Davis letter tells boards/commissions to hold off on new obligations until he takes office

Erie County Executive-elect Brenton Davis is being accused by county government leaders of overstepping his bounds — or at the very least, causing confusion.

In a letter sent Tuesday to a number of boards, commissions and authorities across the county, Davis transition team leader, Roger Richards, advised recipients to take no action on personnel or contracts until Davis, a Republican, takes office in January.

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Richards, a local attorney, touted Davis' margin of victory in the November election as a sign of a mandate to "steer an independent course," and wrote that committing to any new, long-term obligations before Davis takes office would be "ill-advised and counterproductive."

"We are therefore advising against any extensions, cancellations or terminations of personnel or outside contracts by any board, agency or commission until the new county executive has had the opportunity to assess the work and offer input on how best to continue and to strengthen the important work of these organizations," Richard said in the letter.

Richards could not be reached for comment Friday.

However, Davis spokesman Dennis Roddy said in a statement to the Erie Times-News, "Let’s drop the pretense. The new administration is trying to ensure (County Executive) Kathy Dahlkemper doesn’t load these boards and commissions with her friends on her way out the door."

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'A classic case of overreach'

Dahlkemper, along with County Council members Andre Horton and Mary Rennie, sent a letter Thursday to more than 20 boards, commissions and authorities, advising them to ignore Richards' letter.

"You should continue to feel free to discharge your full responsibilities as you believe is in the best interests of our community," the letter stated.

In an interview with the Erie Times-News on Friday, Dahlkemper, a Democrat, said Davis has never worked in government and may not understand that boards and commissions have the autonomy to make decisions without political influence.

"I'm not saying that (Davis) shouldn't be aware or be involved, but to tell them not to make any decisions ties their hands when they're autonomous from the county executive office," she said.

Dahlkemper added that several people who received Richards' letter were not even county executive appointments, but were appointed by the County Council, the city of Erie or even another county, in the case of northwest Pennsylvania's eight-county Northwest Commission.

Derek Martin, executive director of the Erie International Airport Authority, said it was "surprising" when members of the Airport Authority board received Richards' letter.

"It was sent out on behalf of Brenton Davis, so I don't know if the person who sent it was aware of what the statute requires," Martin said.

Despite the letter's request, the board voted Wednesday on two resolutions to appoint the Knox Law Firm as solicitor for fiscal year 2022 and the appointment of McGill Power Bell & Associates for the 2021 audit — both actions that needed to be completed, Martin said.

"The board continued with the business of the work they had to do," he said.

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Rennie, who serves as chairwoman of the County Council's personnel committee, said she received multiple emails from board and commission members expressing confusion over the letter.

"It's a real classic case of overreach," she said. "I can see (Davis) wanting to get his bearings. But it's not appropriate for him to be putting the brakes on most of these. (Board and commissions) can't hold up the way they do business based on one public official."

Horton agreed, stating "there is only one government at a time."

A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNRao.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Brenton Davis: Erie County executive-elect tells boards to refrain from long-term obligations