Jun 08, 2023 Legislative Session

[00:00:03]

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

[ ROLL CALL]

THIS IS MEETING NUMBER 12 OF THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE.

JUNE 8TH, 2023.

MR. CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL? ALL MEMBERS PRESENT.

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT.

THANK YOU. TODAY INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY LEGISLATOR JOHNSON.

PLEASE RISE IF YOU ARE ABLE.

WE'LL TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

AMEN. REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY LEGISLATOR KOOSHOIAN.

ON WITH OUR AGENDA TABLED ITEMS. THERE ARE NONE ITEMS FOR RECONSIDERATION FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING.

THERE ARE NONE. MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING.

[ MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING - Meeting No. 11]

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR MEETING NUMBER 11.

SECOND. THERE'S BEEN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL MADE BY THE MAJORITY LEADER.

IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR JOHNSON ON THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

THE MEETING MINUTES ARE APPROVED PUBLIC HEARINGS.

THERE ARE NONE. MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTIONS ON PAGE ONE AND CONTINUED ON TO PAGE TWO.

[ MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTIONS:]

SECOND, IT'S BEEN A PROPER MOTION TO CONSIDER THE RESOLUTIONS MADE BY THE MAJORITY LEADER.

IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR JOHNSON ON THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

MAJORITY LEADER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

MOVE TO AMEND TO INCLUDE AT ALL SPONSORSHIPS.

IT'S BEEN A MOTION TO AMEND TO MAKE IT ALL MADE BY THE MAJORITY LEADER HAS BEEN SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR GILMOUR.

ON THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. MAJORITY LEADER.

MADAM CHAIR, MOVE TO APPROVE AS AMENDED.

THERE'S BEEN A PROPER MOTION TO APPROVE AS AMENDED MADE BY THE MAJORITY LEADER.

SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY LEGISLATOR JOHNSON ON THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTIONS ARE APPROVED AS AMENDED.

[ LOCAL LAWS:]

MAJORITY LEADER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MOVE TO TAKE LOCAL LAW INTRO 5-1 2023 FROM THE TABLE.

THERE'S BEEN A PROPER MOTION TO TAKE THE LAW.

TO TAKE THE LAW FROM THE TABLE MADE BY THE MAJORITY LEADER.

IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR JOHNSON ON THE QUESTION ON THE TABLE.

NO. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? THE LAW IS BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE.

MAJORITY LEADER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

MOVE TO APPROVE LOCAL LAW INTRO 5-1.

THERE'S BEEN A PROPER MOTION TO APPROVE THE LOCAL LAW MADE BY THE MAJORITY LEADER.

IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY WAS THE SECOND LEGISLATOR GILMOUR SECOND BY LEGISLATOR GILMOUR THE BILL SPONSOR.

UH, DO WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE? OKAY. I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE.

OKAY. ON THE QUESTION, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND HELPING ME THIS THROUGH.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I REALLY THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD THING FOR THE COUNTY.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, SIR.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE BILL SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE LOCAL LAW IS APPROVED.

CONTINUING ON WITH OUR AGENDA LOCAL LAW INTRO 6-1 IS DIRECTED TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.

UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR.

COMMITTEE REPORTS REPORT NUMBER EIGHT FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.

[ COMMITTEE REPORTS:]

MOVE FOR A MEETING, CONSIDERATION.

PROPER MOTION MADE BY COMMITTEE CHAIR JOHNSON, SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR GILMOUR ON THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? THE REPORT IS APPROVED.

REPORT NUMBER EIGHT FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.

COMMITTEE CHAIR JOHNSON.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I MOVE FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.

PROPER MOTION MADE BY COMMITTEE CHAIR JOHNSON, SECONDED BY THE MAJORITY LEADER ON THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE REPORT IS APPROVED.

REPORT NUMBER FIVE FROM THE FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

COMMITTEE CHAIR MEYERS.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I MOVE FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION.

PROPER MOTION MADE BY COMMITTEE CHAIR MEYERS, SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR GILMOUR ON THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE REPORT IS APPROVED.

REPORT NUMBER SIX FROM THE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE.

COMMITTEE CHAIR MEYERS.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I MOVE FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.

PROPER MOTION MADE BY THE MAJORITY LEADER, SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR GILMOUR ON THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE REPORT IS APPROVED.

REPORT NUMBER FOUR FROM THE COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE.

[00:05:01]

MOVE FOR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.

PROPER MOTION MADE BY COMMITTEE CHAIR GILMORE, SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR JOHNSON ON THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED THE REPORT IS APPROVED LEGISLATOR RESOLUTIONS INTRO 12-1 IS DIRECTED TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.

[ LEGISLATOR RESOLUTIONS:]

CONTINUING ON WITH OUR AGENDA.

INTRO 12-2 IS DIRECTED TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR.

UM, CONTINUING ON WITH OUR AGENDA COMMUNICATIONS REQUESTED TO BE DISCHARGED FROM COMMITTEE COMMUNICATION.

[ COMMUNICATIONS DISCHARGED FROM COMMITTEE:]

LEGISLATOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.

THANK YOU. WHEN THIS WAS ON THE THE COMMITTEES FOR LAST WEEK, I HAD SOME QUESTIONS ON IT AND IT WAS TABLED SO I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS I APPROACHED THE PERSON THAT WAS BRINGING IT FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND ASKED WHY IS THERE ONE LLC ON THE MEMO AND A DIFFERENT LLC ON THE RESOLUTION? AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND THEY SAID THAT WAS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS AND THEY WOULD CORRECT THAT.

AND THEN I ASKED ALSO WHO THE OWNER WAS AT THAT POINT, AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS ONE PARTICULAR PERSON.

BUT THEN TODAY, I IT'S A LARGE PURCHASE.

NUMBER ONE, IT'S I LOOKED UP THE JUST THE LAST WEEK.

I LOOKED UP BOTH THE LLC'S ON THE MEMO AND THERE WERE BOTH ONE WAS LIKE SEVERAL MONTHS OLD AND ONE WAS LIKE I MEAN, THEY WERE BOTH VERY RECENTLY FILED LLCS.

TODAY WHEN WE COME BACK, MR. GREENE AND CORRECTLY POINTED OUT TO ME, WHICH I HADN'T REALIZED THAT WE HAD APPROVED LAST YEAR, HE SAID THAT THIS WAS AN AMENDMENT OF A LEASE THAT WAS ALREADY APPROVED.

AND I SAID, NO, IT WAS TABLED LAST WEEK.

BUT HE WAS RIGHT THAT WE DID APPROVE A LEASE LAST YEAR AND THAT LEASE WAS FOR HALF THE PRICE AND LESS INSTEAD OF 4%.

NOW IT WAS 3% AND LESS THAN HALF THE PRICE.

SO AND WHEN I LOOKED UP THE LLC THAT IS HAVING IT NOW, THEY PURCHASED IT IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR FOR $2.7 MILLION AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN THE COUNTY, PUT IN $1.3 MILLION AND THEN NET, TRIPLE NET LEASE AND THEN FOR TEN YEARS WITH AN OPTION FOR ANOTHER TEN YEARS.

AND THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY.

AND WHEN I LOOKED UP THAT ON THE DEEDS, JUST REALLY QUICKLY ON THE CLERK'S OFFICE, THE DEED, THE PERSON THAT OWNS IT NOW BOUGHT OVER $2.7 FROM A COMPANY.

I DON'T SEE THAT COMPANY HAVING OWNED IT BEFORE.

THERE'S NO DEED INTO THAT COMPANY AS FAR AS MY SEARCH, UNLESS THERE'S A SPELLING ERROR OR SOMETHING.

AND THE ONLY THING ON THAT COMPANY IS A BUNCH OF MORTGAGES.

AND THERE'S A JUDGMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL JUDGMENT FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE NOT PAID.

SO I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH QUESTIONS THAT FOR US WE HAVE ALSO WE HAD APPROVED MONEY TO LOOK AT THE IDEA OF CLOSING THE TWO JAILS AND MAKING A NEW CAMPUS. WE'RE PUTTING ALL THIS MONEY INTO LOOKING AT THAT.

THERE COULD BE SOMETHING MAYBE ON THAT CAMPUS TO HOUSE THIS INSTEAD OF PUTTING ALL THIS MONEY INTO A PRIVATE PLACE THAT JUST OPENED IN FEBRUARY.

AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE SIX OTHER RFP RESPONSES TO SEE HOW SINCE FEBRUARY, COMPANY, YOU KNOW, GOT INTO AN RFP THAT WAS EXAMINED.

SO I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH THERE THAT WE NEED TO KNOW WHO IS THE OWNER.

LOOK AT THE OTHER RFPS, LOOKING TO SEE WHY ARE WE BEING ASKED TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT? IT'S THE SAME SQUARE FOOTAGE, BUT WE SEEM TO BE DOUBLING HOW MUCH WE'RE PAYING TO A PRIVATE COMPANY OVER A TWO HOUR PERIOD.

SO I WOULD ASK RESPECTFULLY THAT IT GO AS THE REMAINING COMMITTEE AND NOT BE TAKEN OUT OF COMMITTEE SO THAT THESE QUESTIONS CAN BE ASKED, YOU KNOW, MORE FULLY AND RESPONDED TO.

SOME VERY GOOD POINTS LEGISLATOR THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD THOUGH, I'LL LET THE COMPTROLLER OPINE ON THE TOPIC BECAUSE IT'S JUST DEALING WITH COUNTY PAYMENTS TO A PRIVATE OWNER.

YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

CERTAINLY I WOULD SHARE THE CONCERNS OF LEGISLATOR VINAL IF THIS IF YOU DO DECIDE TO KEEP THIS IN COMMITTEE, I'LL PROMISE YOU THAT WE WILL LOOK INTO THIS SITUATION AND SEND YOU A LETTER BY NEXT WEEK WITH ANY CONCERNS THAT WE MAY COME ACROSS.

THANK YOU. IF THERE ARE NO RESERVATIONS, THE ITEM WILL NOT BE DISCHARGED TODAY.

IT WILL STAY IN COMMITTEE. BUT I DO URGE ANY LETTERS OR SUPPORT THAT YOU CAN GIVE US.

MR. COMPTROLLER, QUICKLY, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE WORKING IN THE BUNKER TOLD US THERE'S ASBESTOS AND WHATNOT.

SO I THINK EVERYONE IS I THINK EVERYONE SHARES THAT CONCERN.

EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE STATUS QUO IS IS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN CONTINUE.

THANK YOU, SIR.

OKAY. SO THIS ITEM WILL REMAIN IN COMMITTEE.

MOVING ON WITH OUR AGENDA, SUSPENSION OF THE RULES.

I'LL RECOGNIZE THE MAJORITY LEADER.

[ SUSPENSION OF THE RULES:]

INTRO 5-1 2023 MR. CLERK 12 D THIS ITEM IS RECEIVED, FILED AND PRINTED UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR.

[00:10:06]

[ COMMUNICATIONS FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS:]

MAJORITY LEADER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

MOVE FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.

SECOND, AND A PROPER MOTION FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL MADE BY THE MAJORITY LEADER HAS BEEN SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR JOHNSON ON THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE ITEM IS APPROVED.

CONTINUING ON WITH OUR AGENDA COMMUNICATIONS 12E-11 THROUGH INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS 12E-13 AS INDICATED.

COMMUNICATION 12E-14 THROUGH AND INCLUDING COMMUNICATION 12E-17 AS INDICATED COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE DEPARTMENTS COMMUNICATION 12E-1

[ COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE DEPARTMENTS:]

[ COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PEOPLE AND OTHER AGENCIES:]

THAT'S OUR AGENDA.

ANNOUNCEMENTS. THE LEGISLATURE WILL CONDUCT OUR BIWEEKLY COMMITTEE MEETINGS NEXT THURSDAY, JUNE 15TH, AND THE SCHEDULE WILL BE DISTRIBUTED.

[ ANNOUNCEMENTS:]

AT 9:30 IN THE MORNING, THE LEGISLATURE WILL CONDUCT ITS REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING [INAUDIBLE] ERIE 2023 -2024 BUDGET.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE FLOOR? PLEASE RISE FOR MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS.

[ MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS:]

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

I MOVE TO ADJOURN IN MEMORY OF JOEL NEWARK, DONALD CHRIS AND JULIANNE AQUINO.

I'M SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS LEGISLATOR.

LEGISLATOR MALCZEWSKI.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

I MOVE TO ADJOURN THE MEMORY OF WILLIAM ROMAN FIREMEN IN MARILLA FOR 55 YEARS.

SORRY FOR YOUR COMMUNITY'S LOSS.

LEGISLATOR. LEGISLATOR GREENE.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I MOVE TO ADJOURN IN THE MEMORY OF FRANK VERONA.

SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS LEGISLATOR.

LEGISLATOR JOHNSON.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO ADJOURN IN MEMORY OF ANTOINE LAMAR STRONG AS A CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF MINE WHO PASSED AWAY FROM SOME MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS [INAUDIBLE].

I'M SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS LEGISLATOR.

ANY OTHERS? A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THOSE THAT HAVE GONE ON TO BE WITH THE LORD.

AMEN. I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. MOTION TO ADJOURN BY LEGISLATOR TODARO.

SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR JOHNSON.

ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? 11 TO 0. WE STAND ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.