YOUNGSTOWN Arena board lists tasks it wants

'Let us not wait any longer to begin,' the arena board's chairman said.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The civic center board knows what it wants.
Any problem with that?
That's the essence of the board's missive sent at city council's suggestion.
The arena board has developed a nine-point list of what its members say should be their duties in the expected $40 million downtown project. The list includes being given access to the money, acquiring the site, building and managing the arena, and protecting the city from liability.
Wants approval: The board wants to know if council members agree with those functions, are willing to make that happen, and if any legal issues stand in the way.
Arena board members also want to know whether a rough budget they spelled out a few weeks ago for the first $1.85 million federal grant is sufficient. The budget outlines spending for site work, planning and preliminary construction.
A week ago, James E. Fortune Sr., D-6th, council's finance committee chairman, suggested that the city and arena board put their questions about the project in writing.
The questions would be answered by the city's law director or Community Development Agency, which monitors the spending of Youngstown's federal money. That way, both sides will have some answers before the two sides meet, Fortune said.
Money control: The arena board asked to meet with council to clarify a lingering dispute over who controls $26.8 million in federal funds secured for the project so far.
The board sent its list and questions to Mayor George M. McKelvey, Law Director Robert Bush Jr. and CDA Director Jay Williams.
Leonard Schiavone, arena board chairman, was hoping council members would send in their questions before leaving today for a conference in Washington, D.C. That way, the answers would be ready when they return early next week.
"That will allow us to meet, reach a consensus as to our function ... and to proceed all in a time frame that will not place further delays on this project," he wrote. "Let us not wait any longer to begin."
This week's report detailing six possible downtown arena sites has stirred plenty of interest, Schiavone said.
The board and council need to seize the moment and build on the momentum, he said.