What in the world are people of Girard thinking?

What in the world arepeople of Girard thinking?
EDITOR:
I would like to congratulate the people of Girard. You should give yourselves a big pat on the back for allowing the politicians of this city to do away with the ambulance service and the layoffs of more personnel in the fire department.
I am at a loss to why the taxpayers/voters of Girard have allowed this to happen. The spending track record of the Melfi administration is well known. We also have the state of Ohio telling us the mayor is spending way beyond his budget. In addition, some members of city council have warned the mayor and us about his spending habits.
I don't know if the younger generation of this city realizes what has happened. If they think the ambulance service is something they won't need at their young age, they should take a serious look at this loss of service.
The elderly/senior citizens are well aware of the loss to their safety and health. A five-minute response to a 911 call at 2 a.m. for an ambulance means life or death to a patient. On the other hand, the same call with an ambulance service responding from Youngstown, Warren or whereever could take up to 30 minutes. Which would you prefer? .
If this simple message is not enough to get your attention, then think about the cost to you and your family. You will pay from $800 to $1,500 for a private ambulance call in this city. If you have insurance, you will have some of the cost paid for. If you have no insurance, tough luck.
Any ambulance service coming into this city will require at least $300,000 up front to stay in the city limits 24/7. This would be done under contract to ensure any additional monies would be paid to the company if needed. Where will the savings be?
TONY ROSACE
Girard
Back to the original idea:$25M should go for arena
EDITOR:
As a Youngstown resident, taxpayer and voter, I believe Mayor McKelvey and Youngstown City Council should use that $25 million solely for the intended purpose of building the arena for the benefit of Youngstown residents, and the rebirth of our great city of Youngstown, the hub of the Mahoning Valley.
I agree that we do indeed need major development on the west end of Federal Street, as well as expanding the Youngstown Business Incubator and building new facilities. But I also believe that there is a time and place for everything, and now is not the time to give $25 million to contractors tear down historic buildings and build parking lots.
I believe what the city of Youngstown needs now is a true rebirth, and an influx of people that will benefit all Youngstown residents, its young people, as well as the Mahoning Valley, and the arena project can and will do that for all.
WILLIE JAMES RICHARDS
Youngstown
Fighting juvenile crimecarries a significant cost
EDITOR:
The dialogue over Judge Dellick's budget seems to focus on cost factors and fails to acknowledge the many variables related to juvenile delinquency and the resources necessary to combat it
There is little talk about the numbers in detention (I have personally witnessed juveniles arrested for auto theft scoff at threats of detention because they know they won't be held for long and then follow through with their promise to come back and steal more cars), workloads, assembly-line justice, ill-trained personnel or the percentage of crime that can be attributed to juveniles.
It has ignored the simple fact that services to youngsters have to be increased and improved so that long-range delinquency and crime can be interrupted and prevented. This may mean an increase in the juvenile court budget, but it also has the potential to eventually reduce costs related to operating the adult criminal courts, the jail and the rest of the criminal justice system in general.
KIM R. KOTHEIMER
Boardman