Youngstown officials hopeful for resolution after meeting with state auditors

YOUNGSTOWN

Officials with the city, which faces the possibility of having to pay about $5.5 million from its general fund and go into fiscal emergency, said they came away from a meeting with state auditors hopeful that the matter will be resolved.

The city inappropriately spent that money from its water, wastewater and sanitation funds for economic-development projects, and was told in November by the state auditor’s office that it could be required to pay that back from its general fund.

Officials with the state auditor and the city met privately Wednesday to discuss Youngstown’s 2017 state audit, which involves the general-fund issue.

While city officials at the meeting declined to discuss specifics about it, several said they are optimistic the matter will be resolved without forcing the city into fiscal emergency.

“I’m much more relaxed after the meeting,” said Councilwoman Anita Davis, D-6th. “I’m feeling a lot better. If we do our job correctly, we’ll be able to navigate ourselves through what’s going on.”

Mayor Jamael Tito Brown, who also attended the meeting, said: “It was very productive. We’re still in discussions with the auditor’s office. It’s still open. We’re moving in the right direction.”