Youngstown mulls firm to collect fines

YOUNGSTOWN — City council will consider legislation Wednesday to authorize the hiring of a firm to serve as Youngstown’s collection agency for demolition work, mowing grass, delinquent water bills and property maintenance code violations, among other things.

Mayor John A. McNally is sponsoring ordinances to allow the board of control to sign two contracts with Millstone and Kannensohn, a Liberty law firm specializing in collections.

“We want people to cut their own lawns so we won’t have to do it in the future,” said Nicole Billec, an assistant city law director who helped negotiate the contracts. “We want this to act as a deterrent.”

The first contract would pay Millstone $60,000 between March 1 and Feb. 29, 2016, to handle all notices and collections of money related to grass cutting, lot cleanups and boarding building services done by the city.

The city expects to more than make up that amount, Billec said.

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