Forums to explain plan for city water

The mayor wants to 'quell the myths, innuendo and accusation.'
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown officials will hold public forums next month in communities that buy water from the city to educate them about an economic development plan that involves the city's water.
Mayor Jay Williams and some city council members said Wednesday at a council finance committee meeting that they want to clear up the misconception that they are interested in annexing Austintown and Boardman.
"We hope to quell the myths, innuendo and accusations," Williams said about the forums. "Annexation was never our goal. We need to stop the fear-mongering and the misinformation."
The city is expected to receive the results of a study of its water system by mid-May. The study will advise the city how its water distribution system could be a benefit in the formation of Joint Economic Development Districts with townships and Joint Economic Development Systems with cities. The forums would be held shortly after the report is released, Williams said.
How this would work
A JEDD or a JEDS would permit Youngstown to provide economic incentives or services including waterlines. In exchange, the city could impose an income tax -- that could be shared with the other township or city -- on employees in designated areas. Also, the city could reduce the 40-percent surcharge it adds to water bills of customers outside Youngstown.
Officials in Austintown and Boardman are concerned Youngstown may want to annex portions of their townships through the JEDD process. Williams said he is tired of repeatedly stating the city isn't considering annexation and that the JEDDs would benefit the city and the townships.
"We should go directly to the people and explain the program," said Councilwoman Carol Rimedio-Righetti, D-4th. "People don't understand what this is."
Council President Charles Sammarone said he strongly opposes annexation and it's a waste of time to talk about it.
Township trustees in Austintown and Boardman met Tuesday with Walter Pishkur, president of Aqua Ohio, a company that sells water to a portion of Boardman. Trustees there and in Austintown are interested in the company's possibly being the exclusive water supplier to the townships.
What's disputed
A Mahoning County prosecutor's decision says Youngstown owns the waterlines in Austintown and Boardman that get water from the city. Pishkur contends that could be in question. Williams says Pishkur is wrong, and even if the townships tried to leave Youngstown and go with Aqua Ohio, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio wouldn't permit it.
The PUCO, which regulated utilities in the state, would first look to see if the city is meeting the water needs of the townships, and it clearly is because Youngstown has more water than the townships need, Williams said.
"Not liking your [water] supplier doesn't rise to the need of having another supplier," he said.
The water conversation was initiated because council authorized the board of control Wednesday to approve a 10-year contract renewal to sell water to the city of Canfield. The deal doesn't include language on JEDS, but officials in both cities say those deals could happen in the future. The board of control is expected to approve the contract today.