Ordinance passes; center will open for activities

Vicious dogs would have to be contained, registered and insured.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- City council passed an ordinance that will enable reopening of the Rebecca Williams Community Center for summer youth and senior citizen activities.
The measure, passed Wednesday night, authorizes transfer of the $14,256 unspent balance of 2005 Community Development Block Grant funds from Rebecca Williams to the United Methodist Community Center of Youngstown. Using that federal money, UMCC will reopen the Rebecca Williams "club" building at 760 Main Ave. S.W.
The financially ailing 81-year-old Rebecca Williams Community Center, which also was affiliated with the United Methodist Church, closed last September and laid off its staff.
To be offered
The summer activities will include an eight-week-long daily program for teenage youths, which will include career, character, nutrition and healthy living education, lunch and recreation. There also will be open gym periods at the "club" this summer, said Juanita Pasley, assistant director of UMCC.
Also included will be a weekly support and education program for pregnant teens and new teen mothers and a weekly senior citizen "fun day" of games, exercise, crafts and fellowship.
UMCC intends to reopen the "club" in June and continue programming there after the summer activities end, Pasley said. UMCC is considering establishing programs here to counter violence and truancy, she added.
Council also introduced an ordinance concerning vicious dogs, setting forth a process under which owners of any dog a police or animal control officer declares vicious can appeal that declaration to the city health board within 10 days.
The ordinance, which would take effect June 1, would require containment of vicious dogs in secure enclosures or on a secure leash, annual registration of such dogs with the city health department, and at least $100,000 in liability insurance for such animals.
A vicious dog is defined as one that has killed or injured a person or killed or maimed another dog without provocation. A pit bull is automatically defined in the ordinance as vicious. Violation of the ordinance is classified as a first-degree misdemeanor, with a mandatory $1,000 fine upon the second offense.
Other actions
Council tabled a ordinance to raise annual permit fees for non-owner-occupied rental properties from $18 to $96 per dwelling unit and provide for regular health inspections of the units.
Landlords lobbied heavily against the ordinance, saying it would be an imposition on landlords and tenants.
Lawmakers passed an ordinance authorizing the city, as the lead agency for the Warren-Trumbull Home Consortium, to lend $350,000 of federal grants to New Warren Heights Associates toward an $8 million preservation and rehabilitation effort at the 188-unit Warren Heights Apartments on Douglas Street.
Council also passed an ordinance to vacate and turn over to the school board the dead-end portion of Beck Street Southeast, west of Willard Avenue Southeast, for construction of the new Francis Willard School.