Council debates extending purchasing-code amendments to county-backed projects and authorities

Council members questioned how broadly Ordinance 79-2026, an amendment to Article 3 of the Erie County administrative code (purchasing), should apply, specifically whether it should extend beyond county-funded projects to county-backed projects and county authorities. "This amendment, only applies to county funded projects, and I'm wondering if it shouldn't also extend to, county backed projects," said Mister West during discussion of the draft ordinance.

The solicitor's draft presently excludes county authorities, a point a member raised in council: "the draft, mister solicitor explicitly excludes, authorities in the, in the draft language," a council member said. County administration and legal staff debated whether the county has the legal authority to compel compliance by independent authorities and whether the parenthetical exclusion should be deleted. Administration indicated support for editing the draft to address the issue: "administration would support that that edit to the original draft," an administration representative said.

Council members agreed to consider a motion at the next meeting to amend the ordinance language to remove the specific exclusion for authorities so that county-backed projects could be covered when appropriate. The discussion centered on the scope of local authority and whether a deletion of the parenthetical would accomplish the council's policy goals without exceeding the county's legal authority.