Coalition votes to replace pro-tempore

The last council shake-up occurred in January.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The balance of power on city council changed for the second time this year as a new four-member coalition voted to replace the council pro-tempore and assume control over the key committees.
Councilman Mark S. Memmer, D-7th, insisted he shouldn't be considered the "swing vote" that changed the majority. But as he did in January, Memmer joined with three of the six other council members to create a new four-member majority bloc.
Memmer is now the chairman of finance, considered council's most powerful committee, replacing Councilman Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st, the driving force behind the council coup in January.
Memmer served as finance's vice chairman since Jan. 4 when he joined Gillam and two other council members to create a majority and oust council members from committees.
With the new majority, Gillam was not only stripped of his chairmanship of finance, but completely taken off the committee. Until Wednesday, Gillam also chaired the Community Development Agency committee, and served on four committees. Now, Gillam is chairman of the safety committee, and serves on public health and off-street, two lesser committees that rarely, if ever, meet.
Gillam said after the meeting that he saw the change coming because he could read Memmer's "body language." Realizing the change was a done deal, Gillam as well as Councilmen Michael Rapovy, D-5th, and Paul Pancoe, D-6th, who lost power in Wednesday's change, voted with the four others on the shake-ups.
Gillam said he has "no problem with the change."
No specifics
Memmer wouldn't discuss specifics about why he broke away from the old majority except to say Gillam abused his power as finance chairman and made "promises, guarantees and decisions" for the committee without first talking to the other members. He wouldn't give specific examples.
"I wasn't the only one displeased with him," Memmer said of Gillam.
Gillam said he did his best to communicate with other council members.
Memmer said changing committee assignments has been in discussions for a while.
Councilwoman Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th, said council needs to consider Wednesday the first day of a new beginning.
Big winner
A big winner with the change is Councilman Richard Atkinson, R-3rd, who returns to his position as president pro-tempore. He lost the spot to Councilman Michael Rapovy, D-5th, during the successful January power play.
Atkinson also regained a seat on finance; he was chairman of that committee before the January shake-up, and now chairs the CDA, and park and recreation committees. Overall, he serves on seven committees. Until Wednesday, he served on four.
Pancoe, who has expressed his displeasure with Gillam in the past few months, said he was upset that he wasn't informed about the change before it happened.
"I'm disappointed that [Memmer] didn't clue me in," he said.
Pancoe had served on six committees, including chairing housing and economic development, and park and recreation, as well as serving on finance. He now chairs off-street, in charge of city parking policies, and sits on three other committees.
Council also voted to dissolve the Chevrolet Centre oversight committee, created in April, and never held a meeting.
This is the third power shift for this council, with the first one happening in January 2004. Atkinson, Rufus Hudson, D-2nd, Rimedio-Righetti and Memmer voted themselves as members of a committee that selected the members of council's 12 committees.
skolnick@vindy.com