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Mayor Announces Budget-Neutral Restructuring, New Grants Office and Staff in Erie
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Summary
The Mayor announced a budget-neutral reorganization creating a Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs, a centralized Office of Grants, and renaming the Department of Economic and Community Development to the Department of Neighborhood and Economic Development, and introduced department and bureau leaders and appointed several new hires.
The Mayor (name not specified in the transcript) announced a budget-neutral reorganization of Erie city government onstage, creating a Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs and a centralized Office of Grants and renaming the Department of Economic and Community Development to the Department of Neighborhood and Economic Development. “All of the changes we are announcing today are budget neutral,” the Mayor said, adding the moves are reallocations, reorganizations or fills of retirements within the budget city council previously passed.
The Mayor described the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs as a central hub for public communication, community engagement and resident response that will prioritize accessibility, responsiveness and relationship-building. The office will be overseen by Chief of Staff Lori Ratter Spicer and include six coordinator roles. Named staff joining or continuing in the office were Mary Wassel (media and public relations coordinator), Monica Gustin (digital media and design coordinator), Ma'Cela (citizen response center coordinator), Hunter Lytle (special events coordinator), Uji Ahmad (New American affairs coordinator) and Tori Williams (coordinator; not present at the announcement). The Mayor said the office will support events including Celebrate Erie and planning connected to America 250, and will focus on neighborhood-level engagement and language access for the city’s new American community.
Separately, the Mayor announced a new Office of Grants to centralize the city’s grant strategy, compliance and reporting. Dave Tamielones was introduced as grants director; Aaron Lonke will continue as grant writer; and Kat Blair will serve as grant administrator. The Mayor said consolidating grant development and oversight is intended to improve competitiveness for funding opportunities, strengthen compliance and better align grant dollars with city priorities.
The Department of Economic and Community Development was renamed and reorganized as the Department of Neighborhood and Economic Development to emphasize neighborhood vitality, housing, planning and equitable economic growth. Catherine Easterling was named to lead the restructured department. Existing bureaus and bureau chiefs were listed as continuing: Jackie Spry will lead the Bureau of Planning and Zoning; Steve Jurkowitz will continue as Bureau Chief of Building Safety and Standards; Deb Smith will lead the DECD grants bureau with Dave Dieter as assistant chief. The Mayor said the restructuring is intended to align development to the administration’s comprehensive plans while maintaining continuity of current work.
The Mayor also introduced continuing leadership across other city departments: Jason Sayers will continue as Director of Public Works, with assistant directors Jeff Gibbons and city engineer Lianne Parminter; Rob Biddow (municipal garage), Gary Graham (parks), Keith Cataldi (refuse), Basil Ronzetti (sewers) and Billy Weglin (streets) were named as bureau chiefs. Fire Department leadership will remain under Chief Len Trott with assistant chiefs Greg Purchase and Al Bucurel. Finance will continue under Director Lisa Gomersall and Assistant Director Melissa Rizzo. The Mayor named Teresa Kroll as the new hire to lead Human Resources with Carol McWhirter continuing as assistant director.
The Mayor framed the reorganization as part of a broader set of priorities to strengthen coordination among land use processes, planning, housing, code enforcement and federally funded programs. She thanked the transition team for reviewing departmental information and said the team’s public report will be released later this month, outlining findings, recommendations and the administration’s first 100-day plan focused on waterfront development, housing, youth outcomes and addressing the city’s structural deficit. “Erie’s next chapter has officially begun,” the Mayor said.
No formal council vote or ordinance was announced at the event; the Mayor characterized the personnel and structural shifts as internal reorganizations that remain within the previously approved budget. The administration did not provide additional written orders or effective dates at the announcement; the transition team’s forthcoming report will provide more detail.
