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32 counties unite for regional improvement
By Sean Barron
YOUNGSTOWN
Juanita Huckleby is grateful to see more residents in her South Side neighborhood acting more friendly and exchanging ideas.
“There has to be pride in your neighborhood and not business as usual,” said Huckleby, who’s lived on Sherwood Avenue about 10 years.
Huckleby is a member of the Idora Neighborhood Association and the Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods. She also took part in Monday’s “Power of 32” community discussion at Summit Academy, 1420 Oak Hill Ave., on the city’s South Side.
Huckleby’s observations reflect a component that many local community activists and neighborhood leaders feel is pivotal for revitalizing the Mahoning Valley.
Another is regional thinking, which was the focus of Monday’s two-hour meeting, sponsored by ACTION and several South Side churches.
The Power of 32 is a regional initiative that includes 32 counties in Northeast Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia and western Maryland. The initiative’s main purposes include creating a shared vision and agenda for the region’s future; and connecting people ... to promote a sustainable and globally competitive region with a high quality of life, its mission statement says.
An estimated 4.2 million people live in the 32 counties, noted Thomas G. Welsh Jr., ACTION’s publicity coordinator and event moderator.
Participants were asked to brainstorm for what’s needed to make the local region thrive. They also discussed the area’s challenges, strengths, possibilities and future.
Pat Kerrigan, ACTION’s vice president, said he wants to see greater regional cooperation among local governments. In the long run, it’s important to take advantage of expertise from the 32-county region, he added.
Some of what’s needed to allow the local region to thrive includes a more business-friendly climate, honest government, a better-educated workforce, safer streets and equal access to healthful foods, housing and education, participants said.
Challenges include continued high unemployment, ineffective and outdated political systems and structures, crime and inadequate elementary and high schools, they noted.
Strengths that participants cited included the number of universities, plenty of water sources and natural resources, collaboration among neighborhood groups and the rich history of the area’s workforce.
Offering remarks was Mayor Jay Williams, who pointed to similarities between the Power of 32 initiative and the Youngstown 2010 plan.
Data collected from Monday’s gathering is to be preserved, analyzed and presented to regional policymakers, Welsh said.