Commission will wait on director hiring

YOUNGSTOWN —Although members of the city park and recreation commission have wanted to hire a permanent director for close to a year, they’ve agreed to wait because of the city’s budget problems.

Mayor Jay Williams and Councilman Paul Drennen, D-5th and chairman of council’s park and recreation committee, sent the members a letter last week urging they postpone the hire because the city’s general fund is projected to end the year with a deficit of more than $3 million.

The city could layoff 60 or so employees as it cuts spending.

If layoffs occur, the first to go are part-timers and seasonal staffers, who largely make up the park and recreation’s work force, Williams said. A new department director would probably be “in probationary status, and with no seniority, could also be subject to a layoff,” according to the mayor.

Also, the commission opted to rescind a policy it approved Feb. 22, 2007, giving free lifetime use of its facilities for past and present members.

Law Director Iris Torres Guglucello issued a legal opinion March 20 that the commission “had no authority to award themselves the free use of amenities and park facilities and their action in so doing was illegal and the resolution so passed is void.”

For the complete story, read Friday’s Vindicator or vindy.com