Lawsuit moves forward against Project NePTWNE lease
In an ongoing lawsuit regarding the leasing of space inside the Blasco Library for a water research lab, a judge has denied a motion by Erie County and Gannon University that would have removed part of that lawsuit.
The group Keep Our Library Public continues to fight the leasing of space inside Blasco.
Keep Our Library Public advocates rejoice at potential Project NePTWNE recession
That motion was to dismiss a portion of the suit regarding the Dedicated or Donated Property Act, meaning donated property should be used for the purposes they were originally dedicated or donated for.
According to a statement from Keep Our Library Public, a judge has sided with the group, sending all claims in their lawsuit forward to a potential trial.
Other claims include that Erie County Executive Brenton Davis violated both fiduciary duty and county code by agreeing to a less-than-favorable lease.
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That means earning every dollar that comes into my business and dealing with the real-world consequences if there is a shortfall. In my business, which I created from nothing, I have had to make tough choices. I know I can find efficiencies and savings in the county budget because I've already done it in my own business after COVID and on a much larger scale in Illinois in the Office of Management and Budget, which is billions of dollars. When you're facing the kind of fiscal cliff that we are in, you want someone who has managed large budgets, who has had to make payroll when things are tough and who respects their employees. The simple truth is I am the only candidate who has created actual jobs. My MBA and my direct experience at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Office of Management and Budget for the State of Illinois and in my businesses make me uniquely qualified to dig deep into the budget, rein in spending and ensure every single dollar is impactful and spent legally and to improve Erie County for all residents. Additionally, I put in an untold number of hours with the rest of the inaugural board of trustees to create the Erie County Community College. It is this real experience as a business owner and community college inaugural board member and community advocate that allows me to bring a perspective to the office that no one else can. Wood: I believe I'm the most viable candidate for county executive because I bring both the experience to govern effectively and the relationships to win across party lines. I've spent my career working with Republicans, Democrats and Independents alike to deliver real results for Erie County. 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In my current role with ECGRA, I've helped launch an initiative to create 2,500 high-quality childcare slots across the county to build new daycare centers, renovate existing ones and help providers expand capacity. This isn't just good for families, it's essential for our economy. Second, I'll focus on supporting new and existing businesses. Erie County is full of potential, but bureaucracy and a lack of coordination hold too many people back. I've worked with small businesses for years through the NWPA Technology Council and ECGRA and I'll keep doing it by strengthening our small business ecosystem and with a goal to launch 500 new startups across the county. Third, I'll bring back a serious, coordinated economic development strategy. Through initiatives like Mission Main Street and Empower Erie, we've shown that when we align government, business, and community partners, we can create real opportunity. On day one, I'll rejoin Infinite Erie and make sure the county government is no longer operating in isolation. That means working with public and private stakeholders to drive investment, cutting red tape and deliver the results our county deserves. A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@ Follow him on X @ETNRao. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie County executive: Davis runs for reelection, two Dems compete
