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Port Authority approves new strategic plan, prepares for hiring of permanent director
By Ed Runyan
VIENNA
The Western Reserve Port Authority has approved its new strategic plan and will meet at 9:30 a.m. Friday to begin to implement it.
The meeting will be at the authority’s Youngstown office at 240 N. Champion St.
The authority board approved the 19-page plan by a 7-0 vote Wednesday during its regular monthly meeting. The Council of Development Finance Agencies in Columbus prepared the plan at a cost of $39,500.
The plan, which went through some revisions from the authority’s planning committee after it was received from the consultant, recommends expansion of the authority’s economic-development staff.
Authority officials presented the plan to the commissioners from Mahoning and Trumbull counties, but they did not offer any suggestions for changes, said John Moliterno, interim executive director.
Completion of the plan allows the authority to move forward with the hiring of a permanent executive director with a goal of filling the position within a couple of months. Moliterno will be among the applicants.
Late Wednesday, the authority released the job description for the position, asking candidates to apply by May 15 to the Keating Law Office, 170 Monroe St., Warren, OH, 44483.
The executive director will “have proven private and/or public-sector, senior-level management experience with demonstrated excellence in business development, project management and financial management,” according to the posting.
A bachelor’s degree is required; a master’s degree is preferred. The salary is not listed.
The authority also approved a federal Property Assessed Clean Energy financing agreement with Southern Park Mall that will provide the financing the mall needs to replace its roof. Mall officials plan to award a bid for the project this week.
The project involves financing $2.3 million over 15 years at a low interest rate. The money will be repaid through assessments on property taxes and was constructed over two years by Sarah Lown, the authority’s economic-development manager.