WARREN Council addresses airport funds bill

The council president cast a tie-breaking vote on another piece of legislation.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- City council is lending its support to an effort aimed at helping Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.
The panel unanimously passed a resolution at a meeting Wednesday supporting a change in the language of the Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act.
"If the language isn't changed, the Youngstown-Warren airport is looking at possibly losing $1 million annually," said Councilman Daniel E. Polivka, D-at large, legislation sponsor.
If the regulations aren't changed to include language as amended by the U.S. House of Representatives to read, "the passenger boardings at the airport were below 10,000 in calendar year 2002 or 2003," the airport won't be ale to meet requirements within the program and will be in danger of losing $1 million annually for expansion and development, according to the resolution.
The Youngstown Air Reserve Station, which is one of the area's largest employers, also relies on the continued operation of the airport, the legislation states. The language change must be adopted by the U.S. Senate.
"Passage is vital," Polivka said.
He said Congressmen Tim Ryan, Ted Strickland and Steve LaTourette and Pennsylvania Congresswoman Melissa Hart are working for the change.
No consultant
In other business, council President William Doug Franklin cast the tie-breaking vote, defeating an ordinance to contract with a consultant to update the city's civil service rules and regulations.
Councilmen Alford L. Novak, D-2nd; John Homlitas, D-3rd; and Robert A. Marchese, D-at large; and Councilwomen Susan E. Hartman, D-7th, and Virginia Bufano, D-1st, all voted in favor of the ordinance.
Polivka and Councilmen Gary Fonce, D-at large; Robert Holmes III, D-4th; Brendan J. Keating, D-5th; and James A. Pugh, D-6th, were opposed.
The one-year contract, capped at $8,300, was to include a $175-per-month retainer to Clemans, Nelson and Associates of Dublin, a Columbus suburb. Mayor Hank Angelo said that was to give the city access to the company's expertise in public labor negotiations.
He pointed to a recent decision by the civil service commission as a reason an update is needed. Firefighters received $140,000 because the commission said the city didn't follow proper procedure when it laid them off.
Concerned about costs
Fonce said he favors updating the city's 30-year-old civil service regulations. But he's concerned about additional costs.
"When the city asks a question, if [the company] doesn't have the answer readily available, the clock starts running," he said.
Fonce also referred to a contract where the city hired a law firm to work on negotiations with a police contract. The administration later asked council for additional money than was initially approved. The request came after the law firm already had done the work, Fonce said.
Franklin said he voted no because there didn't seem to be a consensus among finance committee members. He also said the city needs to try to handle some items in-house to keep costs down.