Erie is on its way to growing from 35,000 to 80,000 residents.  The North Star that guides how we grow is called the Comprehensive Plan.  The Comprehensive Plan answers questions like, "Where should our town be in 5, 10, and 30 years? Are we investing in resident amenities to set us apart?  Do we have the proper infrastructure to grow intelligently?  Are we continuing to invest in open space and trails?" 
 
As a town, we published Comprehensive Plans in 2005 and 2015 and it feels we are ready for another update, guided by residents.  Unfortunately recent decisions by town leadership suggest we are moving away from or abandoning this model that has worked so well for Erie for decades. The subject matter experts Erie hired to lead an update of the Comprehensive Plan were fired and replaced with a process that includes minimal opportunities for residents to participate at bars and coffee shops, and a poorly communicated survey lacking context that had a response rate of ~1%!  

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This has resulted in chaos, with higher-density developments planned in the middle of established neighborhoods, and a process cuts out the residents.

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I will restore an inclusive planning process that welcomes residents' voices back into the conversation. 

With a proven track record of nonpartisan leadership, Andrew is committed to solving problems in the best interest of Erie's residents above himself and partisan politics. He welcomes all voices into the conversation, believing we are better when we include different perspectives.

Are Erie leaders listening to you?  In 2018, the voters of Erie were asked a question on ballot issue 3A: Shall the Town of Erie's debt be increased by not more than $13,750,000 for the construction and equipping of a Town Hall expansion?

The voters were clear - 64% said no!  So why do we have a new $21.1M Town Hall and remodel in the era of hybrid work, which takes the pressure off office space, and how was it paid for?

In an eye-opening July 2024 Erie Town Council study session, it became clear that Erie has a spending problem, including financial projections described as “sobering.” The Council plans to cut back on street maintenance budget requests from Public Works in 2025 among other cuts. Proper ongoing road maintenance is critical to avoid future high-cost road replacements. 

Another interesting takeaway from the July study session is that future projections of capital spending five years out are being slashed ~40% lower than today’s spending. This may make the chart look good, but it seems overly optimistic when the cost of everything continues to increase, a $30M+ police expansion is on the horizon, and new priorities will likely emerge. 

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We all witnessed Erie’s leadership drain the rainy day fund this year without meaningfully engagement with the community. The current leadership is thinking short-term, allowing current spending to spiral out of control and thrusting the burden onto future residents. Don’t take my word for it, look at the deficits in our budget.

I will restore transparent fiscal accountability so residents can be confident that town leaders are good stewards of your money and investing in what matters.

Erie’s portfolio of community-centric amenities and events is one of the many reasons Erie is the best place to live and raise a family. To continue this momentum, I will: 

• champion the building of an outdoor waterpark/aquatic facility to align with strong resident support

• expand our amenities around our airport, such as a community park along Coal Creek Trail, so families can watch the planes and learn about flying

• invest in new events, including a dog/animal parade and other community-uniting activities

• expand our July 3 fireworks celebration to one we can all be proud of

• start with a survey of possibilities to ensure you have a voice so we can assure Erie is the best place to raise our families, not just today but long into the future

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A strong, safe community in which to live and raise our families is more important than anything else.

It is no secret that Erie and our neighbors are continuing to grow creating traffic bottlenecks that development impact fees are supposed to mitigate through road expansions.   So why is this not happening in some of the most critical traffic areas?  I am committed to solving this challenge by being proactive with our regional transportation partners, ensuring developers pay for the impacts they bring, and that Erie advocates for you.

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