Councilwoman Susannah Faulkner, others pursue LGBTQ+ sanctuary city designation for Erie
Samantha Smith believes that the recent events at the Blasco Memorial Library underscores why Erie should be designated a sanctuary city for the LGBTQ+ community.
“It’s time to take larger action in protecting our rights,” said Smith, a West 33rd Street resident who on Wednesday morning urged Erie City Council to support such a designation.
Councilwoman Susannah Faulkner has suggested that her colleagues take official action to declare Erie a sanctuary city for LGBTQ+ individuals.
Other cities nationwide, including Kansas City, Missouri, and West Hollywood, California, have approved the designation to emphatically oppose state and/or federal actions to restrict rights for gay and/or transgender people.
A number of other municipalities are considering such legislation.
Smith referenced the county library system’s recent firestorm: a display featuring LGBTQ+ children's books was ordered to be moved from the entrance of the Children's Library at Blasco in late June at the request of Erie County Public Library Director Karen Pierce.
Read With Pride display: Library officials order removal from Blasco Library children's section
According to Pierce, county officials received public complaints about the display’s location.
Blasco’s librarians opted to take down all displays in the Children's Library rather than take down or move the "Read With Pride" display in question.
Dozens of members of Erie’s LGBTQ+ community, on June 26, took part in a “read-in” protest at Blasco.
LGBTQ+ protest: Read-in staged at Blasco Memorial Library to restore Read With Pride display
A member of the Erie County Library Advisory Board also resigned over the display’s removal, and four other board members released a statement calling for the display's return.
More: Erie County Library Advisory Board member resigns over decision to relocate LGBTQ+ book display
“Erie is already known in the area for protecting people in the LGBTQIA+ community,” Smith said. “I think that Erie should be considered for a sanctuary city (designation).”
Faulkner, who is a member of Erie’s LGBTQ+ community, said she is working on “a series of ordinances” that seek the sanctuary city designation for Erie.
Council did not take action on the sanctuary city designation at Wednesday's meeting, but Faulkner says she hopes to have the first vote on this designation July 19.
Faulkner also said she talked with Gov. Josh Shapiro recently about the designation “and what that would look like.”
Faulkner gave no timetable for bringing the issue to a vote. But she said the library situation — Faulkner participated in the June 26 read-in and had publicly criticized the decision to remove the display during City Council's June 21 meeting — is an example of why the designation is important.
“We really cannot wait for anything to escalate,” Faulkner said. “The library situation was enough.”
The Rev. Melinda Hall, dean of the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Paul in Erie, also urged City Council to support Faulkner’s efforts regarding the LGBTQ+ sanctuary city designation.
“It’s also consistent with our status as a welcoming city for refugees and new Americans,” Hall said. “That would continue our tradition here of inclusivity and valuing all people.”
So did Savannah Jakubowski, a board member for the PA Equality Project who moved to Erie from the Crawford County community of Linesville five years ago.
"As a queer woman living in Crawford County, I myself faced a fair amount of persecution," Jakubowski said. "Erie represents hope for so many.... Erie supports its queer citizens."
Zoning changes for Vendetti housing plan
In other business on Wednesday, an Erie development group that wants to build new homes on 40 acres they own in southeast Erie received a zoning change that could move the project along, despite concerns from neighbors in the area.
City Council: Zoning changes closer for southeast Erie housing plan opposed by neighbors
City Council approved an ordinance, via a 6-0 vote, that rezones three large parcels within those 40 acres, owned by Vendetti Brothers Associates.
Council President Chuck Nelson was absent.
Liquor license transfer proposal hearing
City Council on Wednesday also hosted a public hearing on a proposed liquor license transfer requested by 5th and Peach LLC, which is controlled by the Erie Downtown Development Corp.
The license had been held by Johnny B's Restaurant in North East, which has ceased operations.
The license transfer, if approved by City Council, would allow locally brewed beers, food and wines from the Lake Erie region to be sold at a new shop planned for 425 Peach St.
More: Erie downtown group has a plan for former Johnny B's liquor license
The business is part of more than $110 million worth of improvements that have been launched by the EDDC. The proposed shop would be located in what the EDDC calls the wrap building, which fronts on both Peach and West Fifth Streets and wraps around a new parking garage.
The beer and wine shop would be one of at least three businesses located on the building’s first floor, and the upper floors of the building would house more than 30 apartments.
Council took no action on the license transfer request. The panel could vote as soon as July 19.
Contact Kevin Flowers at kflowers@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ETNflowers.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Could Erie become a sanctuary city for the LGBTQ+ community?
