COUNCIL Other action

City council also handled these issues Wednesday:
Approved a resolution supporting CHOICE Homes in its latest project to build 40 homes scattered around the city for lower-income families.
Sent to a second reading a resolution supporting Jubilee Homes in its latest project to build 51 homes scattered around the city for lower-income families.
Appropriated $56,100 to pay MS Consultants $35,100 for environmental work and Gateway Consultants Group $21,000 for work concerning possible downtown civic center sites.
Authorized the board of control to enter into an 18-month, no-interest loan of up to $2 million to Metropolitan Bank for renovations to the adjacent former McCrory's building downtown. This passed by a 5-2 vote with Councilmen Rufus Hudson, D-2nd and John R. Swierz, D-7th dissenting.
Approved a 75 percent 10-year property tax abatement for Zarlingo Paving, which plans to move from Lowellville to a Poland Avenue site, retaining 10 jobs and creating an additional four jobs, and building a $250,000 building. This also passed by a 5-2 vote with the same councilmen dissenting.
Heard Clarence Boles, a South Side community activist, call for an emphasis on literacy and other programs for youths at risk of dropping out of school, teen pregnancy, drug abuse and violence, or unemployment under the federally funded Weed and Seed grant on the city's South Side. He also called for more detailed accounting for expenditures of grant funds.
Heard Myke Clarett, a South Side resident and downtown business owner, call for a focused effort to prevent violence among the city's youths, which he said has reached crisis proportions this year. "There are not enough avenues for recreation and mediation for young people to explore," Clarett said. Council President Charles Sammarone said council's safety committee should discuss the matter soon.
Heard Hudson commend Police Chief Richard Lewis and his department, the FBI and DEA, and Mahoning Valley Drug Task Force for their investigation leading to the recent indictment of 14 members of the Ayers Street Playas youth gang on crack trafficking charges.