Erie County Council voted 4-3 to rescind the lease agreement between the County and Gannon University that would see part of Project NepTWNE operate in the Blasco Library.

With the ordinance only passing with four votes, it can be vetoed by Erie County Executive Brenton Davis.

"I do not expect that this will be the last that we hear of the citizens judging by the passion in the room," Erie County Councilman Andre Horton said.

"I still believe that the Great Lakes Education Center is something that we will appreciate as a community," Dr. Sarah Ewing, Provost and Vice President for Student Experience at Gannon University, said.

"I still believe it is a good project, a good partnership and it is what is best for the County as a whole," Erie County Councilman Charlie Bayle said.

Erie County Councilman Jim Winarski, who voted against the ordinance and Erie County Council Chairman Terry Scutella who voted for it both said they still believe the project will be beneficial for the County.

"This will be an asset to the community for many years to come, it is going to be a learning experience for the patrons of the library as well as Gannon," Winarski said.

"I have been for the project since the beginning, I voted for the $1.5 million but I just do not believe that it should be in the Library when there are other places on the Bayfront," Scutella said.

Erie County Public Information Officer Chris Carroll said that Council rescinding the lease is potentially illegal.

"It opens us up to legal risk from Gannon if they feel so inclined to file suit, but we would issue an executive veto on this matter in the near future," Carroll said.

Chairman Scutella added that the County Executive now has 10 days to veto the ordinance, then in two weeks it goes back on Council's agenda, where they would need five votes to override the veto.