Reflecting a commitment to effective governance and stronger community connections
Mayor Daria S. Devlin, 49th Mayor of the City of Erie, announced the restructuring of the Mayor’s Office, including the creation of a Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs, establishment of a new Office of Grants, and the restructuring and renaming of the former Department of Economic and Community Development as the Department of Neighborhood & Economic Development, including new leadership and bureau alignment.
Mayor Devlin also introduced leadership across City departments, which reflect continuity in day-to-day operations.
“Our transition team did an incredible job reviewing information and making recommendations, and these decisions directly reflect those,” said Mayor Devlin. “These reorganized positions are designed to strengthen the City’s internal capacity, improve responsiveness to residents, and better position City operations to meet long-term strategic priorities.
“We are all in this together, and above all, my administration and I are committed to serving our community with care, building trust, and delivering excellence — and this restructuring is a key part of that commitment.”
The Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs, which builds and expands on the work previously housed within the Department of Communications, will serve as the City’s central hub for public communication, community engagement, and resident response. The Office, prioritizing accessibility, responsiveness, and relationship-building, is designed to ensure that residents can engage with City government clearly and consistently — whether they are seeking information, submitting concerns, attending events, or building partnerships with the City.
The new Office of Grants centralizes the City’s grant strategy, compliance, and reporting functions to ensure Erie is well-positioned to secure, manage, and steward public and philanthropic funding. By bringing grant development and oversight under one office, the City aims to increase competitiveness for funding opportunities, improve compliance and transparency, and better align grant funding with City priorities.
The former Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is being restructured and renamed the Department of Neighborhood & Economic Development (DNED) to better reflect the City’s focus on neighborhood vitality, housing, planning, and equitable economic growth.
A full transition team report outlining the team’s findings and recommendations will be published in late January.
Today’s announced positions include:
Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs (restructured)
- Media & Public Relations Coordinator – Mary Wassell (new hire)
- Digital Media & Design Coordinator – Monica Gustin
- Citizen Response Center Coordinator – Mas Sala
- Special Events Coordinator – Hunter Lytle (new hire)
- New American Affairs Coordinator – Wuji Ahmad (new hire)
- Office of Community Affairs Coordinator – Tori Williams (new hire)
Office of Grants (new)
The office will include the following roles:
- Director – Dave Tamulonis (new hire)
- Grant Writer – Aaron Loncki
- Grant Administrator – Kat Blair
Department of Neighborhood & Economic Development (DNED) (restructured)
This Department will be led by Director Cathryn Easterling and will include three bureaus:
- Director – Cathryn Easterling (new hire)
- Bureau of Planning & Zoning – Jackie Spry, Bureau Chief
- Bureau of Building Standards & Safety – Steve Yurkewicz, Bureau Chief
- Bureau of DECD Grants – Deb Smith, Bureau Chief
Department of Public Works
- Director – Jason Sayers
- Assistant Director – Jeff Gibbens
- Assistant Director/City Engineer – Leann Parmenter
- Bureau Chief of Municipal Garage – Rob Bedow
- Bureau Chief of Park – Gary Graham
- Bureau Chief of Refuse – Keith Catalde
- Bureau Chief of Sewers – Basil Ronzitti
- Bureau Chief of Streets – William Wegelin
City of Erie Fire Department
- Fire Chief – Len Trott
- Assistant Fire Chief – Greg Purchase
- Assistant Fire Chief – Al Bucheral
Department of Finance
- Director – Lisa Gomersall
- Assistant Director – Melissa Rizzo
Department of Human Resources
- Director – Theresa Croll (new hire)
- Assistant Director– Carol MacWhirter
These changes and restructuring reallocate existing roles within the current budget, and do not add any additional costs.
