Mayor Williams has luxury to pursue aggressive agenda

Unencumbered by AN election, Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams can spend the next four years pursuing the goals contained in the city’s blueprint for the future, “Youngstown 2010,” and contemplating his legacy.

Williams is in his second and final term as Youngstown’s chief executive and, thus, does not have to worry about re-election. He can act boldly — without fear of political repercussions.

At the end of his tenure, residents of the city should be able to answer in the affirmative when asked the question, “Is Youngstown better off today than it was in January 2006, when Williams took office?” However, there is much to be done on several crucial fronts before the question becomes relevant. At the top of the list of priorities for the administration is crime.

While federal statistics for 2009 showed a decrease in homicides and other crimes compared to 2008, the January slaying of 80-year-old Angeline Fimognari in the parking lot of St. Dominic Church on the South Side is a stark reminder that lawlessness remains a fact of life.

During his four years and two months in office, Williams has been steadfast in his support of Police Chief Jimmy Hughes, who came up through the ranks of the department. But, a second term provides the mayor with the opportunity to closely evaluate all his department heads, including Hughes.

The police chief’s performance must be judged against what is happening on the streets of the city. By mid-March of last year, Youngstown recorded six homicides. This year, there have been seven — as of Feb. 19.

With warm weather just around the corner, the potential for surpassing the 23 homicides recorded last year certainly exists.

Crime remains one of the impediments to Youngstown’s economic and social renewal.

Another impediment was illustrated recently when the city, in conjunction with other communities in the region, failed to secure money from the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Fund.

A drive through just about any neighborhood in the city will reveal the extent of the deterioration and the need for an aggressive program to deal with the blight.

Green space

Indeed, one of the key elements of “Youngs-town 2010” is the creation of stable neighborhoods and the opening up of green space in areas where homes are vacant and beyond repair. The mayor’s commitment to making the city smaller by vacating streets that have fewer than a handful of homes has drawn national and international attention.

The “2010” blueprint has been studied by other urban areas because its reflects a new way of looking at cities.

However, meeting the goals has proven to be difficult. To be sure, the national recession has forced the administration to cut back on such important programs as housing demolition, but residents are becoming impatient.

Enforcement of building codes must be a priority because structures that are left to deteriorate bring down property values in the neighborhoods and end up on the demolition rolls.

Mayor Williams has four years to deal aggressively with some of the systemic problems that have undermined Youngstown’s rebirth.

There have been major strides in job-creation and quality of life, but so long as neighborhoods are afflicted by crime and blight, the mayor will not be able to declare mission accomplished.