Mayor’s proposal meets concern

City council has more time to make a decision on the mayor’s proposal.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — Members of the city’s park and recreation commission expressed concern — in a very cautious and noncommittal way — to Mayor Jay Williams’ proposal to place the agency under the control of the city administration.

The five commission members attended Thursday’s meeting of city council’s park and recreation committee to discuss the mayor’s plan to place a charter amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot to remove the commission’s autonomy.

David M. Davis, a commission member, said Williams should have worked with the commission to come up with proposed changes to the body.

Member Michael A. James agreed, telling the mayor: “I object to us being reactive rather than being responsive.”

Williams fired back, saying that overhauling the commission has been a topic of discussion in the city for many years. The mayor said he understands the members’ concerns because “there’s a natural resistance to a body losing some of its autonomy.”

Williams said the Mahoning County Board of Elections incorrectly told city officials that the charter amendment had to be approved by council by next Thursday. Williams found out late Thursday that the correct date is Sept. 7.

Rushing into a decision

Councilman Richard Atkinson, R-3rd, and the park and recreation committee chairman, said at the meeting that some of his fellow council members were concerned about being rushed into a decision to get the amendment on the November ballot.

City council was to consider Williams’ proposal to overhaul the commission through a charter amendment at its Wednesday meeting. The proposal needs the support of at least five of council’s seven members for it to be considered by voters in November.

Because the city has more time to discuss his proposal, Williams said he doubts he’ll ask council to approve it Wednesday. Instead, future meetings on the subject will be held and the proposal will most likely be up for a council vote at its Sept. 5 meeting, Williams said.

At Thursday’s meeting, council President Charles Sammarone and Councilman Rufus Hudson, D-2nd, expressed concern that the city administration wants to put the proposal in front of voters before it is heard by a city charter review committee.

Hudson said he isn’t prepared to decide on the proposal without it first receiving public input and the scrutiny of a charter review committee.

“The ultimate public input is at the ballot box,” Williams responded.

Review committee

The mayor also said he intends to create a charter review committee in the next 18 to 24 months to look at other items in the charter that should be amended.

The park and recreation commission was created Nov. 5, 1935, as an amendment to the city’s charter. Although the commission is primarily funded through the city’s general fund and Community Development Block Grant fund, city administrators and council members have very limited authority over the agency, Williams said.

The most significant change under Williams’ proposal is to require commission contracts and purchases to follow the same procedure as other departments: going through city council and the board of control.

The proposal also includes making the mayor, and not the commission, the appointing authority for all permanent employees.

There have been a number of problems at the commission over the years, including a lack of accountability, poor management and delays with projects, including the North Side Pool construction, Williams said.

skolnick@vindy.com