Erie County Council approves elected-official salary ordinance, advances PMAP application; tables lawsuit resolution, rejects one appointment

Erie County Council on Feb. 11, 2025 adopted Ordinance No. 7-20-25, setting elected-official salaries for 2026–2029, advanced an appointed-official salary ordinance on first reading and a Pennsylvania Municipal Assistance Program application, tabled a resolution directing the solicitor to file suit over the 2025 budget, rejected one appointment to the Erie County Housing Authority, and approved several other appointments and a parcel sale.

The council voted 7–0 to adopt Ordinance No. 7-20-25, the elected-official salary ordinance for 2026–2029. The ordinance was brought forward under old business and carried on a roll-call vote in which councilmembers recorded “yes” votes for Mr. Drexel, Mr. Horton, Mrs. Schauerman, Mr. Winarski, Mr. Bale, Mr. Copeland and Chairman Scatella.

On first reading, the council advanced Ordinance No. 8-20-25 (an appointed-official salary ordinance including a part-time assistant public defender) and approved Resolution No. 2-20-25, authorizing an application to the Pennsylvania Municipal Assistance Program. Those measures passed the vote recorded in the meeting by a 4–3 margin.

Council considered Resolution No. 3-20-25, which would have directed the council solicitor to file suit to enforce the 2025 annual budget and to enjoin the administration’s tax-collection efforts. A motion to table that resolution carried 6–1.

In personnel actions, the council considered several appointments: a motion to appoint Lawrence Brown to the Erie County Housing Authority (term to expire Dec. 31, 2029) failed on a 3–4 vote (yes: Mr. Winarski, Mr. Bale, Mrs. Schauerman; no: Mr. Copeland, Mr. Drexel, Mr. Horton, Chairman Scatella). The council approved the appointment of Gregory Nishinski to the Erie County Human Relations Commission (term to expire Dec. 2028) and approved the appointment of Wayne Patterson to the Erie County Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission (term to expire Dec. 31, 2028); those motions were carried on roll-call votes recorded during the meeting.

The council also approved the possible sale of a parcel from the repository for unsold property identified by index number 15020045; the motion passed on recorded votes.

Procedural items handled at the meeting included acceptance of the minutes from the previous meeting and scheduling of the next finance/personnel committee meeting for Feb. 20, 2025 and the next regular council meeting for Feb. 25, 2025. The council then voted to go into executive session.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance No. 7-20-25 (elected-official salary ordinance, 2026–2029): adopted; recorded votes: yes 7, no 0. - Ordinance No. 8-20-25 (appointed-official salary ordinance, first reading): advanced on first reading; recorded vote 4–3. - Resolution No. 2-20-25 (application to Pennsylvania Municipal Assistance Program): approved; recorded vote 4–3. - Resolution No. 3-20-25 (direct solicitor to file suit re: 2025 budget): motion to table carried 6–1 (item tabled). - Appointment: Lawrence Brown to Erie County Housing Authority (term to 12/31/2029): failed; recorded vote yes 3, no 4. - Appointment: Gregory Nishinski to Erie County Human Relations Commission (term to 12/31/2028): approved; recorded as carried. - Appointment: Wayne Patterson to Erie County Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission (term to 12/31/2028): approved; recorded as carried. - Possible sale: parcel index no. 15020045 from repository for unsold property: approved on recorded vote.

The meeting record shows multiple roll-call tallies in which individual councilmembers’ votes were recorded on the public record. The council’s decisions included both budget- and personnel-related measures that will affect county operations and appointments; several items will require follow-up actions by staff or legal counsel.