There’s a lot happening in Erie this week and next, which will have an impact, good or negative, on the future of the city and surrounding areas.  It does look to me like a lot of the happenings will be a positive thing.

First, the bad news;  It seems likely that taxpayers are about to lose the $850,000 that the city loaned to the Koehler developers for redeveloping the old brewery property.  National City Bank is about set to forclose due to lack of payment on the mortgage by the developers.  Like always, the taxpayers will lose.  Former Mayor Fillipi agreed to allow NCB to hold the first mortgage, even though the city had lent the initial amount.  Unless a sheriff’s sale brings in more than what is owed to the NCB, the City of Erie (read:TAXPAYERS) will see nothing.  Certainly not a decision that protected the best interests of the taxpayers.

On the positive side, all three factions have finally agreed to the Airport agreement, so perhaps now something can be done.  Hopefully the state will approve their end of it now.

GE’s long awaited shareholder meeting will be getting underway next week.  As long as the public faces who run the city and county don’t drop the ball, the image of the city and area should be enhanced–and a lot of major CEOs will be here, according to Peter’s Blog, “OutsideErie”.   Favorable impressions of Erie by these folks could do wonders for the future of the city.

Like them or not, Erie is finally getting noticed by the Presidential Campaign, with former POTUS Bill Clinton and hopeful future POTUS Barak Obama visiting Behrend College today and tomorrow.