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Committee to discuss 20 Federal Place
YOUNGSTOWN
City council members declined to permit the board of control to seek proposals and sign a contract with a firm to manage the city-owned 20 Federal Place office building.
At the request of Councilman Paul Drennen, D-5th, council Wednesday opted to have the administration meet with its finance committee to discuss the professional services provided at the building and whether there are ways to reduce those costs.
The finance committee’s next meeting is Monday, and Drennen, a member, expects the discussion to be held then.
The city currently pays $266,560 annually to DeVicchio & Associates to manage and clean the building as well as make repairs. That contract, signed in 2007, expires June 1.
Council members have said they want to eliminate or reduce that contract and have city administration officials manage the facility. The administration says it doesn’t have the staff or expertise to manage the building.
“The model we have now works,” Mayor Jay Williams said Wednesday. “It is clear that it is superior. We’re glad to have that discussion” with council.
If a new proposal isn’t in place by June 1, the city will maintain a month-to-month contract with DeVicchio, said Deputy Finance Director Kyle Miasek.
Also Wednesday, council approved legislation to increase the demolition budget by $179,219.17 from unused federal money and profits the city made on the sale of two houses it rehabilitated and sold under a different federal program.
Council also voted in favor of using $315,966.67 in federal money for a new program to provide no-interest loans to those who qualify to purchase houses in the city.
That money originally was intended to help provide financial help to low- to moderate-income families wanting to buy new houses. City officials said that program wasn’t working.