Union City Borough Council Reorganizes for 2026, Addresses Police Vehicle and Renovations

Union City Borough Council held its annual reorganization and regular meeting on Monday, January 5, 2026, setting council leadership for the new year and addressing several ongoing borough matters.

Reorganization Meeting

Mayor Herb Reide presided over the opening portion of the reorganization meeting. Reide assumed office after winning the mayoral seat through a write-in campaign during the Nov. 4 municipal general election.

Council selected its officers for 2026, all of whom are carryovers from the previous council. Riley Cross was named council president, Matthew Joyce was selected as vice president, and Brian Osborne was appointed president pro-tem.

Council also approved departmental liaison assignments: Riley Cross was named liaison for Administration, Brian Osborne for Public Safety, Charles Steadman for Public Works, Melissa Winkler for Parks and Recreation, and Matthew Joyce for Finance.

No nominations were made to fill vacancies on the Recreation Commission.

Council also approved several one-year voting delegate appointments. Borough Manager Cindy Wells was appointed to continue serving as the PSAB Voting Delegate, Erie County Association of Boroughs Voting Delegate, ECAB Voting Delegate, and as the borough’s representative on the Erie County Tax Collection Committee.

In addition, council voted to reconfirm several administrative appointments on an indefinite basis. Gary Johnson was reaffirmed as Floodplain Administrator. Cindy Wells was reaffirmed as Stormwater Administrator. Kim Tuszynski was reconfirmed as Zoning Officer, and Mark Ziegler was reaffirmed as Code Enforcement Officer.

Council approved the slate of Union City Fire Department officers for 2026 and designated authorized bank account signers, naming Riley Cross, Matthew Joyce, and Charles Steadman.

Police Cruiser Discussion

During the regular meeting, council voted to rescind a previous motion related to the sale of one of the borough’s police vehicles.

Borough Manager Cindy Wells informed Council a report was received on the condition of the vehicles which states both are solid and warned that selling one could leave the department short-handed if mechanical issues arise, especially given recent recalls affecting newer vehicles. Wells said the borough could use funds from the equipment account that has been built up over time to fully outfit the vehicle.

Council did not take action to proceed with outfitting the vehicle at this time and agreed to wait until specific pricing is obtained before reconsidering the matter.

The motion to sell one of the vehicles had been a condition to the purchase of a 2026 Dodge Durango for the police department, which was approved at the September 15 meeting.

Other Business

Council approved awarding a construction bid to Construction Services of PA for renovations to the City Building and committed approximately $12,000 in additional funding. The company submitted the lowest base bid at $323,006. The project includes first-floor renovations, preparation work for a future elevator to the second floor, a police office, conference room, lobby improvements, and other office space.

Council tabled a decision regarding additional costs associated with the Union City Public Library’s audit. Council typically covers the cost of the library’s financial review, which totals $4,410 for the 2025 review to be paid in 2026. However, the library is also required to complete a full audit for 2025 at an additional cost of $2,490. Council said more information is needed before taking action.

Council also tabled a proposed agreement with Union City Little League for use of the social hall at the ball fields, noting members wanted additional time to review the document. A motion to appoint a replacement for Jeff Ferringer on the Union City Municipal Authority was also tabled.

Following an executive session, council agreed to extend the police chief’s contract through Feb. 25, although council members noted that not all contract details have been finalized.