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Youngstown council to consider restructuring of a city department
Changes would cost the city about $60K more in annual salary
YOUNGSTOWN
City council will consider legislation Wednesday to restructure the community planning and economic development department to add three positions, eliminate one and transfer two others.
“The idea of this is to be more efficient in how the city uses our resources with this department,” said T. Sharon Woodberry, community planning and economic development director.
Overall, the changes will cost the city about $60,000 more in annual salary, Woodberry said, but will reduce the cost of the department’s salaries when Bill D’Avignon, the city’s Community Development Agency director, retires next year, expected to be in May.
In front of council is legislation to create three positions:
Business development director, which pays $46,176 annually,
Fiscal officer, which pays $50,336 a year, and
Deputy director of planning and strategic development with an annual salary of $55,411.
A separate ordinance also would eliminate the job of comptroller, which pays $56,949 a year.
Not on the agenda, but planned for the department, is the transfer of Richard Harvey, from financial assistant to the fiscal officer job, Woodberry said.
Harvey makes $41,111 annually in salary.
While the job isn’t being removed from the city’s master salary list, like comptroller, the position will be vacant, Woodberry said.
Whoever is selected as deputy director will learn the CDA job from D’Avignon and take over that spot when he retires, Woodberry said. The deputy director position would then be vacant and not filled by someone else, she said.
Also on the agenda is a proposal to transfer the litter control coordinator – changing the job title to environmental community and neighborhood services coordinator – and little control educator aide – renamed environmental community and neighborhood services aide – to the community planning and economic development department from the public-works department.
Jennifer Jones, the litter coordinator, is making $42,548 annually, and will earn $50,336 in her new and expanded role, Woodberry said. The aide position salary would remain at $36,581 annually.
Also Wednesday, city council will hear from three residents who object to the city turning their residentially-zoned neighborhood into a green industrial area that will leave them displaced from the largely-vacant 21-acre location.
The location is on the East Side between Oak Street, Himrod Avenue, Fruit Street and the Madison Avenue Expressway.
Council will consider a vote on a proposal to enact “fire department specialty fees” for work with hazardous materials as well as arsons, collapsed buildings and downed utility lines.
The city has charged fees for the work based on state laws, but doesn’t have local legislation specifying the costs, according to fire Chief John J. O’Neill Jr.
If there’s a need for the department’s assistance with hazardous materials, the use of a pumper or rescue truck would cost $350 an hour, a ladder truck would be $425 an hour and personnel would be the actual hourly rate per employee or the overtime rate if needed, he said.
The matter was considered by council in May and sent to its safety committee before a vote was taken.