Library jobs and other human services were saved at the County Council Meeting on 12/18.

In the news! Erie Reader update 12 19 23

Erie Times-News story includes video of citizen ejected

But we have not yet convinced Bishop Persico, Gannon or County Council. So keep getting others you know who live in Erie County or are Gannon Alumni anywhere in the world to help us. 

It is time to let Bishop Persico and Gannon know that we are not a FEW individuals that want the Gannon lease rescinded. We are over 3,300 Erie County Residents and Gannon Alumni that have signed this online petition or hard paper copies that want Gannon to rescind the lease. Again we are not against project NePTWNE or the Water Research Center! WE ARE AGAINST Gannon taking away space from our public library!

Bishop Persico accuses us of focusing only on Catholic parishioners and not the broader community because we appealed to them at St Peter Cathedral and St Patrick Church before Sunday Mass. He obviously misses the point that he is the leader of the Catholic Church and chairperson of the Gannon University Board and that the Catholic Diocese owns Gannon which by the way does not pay taxes!

Why wouldn't we appeal to Catholics since the Bishop speaks for them and makes decisions that affect the Catholic Church. If he wanted to rescind the lease he could! It was negotiated behind closed doors and is a disservice to Erie County taxpayers because of its terms and the fact it is taking public space for a project that could easily be housed somewhere else. 
Gannon University certainly ignored its motto ("health, knowledge, holiness') by entering into this agreement without public input. Members of County Council are political players but as a Catholic university, Gannon's officials are expected to behave in an ethical manner. They did not do so with this stunt, which will prove to be costly in dollars and in, again, eroding public confidence in local leadership.

Bishop Persico and Gannon could and should rescind the lease!
Bishop Persico lpersico@eriercd.org Phone: (814) 824-1120
Gannon University President Walter Iwanenko ( 814-871-7609 iwanenko001@gannon.edu)

Bishop Persico misses the point Bishop Persico wrongly accuses citizens