Williams lays out focus and priorities for governing city

The mayor-elect is focusing on hiring members of his incoming administration.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown Mayor-elect Jay Williams is already dealing with the realities of his victory Tuesday.
Williams won Tuesday's mayoral election, defeating five other candidates, including Democrat Robert F. Hagan.
"It's slowly sinking in that I won," Williams said Wednesday during a telephone interview at his campaign headquarters on East Federal Street. "You're so intensely focused on the process, and then you look at the results and it's surreal."
Williams received so many congratulatory messages on his cellular telephone that he had to delete more than 45 voice mails, and even after that the phone's mailbox was full.
"Once you win an election, you get a whole new set of friends," he said.
Also, Williams received a call from his old boss, Mayor George M. McKelvey. Williams worked for about five years as the city's Community Development Agency director under McKelvey. Williams resigned in April to run as an independent candidate for mayor.
"He offered to help with the transition," Williams said of McKelvey, whom he will succeed in January. "He'll be schooling me on projects under way and things that are around the corner."
Williams slept for about four to five hours early Wednesday after his convincing victory Tuesday.
The first black person ever elected Youngstown mayor then went on the local television morning shows, did a few talk radio programs and newspaper and news service interviews.
Diversity, no favoritism
The first order of business, Williams said, is selecting people to serve in his administration. Williams is still working out an evaluation process, but said he expects to advertise for the jobs.
Politics will not play a factor in who is hired, Williams said.
"Working on the campaign doesn't give you an upper hand," he said. "A person who walks off the street is as equal as my close friends."
Williams wants a diverse cabinet with people of different races, backgrounds and genders. But they all must have the necessary requirements and experience to do the jobs, he said.
Thomas Humphries, head of the Regional Chamber, and the Rev. Jay Alford, who organized more than 100 members of the local clergy in support of Williams, were thrilled with the mayoral results.
Humphries said Williams is business-friendly. The Rev. Mr. Alford said Williams is a "man of faith [who] is prepared to lead us to the next level."
People who don't believe in God and those who think big business is evil "should also be thrilled or at least pleased with the results," Williams said.
"If anyone thinks they own a piece of me, they're mistaken," he said.
Williams is not committing to run for another term four years from now.
His goals and vision
But when asked what he envisions Youngstown looking like after his first term as mayor, Williams said: "A city with a crime rate comparable to peer cities. A city with an economy to attract private investments without an inordinate amount of public financing. A city where people who mention Youngstown don't cause others to grimace."
Williams said there will be mistakes and problems along the way, but he will work hard to make Youngstown a great city.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, whose district includes Youngstown, supported Hagan in the mayoral race.
But Ryan said Williams is going to do wonders for Youngstown.
"He's young, bright, articulate and has good ideas," Ryan said.
Ryan said he expects to have an excellent working relationship with Williams when his term begins in January.
"I think we can do a lot of good together," Ryan said of Williams.
skolnick@vindy.com