YOUNGSTOWN Maluso returns as Plaza director at least until the end of the year

Animal Charity said it will stop helping the city handle nuisance animals.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Claire Maluso is back as the city's Federal Plaza director, at least until year's end.
City council appointed the longtime former director back to the job Wednesday for the rest of this year. Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st, asked that the city re-evaluate her position to see if it could afford to keep her. The position pays $35,027 per year.
Federal Plaza director is council's only appointed job.
James E. Fortune Sr., D-6th, made the motion to hire Maluso.
Fortune said a summer of struggling to get even a few events planned through the council office was too much. The council office couldn't handle the extra work, he said, and Maluso is experienced.
Maluso will do more than just arrange downtown events, he said.
She will work out of the city economic development office and help with tasks such as answering phones. That office needs the help, said Finance Director David Bozanich.
Fortune said Maluso also is to act as a liaison between downtown businesses and the city when construction starts on reopening Federal Street to traffic, which is expected early next year. She will help businesses with problems that the construction project creates, he said.
Maluso resigned as plaza director in 1998 after 10 years to become an aide to now-imprisoned former congressman James Traficant.
The city hired Tamica Green in late 2000, but she took a $10,000 buyout last summer with dozens of other city workers.
Maluso said she would get the plaza cleaned up -- a constant problem -- and get the downtown decorated for the holidays.
"We need to give the whole place a bath," she said.
Opposition
Rufus Hudson, D-2nd, voted against appointment. He said the cash-strapped city has more pressing issues to fund.
"I don't think it's a necessity at this point. It's about priorities," he said.
Hudson pointed to a safety issue that came up earlier Wednesday: Animal Charity's announcement that it will stop its animal control work in the city as of today.
Jean Kelty, the animal welfare agency's president and chief executive, said Animal Charity no longer can afford to help the city handle vicious or nuisance animals.
The agency now will respond only to cases of sick or injured animals, she said.
The agency has done the nuisance work free for 20 years, but not anymore. Kelty said she has asked the city for financial help since spring 2002 but was ignored.
Fortune said the city would try to find some funding since nuisance animals are a safety issue.
rgsmith@vindy.com