Youngstown police funding dispute settled

YOUNGSTOWN — With a better understanding of the need for police overtime, city council members said today they’re willing to move back money into that budget line-item when it’s needed.

Mayor Jay Williams had considered vetoing council’s decision to move $555,000 from the police department’s overtime budget to hire new officers calling the decision “misguided and arbitrary.”

But after discussions Wednesday that continued at a council safety committee meeting today, Williams said he wouldn’t veto the move.

That’s because members of council agreed to return about $350,000 to $400,000 to the overtime police budget line when the police department needs the money for that purpose.

“I am fairly confident it’s been resolved,” Williams said of the disagreement.

For the complete story, read Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com