Thursday was the end of an era at Erie City Hall. The city\u2019s outgoing mayor held a press conference on Thursday to reflect on years of leadership and challenges that came with the job.<\/p>\n
After years in office, Thursday marked the outgoing Mayor Joe Schember\u2019s review and remembrance of all he did while he was in office. He used the moment to look back but also to look forward to the city\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
In what will be one of his final press conferences, Mayor Schember addressed his past accomplishments during his two terms in office.<\/p>\n
Those include supporting small businesses with the Flagship Fund Business Grant and reshaping the bayfront.<\/p>\n
Good news! There\u2019s still time to get your gifts delivered before Christmas <\/a><\/p>\n Mayor Schember said that while he was the one reading all these accomplishments, he couldn\u2019t have done it by himself.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m most proud of the work I\u2019ve done with other people,\u201d Schember said. \u201cAnd actually, I couldn\u2019t have accomplished even a fraction of what we accomplished without my team. So, I\u2019m constantly thankful for the team that I work with. They\u2019re incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n Mayor Schember also said that taking the role of mayor changed him as a person.<\/p>\n \u201cPersonally, it\u2019s made me much more open, I think, and much more willing to share ideas with people and talk with people,\u201d Schember said. \u201cIt\u2019s just been an incredible experience.\u201d<\/p>\n Wabtec\u2019s Bids for Kids event raises record $317,000 for charities <\/a><\/p>\n As Mayor Schember plans to step away from office, Thursday\u2019s press conference wasn\u2019t just about what he\u2019s done, but what he still believes lies ahead for the city of Erie.<\/p>\n With his final days approaching, Mayor Schember said he plans to step away proud of the work done and confident in Erie\u2019s future under Mayor-elect Daria Devlin.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, we\u2019ve had at least one conversation so far,\u201d Schember said. \u201cI think we will have a couple more going forward. And I know she\u2019s got a get-together, I think it\u2019s the Friday after she\u2019s sworn in, I was invited to that. I plan to go to that. So, I hope that she can continue a lot of what we\u2019re doing and make it even better.\u201d<\/p>\n New Mayor-elect Daria Devlin sent a statement saying, on behalf of her entire team, she extends her sincere thanks to Mayor Schember for his years of service, and that they are appreciative of his support and collaboration during the transition.<\/p>\n