Erie County Council approves guarantee for Pleasant Ridge, passes several budget and governance measures

Erie County Council on March 11 approved a guarantee agreement to support Pleasant Ridge Manor, voted a supplemental appropriation for adult probation and amended the county administrative code to restrict use of county resources for partisan purposes. Council also advanced a separate supplemental appropriation to a second reading and confirmed an appointment to a drug and alcohol advisory board.

The actions were taken after public comment urging support for Pleasant Ridge and several residents and local officials asked the council to clarify ownership and management of the county’s official social-media resources.

The council approved Ordinance No. 9-20-25, authorizing a guarantee agreement and approving a $700,000 letter of credit from Pleasant Ridge to First National Bank of Pennsylvania. Jerry Cervidio, of Millcreek Township, addressed the council during public comment in support of Pleasant Ridge: "Pleasant Ridge gives these people the chance to live out their lives with dignity and and health care. I've seen it. My mother was there for 8 years." Council roll-call votes recorded: Councilman Horton — yes; Councilwoman Schauerman — yes; Councilman Winarski — yes; Councilman Bale — yes; Councilman Copeland — yes; Councilman Drexel — yes; Chairman Scatella — yes. The ordinance passed.

Council passed Ordinance No. 10-20-25, a general-fund supplemental appropriation of $227,789 for line items in adult probation. Roll-call votes recorded: Schauerman — yes; Winarski — yes; Bale — yes; Copeland — yes; Drexel — yes; Horton — yes; Chairman Scatella — yes.

Council approved Ordinance No. 11-20-25, amending the Erie County Administrative Code to establish restrictions on the use of county resources and to limit their use to official government business. The proposal drew public comment earlier in the meeting from multiple residents and local officials who said the county Facebook page had been repurposed as an elected official’s page and that posts and comments had been removed. Andrea Lebowski of Wayne Township said "every Facebook post on our Erie County page from November of 24 all the way to 2018 was deleted." Marcus Jacobs, borough manager of Wesleyville, asked that county posts be attributed when they are statements from elected officials so the public can see who authored them. During debate, council members said the ordinance aims to keep official resources nonpartisan. Roll-call votes recorded: Winarski — yes; Bale — yes; Copeland — yes; Drexel — yes; Horton — yes; Schauerman — yes; Chairman Scatella — yes.

Council moved Ordinance No. 12-20-25 to a second reading. The ordinance is described in the agenda as a general-fund supplemental appropriation of $138,793 for revised revenue and expenditures in the courts computer bureau and a waiver of Human Resources Code section 7(c). The motion to advance to second reading carried 6–1 (Bale — no; Copeland — yes; Drexel — yes; Horton — yes; Schauerman — yes; Winarski — yes; Chairman Scatella — yes).

Council received a first reading of Ordinance No. 13-20-25, amending Ordinance 89-20-23 and approving a memorandum of agreement for public-safety telecommunicators in the AFSCME clerical technical labor agreement; that item was introduced and no final action was taken beyond first-reading procedures.

Council confirmed the appointment of Jill Sustar, M.A., LPC, to the Erie County Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board for a term to expire Dec. 31, 2027. Roll-call votes recorded: Copeland — yes; Drexel — yes; Horton — yes; Schauerman — yes; Winarski — yes; Bale — yes; Chairman Scatella — yes.

The meeting also included routine motions, including acceptance of prior meeting minutes and scheduling notices for upcoming finance and council meetings.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance No. 9-20-25 (Pleasant Ridge guarantee; $700,000 letter of credit to First National Bank of Pennsylvania): Passed (yes: Horton, Schauerman, Winarski, Bale, Copeland, Drexel, Scatella). - Ordinance No. 10-20-25 (General Fund supplemental appropriation, adult probation: $227,789): Passed (unanimous roll-call yes as recorded). - Ordinance No. 11-20-25 (Amend Erie County Administrative Code: restrict county resources to official business): Passed (unanimous roll-call yes as recorded). - Ordinance No. 12-20-25 (General Fund supplemental appropriation for courts computer bureau: $138,793): Advanced to second reading (motion carried 6–1; Bale voted no). - Ordinance No. 13-20-25 (AMEND/AFSCME telecommunicators MOU): Introduced (first reading only). - Appointment: Jill Sustar, M.A., LPC, Erie County Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board (term to 12/31/2027): Confirmed (unanimous roll-call yes as recorded).

What it means The Pleasant Ridge guarantee lets the nursing facility obtain a letter of credit to meet lending or claim-related obligations; council members and public commenters said the facility serves many Erie County residents who cannot afford private long-term care. The administrative-code amendment responds to public complaints about the county’s official Facebook page and aims to clarify that county resources are for government business, not partisan content. The advanced appropriation for courts computer services will return to council for a final vote on a later meeting date.

The council scheduled its next regular meeting for Tuesday, March 25, 2025, and the finance-personnel committee next meets Thursday, March 20, 2025.