HARRISBURG, Pa. — Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse decided to take action and nominate his two picks to the Citizens Law Enforcement Advisory Committee on Oct. 4.
“I'm stepping up to say we can't wait any longer," Mayor Papenfuse said. "These are people who are willing to serve.
Papenfuse nominated Anthony Burnett and Autumn Cooper, both of whom are Harrisburg natives and doctoral candidates at Lincoln University. Burnett has had several years experience working at the Parks and Recreation Department while Cooper is an advocate for education and literacy in the community.
“I am honored by the opportunity to not only serve but to serve as a liaison and advocate,” Cooper said at Monday’s press conference.
Back in Nov. 2020, the city council approved the nine-person committee to help foster relationships between police and the community.
"I think the mayor needs to hear us; I think its a good thing," business owner Rubi Dunes said. "He needs to know about our opinions our concerns."
However, some advocates say they feel left out of the plans.
"It's highly important that they also connect with people like myself," community advocate Kevin Maxson said. "I do this on a day-to-day basis without the cameras. I'm working every day on trying to fix my community.
The city council will appoint the five additional members of the committee, on top of Mayor Papenfuse's selected two. Once that group of seven is assembled, they will select an additional two members, bringing the voting body to nine members. The appointed members must be Harrisburg residents and be from separate police districts.
"Nothing has happened; there hasn't been a single person brought before the public from them," Papenfuse said.
Democratic Mayoral Candidate Wanda Williams fired back in a statement to FOX43 saying:
"After eight years as mayor, he still doesn’t understand the appointment process or the concept of cooperative leadership. In the waning weeks of his term, while waging a write-in, now comes a flurry of “appointments” and pronouncements which can only be seen as political desperation. He should by-now know that any 'appointment' made by the mayor requires City Council’s review and approval. How can he be viewed as putting the City of Harrisburg first, when he goes weeks at a time away from City Hall and months without substantive conversations with Council. Our Council has been consistently present, visible, and working to move Harrisburg forward. As your next Mayor, the residents of Harrisburg will finally have an authentic leader who’s rooted in the community. I commit to being a mayor that is consistently present and look forward to building a broad-based coalition of support that is going to lead this city to the future."
City council is set to review the mayor's appointees and it's still unclear when the full nine-member advisory committee will be completed.
