Erie County Council members used the finance committee meeting to press county administration on the use of midyear supplemental appropriations after staff presented a request for a $366,000 general-fund supplemental appropriation to reimburse payroll tied to a county prison boiler replacement.

A council member raised broader concerns about recurring midyear capital requests and the county’s three‑year capital plan. That member said the county’s capital list had grown from 28 projects (about $11.5 million) to 34 projects (about $12.2 million) and objected to unplanned, large-dollar appropriations—citing a roughly $2 million prison roof project and a prior $400,000 boiler appropriation. The speaker urged the county to adopt clearer prioritization, budgeting and a forward-looking plan rather than relying on supplemental appropriations late in the budget cycle.

Other council members agreed that large capital items should be anticipated during the regular budget process. One member said the county did have unanticipated revenues in the prison account — including detention-related revenue — and suggested using those funds to cover repairs rather than pulling money into the general fund at year-end.

County staff explained that the current request is for payroll reimbursement associated with the boiler replacement and offered technical background when asked about earlier ordinances. The staff presentation noted an earlier ordinance (Ordinance 19 from March 2023) that covered domestic water boilers and clarified that the present $366,000 request relates to heating boilers.

No formal roll-call vote on the $366,000 appropriation was recorded in the provided transcript. Committee members asked staff to provide a response to the three-year capital plan with clearer priorities and suggested the council could pass a resolution capturing the committee's comments.

Committee members also raised practical facility concerns beyond the prison — including deferred maintenance at other county properties, parking-lot and sidewalk repairs, and requests for improved office space for council staff — and asked that those items be reflected in capital planning.