uh uh, but there might be some opportunities to work there uh with the county so that we have all three legs of the tax and bodies involved.

So thank you so much.

Yeah, I mean I applaud it.

As a young person, I remember reading a lot of books to earn pan pizzas from Pizza Hut.

So it was something to incentivize you to read, I think 10 books or something before you got the coupons.

So I think more kids would definitely be encouraged to do things if we incentivize them a little bit more.

Um, because unless my uh grade school teacher, Miss Swanson, would not have made us do popcorn reading, my reading out loud would not be as good as it is.

So, you know, we have to incentivize the kids to want to be better and do better, and sometimes putting a screen in front of their face at a year old is not really teaching them.

You have to actually have to sit down and do the reading.

So Blasco is great.

Well, I know this is going to be a long morning, uh, but I I just feel uh the need to say that it's important to me, libraries and reading, uh, because as we celebrate America's 250, I'm reminded of a time when black people weren't allowed to read.

Uh, and when it would cost you your life to get caught with a book.

And so reading wasn't always fundamental for everybody, and so it's one of the most important things.

And they can rewrite history or try to or regurgitate it in the fashion they wanted to.

Uh but some horrible things happen here.

So you don't see a lot of blacks celebrate in America 250, it's kind of we want to, but it's like celebrating.

I wish I was back in Dixie, and nobody in hell wants that.

And so, but reading is yeah, it's one of the most fundamental things that an American can learn how to do.

Uh, whether it's I don't care what language it is.

And so thank you so much for indulging me.

Um, the when the time comes, because I know it's still in the formation.

I would just request that maybe we do a presentation just on the literacy programs in a very similar format.

Once I know the details have to be, but thank you.

Any other questions?

All right.

So on the housing programs for CDBG, we have 289,228 for our public service.

We have a total of 760,968.

We are only permitted to take 20.96 of what our base allocation is, or the max is 778,960.

In regard to DEC, um, well, excuse me, on our umic development, we have 155,000 for DECD administration.

We are allowed to take 20 percent of our C D B D grant, and so we take what we are allowed to do.

Uh administrative costs are really hard to come by in different grants, and so we take whatever the maximum is for that.

Are there any questions on the C D BG proposed budget?

Do we have the the plans um their proposed project for the Erie downtown development for that hundred thousand?

And so that is actually uh what they're looking to do is have uh an anchor building for startup uh businesses where they will provide um support to them as well as let them come into that building and start up their business.

Okay.

That would be another one I'd love for a presentation.

We've seen a couple of those come through the startup ones to see just some of the outcomes.

Yeah, we'd be happy to do that, and and I will say we we've added that one pretty significantly, um, so we have a lot of information on it.

Happy to provide one.

Thank you.

All right.

Um that's for that's it for CDBG.

We do have proposed numbers for home investment partnership, which is home for rental properties.

We have 600 600,000 for rental housing.

Um for housing rehabilitation, 124,634 dollars and six cents, and for city administration, eighty thousand five hundred and fourteen dollars.

We're allowed to take ten percent for administration.

We have to set aside 15 percent for a total activity.

That is the community housing development organization that we must have, and we must do uh a project with that organization each year.

Are there any questions on any of this?

Any questions from councils?

Thank you.

Just a reminder that we will have two more public hearings on Monday, April 13th.

We'd love to have you there at them.

Um there at 10 and 6 p.m.

You said if you have any comments, you can make those there.

April 13th.

And our uh proposed plan will be on display.

It'll be on the city's website as well as the community centers from April 3rd to May 4th.

And we hope to have our allocation by then, and then we will look to submit our plan to have that.

We have to come to you on May 6th, getting um authorization to do that.

And just for the the public's benefit, could you um just clarify where public comment can be submitted submitted if they wanted to comment?

Be submitted to the Department of Economic and Community Development, uh 626 State Street, room 404, or they can send an email to me, uh D Smith at Erie.pa.us for such a wonderful report and for all the hard work that you do is is uh I'll reach out to you because I I'd like to come up and meet meet you and your staff just find out more about what you do and how I can help.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

So this then takes us on to the request.

Is there anybody here for repository sales?

Is there anybody here for repository sale?

Is there anybody here for repository sale?

All right, this will take us into our public comment.

Uh so I will ask if you're gonna speak publicly to please clearly state your name, your municipality, and your record.

Uh please note you'll have five minutes.

We have the timer going off, so just be mindful when it goes to please let the next person speak.

Go ahead.

Elizabeth Stanton, Harbor Creek.

Could you just slide that mic down a little bit?

It's just having a hard time paying.

Thank you.

Elizabeth Stanton, Harbor Creek.

Dr.

Titus, I would like to let you know that I grieve for the um stress and fatigue that you are under I am here opposing a loan for the $7.6 million to Scott Enterprise.

I was deeply saddened to listen as the director of government affairs for the Erie Regional Chamber supported this loan.

His main rationale for the support was the hard work done by the previous administration.

The people of Erie City and County have spoken.

We have a new mayor, a new member on the city council, a new chairperson prior presiding over the council, and a new county executive.

Erie residents want old problems viewed through new visions and new solutions.

Awarding wealth to the wealthy does not work for black American communities in Erie.

The underserved population due to systemic barriers.

It only widens the wealth gap.

The Benedictine Sisters of Erie are going to conduct a prayer vigil through the streets of Erie on Friday, condemning this kind of racism.

Along with the regonomics and trickle-down economy, along with white flight and wealth flight of the 1980s have left a negative impact on black American communities of Erie for the last 40 years, resulting in left-behind communities of high poverty and low medium household income.

According to the Erie County Department of Health, there are seven food deserts within the city limits.

United Way of Erie reports child poverty rates as high as 36%.

$7.6 million from Erie Cities, revitalization and improvement zones needs to go to hungry children and families living in substandard housing.

I come out of the 1960s, the civil rights movement.

I wrote these words at that time, but I believe that they are still apropos today.

Oh Lord my God.

Look out into the world where I live.

I see the streets are filled with many people.

Their sad eyes ask, will we ever be free?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello.

My name is David Uleg.

I live in the city of Erie.

I'm here to allocate advocate for support of public art.

The city revitalization and improvement zone process is expected to have a transformative impact on the city of Erie.

It is expected to help revitalize neighborhoods and enhance the quality of life for residents by providing up to $15 million annually to invest in economic development in the city.

The CRIS Authority and the city should include support for public art in this transformation.

Public art can be an essential element in the development of a municipality, creating attractive spaces that people want to visit, including public art and development projects, encourages people to spend time in the area, humanizes public spaces, and differentiates a municipality.

Just as you may include art in your home, adding art to this city we call home provides an inviting, enjoyable living space, improving the quality of life for all who live here.

CRIS can best support public art by stipulating that any project that receives CRIS funding allocate 1% of the total development cost for public art.

Similar funding approaches have been implemented in cities throughout North America, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Baltimore, Montreal, New York City, Chicago, Toledo, and Ottawa, and others, creating hundreds of attractive spaces and reasons to spend time in these cities.

On behalf of anyone who wants a more inviting livable city, I urge the CRIS Authority and the City to include 1% for public art in your funding criteria.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good morning, Michael Weigold with Erie.

I have some documents here.

This is in regards to the Erie City parks and the maintenance of them, which is, I believe, being signed today.

Through 21 and 25, I've got records here that show years of infractions 20 plus of their on-road fleet.

Now this specifically states in the documents for work in the city of Erie that they can disqualify bids for this exact reason of safe equipment.

Also, what does this mean for their off-road fleet?

The equipment that will be servicing these parks.

These items do not require safety and inspection checks.

Their equipment that does is constantly under scrutiny and being ticketed.

So there's some food for thought on that.

With proper safety and training, these infractions should not occur.

I urge the city and their lawyers to review these records and to think of the public.

Facilitating these services.

Some of these infractions, just to name a few, operating and permit operating with unsafe equipment, 15 plus infractions, and operating with hazardous brake systems as among others.

Just once again, the equipment must be in a safe and proper manner while doing services.

And I urge the city to disregard their proposal and bid on those grounds.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Who could I turn these into or is there any place to do so?

Hello, uh Caleb Rutchin, City of Uri.

Um just a quick note before I jump into the main thing that I want to talk about.

Um I have heard inklings about some people not being able to uh be allowed to grow food um uh any longer.

Um I don't know the details of that situation, but it sounds very concerning to me.

Um I think that that is a human right, so it sounds very problematic.

But uh once I get more details.

Where that is.

Uh I I'm still gathering some details myself, so I I really can't fully speak to it, which is why it's a little bit of a footnote.

But um I've just I've heard a few things that it sounds very concerning.

So um I would probably instead love to see uh the promotion of urban farming.

Um, by renters, I think that that would be a great program if something like that doesn't already exist.

Um but really the main thing that I want to talk about, um, I mentioned last time I was here as sort of another footnote, which is the flock cameras.

Um I just wanted to bring a little bit of awareness to those uh what those are.

Um some of you may know that I have been speaking um in the Milk Creek uh Township Supervisors meetings um uh about this because they have in some capacity facilitated the cameras going up in the mall.

Um I can provide further details um afterwards if anybody wants to talk about some of that stuff.

But uh these cameras are incredibly insecure and very dangerous.

Um there's two factors that make that uh the case, which is that they are networked, which means that they are able to connect to the internet.

The internet is generally very insecure, there's a lot of access points.

If you know anything about security, physical or cybersecurity, um, the more access points you have, the more uh danger there is for hacking and other people getting access to uh this sort of stuff that uh shouldn't have access to it.

Um the other part of it is that they uh the these cameras use AI.

Uh some people will tell you that they are um just fancy license plate readers, but they are uh the difference between those two things, uh the flock cameras and the license plate readers is like comparing a uh pocket watch to a smartphone.

Um the capabilities that they have are tremendous, and in the hands of any sort of hacker, uh, which would be very appealing to not just local but international uh folks as well, um, they can be devastating, and we would have no real recourse.

So uh what I would love to see is an ordinance to um proactively prevent these cameras from going up.

Um I am working to try and get these cameras uh taken down in Mill Creek as best as I can.

Uh as awareness continues to grow.

Uh we see more people concerned about um Fourth Amendment rights uh being violated since there it is a very difficult thing to check to find out if your Fourth Amendment right is even being violated, but um they are live you know feed cameras that can be accessed at any given moment, and so you have no way of knowing if you are essentially being stalked.

So uh there's a lot of concerning points about this um for just a small amount of backgrounds too.

Um I am a software engineer, um, I feel only owned computers.

I uh am not just saying this from general fear-based sort of concerns.

Um I know that these things are capable uh or uh possible um and uh I've spent a good amount of time looking into the company that builds these cameras uh called Flock Safety.

Um and they have been shown to be uh liars on many, many accounts.

Uh their systems are uh incredibly insecure, and even if the security continues to grow as technology improves, the very premise of these cameras um is faulty because it requires them to have so many access points.

You're never going to be able to secure that sort of thing, no matter how secure you are with the given the premise.

So just wanted to make sure I give uh a little bit of awareness there, and um uh like I said, I will be around to discuss some of this further if anybody would like to.

But that's uh the quick off the top of my head rundown.

Um yeah, thank you.

Thank you.

I got some documents I want to share with you folks.

Could you state your name and municipality?

Um my name is Mike Rensel.

Um I I grew up in Erie in a low-income neighborhood.

Um I worked, I went to a multiracial church as a child.

Um they taught me to be a good steward of my funds.

And um what's your current municipality?

Like, where do you currently reside?

Um, I reside right outside the city of Erie, and I rather not say where my residence is, but I have to give our address just East Feringfield.

Thank you.

And I have five rental properties inside the city of Erie.

Um I I run to a lot of minorities.

Um at one time, like 70%.

Um, right now around 50%.

Um I bought the house that me and my mom lived in.

Um I bought the house down the street from where me and my mother lived.

Um there's an individual or two individuals that were uh drug dealers, and um they sold some drugs to one of my tenants.

Um they told me they did not want me to rent to minorities.

Um they told me they had a problem with my religion.

Um they as you can see the photographs, they they physically assaulted me.

Um they vandalized my property, um, they sent me text messages stating they have an anti-religious text message to me and stating they'd done things to my property, and I I gave that to the police, and the police were telling me that it's a civil matter.

This was seven years ago.

Then recently last month, um, I rented I've been renting an apartment to like a lady that's I think 76 or 78 years old.

Her grandson came over.

The same individuals, I believe, are selling him meth.

Um, and he told me basically the same stuff that the other two drug dealers told me that these drug dealers are also um users of drugs.

But he told me basically um the police will not help you.

I can damage your property.

Um I want money for you from you for drugs.

Um he threatened to kill basically his grandmother and his aunt, and as you got the paperwork, that's the PFA's aunt set on on him.

He he literally told me I seen him with the knife in his hand, and he told me that he was gonna kill his grandmother and his aunt.

He told me he's gonna damage my property.

He told me he's gonna remove the furnaces in the hot water tanks out of my house to sell for drugs, and then he's gonna report me to code enforcement.

Um this is very similar to that happened to me last time when the people vandalized my property.

After they vandalized my property, they reported me to code enforcement.

Law enforcement tells me it's a civil matter, which it's not.

And code enforcement said they were told by law enforcement it was a civil matter.

I've been repeatedly assaulted.

I I I think this is a religious and a racial thing.

These crimes are financially that that's the source, but there's uh a racial undertone to it when people come to the house with a Confederate flag, and I and I'm running to an African-American grandmother that lives upstairs, and now she told me she doesn't feel comfortable in that neighborhood.

So I offered her free rent for this month so she can find a new place to live.

This young man stabbed the whole apartment up, ripped the shower apart, as you can see the the pictures, threatened to kill basically everybody in the neighborhood.

The police won't even arrest him.

I I I and I I found out he was on probation.

I called his probation officer.

He's as far as I know in the city of Erie jail, but he will get out.

And he weighs about 130 pounds.

I there's no way I can outrun him.

I mean, he's gonna stab me or shoot me.

Um I I've been repeatedly told that they're gonna cause me grief.

The the first on the first citizen is seven years ago, they tried to extort $500 a month from me.

They said they want to uh tax me and make me pay for protection.

They they literally repeatedly shaked me down.

I I was able to fight two of them off seven years ago.

And I'm older now, I got an artificial knee.

I the police tell me it's a civil matter, which it's not.

Um there's been people prosecuted for damaging apartments as my property.

When I talked to law enforcement, they said if someone damages my property, I think get permission from my tenants to press charges.

And I said, no, it's it's my property.

I I talked to uh I took some classes uh on uh vandalism and stuff to learn how to prosecute.

The the police don't really seem that interested in me in my problems.

They're more interested in in my tenants and how I rent.

They they're not interested in criminals.

Thank you.

And I'm asking for help.

Thank you.

Um we'll make sure that we get this over to the solicitor and uh we'll have the solicitor and I follow up.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Anybody.

Good morning.

I'm Marty Wachuku, resident of the city of Erie.

I'm here to speak about the cost of living crisis as well as the renter housing situation in our community.

We are maybe a few hours or a few days from the United States potentially putting boots on the ground in Iran.

And uh, if you're following the news, you know that there's a fuel crisis happening around the world.

That the only thing protecting us right now from our gas being $10 a gallon is our current fuel results reserves.

I say that all to say that rent is expensive, utilities have been expensive, uh, health care costs are hitting people.

There's a lot of things that people are having to pay for.

And uh this summer with the cuts to SNAP, with the cuts to Medicaid and all the other cuts from the Trump regime is gonna be hitting people very hard.

So I want to read you some numbers from the public housing authority.

I know here in here, Erie we don't have control over HUD cost, but I want you to know what they are saying are market rate costs that they expect not only people in public housing to pay for, but with these costs is what the average renter across Erie would be expected to pay.

So for a studio apartment, the starting cost would be 781 dollars.

For a one-bedroom apartment, the cost would be $861.

For a two-bedroom, that would be $1,118, and for a three-bedroom, that would be $1,392.

When I moved here in 2017, I lived in the Gannon uh neighborhood.

Um, and I paid $525 for a one-bedroom apartment.

I don't know how much it costs now, but as a uh 24-year-old moving into my first apartment, making I think at that time $33,000.

That was a good cost for me.

And our wages here in Pennsylvania have not been raised in more than 10 years.

Um home care workers are making about $13 an hour, child care workers are making around the same age.

We have a suppressed economy.

So these expectations of these costs are absorbing it.

And I think we need to go to the state because I know the city doesn't have money.

I just listened to you say how much you don't have money to pave roads.

We need to declare cost of living crisis, not only here in the city of Erie, but here in the county, so that we can go to the state delegation and the governor and ask for funds to be released from the rainy day fund.

We as a city and community can determine what we need.

It could be let's have an extermination program citywide pay for it through the state.

It could be a stimulus checks, it can be whatever we need, but we cannot go through this crisis and not ask for anything.

I think the city needs to declare crisis.

And I know on the 15th, they're gonna be voting to give um Scott Enterprises the different variances that they're asking for.

And I think at this point in the process, it might be a little late to ask for some community benefit agreements, but I think regardless, we need to revisit that conversation about um what we should be demanding when it comes to Larry to RCAP funds and other funds.

So that's that on the economic crisis.

I want to very briefly share some stories from the last week I've heard when it comes to the renter crisis.

I talked to a caseworker in two Afghani um immigrants who had a landlord situation where the landlord was refusing to uh receive the rental assistance payments because he wanted the situation to remain private, and so now the renters are falling behind.

I talked to a neighbor who is living next door to four young women who are in a mice-infested property and whose roof is also creating um safety issues for them.

They reported they're going to report it to code enforcement, but these young ladies in their early 20s are not familiar with the process, are afraid of getting in trouble, and I would just rather move it out in May rather than deal with the situation.

That's great for them.

But when they move, what are we going to do about that situation not being resolved for the next tenant?

And then lastly, there's a senior who lives here on the lower west side whose rent is affordable right now, but her apartment is falling apart, and her landlord is refusing to do anything about it.

But she knows that for the rent she has right now, it's the most affordable she can find in the market, so she's staying in a bad situation.

And so those are a few stories I've heard over the last few weeks.

Martin centers, people are running low on funds, that's rum problem.

Another reason why we need to go to the state and ask for more funds.

And the second being the different entities don't seem to be communicating to each other.

There doesn't seem to be an inspection process before they're moving not only new Americans into these properties, but people dealing with addiction problems, people dealing with mental health problems, and we just need a better process.

So I think we need a public hearing to flesh this all out.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else to uh for public comment?

Anyone else for public comment?

Good morning, council mayor.

Ed Kissle, City of Erie.

Uh just to reiterate, you heard testimony two weeks ago on a development on the waterfront.

And there uh were some discussions.

I received a couple phone calls uh on it from a developer that would like to sit down and discuss different things about that.

I don't know how city council would look at another planning meeting, or you're going to take the testimony that was recorded and base your decisions on that.

If you are, I would just say you can go back in the records.

That project started in 1999, 26 years ago, and there have been a number of proposals, a number of changes that have been good and bad, uh, and mostly good.

I mean, I am not against that development.

I am against what people say that they're going to do for the public, and then it changes a number of times.

So I asked counsel to look at the records.

Uh, if you need different records, I have most of them from the 1999, and there are certain things said by both sides, I'm sure that can be uh debated, but I think it can be resolved with uh a meeting or talking and be something council would have to decide if they want to do that.

So I thank you for your consideration.

Thank you.

I would request if we haven't received those records from you, I personally I would like them.

I don't know if we've got everything that you that you've collected, but I'm I would like to see them.

At least the presentation that was presented in 1993 would be a great thing to see.

I mean, that was before my time.

There have been a lot more than your times have been here except it up there.

Um I started collecting stuff in 85 on the Bayfront, so a lot of that's in my head and laying all over my house.

My wife's after me to clean it up.

Um I can uh which I did submit the legal documents, and and that's what I go on, other than the hearsay.

I mean, people say different things, but I presented last two weeks ago the actual requirements that should have been looked at and completed, and I don't know, getting into zoning, you might consider when you do developments, uh, and I preached this for years that when the development is done, if there's a public issue attached to it, that that public issue be completed at the time the development is completed.

Uh we have a 25-year history on Perry's Landing, that the public park and the fishing platform was supposed to be done.

Uh it would never got done by the developer.

It was done by the Port Authority, Coastal Zone Management and the Sons got the money together to see what you have at the end of Liberty Pier.

Uh that started as a two-acre park.

The Port Authority bought the property and expanded it to what you see down there today.

And there have been different things that have occurred, and and hopefully this can be resolved.

There's there's still some green areas in this project that could be developed.

And I think by talking to the developer, it it could be done.

I'm sure they want to move the project forward.

And I would too, like I say, I'm not opposed to the hotel.

But I am opposed to some of the statements and documents that were presented that would show why I am.

So I can I can gather as much as I have for my records and get them to the uh clerk and counsel can take a look at them.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else for public comment?

Hi, I'm not really sure how this works, but um my name is Treasure.

I am not no longer a resident of Erie.

Am I still able to speak?

Yes.

Okay.

What municipality or where do you reside?

You don't have to give us your address, but just oh, Atlanta, Georgia.

Thank you.

Okay.

So I am here today to speak on a few um incidents that happen.

Excuse me.

Um, I remember being here one time, like I said, I don't really know how this works, but Miss Flores spoke about how when it comes to the police department, is kind of where you have more um leeway or whatever.

So um when I heard that, like I said, I'm unfamiliar with this, this is new to me.

Um I said, okay, so if I have a issues or concerns with the police department, this is where I go to express what happened or to express how I feel.

So thank you for that information.

Um I'm a black woman, as you can see, I have black family members.

Um, and I was like growing up, I wasn't taught to be afraid or to hate the police, but it was definitely said often in my community.

Um, urban areas that I've grew up in.

I've went to the bars in those areas, to the community spaces in those areas, and I see how we as the black community are treated by the police, but specifically Erie Police Department.

I know that you all are aware how the Erie Police Department, some of the officers hold up their chest, pick on someone.

I was told by an Erie police officer that I didn't have any rights, and that I was dumb, and that I was a bad mother, and they taunted me.

And I didn't think that that was right.

I'm like, do you have cameras on?

Like, are people gonna be able to hear what you're saying to me?

So I saw, I think he was like the junior district attorney, I think his name last name was Leitner, and he told me, he's like, I know, you know, like, you know, they're a-holes, you know.

So I'm like, oh my, you know that.

I'm like, okay.

I'm like, well, did you hear what they were saying to me in the audio?

He's like, yeah, but you were drunk.

I was like, really?

Wow.

Why do you say I was you were loud or I'm oh, so I was a loud black woman?

Okay.

But again, back to what I came here to discuss.

I'm a black woman, I have black siblings, relatives.

I see how the police are towards us.

But what I didn't know is that it's not just the white or black thing.

There was an accident that happened on Thanksgiving Day.

I'm pretty sure you all know.

I just found out about it.

I seen and read everything.

This is a white family, Dorothy.

I don't know how to say her last name, so I won't mess it up.

But Dorothy, 2014, Thanksgiving Day crash.

Officer crashed, witnesses say they saw this, they saw that, but ultimately it was up to the investigators and the DA.

He suffered, he didn't know consequences, but a family lost their 87-year-old mother, grandmother, loved one.

Then we have Matthew, also a red light situation, ran the red light, killed Matthew.

Don't want to mess up his last name, but you all are aware of who I'm speaking of.

That family no longer has a loved one.

It's not gun violence, it's not a black family.

It's a white, there are white families who off who also suffer the hatred and the loss and the whatever that the police department bestows upon my community.

I seen that kind of on their family.

And I'm like, oh my, this is not a black or white issue.

This is a policy issue.

This is an employee issue.

So I come I came all the way here.

I wanted to express my concerns because I'm 32 years old.

This has been going on long before I was here.

Yes, the situation happened with Marcello.

I came here.

I spoke how I felt.

These officers outside of here.

I've I read about the article about the officer who was drunk off duty and he crashed into the fire truck.

He's a human being.

He was able to pay some fines and get off with it.

Officers getting into crashes while drunk, not just that one.

Officers punching you in your face, kicking you in your face.

There's these, there's these one officers with these mustaches.

I'm scared of them.

That's the every time they see me, they pick with me.

It's like what is what is the background that you guys are asking for them to show?

Are you asking them, are they racist?

Are you asking them?

Do they beat their wives?

I mean, just a policy review, an employee review, what means so much.

Justice for Matthew, justice for Dorothy, Justice for Cello, Justice for All.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else for public comment?

Anyone else for public comment?

Anyone else for public comment?

Okay, we'll go ahead and move on to the next part.

Ordinances for final passage.

Council file number 1659, official ordinance 2026.

An ordinance approving the editing and inclusion of certain ordinances as parts of the various component codes of the codified ordinances of Erie, Pennsylvania.

Sponsored by Councilmember Titus, seconded by Councilmember Schaft.

The council file ordinance 1659 and now known as 2026 be finally passed by city council.

Members Brzezinski?

Yes.

Flores.

Yes.

Horton.

Yes.

Poll.

Yes.

Shaw.

Yes.

True.

Yes.

Titus.

Yes.

City Council pass official file ordinance 20, 26 by YAS 70.

Ordinances for first reading.

Council file number 16600.

An ordinance appropriating the sum of 120,000 from unappropriated and unanticipated revenue for the expenditure thereof for the purchase of three code enforcement vehicles and related equipment through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Grant number C 000096521.

Sponsored by Councilmember Shaw.

Second by Councilmember Brzezinski.

The council file ordinance 16600 haven't been read is hereby adopted on first reading by city council.

Members Brzezinski?

Yes.

Flores.

Yes.

Horton.

Yes.

Poll.

Yes.

Shaw.

Yes.

Troop.

Yes.

Titus.

Yes.

City Council read and adopt council file ordinance 16600 by Yay 70 on first reading.

Council file number 16601.

An ordinance appropriating $5 million from unappropriated and unanticipated revenue for the expenditure thereof.

The funds were received from the Erie Sewer Authority bond redemption and improvement fund account for wastewater treatment plant disinfection systems improvement project.

Sponsored by Councilmember Troop, seconded by Councilmember Horton.

The council file ordinance 16601 have been read.

Yes.

Flores.

Yes.

Horton.

Yes.

Yes.

Shaw.

Yes.

Troop.

Yes.

Titus.

Yes.

City Council Red and Adopt Council File Ordinance 16601 by Yay 7.

Nay Zero on First Reading.

Council File number 16602.

Mr.

President.

Yes.

Full disclosure.

We are waiting a couple weeks for the horror police project.

I'd like to move the table, this big lane thing until we see exactly what we're looking at.

I have been a loud voice for a long time.

My main problem with this is that we get a hunk of money from Ben Dot and they do eight blocks here, seven blocks here.

I've never seen it connect.

I was told they can't get across 38th Street because of the zoo.

So there's a dead area.

This part supposedly is going to take us up to 26 French.

And then where do we go?

So there's a proposal on the table, um, a request for a motion to table.

Um is there is there a second from a council member?

I'll second.

We'll call for the vote on the motion.

Discussion.

Yes.

I believe it's proper before you call for the vote.

Since you've got a first and second.

Yes, your correct.

I don't necessarily disagree with my colleague, but since this is a first reading, I think it allows for a couple of weeks for us to answer or to seek out any solutions or quote uh to whatever questions uh one may have.

And I think it would be more appropriate if at that time when the second reading comes, if we if those haven't been answered, I think it would be a more appropriate time uh to table it.

Uh, but I don't see tabling the first reading as a necessary step in this process.

Thank you.

Any other comment from any other counselors?

My my point or my notion would be the same as Councilor Horton, that I would I'm gonna vote no on the motion as this is the first reading, and that if we don't, if we're not satisfied, uh that I would then motion to table at the next.

You know, this is uh it's not as simple as you think it is.

You know that most of this was done by drone, like people in Lancaster or Ellentown.

Not even local people setting this thing up.

And you're ready to go and throw another 400,000.

Uh just be on record for what I just said, I guess.

Thank you, Mr.

Dr.

Tyler Titus.

Uh again, I don't necessarily uh disagree because there's certainly not probably questions that I have, uh, but we're not voting to enact or adopt anything today.

Uh we're asking about this motion what's on the agenda is just to move it to a second.

Uh and I think that I don't see whether there's anything wrong with moving it to a second and uh to my colleagues uh point.

Uh when we come back to a second uh amendment, if some of those things still haven't been answered, then we have the option, and we have the to uh to table it at that time, and so for that reason I'll be voting no uh against tabling this today we'll go ahead and call for the vote on the motion.

We have a resolution uh motion by member Ed Brzezinski, seconded by Kathy Schoff to table city council file number sixteen six oh two.

Members Brzezinski, yes, Flores?

No, Fortin.

No.

Poll, no.

Shoff, yes.

Troop, no titus.

No.

Table fails to adopt three to four.

Oh, no, that's not true.

Two to five.

Sorry.

Okay, we're voting on council file number sixteen six oh two, an ordinance appropriating the sum of three hundred and fifty thousand dollars from unappropriated and anticipated revenue to provide for the expenditure thereof for the construction phase of Erie Loop Bikeway French Street Project.

Sponsored by Councilmember Troops, seconded by Councilmember Horton.

The council file ordinance 16602 haven't been read is hereby adopted on first reading by city council.

Members Brzezinski?

No.

Flores, yes, Horton.

Yes.

Poll.

Yes.

Shaw.

Yes.

Troop?

Yes.

Titus.

Yes.

City Council Reddit adopt.

Council Bile Ordinance 16602 by Yay 6 nays one on first reading.

Okay, this takes us into old business.

We have a resolution sponsored by Councilmember Titus, seconded by Councilmember Shaw.

Resolved by the Council of the City of Erie that pursuant to Pennsylvania 47 PS461B3 in a public hearing held on Wednesday, March 18th at approximately 7 p.m.

in City Council Chambers.

The intermunicipal transfer of liquor license number R 814 from Bachmiller Enterprises doing business as a sandboard draft house and grill.

Previously located at 2835 Westlake Road, Erie, Mill Creek Township, Erie County, to be utilized at the retail facility located at 2104 Hampton Road, Erie PA, City of Erie, Erie County.

Be hereby approved, subject to the subsequent approval by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board of the Location to Location Transfer.

Application and further subject to Bachmill Enterprises Inc.

complying with all policies and procedures not otherwise inconsistent with Pennsylvania law, City of Erie ordinances and or the restaurant liquor license approved by the PLCB.

Discussion.

I would like to say something, Dr.

Titus, please.

So this is a very serious issue.

To have a liquor license is a very serious job because you need security and you need patrons that are being held responsible for their actions so that they don't get into a car and drunk drive and they're not going to take their liquor out to the parking lot and end up having brawls and shootings and fights.

Being on council before, we've had problems in the past with uh certain establishments.

So I'm holding this gentleman to his word who wants this liquor license for a new business.

And uh please uh don't have loud music.

I grew up several several several blocks away from Hullabaloo, if every anyone remembers Hullabaloo.

It was on McCulland Avenue by 38th Street.

And my house was on East 38th Street, but past Burr Drive.

So that's a quite a distance away.

However, as a child, on some particular nights, I couldn't go to sleep because of the loud music playing from Hullabaloo.

So I know the disturbance issues.

Um to our enforcement officer with some other establishments in Erie too.

We need to hold restaurants, bars, and anyone who has a liquor license accountable.

Like I mentioned, we don't want bad situations for your neighborhood.

Um I am going to vote yes, however, for this because something new and different, and he said it was going to be a quiet, acoustic place.

Thank you.

I have I have a comment, President Tyler.

Uh I just wanted to, you know, um mention the neighborhood, uh the houses that are slow uh a short distance from this establishment.

Um I just think that we have to be very alert when the neighbors and the neighborhood itself comes forward and lets their voices be heard because those are the people who are there every day, every night who have to live in the environment.

Now, as someone who grew up on the Lower East Side, we had quite a few nuisance bars.

I know what that impact can do to you know the neighborhood.

I just want us to be very aware that as communities move farther away from drinking, that these businesses are not staples at the moment, but the residents and the neighbors who build that neighborhood are.

So I'm not gonna vote against the new business because we always want new businesses to thrive and succeed, especially in our city, but I also want us to be very aware of the communities that are here 365 days a year, regardless of what businesses come in and out of the neighborhood.

So with that bit of information, labors, if they are having community problems with this new bar or establishment that is going to be coming to your neighborhood, come down to city council and let us know.

Um send us emails.

If you get videos and you want to report it, we have our city email on the website to be aware um of these type of things.

I do get emails sometimes, um, especially with fireworks and things of that nature.

So, you know, our information is to the public, so email is a great way to communicate, but also coming down here on the first Wednesday or the third Wednesday of every night.

I mean, well, the yeah, third Wednesday of the uh at 6 p.m.

to voice your concerns and let your elected officials know what's going on in your community because we can't be everywhere at all times, but if our community is letting us know what's going on in their neighborhoods, we can be more aware and more alert and nip things in the butt as soon as they come forward.

So I just want the neighborhood to know that I see you, I hear you, and I know that regardless of if this business succeeds or not, you're gonna still be there.

And I want you to be more vocal on what you want to see in your neighborhood.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Counselor Horton.

Thank you, Dr.

Titus.

Thank you to all my colleagues who already commented.

Um I'm gonna support this.

Let me just preface my remarks by saying that because I think it's important when we have businesses that are looking to relocate uh or we're able to retain businesses within our city boundaries.

Uh that said, uh I do know of people uh uh who have lived in close proximity to bars that have had bullets actually enter their home uh through drunk patrons.

That's one thing.

But why it's so dear why to me is you know, my son was killed after a bar fight in a residential neighborhood with high powered uh firearms were in play.

So I'm always concerned about the possibility of firearms dis being discharged in or around public spaces.

I know of people who've actually been killed.

You know, a young man was killed about two years ago, sleeping his bed.

Farm, uh bullet entered his home, he never knew what hit him.

I know the devastation.

New sense by yeah, okay, noise, yeah, okay.

I'm talking about public safety.

And so uh I also know the business uh that Mr.

Bruno has conducted out at the sandbar, and how uh none of those things really you know, but it's a whole different location.

It's not Peninsula Drive, it's West 21st Street.

It's not what says West Sixth Street where businesses are closed, usually that time unless it's motel or restaurant, McDonald's or something.

It's people who live in there 24-7.

And so I don't cast a yes vote lightly on this and uh the residents in that neighborhood, some of which are my friends, who have voiced opposition to this.

It's not that we don't hear you.

I believe that Mr.

Bruno is responsible business owner.

I believe that he'll do everything in his power.

Mr.

Bruno is the attorney.

Well, Mr.

Bruno, Mr.

Miller.

Excuse me.

I believe Mr.

Miller is a responsible business owner.

I've already voiced my concerns to Mr.

Bruno about process.

I don't believe this is the way that this should come down here.

I won't vote yes for another one that comes down here like this, where you put the cart before the horse.

I do understand it.

Um I think uh my concern is precedence, but I also understand that these things have to be uh considered on a case-by-case basis.

Uh once you know I lost my son after a bar fight, Mr.

Bruno, and I hope uh and Mr.

Miller, I hope that uh no one else has to suffer anything remotely like that due to a patron coming out of your bar or irresponsible uh bartender continuing to serve alcohol uh to people who are obviously drunk.

Uh and my final concern is is that that corner was already designated a new spot.

And so it's yeah, um yeah.

So those are my concerns.

Thank you, Dr.

Titus.

Uh thank you, Councillor Horton.

Ms.

President Yes.

Uh I too, I spoke uh in an affirmative uh way with that for when we had the first hearing.

Uh unfortunately, one of our most vocal and helpful uh citizens, Freda, who lives in a neighborhood and was a big opponent of this, uh, isn't here today.

And I don't know why.

But how could it make it?

I couldn't make it.

Excuse me, I can say what she said then, but okay, you talk when I'm done.

Okay.

Uh my problems are once again.

Uh my colleague here, Mr.

Orton talked about Descartes before the horse.

Uh you might have a liquor license, but you might not have a place to put it.

Uh I've done research.

If that place has been closed as long as it's closed, you gotta go to get it rezoned.

That's not gonna be a problem.

I talked to our solicitor, and he is the great poo bond of law here.

So I'm gonna vote in it positive on this uh and hope that you don't have to go through the whole other zoning thing, because I don't think your neighbors will will give you the zoning mill.

That's the bottom line.

Thank you.

Yeah.

So just in uh the interest of um of time and making sure that we stay on this one.

I know that uh Freda had spoken out at the at the last one.

Um and if if counsel is okay, I'm I I'm comfortable knowing where her stance was on this.

Um so I don't know that we we have to read it, but I'm comfortable knowing that.

Uh well my comment is uh with the the ordinance update around saying that this is complying with policies procedures not otherwise inconsistent with the Pennsylvania law city of Erie ordinances.

Um I think that that that statement right there gives uh a lot of power to make sure that our code and our other services that can can monitor all the com all the issues that were just brought up.

Um I do echo the sentiment that this the process was was definitely in reverse um before it became from council, and so I hope we can rectify that uh and and not be in this position again.

Um but because of that that provision that is that is in this ordinance, I feel comfortable um that are that should should it come to that point that we have have put in the the provisions that will allow us to make sure that the neighborhood is safe and that those neighborhoods are are protected.

Um so I will be voting uh yes, and it is because of those those those changes in that ordinance.

Uh Dr.

Titus, you might have a couple comments.

Um I know that um I believe the bar that we're talking about was 21 Hampton, correct?

That was um I wouldn't uh I know we we hear the term nuisance bar.

Um I would I would not want to um put the history of the bar on a new person.

You know, I mean I think you have to give the new person an opportunity to prove themselves, you know, and based on um his resume of running other places, we have nothing to believe that he will run a nuisance bar.

Um I also um in the music business myself, um, had the opportunity to play at the sandbar in the past.

And I can tell you that out of all the venues that we played at, because my and you if you look at my band, um we had I heard one of the citizens talk about um she mentioned black people.

I think she was from Harbor Creek.

My band happens to be all black, basically.

And um, except for one um uh white individual, and we call him black anyways, because he's you know, and um so my crowd that we bring is also diverse.

When you come to a breeze man show, you're gonna see a really diverse crowd.

I feel like our band brings the most diverse crowd in the city.

And I can tell you that in speaking to the people that come see my group, all the places that we played out that were near Mill Creek or in Milk Creek, the sandbar was probably like one of the only places they felt really comfortable coming.

And I believe that was just the way um I think Gary uh Miller uh being being in East Grad, I believe.

Um growing up around diverse crowd, knows how to treat people of a diverse um crowd.

Um he also would talk to me and advocate for me and other places with other bar owners.

Um I used to run an event called Blues for Shoes, which I still do, which is a community event for kids that I do every year for maybe 15 or 20 years.

I think we ran that place at his facility uh at no cost for at least five years, and I think he even donated towards the cause.

So I mean I think we have to give him I know that I hear the concerns of the citizens, but I I think based on his past and his resume, um he deserves an opportunity to prove that he can continue that same history that he's developed.

And so those are just my comments on.

Thank you.

I just have a quick quick comment.

Um I I understand this is just for the liquor license, and it still has to go through the zoning process.

Um as far as uh my colleagues, um, I agree with what they've all said uh because I have um I've spoken to police officers that said that you know they just got that place shut down, it was a nuisance bar for years, and um and the last meeting the um neighbors came to speak out on you know that they don't want that again in their neighborhood, and I I totally agree with that.

So this is just for the liquor license, and I'm in favor for that, and we'll just have to see um the zoning process through and go from there, and we'll just have to keep like other bars in the city, we have to keep uh a close eye on how they handle their business.

Thank you.

Uh at this point, I'd like to go ahead and call for the vote.

Voting on the resolution, members Brzezinski?

Yes, Flores?

Yes.

Horton, yes, hole, yes, Shaw, yes, troop, yes, Titus.

Yes.

Resolution passes yay seven nay zero.

This takes us to new business and ask for a motion um to move the balance and if there are any separations.

I would like to separate two and three under contract.

We still need a first and a second.

Oh yeah.

We have a first and a second motion to move second.

Okay.

And now separate items two and three, please.

Any other separations?

Any other separations for anyone?

Okay.

I think that's the only exception.

Um, I just wanted to bring up the concern for the resident who mentioned uh number two, the sorry um we need to vote on the the balance and then we'll come back to the separations.

Moving the balance forward, members Rosinski, yes, Flores, yes, Horton, yes, poll, yes, Shaw, yes, true, yes, and Titus.

Yes.

Resolution passes yay seven na zero.

Council Flores.

Okay, so um, I have some concerns with number two, the ear the Empire Snow Management Incorporation.

We had a resident come forward and mentioned some violations, citations and things of that nature.

So I would like for us to table that.

I don't know if I have a second, just because I think that we do get comfortable with just continuing on contracts with people we've already been doing business with.

So I would actually okay.

I would like to just see what the violations and infractions were before we move forward with this, if that's not just for clarity, this would actually be a new vendor for mowing.

Oh this person had the lowest bid.

Now the same vendor has done other work for the city in the past, not specifically mowing.

So this is not the same uh vendor that we've had for the last several years.

Okay, so this is a different vendor, but can we see the work that they've done in the past with us?

Like what I if they've had any infractions with whatever service we've received from them.

I think that would be a question if you want specifics, I think that would be a question for uh director Jason Sayers.

It's in that realm of public works realm that you've used them in the past.

So we do have a uh first and a second on the motion.

Um so I think we need to we'll address that first.

Um, and then we can come back to the discussion around the table unless there's a withdrawal of the motion.

I mean, I'm still concerned because if a resident came before with concerns with a specific company because of infractions, violations, and a record of just unsatisfaction.

I think that we need to take that.

For clarity, I think the person who spoke out was the person from last was the company from last year.

Okay.

So they they also submitted a bid, their bid was not the lowest bid this year.

So there is that's just that.

Okay.

All right.

Well, then I'll motion a withdrawal.

So you're saying that the person who spoke today was from the company that didn't get re awarded the project again.

That is and so they're speaking against this.

That is correct.

All right.

Could I encourage you to maybe not table it then?

Because I'm very concerned.

No, no, no, no.

I can't.

I think your questions were valid, is what I'm saying.

Okay.

So I think that there's just a lot of confusion now.

Is there a need?

I know we haven't done the motion, so I'm trying to follow procedure here.

I'm making sure that we before we go into discussion about the motion.

I think the concern from public works' point of view was that the grass is growing.

And that their goal was to get this approved today so that they can start planning out mowing on a regular basis.

So if it's late two weeks, that means that the certain areas won't be mowed in the next two weeks or longer, depending on the logistics.

Dr.

Titus, if I may.

Yes.

Thank you.

That's my concern too.

I mean, it's grass cutting season.

And although the gentleman may have some valid points, it comes across as something else.

And so I would opt I would ask the our colleagues that we vote and we move on this today.

So that we're not having people calling us about us not cutting our grass while we're trying to enforce citizens for cutting theirs.

So I will motion to withdraw my motion to the table.

Do I have a second?

Okay.

Okay, great.

Now we have the the we're back to the original discussion about passing the contract.

And I guess I know we we're not going to go within all of the contracts, but I'm assuming that there are provisions within the contract that if we are not satisfied with the work or the safety concerns, that we are able to terminate that contract.

So if we if if these complaints that have come forward interceptifies are found to be valid, that gives us standing for the vote.

Yeah.

Most of our contracts, and I would assume this one as well, just because RFP is if the city's not happy with the performance, um, then we have we can do a dose of termination or cancel the contract in some other way.

Thank you.

So with that information, then um I'd like to call for the vote.

Thank you.

Okay, we're voting on the resolution from Empire Snow Management for lawn maintenance and weed control in various areas for a two-year period with a one-year extension for the Department of Public Works at a cost of $8,900 per month.

Voting on the resolution, members Brzezinski?

Yes.

Yes.

Horton.

Yes.

Poll.

Yes.

Shop.

Yes.

True.

Yes.

Titus.

Yes.

Okay.

Resolution passes Yay 7A zero.

Before you move on to the next one, Dr.

Titus, if you would.

Yes.

And I know that we voted.

I'd like to ask the administration, could you at least or attorney, could you at least provide the scope of work, what they're supposed to be doing for $8,900 a month.

Uh so that we can make sure we're getting our bank for our buff.

Can I ask Jason to come to the mic and just let us know?

So that contract, $8,900 a month, what does it include for lawn care?

Can you just come to the mic on that?

Thank you.

That's what you're asking, Mr.

Horton, correct?

Okay.

Or in council.

I'm not yeah, I'm not sure that uh we have to do that unless my other colleagues, I'd rather do it offline or whatever.

I think that we for the sake of uh out of respect for my colleagues in time.

I think I can find out from you what the scope of the Saturday later.

Yeah, even if we were they can that could be addressed even in the Madame Mayor.

So this pulls us to um Number three.

Number three.

Um the only reason why I separated number three was because I would just like uh Mayor Deviland to give the community uh a little bit of uh explanation on what's gonna be happening from our understanding we're not losing anything, we're just gonna be leasing um one of our baseball field, and it's actually going to benefit us in the long run.

So go ahead.

Happy to uh quickly um give you the summary here.

Build better fields is a 501c3 organization founded by two um local members of our community who are very passionate about baseball.

They've done an arrangement in the past with Mill Creek School District.

Some of you will recall there was a lot of media attention about this where they leased fields from the Mill Creek School District.

I know behind J.S.

Wilson, I think there's another one as well.

Once they have the lease that they are able to control the property, they then raise dollars and make a significant investment to upgrade the fields.

So having been successful in Mill Creek, they asked to do the same in the city of Erie.

They proposed Hillside Park, which is up off of um Old French Road behind um uh Mason Farms there.

Um historically, uh the two fields there are named for Sam Juthrow, so you know, very um historic member, uh you know, black baseball player in the city of Erie.

These are beloved fields and they've fallen into disrepair.

The city does not have the money to invest.

So build better fields if council agrees today.

Um the city would lease those fields to build better fields for basically a dollar in exchange, build better fields, um, has committed to an investment of a hundred thousand dollars.

That's fifty thousand in each of the two baseball fields that are up there.

They will also take over full maintenance, so they will drag the fields, they will um take care of the lawn, they will um keep track of the equipment.

I believe they're they're gonna be locking some equipment there as well.

Um the city will have right-of-first refusals, so we'll be able to use those fields when we want to, and for our purposes and for any standing permits we have, and then when we are not using them, build better fields, we'll have the ability to use and schedule at the fields.

We think it's a win-win.

We've talked at length about the need for baseball in the city of Erie.

We think this is a step in that direction.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh any other discussion on this.

Okay, we're voting on build better fields for agreement to provide cooperative plan for improvement and operation of baseball facilities at Hillside Park, located at East 41st and Old French Road at zero cost.

Members Brzezinski.

Yes.

Flores, yes.

Horton, yes, poll, yes, chan.

Yes, true.

Yes.

Titus.

Yes.

Okay, resolution passes Yay 7A zero.

And this takes us to committee reports.

Thank you.

Um just be uh request from that the council we all be mindful of just our our our time and our assignments.

Um, but we will go ahead.

I think I'm always picking a Mr.

Brzezinski, so I'll start this time and give you a minute.

We'll start over here with Councillor Poole.

Thank you.

Um had a busy couple weeks.

Um, before that, they were involved in uh I apologize.

I don't remember the group that uh was doing it, but they uh had a tree planting ceremony uh at Wolverine Park on the Bayfront.

And um I attended the zoo transfer signing.

Um which is very uplifting.

Um I wasn't really for it in the in the very beginning, but that was before I was on council.

Um the more I learned about it, um hopefully this will be a good thing for the city for the citizens and uh for the zoo itself.

Uh they had um a ribbon cutting at hands um restoring the property at uh 1319 Parade Street.

Um and I'm glad to see that there's finally some movement on Parade Street to clean up that community uh because the neighbors really deserve a better uh it hasn't been very well taken care of in the past probably 20 years.

Uh last night I attended the Jefferson Society uh and listened to the governor speak.

They had a question and answer that it was uh sold out and uh it was very uplifting.

It was a very uplifting speech, very uh good questions were asked, and um I think we're on the right path.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Councilor True.

Thanks, uh Dr.

Titus.

Um, first off, I want to just start off by um recognition, you know, just the the tragedy that we had in our city a few days ago.

Um really devastating.

Um I had I actually had plans that night, and um I couldn't even follow through with them because it just hit me so hard with the children.

So um also out to our firefighters um who heroes to put themselves in that situation too.

So just to our whole community and for the for that situation.

Um just want to give a shout out to Mr.

Johnny Johnson, his team for what they did for Hurry T.

Burley, all the activities that they put forth.

Um so I reached out to um the redevelopment authority, and they just gave me some programs that if you want to look into them more.

These are some of the programs that they are um developing there or are developed.

One of them is called Project Spotlight, Emma How, the M Oh apartments.

It's a full cert full cycle redevelopment success.

Um started in 2021.

Also, neighborhood stabilization and productive reuse of vacant lots.

That's another program there.

The East Bayfront Greenway, um phase one work.

The project has completion date of late April to to early May.

Also, they are thankful for their public safety partnerships and pre-demol uh demolition training use.

They coordinate with the fire department and Erie Police Department for use of vacant lots for training and things like that.

Their housing preservation and rehabilitation programs, something else they're happy about.

HCV to home ownership learning cohort, ERI LAN Bank.

So any one of those programs, if you want more information, you can go to the redevelopment authority.

Also from the EMTA, they wanted me to let everybody know that Otis 12, the restaurant out on West 12th Street.

You know they're gonna have a new facility in the EMTA facility.

They have begun their fit out for the restaurant under the parking ramp.

I think the grand opening will be when they celebrate the 14th Fest, which would be on June 11th.

So look forward to that Otis 12 restaurant.

They also fielded three new CNG trolleys and five CNG fixed bus routes.

The buses will continue to replace diesels with clean burning CNG, further reducing particulate pollution in our community.

Also, I also contacted the citizens' response line.

They just wanted us to citizens to know that they will no longer collect the limbs and their branches that are caused by storm damage that land on the sidewalk or the city right away.

If you want more information on this, you can look at the city calendar.

Also, from the Human Relations Commission, I reached out to them.

They wanted us to know that there's going to be two vacancies on the advisory board and that we have to replace those.

They want us to know that.

And then on a one other thing on a personal note, actually, two other things.

I saw on Facebook, and I'm it kind of intrigued me.

I saw a couple people celebrated their 100th birthday.

So I'm interested to see how many if there are more than how many hundred year olds or more living in Erie at this time.

I think that's kind of special to still be you know vibrant living life at that time.

So I maybe we can recognize those people somehow.

And then on a personal note, um, this Saturday, if you know any families that can use um and children that need Easter baskets.

Um, I have been organizing this event for about 15 years.

It's a free Easter basket giveaway.

It'll be hosted um at Odessa's place, which is 628 West 18th Street.

And if you want to come volunteer, you're welcome to do that.

I know um Councilwoman Flores is a volunteer, Councilwoman Schaff has volunteered over the years.

Um that'll start at 11 a.m.

on Saturday, and it'll go to 3 p.m.

Um there might be some other things being given away that day also.

So if you need know anyone who needs that, please please feel free to share the information.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilor Flores.

Um, thank you.

Um, I did want to speak on the tragedy that our community has experienced um with losing using losing young life to fire our first responders, our men and women who are firefighters, they see things that we just quite can't comprehend, and I know that this is sitting heavy with them, so I do want us to be standing with them.

But I also want us to acknowledge that a lot of our housing is old.

A lot of our housing has had a lot of deferred maintenance.

A lot of our housing might not be up to code with electrical wiring.

So we as a community and as a city and as elected officials have to be on these landlords and on these property owners to make sure that they are doing their due diligence to take care of the residents who are paying them every month faithfully with confidence that they are living in safe housing.

So you all know how I feel about renters, you all know how I feel about landlords, so I'm not gonna continue on that.

Um, I also wanted to mention that I attended the No Kings protest on March 28th between noon and two at Perry Square.

It was great to see so many community members in our community standing up for what they believe in, but there were thousands of people out there, and that was reassuring that we all don't believe and care to believe that what this administration is doing is what we all want.

Um, in America, we have the First Amendment right to the U.S.

Constitution guarantees five core freedoms freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government for redress of grievance.

So that's our right.

And with that being said, I'm happy that a lot of our city residents did actually stand up for something on Saturday.

Um I also attended a free grant writing program at Blasco Library.

I love our Blasco Library.

I love our library.

Our library provides so much information, so much training, so much opportunity.

There's the word for our community to be able to educate ourselves, enlighten ourselves, and do better for ourselves.

No cost to me.

Just sat in the training with two other individuals who decided to spend their evening doing that.

The Environmental Advisory Council had their meeting on March 25th at 3 p.m.

The City of Erie Planning Commission had their meeting on March 17th at 1 p.m.

The City of Erie's land bank had a meeting at March 16th at 1 p.m.

All of these meetings are available on our city website.

Well, not website, but our city YouTube page and then our city Facebook page.

These are meetings that are public to the that are public to the community, but you sometimes can't make the time because of how early it is on our work day when you're working 9 to 5.

But going back and re-watching that um little video for those boards and authorities is very enlightening and lets you know what's going on in the city um outside of our meetings.

So it's really useful information.

And I definitely recommend that if you care about your city and what we're gonna be doing over the next 10, 15, 20 years, pay attention to those meetings.

We have opening day, Friday, April 3rd at 6.05.

So, you know, the baseball team is back in action, and we're looking forward to celebrating our boys, you know, two-time champions.

Let's see if we get a third.

Um we have our Easter Sunday on April 5th.

So please just, you know, be mindful of family who have experienced loss.

The holidays is very hard for community members who don't have the family members that we miss on these days.

But I also do encourage people if you need assistance to please um reach out to the Odessa's place on Saturday and show up and get the uh supplies and Easter um candy and baskets that Maurice and his mother have been providing to our community for quite some time because that is a great program and the smiles that you see is all I'm saying.

Um we have large item pickup request number as 814-870-1550.

Please, everyone, put in the request and make sure those large items that you're putting outside are actually approved so that we can get our city to look cleaner.

We border our lake, we should have pride in how we look and taking care of our environment.

Mother Earth needs us to be its advocate.

So let's do our part.

And then for potholes, I know I'm not happy about the CDBD money going towards potholes, but I do hear our community members and they hate our streets.

They say that it is wear and tear on their vehicles.

So if you have a specific pothole in your neighborhood or a street that you drive regularly, please call 814-870-1340 and get that filled.

I also wanted to mention that the last day to register to vote is May 4th to participate in the primary election on May 18th.

Pennsylvania has closed primaries.

So you have to be a registered Democrat or a Republican to participate in the primary election on May 8th, sorry.

Just do your part if you care about your community, if you care about your city, your state.

Getting out and voting is probably one of the biggest things that you can do to advocate.

As somebody who's been voting since I was 18, I voted for Obama in a Latino household that my grandma didn't quite understand why she was dropping me off at the church, but she but I told her I had to vote.

So, you know, sometimes you have to be the educator in your family.

You have to be the one who encourages them to do different from what we're taught.

So, as the first person in my family to be elected, I advocate for people being registered to vote, participating in our community, and make sure you're advocating for all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Councillor Brzezinski.

Well, sorry to say I came ready.

I didn't give a report last time, so you did very well.

Uh this floor has already helped me with the Seawolves opening night, Friday.

Uh some people are upset because it falls on Good Friday.

Uh but there's no church on Good Friday night.

So we're should be in good shape.

Uh other things uh I'm sure you heard the news that uh we're in the airport's in a works of uh finally uh getting a flight from Erie down to Fort Lauderdale through Tampa.

Uh they have previously been going to Orlando and Tampa.

Uh that's something that's in the works.

Uh last meeting I congratulated Dan Seraph and his family for a hundred years over on the east side.

I can't forget Larry's Market over here on the West Side either, because they're celebrating 100.

I don't know if those guys got together and flipped the coin, decided where they're gonna put their stores, but both stores have been there for 100 years.

That's that's pretty neat.

And I'm looking here.

Uh on your way out, make sure you wish Mrs.

Morisky a happy birthday.

She's not telling a whole lot of people, but I got my birthday hug yesterday ahead of time.

Uh so happy birthday.

Hope she can hear us.

And finally, uh have a blessed and happy Easter.

And uh over and out.

Thank you.

Uh, Councilor Horton.

Thank you, Dr.

Titus.

Um, I'll preface my remarks by saying last week's public uh at our last meeting in the public hearing.

I was very, very troubled.

Um a young lady came in here, I'll call her young, and she said that she was being overrun by mice.

She said she had like 2,000 mice in her house.

Jumping up, eating her toilet paper on her stove.

And I just happened to believe that if you have 2,000 mice in your house jumping on your stove, they're probably running across your bed too.

And it broke my heart.

We broke that public comment period for a public hearing.

And the developers came and they stated their case.

But it was very, very sharp contrast that occurred that day.

And sitting in this seat, being able to look and see, was even more bothersome to me.

It was almost like hurry up and get this over so we can have our public hearing.

Know those people.

I don't even think they even spoke to the lady.

Excuse me if I get emotional.

I don't know if any of you have ever been homeless, but I have.

Not asking for a 10-year layer while our residents are living in filth.

And so I speak about the work that must be done between the three taxing bodies.

And we know that people live in those conditions for fear of being in the street.

I know that the county gave 33 million dollars over COVID to landlords, many of them who don't even live here in the city to pay for rental assistance, utility assistance.

They didn't fix those places up.

They raised the rent.

They did.

And so I'm telling my colleagues now we have to do something.

I'm asking the mayor, we have to do something going forward, and we should embed language, community benefit agreement language, into anybody who's receiving a Chris, anybody who's receiving a RAC P.

You should you should be able to look at the state of our city and want to help instead of extracting all the time.

I get, yeah, yeah, yeah.

The developers are happy.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

If you build it, they'll come.

But what about the people who live here on the East Bluff, West Bluff, won't ever be able to afford a room in the hotel.

They're just they're they're not only being displaced, uh, even those who can afford their home, their taxes are going up.

They're the ones most convenienced by all the trucks trafficking through our neighborhoods, tearing up our streets that we don't have money to pay for.

That's right.

So that's my comment for on that.

Mr.

Rinzel, I am so sorry that you have to deal with those things.

I I know it's true.

I go out and knock on doors, I see porch monkeys on people's porch on property in the city of Erie, a block away from the projects.

You have the audacity uh to put a monkey with a banana in his handout in your driveway.

Not one, not two.

I'm starting to see them more and more.

And so, yes, yeah, here's the racist place.

It ain't just got this way either.

Good news is our better days are ahead.

Because we have a mayor and a team who are committed to improving the quality of life for the citizens in this city.

Come hook or by hook or by crook.

Uh and so finally.

Cameras, oh, police.

I'm meeting with the chief of police tomorrow morning in his command staff.

I'm excited about it.

I had to call and apologize because my injuries prevented me from doing so sooner.

Uh there was a shooting outside my house a couple of days ago.

Uh I put the border patrol up, I put the other, but I wouldn't put our officers up, even though they did a great job.

They came and they collected the brass out of my driveway.

Thank God no one was hurt that we know of.

But the most impressive thing I seen was their our new officers in action.

We got three dogs.

One is for explosives and gunpowder.

During the day and the evenings, we have the narcotic dogs.

But that dog came out there and they were wild there a while and they were looking for brass.

I seen the guy bring the dog out.

I'm standing there talking to my neighbor.

I said, I bet he's an explosive gunpowder.

That dog got out, took a sniff, walked around 30 seconds, sat down.

I said, Did that dog just alert the officer said, Yeah, he did.

And I thought that was some real cool stuff, Mary.

And so I can't wait to tell the chief and the men uh of the Erie Police Department how much I look forward to working with them uh to make things better, not only for the department, but more so for the citizens in this city.

I think we all want the same thing.

Uh I asked this command staff, you know, can I help?

I wore different hats.

I was in double ACP following a lot of times.

Uh a new role, new scope of work.

Uh everybody gets a clean slate.

Ask, can I have a clean slate?

Uh we're gonna come in this and we're gonna be a team at this.

They say, Yeah, so uh uh I'm excited about that relationship.

Housing authority.

Young man talked about he know what he was talking about, but he was talking about it anyway, and that's uh uh uh being able to grow food in the housing authority apartments, uh, where they used to give them seeds to grow, and they say it's a mice problem.

And I keep beating this development thing because I think it all interacts.

Uh I don't know where a lot of mice are eating corn and and vegetables, uh, but I do know they're around garbage.

Uh I I do know that the development is largely a lot of cause of why we are being overrun by mice.

I remember the Bayfront Highway was houses uh before they tore it down.

I remember down along the bluff and all that development, not only driving mice, but it's driving raccoons and skunks into people's neighborhoods.

And somebody ought to say something about it.

And so I'm the one to say something about it.

Thank you, Mr.

Tech uh Dr.

Tyler.

Uh I was gonna say Mr.

President.

Uh I like the term Dr.

Tyler.

I feel like you earned that.

And uh, and I want to always be respectful of that.

I appreciate it.

So thank you so much for indulging me.

Thank you.

Uh Council Schaff.

Thank you, Dr.

Titus.

Thank you, all who spoke.

Um, concerning the people who spoke, thank you very much.

I won't reiterate, but um we do write things down, we do look into them, and um I want to thank Mayor Devlin on your proponent of reading for the CDBGs as an educator of 40 years.

I am very, very strong support of the library and the reading.

Um the library, librarians um, this past Saturday in the children's area were very helpful to me.

I was looking for um some religious books about Easter, and I thought I went through them all and couldn't find them, but they actually um came up to me with some books that they had found that I didn't think um I completely overlooked for a volunteer day that I did at St.

James for the K through two students with their religious retreat program that they had for the Easter week.

I was actually an art teacher too.

So I would like to suggest that we do something like Kingsport, Tennessee did.

Not redid, but they did new park benches, and they tried to have different artists do them, and it was great.

People can use them and all different artistic ways to do a bench.

I was really astounded how they were able to do that.

March 31st was the last day to get your percentage off, and so many people were coming in, and there were very, very long lines, but they took care of everybody and did a great job with paying their taxes for this month.

I want to thank the institutions that invite us to attend things because I'm all for being able to affirm the goodness and the wonderful things that the nonprofits and people are doing.

Emotionally to bear all this pain and sorrow and uh you know things that need to be fixed in Erie.

So it's good to be uplifted as well.

So last night or Monday night, Ms.

Pole and Dr.

Titus and myself and the mayor Devlin was at the Mercy Center for women, and they had very great inspirational 18 different stories of women in motion in the Erie County area, and it was a great evening supporting them.

I did also attend the ribbon cutting for 1319, Emma Howell Apartments, and I did not realize that Emma Howell was uh did her part for the Underground Railroad.

So that is huge, and it was great to see that they have this historic marker now right in front of the apartments as well.

So people can get the history behind it, and now there's four new apartments that hands supported and many other collaborative partners there.

I attended the water authority, and I did mention the cuts in the road that a woman had brought to our attention, and they said the asphalt company had not yet been running at certain times.

So now I'm sure the asphalt company is because it's spring.

So they're going to look over and go over and make sure that their cuts are going to be smoother.

And Brian Slawen from Ben Franklin Technologies had great business venture of giving Desiree and Bob Troutner and Chris Wynne money for their new services.

Desiree and her husband Bob have a home handyman services called Fixed, and it's four smaller things that are wrong in your house.

Let's say not a big construction, but they set people up to uh and they're already certified and accredited and safe people to come into your house for projects.

So I thought that was pretty cool because not everybody has a big project, but they have little project, and Chris Wynne in talking with him, and uh he has uh plans or for the Savacchio Park in growing uh vegetables and food in different ways, not the traditional way.

So it was very interesting talking with them.

And the West Side Saints Neighborhood Watch, Ms.

Pole and Darry uh Devlin, our mayor.

Thank you.

It's good to hear from the different neighborhoods what's going on and their concerns.

And we bring those to where we need to bring those concerns to.

And also thanking Cheryl Rushdicks and Johnny Johnson.

I attended with my husband.

The Harry T Burley Festival night at Mercier's D'Angelo.

That was awesome and amazing.

The choir and the concert was truly remarkable.

I also had a great night at Prep with Le Miz Paca at Ripcor did Ripcord play and the Erie Philharmonic March 21st.

I had one tickets for, and that um was a part of the Harry T.

Burley Festival as well.

So traffic, it happened already this morning.

I get at least twice a day where I see people going through red lights.

And this one was terrible.

Someone was going up ash, did a left-hand turn, but it was red, and the person in front of me almost could have hit them.

But thankfully, the person in front of me knew that you have to really be careful.

So we have to slow down people, and we have to know when you get in that car, you are responsible, not just for yourself, but for other people.

You have to drive without being intoxicated, without having drugs in your system, making sure your children are safe in safe deep seat belts.

When you get in front of your car and get in your car, you have to be careful.

Slow down.

It's spring.

Let's not get this worse.

We have to nip things in the bud.

Nuisance bars, I am working on that as well and following up with some things there.

And spring cleanup too.

Be responsible for your trash by not putting it out until you know it's going to be picked up within a couple hours.

You know, don't throw it out there five days ahead of time and expect it to be there in that perfect condition.

There's rules and regulations.

Please follow them.

Thank you.

Um, my report, I want to start with with a uh one thing that's not on my liaison spot, but to acknowledge uh what we were able to accomplish yesterday.

Uh yesterday was trans day of visibility, and oftentimes being the trans person on council, I I hesitate because I'm I'm I get a lot of emails that be like stop always talking about trans things, but I'm trans, and so it's it's part of my my makeup, and I need to talk about some of these things.

But last night uh we filled this entire room.

Uh almost every seat was filled with with young trans people in the city and their friends, and it was uh truly phenomenal and amazing site.

And it was to just gather and celebrate uh visibility, not to be in fear of of the legislation we're seeing happening, but to just be in community together.

Uh we were supposed to be outside, but due to the the very bad storm, um we were permitted to come come in here, and it was really a wonderful thing to just witness community together in that capacity.

Um so thank you for for everyone who participated and helped that come into fruition.

Also wanted to so I'm gonna take a hard hard turn here and go back into my liaison reports.

We have the authorities and boards and commission, it's now relaunched on the website.

That is something that um the the administration works very hard on creating more transparency and and allowing people in the community, and we're gonna have uh a study session on this to go over all the different uh uh authorities, boards and commissions for the community to see as well, but so that we're creating more opportunity.

Uh, I'm actually in the process right now of mapping where every single person who is appointed lives so we can see where we have overrepresentation and underrepresentation in our city.

This is quite an endeavor, I will tell you right now.

Um, but there is a very clear pattern that is coming coming to emerge, and I would like for all of us to be aware as we are appointing people that we're making sure that the entire city uh has representation.

So that is something I'll continue to work on.

Um I did want to say last week uh myself, uh the mayor, chief of staff, and a district uh judge met to discuss several of the housing issues that have been brought up here and and trying to really understand from the district judge uh perspective where are some of the breakdowns in implementing and enforcing some of the um not just the tenant bill of rights, but some of the code and ordinances that we're seeing and how can we improve this and making sure that even district magistrates are are are fully aware and we have the ordinances in place to allow them and help them empower them to do the job so that we are protecting our residents.

Um I think we're coming at this from many angles uh and which is very important because it's it's a complex issue.

I do want to in closing, um actually I'm gonna step back.

I we had a resident who's who's come here a couple times and talked talking about the flock cameras, and I know that this can sound very abstract, but this is an incredibly um dangerous area that we as council need to be aware of what these cameras are capable of and how insecure that they they are, meaning that anybody from around the world can tap into these cameras and watch our residents at any time.

That's the kind of power so we are.

I mean, if we do not act on this, uh we are essentially giving permission for our residents to be stalked and watched and targeted.

And so that is something that we we need to invest in understanding.

Um in closing, I do want to echo the sentiment that several of the counselors have said and and deeply thank uh the first responders uh who showed up this weekend and who will be carrying this with them forever because you can't unsee some of the things that they've had to hold.

Um and I'm I'm deeply deeply grateful for for all of them who've shown up in my heart is with everybody uh who is impacted by this.

And and to again echo what my fellow counselors have said is this is also a a direct reflection of what's happening in our city.

This is not an incident that happens in isolation.

This is a reflection of where money goes, where it's invested, where it's not invested, um, what community members get support, what communities don't get support, who's stigmatized, who's not stigmatized when they reach out.

And so this this incident is or is a reflection of many of the other underlying issues that are happening in our community.

Um I'm deeply committed, as I know we are as a as a council and as is the many administration to address these the issues that overlap here.

Um and with that, um I will go ahead and pass over to um I did see our controller in the audience, and if you wanted to report, no pressure, but if you do I apologize for being late today.

Um I also want to acknowledge my son Luciano is in our audience today.

Um I also want to express my sincere condolences and give my prayers to the families that were affected in this tragedy and to our firefighters, first of all.

Uh my heart goes out to everyone in this situation.

I also want to report that everything is going well in the controller's office.

We're rolling out some updated procedures and new training tools to help our people better understand our processes and keep the streamlining happening.

Our interdepartmental meetings are still in process, they're going well.

Uh our office is going out of our way to make sure checks and balances are in place for purchases and expenditures.

We are working on ensuring uh an equitable bidding process continues.

And we are also uh continuing to be mindful, intentional, and proactive in all of our processes in our office.

And thanks again to my great and conscientious staff, they take very good care of me.

Thank you.

Uh we have a report from the system.

I will I will give mine.

Um I know it's late.

I have a couple of items.

Um the tragedy that we experienced as a community on Sunday, you've all noted.

Um I just want to give you some data that I think is important.

I talked to the chief of police yesterday.

We've had eight infant and child deaths in the city of Erie since the beginning of 2026.

So in the first quarter of 2026, we've had eight.

And depending on, you know, we're praying for the five-month-old child that's in Pittsburgh, but I have heard that that, you know, there's very severe um injuries there as well.

So we could have nine.

We had four all of 2025.

So we are double already the number of infant and child deaths at this point in 2026 than we've had in past years.

And I think we as a community have to understand something's happening here.

And I I don't know what that is.

And I think we all can understand that it is an effect of poverty in our community, but it's not enough for us to just say that.

So I've let I'm letting you know that I'm convening some partners on this just to talk.

I've asked the Erie Family Center to come in and have a conversation.

I spoke with Tika Nixon on Monday night at the Mercy Center event.

You know, Tika runs birth route, which supports young mothers.

Her husband Ken has a fatherhood initiative.

So I'm open if all of you know of other people.

We we need to support our young parents.

The woman who lost her children on Sunday, you know, I noted she's younger than my oldest son.

She's 23 years old.

Uh so we have something happening here as a community, and I think it it's our obligation to understand more.

So more to come, but I just want to let you know it's not we not can't just talk about it.

I think we have to do something.

I want to acknowledge the comments made tonight about the Scott Hotel, um, Mr.

Ulig's comments about public art.

And I do want to remind the community that council does not make decisions for the CRIS Authority.

The CRIS Authority is a separate entity.

The CRIS Authority meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 3 o'clock at the offices of McDonald's Jones in Britain at 100 State.

There is public comment there in those meetings.

I would highly encourage the community to go to those meetings and to say many of the things you're saying here.

I know I and council are happy to hear them, but we are not providing the funding for these projects.

We are acting on a zoning issue, but the funding is coming from a different body.

I sit on that authority and I am saying to you, we would welcome you, the public to come and express your opinion.

So please do that.

And if you need more information, let us know.

I want to speak to the issue about complete uh police complaints and remind everyone.

We have a very robust police complaint process.

You can go to the city's website, go to the police department, you'll see on the sidebar how to file a complaint.

You can do it in person, you can do it via email, you can do it over the phone.

I would encourage when you have specific concerns about police behavior that you go through that complaint process.

That's how we know, and that's how we can make sure we do it better.

On that note, we are swearing in seven new police officers on Monday.

Um we have a diverse group this year.

We always have room for improvement in that area, but I am happy that we're seeing some progress.

In my comments at the swearing in, we'll be talking about how recruitment is now open for more police officers so that we can try to get a more diverse pool to apply.

We think that that's part of the work we have to do to build community trust.

So I just want to make the public aware of that.

The housing authority food issue that was discussed.

Mr.

Horton, you're correct.

The housing authority has uh put out notice that um there will not they will not allow community gardens in their public housing developments.

I met with the director of the housing authority last week.

She explained the reason why.

That's not my concern.

What I will tell you is we are now working with the redevelopment authority to see if we can make land available for some of these community gardens.

The housing authority needs to make their decisions.

I'm not going to be critical of that.

But as a partner of the housing authority, if we can provide other spaces, we're going to try to do that.

So we're working with the redevelopment authority to provide a solution there.

I want to let everyone know the governor was here yesterday.

I know you all know he was in town.

He specifically his first stop was at City Hall.

Uh he met my team, and then he and I spent about 45 minutes together one-on-one, which I was very grateful for.

We talked about poverty, we talked about housing, we talked about living wage jobs in the city of Erie.

I know that he is supportive of our work, and we had some really good conversation and some connections made for how we can continue and how the state can help us.

So I just want to let you know he's a partner to us in this, and I was very grateful for the amount of time he took to hear about from me what's happening in the city of Erie.

We want to wish uh the Gannon University men's basketball team.

I'm supposed to be there now, I'm not because I sent my team over.

Um, they are leaving today for their division two national championship game.

We're proud of Gannon and this team.

I think they deserve our support, so we're we wish them well as they head off to their national championship game.

We want to welcome Alan Clark, who I know is here before.

Alan is the city's new emergency management coordinator.

You might have seen an article in the paper about this.

This was a position you all approved in last year's budget.

We've now filled it.

We're excited for him to help us be prepared for emergencies.

Um I want to also just note this issue of renters.

So next Thursday, we are holding a study session with council on the rental registration program.

We have worked very diligently on a number of changes that we're going to be bringing to council for discussion.

I would encourage anyone from the public to come to that.

Those are open study sessions at 5 30.

Am I right about that?

Okay.

5 30 here in council chambers next Thursday.

I think you'll hear about some solutions we're proposing for exactly some of the things we've talked about.

So look for that.

Um just a couple of other announcements.

April 14th on the city's birthday, that's before our next council meeting.

We will be making a press announcement on our summer schedule.

Um, also on April 14th, I'll be doing a hundred-day presentation on my uh first hundred days in office at the Jefferson.

We can send all of you information on that.

On April 18th, we are having a community conversation at the JFK Center.

That's going to be at 11 a.m.

We're doing these on a quarterly basis.

This one's going to be more like a town hall where the public can come and talk about their concerns and I can answer questions.

So that's the 18th of April.

So any resident in the city of Erie, I think can get a $5 ticket.

So if you're interested, that can be a long day of community activity.

And lastly, I want to express greetings on the Passover holiday that's coming up, I think beginning tomorrow or Friday, and then Easter.

Um, in the spirit of diversity, I will always note that while uh Western Christians will celebrate Easter this Sunday, Eastern Christians like myself will celebrate it the following Sunday.

So um it is not our Good Friday this Friday, that's why I can throw out the first pitch.

Otherwise, I would have been in church services.

Um, but we have a diverse group of religions in our community, and I think it's important that we all recognize and wish greetings to each other.

Spring is a holy season for many, and so I wish all of you who are celebrating in any way um uh you know blessings and and peace with your families, and just a reminder City Hall will be closed this Friday, April 3rd in observance of Good Friday.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

I believe that brings us to a point where we can hit the gavel and we say this meeting is adjourned.