Leaders are let loose on Valley

By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Leadership Mahoning Valley graduated another class of local leaders with ideas on what is needed to make the Mahoning Valley a better place to live.
Thirty-five individuals from across the Valley graduated Thursday night from the program, which identifies, educates and motivates upcoming and existing area leaders. A committee selects the members of each class who meet for nine monthly workshops. The graduation took place at the D.D. and Velma Davis Education & amp; Visitor Center at Mill Creek Park.
Graduates Hubert Chatman, executive director of human relations and labor relations at Youngstown State University, and Michael Skube, superintendent of Youngstown Diocesan schools, said it's important to maintain a high level of academic performance in the area. A variety of projects must come to fruition or be maintained here, such as the proposed convocation center in downtown Youngstown and the Riverwalk Project in Warren, they said. Keeping the Youngstown-Warren regional airport open also is vital to the area, they said.
"One of the good things about Leadership Mahoning Valley is that you have a group of leaders here looking at and discussing these issues," Chatman said.
Working together
Several graduates stressed the need for everyone in the area to get involved and work together for the betterment of the valley.
Graduate Marilyn Gonzalez, human resources director for Youngstown Area Community Action Council, said a high level of pride needs to be brought back into the area. The only way that can be accomplished is if individuals here work together to improve the overall quality of life, she said.
"We need to work together. All the different committees need to come together in order to reach a common goal," she said. "The goal is for the betterment of the area."
Graduate Susan Paczak, director of training/communications for Girl Scouts' Lake to River Council, said working together can bring about the change that is needed the most -- improving our image.
"A lot of people who live here have the perception that we live in a broken valley and our kids have to leave the area to get a decent job," she said. "People have to get involved, otherwise nothing is going to change. You have to be part of the change."
Graduate Shannon Tirone, director of YSU alumni relations, said the coming together should begin with a higher level of communication. She said no communication barriers can exist between government bodies and service agencies, or cities and suburbs, if any change is to come about.
"We have to stop this image of the decaying city. There is more to it and we need to be better preachers of what is in our community," she said.
jgoodwin@vindy.com