Residents and re‑entry staff urge Erie County Council to rescind ECRSSA transfer, citing lack of transparency and program harm

Dozens of residents, former staff and local employers urged Erie County Council on June 2 to halt or reverse the county’s recent transfer of the Erie County Re‑Entry Support Services Agency (ECRSSA), saying the move was rushed, inadequately vetted and damaging to people the program served.

At public comment, Cindy Triber said the Feb. 19 meeting that discussed creating a new department and moving ECRSSA ‘‘was not open’’ in practice and that the public was denied meaningful opportunity to weigh in. Triber said the council received inconsistent explanations about the program’s finances and cited $321,687 in previously committed funds and more than $400,000 in private donations she said supported the program. “You are being fed lies,” Triber told council.

Former senior case manager Alan Brown said the change effectively ‘‘destroyed’’ a program that helped people returning from incarceration find jobs and stability. Brown said employers had rerouted paroles to the program and that many clients and their families have lost access to services. “How do they get their lives started?” he asked.

Speakers from across the community — including employers, long‑time re‑entry practitioners and family members — repeated three central requests: rescind the transfer, release meeting records and financial documents, and commission an independent audit. Jen Pollson urged the council to ‘‘halt the transfer pending a public review’’ and to open a competitive procurement process for any new structure funded with public tax dollars.

Supporters of the program described measurable placement outcomes and community partnerships. Jason Reynolds, a local employer, said the program placed more than 30 people in jobs and that those employees remained at his firm; Paul Gamble, who helped convene early re‑entry planning in the county, said the ECRSSA team ‘‘knew what the hell re‑entry is all about’’ and asked council to consult experienced practitioners before finalizing changes.

Several speakers also raised potential Sunshine Act issues tied to an earlier meeting that they said was not recorded and requested that council release minutes, attendance lists and documentation of financial presentations. Jen Pollson argued that the transfer appears to have been implemented without a competitive solicitation, which she said would be required under Pennsylvania procurement practice for significant re‑structuring of publicly funded services.

Council did not take formal action to rescind the transfer at this meeting. Some members said conversations about governance and procurement were ongoing; others defended moving select personnel items to a second read citing operational needs in the public defender’s office. County Executive Mr. Grooner’s report to council focused on administrative initiatives and did not announce any immediate change to the ECRSSA transfer.

Advocates also proposed constructive next steps: Margaret Watts urged the council to convene a re‑entry task force of community members, probation/parole staff and subject‑matter experts to design a model that preserves community‑based services and minimizes conflicts of interest. Speakers asked that any decision include people with lived experience and that the county document funding sources and the criteria used to justify the transfer.

What’s next: Council did not vote on rescission at the June 2 meeting. Multiple speakers requested an independent audit and public hearing; the council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for June 22, 2026, where citizens may seek further action or updates.