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Erie County Branch Closings Put on Hold as Council Sues County ExecAn Erie County, Pennsylvania, judge ordered June 1 that two library branches scheduled to close should remain open pending a June 4 hearing about the conflict between the county council and the county executive over the action, the Erie Times-News reported June 2.The council filed a lawsuit against County Executive Rick Schenker May 25 over his decision to close the two branches, which he says is simply part of a plan approved by the previous council to convert the system’s six branches to three regional facilities. The current council claims that plan was superseded when it passed its own resolution to keep all branches open until the end of the year, and charges that Schenker’s action violated the separation of powers between the executive and council under the county charter, according to the May 28 Times-News. Among the issues to be addressed June 4 is whether the council actually has the power to sue Schenker. County Solicitor John Onorato claims it doesn’t, but after Council Solicitor Anthony Logue cited a case in which the county executive had sued the council, Judge Michael E. Dunlavey questioned how the council could be a defendant in one case but not a plaintiff in another. “Mr. Schenker is challenging the authority of County Council to be a party in this case,” Dunlavey said. “That is significant.” Posted June 4, 2004. |
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