Youngstown City Hall power outage is a mystery

YOUNGSTOWN — It was a trying day for those working at city hall when a switch broke on the transformer that powers the downtown building.

The problem began shortly before 9 a.m. today with the transformer in the building’s sub-basement. Two generators kicked in, but there didn’t appear to be any rhyme or reason as to their effectiveness at city hall.

For example, Mayor Jay Williams said his secretaries had working lights and computers while his office, a few feet away, was completely in the dark.

“I had nothing, no air conditioning, no computer, no lights,” Williams said. “I opened the blinds and the windows. Thank God for smartphones. I was able to email and returned calls.”

The generators provided full power, including air conditioning, to the sixth-floor office of Buildings Commissioner Sean McKinney.

But he didn’t spend much time there as McKinney went up and down the stairs assessing the situation and responding to questions and concerns from city hall employees.

“It was nuts, but it’s not the end of the world,” he said.

Ohio Edison began repair work on the transformer about 7 p.m. after Judge Elizabeth A. Kobly of municipal court finished night court on city hall’s second floor.

In a case like this, David Turner, Ohio Edison area manager for Mahoning and Columbiana counties, said the company waits until after work hours to make repairs.

The power was restored by Ohio Edison after 10 p.m., Turner said.

For the complete story, read Thursday's Vindicator and Vindy.com