OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Erie City Council Meeting July 1, 2026: Housing, Police Reform, Historic Designations

City Council — Wednesday, July 1, 2026
BodyErie, Pennsylvania
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, July 1, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:14:36

Transcript — Verbatim
0:02

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

0:08

Councilmember Titus.

0:10

Here.

0:11

Councilmember Brzezinski is absent.

0:14

Flores here.

0:16

Tor Horton.

0:17

Hole.

0:18

Here.

0:19

Shaw.

0:19

Here.

0:20

Choop.

0:26

At this time, we will stand for a moment of silence and the pledge of allegiance.

0:34

There are a few individuals that we would like to acknowledge.

0:37

Stephen Polarius, the owner of New York Lunch East Ave had has passed away.

0:43

I also want to take a moment to acknowledge that tomorrow is the one year anniversary of Marcello Woodard's death.

0:50

I don't know.

0:53

There's also two retired firefighters that passed away this week.

1:03

Who was a longtime employee?

1:06

And Norm Vote.

1:10

They both passed away this week.

1:13

Both good gentlemen.

1:14

I knew them personally.

1:16

And just want to put sympathies out to their families and the firefighters.

1:53

I have a motion to accept the minutes from the Wednesday June 17th, 2026 City Council meeting and bills for payment on July 3rd and July 10th.

2:08

Council members Flores Horton, Paul Shaw, Troop, Titus.

2:14

Yes.

2:15

All right.

2:16

Just so you give a brief overview for because things are a little bit out of order this morning.

2:23

We do have a presentation that will happen this morning.

2:26

And so we'll we'll go into that next.

2:28

But then we will also have public hearings today at uh 9 30.

2:33

Prior to going into public comment, we will have an executive session.

2:38

And so it's gonna look a little bit different than it usually looks this morning.

2:42

So we'll have our presentation and then we will go into executive session.

2:47

Then we'll have we might get one or two public comments before we have to go into the public hearing, and then we'll pause the public comment.

2:54

Go into the public hearing and then come back.

2:56

Just so everyone understands the flow of what will happen this morning.

3:00

So we'll go ahead and go into the presentation that we're gonna have this morning from uh Dr.

3:07

Marcia Farrell at uh who's the executive director of best about a project that they have at 6th and Parade.

3:18

Thank you, Dr.

3:18

Titus, and thank you, Council and Mayor Devlin.

3:22

Um I'm here today to talk about a project that really came out of the Infinite Erie Housing Needs Assessment Study that started last year.

3:31

Uh so as I was talking with Wyatt Schrader uh from Infinite Erie about the housing needs assessment, one of the things that we talked about is the need for more housing in Erie, and best owns a lot of green space.

3:44

So one of the things that we talked about was why not build something for Erie on that green space.

3:52

So in particular, we were talking, or we were looking at the block at Sixth and Parade.

3:58

And I sent this to Dr.

3:59

Titus to send all of you.

4:01

All of the, and I'll turn around so everybody can see.

4:04

The orange with the exception of this tiny parcel here, best owns on that block of Sixth and Parade.

4:13

Um that parcel we are currently talking to Erie Insurance about purchasing.

4:18

And we thought after working with Infinite Erie, which has been one of the most productive um partnerships we've had, I think, in a long time.

4:28

So I want to thank them.

4:30

That that would be a really great parcel, or that whole block would be really fantastic if we could do some workforce housing on both corners at Six and Parade and Sixth and Wallace.

4:41

And then because we own a lot of parcels on East 5th, maybe phase two would be some houses for home ownership.

4:49

Um so that's really what we're looking at is how can we ramp up housing and workforce housing?

4:56

Best has always paid its property taxes.

5:00

This would allow us to pay more in taxes.

5:01

It would bring in more revenue for the city, it would bring more population back to the city.

5:06

It would be a really great thing for our neighborhood.

5:09

We are in very preliminary stages.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety███████████████████████████████31%
Racial Equity██████████████████18%
Historic Preservation████████████12%
Procedural███████████11%
Public Engagement███████7%
Affordable Housing██████6%
Community Engagement█████5%
Homelessness████4%
Gender Equity██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Erie City Council Meeting: July 1, 2026

The Erie City Council convened on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 9 a.m. for a regularly scheduled meeting. The session included a presentation on a proposed workforce housing development, public hearings on two historic landmark designations, lengthy public comment periods addressing police brutality, media conduct, and systemic racism, and the passage of several ordinances and resolutions. Three council members were absent for portions of the meeting, leaving four members to vote. The meeting was adjourned at 12:26 p.m.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes and Bills: Approved minutes from the June 17, 2026, City Council meeting and bills for payment on July 3 and July 10, 2026. (Motion carried unanimously.)

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Post Office Closure: Nick Pilato urged the council to draft a letter to senators and congressmen to reopen the South Erie post office, which has been closed since October. He also requested that mail sorting be returned to Erie, rather than being transported to Pittsburgh.
  • Media Conduct: Scott McDowell, corporate news director of Lily Broadcasting, reported that a reporter was verbally harassed after the last council meeting by a council member. He called for a code of conduct and expressed disappointment that the council member was not present. He stated that reporters will now record all interactions.
  • Police Brutality and Systemic Racism: Multiple speakers condemned the police treatment of Kevin Sparks, a Black man struck by a police SUV, tackled, and punched. Speakers included Michelle Dovishaw, Malcolm Pooleum, Jerry Roberts, Michael Pascal, Danielle Randall, Bishop John Crosby (uncle of Kevin Sparks), Aaron Meisner, Deontay Cooley, and others. They called for adoption of the Department of Justice excessive force policy, a civilian review board, firing of the involved officer, and systemic reform. Several speakers noted that July 2, 2026, marks the one-year anniversary of Marcello Woodard's death.
  • Housing and Climate: Susanna Faulkner urged proactive climate adaptation (cooling stations) and supported the rental ordinance. She expressed concern that workforce housing could lead to gentrification and displacement, referencing Pittsburgh's experience.
  • ECR SSA Concerns: Aaron Meisner and others questioned the funding and administration of the Erie County Re-entry Support Services Agency (ECR SSA), suggesting the program may not be sustainable.
  • Council Member Conduct: Multiple speakers, including Deanna Chatfield (age 17), criticized the absence and alleged misconduct of a council member, calling for accountability.

Discussion Items

  • BEST Workforce Housing Presentation: Dr. Marcia Farrell, executive director of BEST, presented a conceptual plan for workforce housing at 6th and Parade Street. The proposal includes a 42-unit building (with possible commercial space) at 6th and Parade, and a 10-12 unit building at 6th and Wallace, totaling about 52 units. The project is in preliminary stages, requires rezoning from R2 to higher density, and would use LITEC funding. Council members expressed support, with Councilor Horton noting the historical context of the neighborhood and the responsibility of developers to rebuild after demolitions. BEST board chair Father Stephen Simon affirmed the project timeline of 18 months.
  • Historic Designation Public Hearings:
    • Foreman Block (1013-1015 State Street): Matthew Falcone, cultural resource manager, presented the nomination. The Historic Review Commission and Planning Commission recommended approval. No public testimony was offered.
    • William and Mary Spencer House (519 West 6th Street): Falcone presented the nomination. Councilor Horton requested additional information on whether the Spencer family had ties to slavery or the Civil War, citing the need for transparency. The public hearing was closed, and the resolution to designate was tabled by a vote of 4-0 pending further research.
  • America 250 Resolution: Councilor Poll sponsored a resolution commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States. Councilor Horton and Councilor Shaw expressed opposition due to the nation's history of slavery and ongoing racial injustice. Councilor Titus initially voted no but changed to yes to ensure passage. The resolution passed 3-1.

Key Outcomes

  • Ordinance 39-2026 (CDBG Funds): Appropriated $4,237.21 for a CDBG project. Passed 4-0.
  • Ordinance 40-2026 (Rental Registration Amendment): Amended Article 330 of the city code to update rental registration requirements. Passed 4-0.
  • Ordinance 41-2026 (Rental Housing Enforcement): Updated policies for noncompliance enforcement, ensuring landlord-tenant rights under federal, state, and local laws. Passed 4-0.
  • First Reading Ordinances: Appropriated funds for the 2026 Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority grant ($189,868), 2026-2027 Auto Theft Prevention Authority grant ($405,899), and upgrades to the Erie Center for Arts and Technology ($500,000). All passed 4-0.
  • ECR SSA Funding Resolution: Authorized an agreement with Erie County Re-entry Support Services Agency, allocating $65,000 in CDBG funds from FY24. Passed 4-0.
  • Spencer House Designation Tabled: Council voted 4-0 to table the resolution to designate the Spencer House as a historic building, pending additional historical research requested by Councilor Horton.
  • Council Liaison Changes: Council President Dr. Titus announced that she removed a council member from all liaison positions following the previous meeting's decorum issues, and reassigned them to herself. She stated that the action was taken privately to avoid perception of retaliation.
  • Mayor's Report: Mayor Devlin acknowledged the community's concerns, confirmed that the involved officer has not been suspended, and committed to reviewing the use-of-force policy against the DOJ model. She stated that the investigation into the Kevin Sparks incident is ongoing and that a report will be released, including any discipline or policy changes, but not all evidence. She also noted that the SPCP (Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships) board is being reconvened to determine the best tool for community oversight.

Meeting Transcript

Roll call for the city council meeting of Wednesday, July 1st, 2026 at 9 a.m. Councilmember Titus. Here. Councilmember Brzezinski is absent. Flores here. Tor Horton. Hole. Here. Shaw. Here. Choop. At this time, we will stand for a moment of silence and the pledge of allegiance. There are a few individuals that we would like to acknowledge. Stephen Polarius, the owner of New York Lunch East Ave had has passed away. I also want to take a moment to acknowledge that tomorrow is the one year anniversary of Marcello Woodard's death. I don't know. There's also two retired firefighters that passed away this week. Who was a longtime employee? And Norm Vote. They both passed away this week. Both good gentlemen. I knew them personally. And just want to put sympathies out to their families and the firefighters. I have a motion to accept the minutes from the Wednesday June 17th, 2026 City Council meeting and bills for payment on July 3rd and July 10th. Council members Flores Horton, Paul Shaw, Troop, Titus. Yes. All right. Just so you give a brief overview for because things are a little bit out of order this morning. We do have a presentation that will happen this morning. And so we'll we'll go into that next. But then we will also have public hearings today at uh 9 30. Prior to going into public comment, we will have an executive session. And so it's gonna look a little bit different than it usually looks this morning. So we'll have our presentation and then we will go into executive session. Then we'll have we might get one or two public comments before we have to go into the public hearing, and then we'll pause the public comment. Go into the public hearing and then come back. Just so everyone understands the flow of what will happen this morning. So we'll go ahead and go into the presentation that we're gonna have this morning from uh Dr. Marcia Farrell at uh who's the executive director of best about a project that they have at 6th and Parade. Thank you, Dr. Titus, and thank you, Council and Mayor Devlin. Um I'm here today to talk about a project that really came out of the Infinite Erie Housing Needs Assessment Study that started last year. Uh so as I was talking with Wyatt Schrader uh from Infinite Erie about the housing needs assessment, one of the things that we talked about is the need for more housing in Erie, and best owns a lot of green space. So one of the things that we talked about was why not build something for Erie on that green space. So in particular, we were talking, or we were looking at the block at Sixth and Parade. And I sent this to Dr. Titus to send all of you. All of the, and I'll turn around so everybody can see. The orange with the exception of this tiny parcel here, best owns on that block of Sixth and Parade. Um that parcel we are currently talking to Erie Insurance about purchasing.

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