County Executive Dahlkemper issues statement about veto for Rail Futures Commission appointments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 10, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT:
Michelle Jaggi
mjaggi@eriecountypa.gov
County Executive Dahlkemper issues statement about veto for Rail Futures Commission appointments
Erie, PA – County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper has released the following statement after Erie County Council passed an ordinance to appointment members to the Rail Futures Commission:
“I was surprised to receive Ordinance No.115, 2021, which attempts to appoint members to the Rail Futures Commission. I have made clear to Chairman Anderson and other council members that I would not be appointing members to this Commission or any board or commission with only days left in my administration and some council members’ terms. These appointments should await the new County Executive and new Council, as Mr. Anderson suggested recently when addressing appointments generally.
“Further, Article III, Section 5 (k) of the Home Rule Charter specifically reserves to the County Executive, not County Council, the authority to “appoint and remove” all members of County boards and commissions. All such appointments require action of the County Executive. The fact that the County Executive has, in the past, looked favorably on Council’s suggestions for filling seats on boards and commissions does not change the clear line of authority set forth in the Charter.
“Because Council has no authority to initiate these appointments, and because they are in violation of the Charter, Ordinance 115, 2021 is outside of Council’s authority to act and deserving of veto. I am instructing members of my Administration to decline to recognize the validity of any appointments to the Rail Futures Commission, or any actions of the referenced Commission, until appointments are properly initiated by the office of the new County Executive and properly consented to by the new County Council after January 3, 2022.”
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