5 days ago
City council has debate before approving spending on Miller Brothers building roof
The City of Erie is moving forward with plans to transform the former Miller Brothers property into a public works and safety facility, despite facing a funding challenge for necessary roof repairs.
The project requires approximately $1 million to repair the roof of the facility, which is located in the 2100 block of State Street. A debate over the source of this funding had threatened to delay the renovations, with the City Council and the Mayor's office initially disagreeing on where the money should come from.
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'We went back and forth with that. I kept saying I don't care where the money comes from. Let's get this done,' said Mel Witherspoon, Erie City Council President.
The Miller Brothers property was purchased by the City of Erie in 2023 for $2.8 million, with city officials estimating that upgrades would cost around $30 million. Initially, the city administration proposed using funds from the city's water reserve fund or capital fund, which is a restricted account meant to grow and generate considerable interest.
Chuck Nelson, Erie City Council Member, expressed concerns about using the city's water reserve fund, stating, 'This account has quadrupled in size since 2010. It's something that we don't like to touch and it takes six votes from council to touch it.'
After a study session on Tuesday night, the council decided to use surplus ARP funds for the roof repairs, which are considered a more flexible pool of money. Approving the spending now was deemed critical to allow repairs to take place over the summer rather than risking further damage from winter snow.
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Mel Witherspoon emphasized the urgency of the repairs, stating, 'We'll have 4-5 good months for it to take place and we hopefully have it done in September or early October. Once that is done, we'll move our equipment, our fire and some police operations out of there.'
With the decision to use surplus ARP funds, the City of Erie aims to complete the roof repairs by early fall, paving the way for the new public works and safety facility to enhance services for residents.
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