Recommendations to resolve dining hall dispute under wraps

YOUNGSTOWN

Area leaders and the Diocese of Youngstown are still in talks with the National Council of the U.S. St. Vincent de Paul Society to resolve the society’s downtown dining-hall closure.

Those talks continue even though the society’s dining hall at 208 W. Front St. is expected to reopen Monday with a new manager.

“I think everyone is working really hard to resolve the issue of the dining hall,” said the Rev. David J. Bergner, vicar of social concerns for Catholic Charities of Youngstown.

The dining hall has been closed since Monday after the resignation of former kitchen manager Ralph “Skip” Barone. Brian Antal, president of St. Vincent de Paul Society Mahoning District, cited “personnel issues” as the reason for the hall’s temporary closure.

After the closure, volunteers came forward to express their concern with Antal’s leadership and implementation of various rules they did not agree with. The volunteers say they want a leadership change before they go back.

Antal issued a release Wednesday evening that stated the dining hall would reopen Monday. He could not be reached to comment further Thursday.

Also Wednesday, the Diocese of Youngstown and presidents of the area St. Vincent de Paul conferences sent recommendations to the national council of what they think should be done to resolve concerns with the dining hall, but those recommendations haven’t been released.

Ream more on the situation in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindyc.om.