Mayor won't renew contracts

Williams said service has become confusing and redundant over the years.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mayor Jay Williams is terminating the services of the city Human Rights Commission's executive director.
Technically, the city contracts with the Youngstown Area Development Corp., of which William M. Carter serves as executive director, for HRC services. Carter is listed on city HRC letterhead as its executive director and has held that post for the past 27 years. The YADC contract to run the commission expires July 28.
The city also let its contract expire June 30 with the YADC to run the Fair Housing Committee. Carter also was listed on the committee's letterhead as its executive director.
The city was paying about $40,000 annually to the YADC for HRC services, and $30,000 for housing services this year. The housing fee has been as high as $60,000 in previous years.
The YADC has worked on a month-to-month contract with the city for the past decade.
"It's time to go in a different direction," Williams said. "Bill's been here for quite some time. This is a new administration with a new direction and a new vision."
The mayor said the Greater Warren-Youngstown Urban League will run the HRC and FHC with the details to be worked out in the next two to three weeks.
Carter's organization will continue to handle the city's Equal Employment Opportunity and Minority Business Enterprise/Women Business Enterprise programs for the time being while the contracts are under review, Williams added.
The organization receives about $45,000 annually for the EEO program, and $50,000 for the enterprise programs.
A forecasted move
While serving as the city's Community Development Agency director before being elected mayor, Williams said he was troubled by the multiple contracts with Carter's agency. Williams said he thought a change was needed well before his November 2005 election.
"Because one entity has run these programs for so long, things have become so convoluted," Williams said. "There's been a redundant overlap of these services."
Carter received a three-paragraph letter from Williams informing him that his services as the HRC head are no longer needed. The letter tells Carter to turn over all city-owned records, equipment and other materials.
Carter said Williams never provided him with an explanation for his decision. None is given in the letter.
But Carter isn't upset.
"People have different preferences," he said. "If you feel you want to go in a different direction then you do that."
The YADC will continue to provide HRC, EEO, Affirmative Action and other services to numerous other agencies, Carter said. "Youngstown is not the major part of our business."
Carter has a long history with the city. He started working for the city in 1964 as a shift operator in its wastewater treatment plant. Then-Mayor Jack Hunter appointed Carter as the city's building commissioner in 1969. He resigned from that post in 1976.
In 1979, then-Mayor George Vukovich hired Carter as director of the Youngstown Community Relations Affirmative Action Council. Over the years, Carter expanded his duties for the city.
skolnick@vindy.com