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Residents urge county help for Morrison Park and press for clarity on grants and gaming revenues
Summary
Residents and local officials asked Erie County Council for help to secure a $60,000 county match for Morrison Park and raised questions about Greenways grants and gaming revenue allocations; council members said litigation over the budget limits interim appropriations.
Several residents and local officials used the public-comment period to press Erie County Council for clarity about grants, gaming revenue and local park funding.
Fretta Teffrin of the City of Erie said she remained "confused about what's going on with the budget," citing unclear listings on the county website for Greenways and municipal infrastructure grant programs and asking whether those grants were included in the county budget. She expressed concern about gaming revenue that supports the community college, noting differing figures she had been told and urging transparency about how those dollars are being used.
Paul Johnson, mayor of West Louisville, described a project to refurbish Morrison Park (named for Bob Morrison) in the borough of Wesleyville. He said the borough secured a $60,000 DCNR (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) grant and needs an additional $60,000 to complete the project. Regina Julius, president of Wesleyville Council, told the council Morrison Park is the borough's last playground needing ADA updates and reiterated the request for assistance from the county Greenways program.
A council member identified in the record as "Chip" explained why the council cannot unilaterally appropriate funds during the current budget cycle: the council must certify that funds exist and follow administrative code and the Home Rule Charter; the council has not received a balanced line-item budget from the administration and the council and administration are in litigation over budgets for 2023–2025, which limits midyear appropriations. Another council member said that if the administration submits a supplemental appropriation, councilors would consider it and that several members would support such a supplement if brought forward.
Speakers urged timely action because the borough faces limited fundraising capacity and high local taxes; council members said the appropriate procedural route is to seek a supplemental appropriation from the administration or to include requests during the formal budget process.
