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Williams says farewell; Sammarone appoints assistant
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Jay Williams, who resigned Monday as Youngstown mayor, shares a laugh with his wife, Sonja, and Brigitte Brantley of Boardman, who is holding her 17-month-old son, Gary III. Williams had an event at the Covelli Centre to thank the community for its support.
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Jay Williams said goodbye to the community during his last day as mayor. Williams officially resigned Monday to take a position in the President Barack Obama administration. He starts his new job in Washington, D.C., next Monday.
Jay Williams' Farewell Speech
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Jay Williams and his wife, Sonja, speak to a crowd at the Covelli Centre on Monday, August 1, 2011. The outgoing mayor thanked the community for his election and support. Williams will be the executive director of the Department of Labor’s Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers, effective Aug. 8
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DeMaine Kitchen
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Mayor Charles Sammarone
Kitchen to ‘be an extension’ of new mayor
YOUNGSTOWN
On Charles Sammarone’s first day as mayor, he appointed Councilman DeMaine Kitchen to serve as his right-hand man.
Sammarone became mayor Monday replacing Jay Williams, who resigned to be the executive director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers in the President Barack Obama administration.
Sammarone appointed Kitchen to a job officially named “secretary to the mayor.” Sammarone is calling the position “administrative assistant” saying, “To me, titles aren’t important.”
Sammarone said he selected Kitchen because “he was one of the better council members I’ve worked with through my years. He’s been very active with city council and very responsible with his duties. He’s not afraid to ask the tough questions. We’ve developed a good rapport over the years.”
Sammarone said Kitchen will “be an extension” of him, making sure those in positions of responsibility are doing their jobs.
Kitchen will resign as the 2nd Ward councilman next Monday and also is quitting his job as a self-employed insurance salesman.
Kitchen said Monday it’s “been somewhat frustrating dealing with department heads as a member of council. Now, this gives me an opportunity to see why some things aren’t getting done and a chance to make sure they do.”
He added: “There will be a lot less excuses and more things getting done” under the new administration.
Kitchen officially replaces Jason Whitehead, Williams’ chief of staff/secretary to the mayor, next Monday. That’s when Whitehead returns from vacation.
Whitehead is interested in continuing to work for the city, Sammarone said. The new mayor said he has a lot of respect for Whitehead and is looking for a job in city government for him.
When asked if there is a place for Whitehead, Sammarone said, “Right now, no.”
Whitehead’s annual base salary was $74,186. Sammarone said he expects to pay Kitchen less than that to start.
WILLIAMS’ FAREWELL
Williams delivered a 10-minute farewell address Monday at the city-owned Covelli Centre with about 200 people in attendance.
Williams picked the location “to complete the circle” because it was where he celebrated his November 2005 mayoral election victory.
“Youngstown has problems, just like every other similar community does,” he said. “However, Youngstown is no longer being solely defined by its problems. The world is now taking notice of how we are solving those problems. This is something of which we should all be proud.”
Being the city’s mayor for 51/2 years “has been the most rewarding professional experience of my life.”
After the speech, Williams told The Vindicator, “This is my hometown. You’re the mayor because people put their trust in you. To see people take time out of their day to be supportive makes me thankful.”
Williams used $1,500 from his Mayor’s Community Foundation to pay the cost of renting the center for three hours. The foundation is a charitable fund established by Williams and his wife, Sonja, to provide money to nonprofit groups focused on children and families in Youngstown.
Williams departure led to changes among elected city officials. The charter calls for Sammarone as council president to succeed Williams and serve the remainder of the term, which expires Dec. 31, 2013.
Jamael Tito Brown, D-3rd, resigned Monday as a councilman to become council president, and Kitchen, D-2nd, will resign from council next Monday to become Sammarone’s top assistant.
REPLACEMENTS
The Mahoning County Democratic Party’s precinct committee members in the 2nd and 3rd Wards will meet at 7 p.m. Aug. 10 at party headquarters to select replacements.
Those chosen as replacements will fill out the unexpired terms of Kitchen and Brown, which end Dec. 31, as well as be the party’s candidates for those positions on the Nov. 8 ballot, said county Democratic Chairman David Betras.
Candidates looking to replace Brown in the 3rd Ward include Pat Lowry, Joe Louis Teague, Joseph Palermo, Mike McNair, Byron Armour and Christine Vinion.
Kitchen said Mildred Delgado, TJ Rogers and Truman Green are interested in replacing him.
Also at that meeting, precinct committee members in Struthers will vote on who’ll replace former Councilman Dan Yemma, now county treasurer, on the Nov. 8 ballot. The committee members voted in June to appoint Carol Crytzer to Yemma’s unexpired term and are likely to select her as his replacement on the ballot.
Those wanting the appointments must submit a letter to Betras no later than next Monday. The letters can be sent by email to dbetras@bhlaws.com or by mail to 6630 Seville Drive in Canfield 44406.