Mayor will attend symposium for ‘dying cities’

YOUNGSTOWN — Mayor Jay Williams and a local community activist will attend a Saturday symposium in Dayton of leaders from eight of the 10 communities listed by Forbes as the nation’s fastest dying cities.

The Forbes 10 Fastest Dying Cities Symposium will bring together government officials, grass roots activists, concerned citizens, and artists and entertainers Saturday from cities on the list, said Peter Benkendorf, an organizer of the event.

“It will be an inspiring day,” he said. “It’s a celebration of these cities. We’re highlighting the innovations of these cities. It’s a starting point. We hope it will be a way to collaborate with other communities to move us all forward.”

The Forbes magazine list, released in an Aug. 5, 2008, article, includes four Ohio cities: Youngstown, Canton, Dayton and Cleveland. Also on the list were Buffalo, N.Y.; Charleston, W. Va.; Detroit, Mich.; Flint, Mich.; Scranton, Pa.; and Springfield, Mass. The latter two cities aren’t sending representatives to the event, Benkendorf said, primarily because of the distance from there to Dayton and the travel expenses.

Traveling with Williams from Youngstown is Phil Kidd, a community organizer with the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative, and founder of Defend Youngstown, which promotes the positive aspects of the city.

For the complete story, read Wednesday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com