Gillam refuses participation, Mayor will join

YOUNGSTOWN — Four months ago, a downtown redevelopment agency invited Mayor Jay Williams and Councilman Artis Gillam Sr. to join the organization.

To date, the Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corp. has heard from neither. And they won’t hear from Gillam, D-1st, who says he has no interest in rejoining the CIC. He served several years on the board of directors and was its vice president in 2005.

“I don’t see the need to do that,” Gillam said of rejoining the CIC. “I feel that the train the city is conducting is on the right track. We’re rolling. We’re doing great.”

As for the CIC’s getting on board, Gillam said, “Right now, we don’t need any more passengers on our train.”

Without getting into details, Gillam said city officials and the CIC have different perspectives and views on the city’s downtown. Gillam’s ward includes the city’s downtown.

Williams said he plans to join the CIC board early next year.

As for not responding to the CIC’s request Williams said, “There’s a city to run and other priorities” that took precedence over joining the agency’s board.

The CIC is still an important player in the redevelopment of the city’s downtown, which has enjoyed a renaissance in the past two years, Williams said. The mayor also said there should be city representation on the CIC board.

Regarding Gillam’s refusal to join, Williams said the councilman served on the CIC board for years, and “has a perspective grounded in his experience” with the agency.

“It’s his decision to make,” Williams said of Gillam.

Jan Seidler, CIC president, said he agrees with the mayor that there should be city representation on the board.

“I’m sorry Councilman Gillam feels we are opposed to each other or not working together,” he said. “I’d like to offer him the opportunity to sit down and discuss this.”

The CIC voted in December 2005 to reorganize and remain part of the downtown’s revitalization, but not as the city’s exclusive economic agent for that area. That reorganization shrunk the then-25-member board to 15 with the 10 public-sector appointees — including then-Mayor George M. McKelvey and Gillam — removed effective Dec. 31, 2005.

The CIC spent months creating new bylaws that were approved July 25. Among the new bylaws was a plan to increase the board to 19 members. Whoever serves as mayor and 1st Ward council member were to be two of the four new directors.

The CIC’s nominating committee was given the authority at that July meeting to recommend two other appointments to be confirmed by the full board. To date, no one has expressed interest in serving on the board, Seidler said.

Also, Mary Beth Houser, an attorney, resigned from the board in October so there are presently 14 members on the CIC board.