MAHONING COUNTY Officials: Arena isn't our project

The commissioners' delegate had said the county would be willing to take over as funding recipient.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County commissioners don't want to assume control of funding for a proposed downtown arena, and say they never intended to wrest that control away from the city.
"We're in no way trying to get in the middle of the funding of this project," said Commissioner Ed Reese. "We have an interest in it, but it's a Youngstown City Council project."
Commissioners have appointed a delegate to represent them on a civic center board. That representative, Paul A. Lyden, said last week that commissioners would be willing to take Youngstown's place as funding recipient.
But Lyden said Tuesday that his comments were only part of a "what-if" scenario, and that commissioners never intended to seize control of the project.
Lyden said the board is frustrated over a stalemate between itself and city council over who should control some $26.8 million in federal grants appropriated by Congress for the project.
Lyden said he had asked commissioners if they would take over the project only as a backup in case the city and the civic center board can't reach an agreement.
"I'm looking for any avenue that would help us get this done," he said. "We are desperately trying to get this thing built. We should be interviewing contractors by now."
Discussion: Reese said commissioners talked about the project with Lyden last week. They offered to do what they can to help move the project forward, but that didn't include becoming the funding recipient, he said.
"I just want to see them work this out and get some shovels in the ground," Reese said.
Commissioner Vicki Allen Sherlock also said she's opposed to commissioners' becoming the funding agent. She was not at last week's meeting with Lyden.
"The city and the convocation board need to work out their differences and come to an agreement, or else dissolve the convocation board," Sherlock said.
She said changing the funding course at this point would only further delay the project.
Lyden said it's highly unlikely that the federal government would approve a change in funding anyway.
bjackson@vindy.com