Mayor Williams will speak at 7:00 p.m.

[Micky]

The good citizens of our community are doing whatever they can however they can.

Politics had better address our issues - they were put in office by the community!  If they ran on empty words and promises only to collect a paycheck, the community must send a strong message by voting them out. 

[Mary_Krupa]

Good comments.  We must keep going forward no matter how unhopeful things seem. Do what you can in your own circle even if it's just picking up trash in front of your house or calling people on a list to come to the block watch meetings. DO WHAT YOU CAN! and dare to take it a step further. I read a comment in The Vindicator the other day, from movie star Cate Blanchett who said she is always looking for the next challenge. She likes her challenges to be impossible and she implied that she rises to the occasion. So, even if Y-town seems impossible, don't believe it. Meet the challenge!

[Towntalk]

Maggy:

Might I suggest that our mutual friend, Mr. Rivers should be prevailed upon to bring together our state reps on the air, with you to get something done on the state level.

As far as Ryan is concerned, you might just as well talk to one of the frogs that are in Mill Creek Park. He talks the talk but would sell us all out in a heart beat just as he's prepared to sell out the American workers, and open our borders.

I have every sort of respect for Dan, and am confident that like an angry pit bull, he could get results. When you sink your choppers into the shins of our state reps and hang on long enough, they will do the right thing, and that's a whole lot more than you can say for Ryan.

I have been considering adding a page to my web site about Youngstown, and have done specials such as when all those folks were murdered on the South Side, but the responses I get are for the national scandals, so I have to bow to their wishes.

Good luck on your efforts.

[Maggy]

Towntalk

What I have realized is that politics isn't going to address our issues and that it has to be met where it happens.

I don't want to wait for someone to come in and save us - we could wait forever.

Some us did follow up on Congessman Ryan's request for the ATF to come in. He was told it was not possible. Last October I met with U.S. Attorney, Greg White, at his office in Cleveland, and was told there would be nothing extra coming our way.

This is why we have to attempt to make the change. Haven't most substantial changes occurred through "grass roots" efforts?

Please, wish us luck and a prayer would be good too.

[Towntalk]

TO MISS MAGGY:

Since you do not know me, how do you know how active I am?

Let's get something straight here and now. Before you ever thought about being a community activist, I was out there agitating for a safer and better city working with other community activists, and I did it by deeds.

Before you judge folks, you had better learn more about them.

My own efforts date as far back as Black Monday and the Ecumenical Coalition and have been continuing nonstop since then, and covered a long list of community issues.

The fact of the matter is that I was paying you a compliment by suggesting that you along with other recognized community leaders could catch the ear of the Governor where lesses voices won't, but apparently you aren't.

The truth of the matter is that Columbus will only react when real community leaders raise sand, and perhaps I was mistaken about you, and for that I'm sorry. 

Oh, and by the way the present problems aren't confined to any single ward, but affect the whole city.

[northside lurker]

Our block watch is doing what we believe to be necessary by redirecting our efforts to the streets. It is coming together quite well and has wonderful partnerships forming. We have dubbed it the " Southside Strategy".

Could you elaborate on the specifics of what this means?

This is still just talk on my part, (and I'll be the first to say that talk is cheap) but I'd like to begin going on evening/night time walks/patrols through the neighborhood this summer with other members of the block watch.  Is this the type of activity what your group is working on?

[Maggy]

To Towntalk:

I am not a resident of the 7th ward, nor a member of its coalition. I did however attend the meeting, as it was open to the public.

Our block watch is doing what we believe to be necessary by redirecting our efforts to the streets. It is coming together quite well and has wonderful partnerships forming. We have dubbed it the " Southside Strategy".

Why is it though that others, and apparently you as well, are always wanting someone else to take the lead? If you are so concerned, get your rear in gear and attempt to make an impact.

[Micky]

We also attended the coalition meeting.  Sure the mayor answered questions, but he skirted issues, placated the attendees, and told untruths. 

If he doesn't know how to get a handle on the terror in Youngstown, it's time he stepped aside to let someone who understands the streets and is willing to take realistic aggressive actions to put an end to it.  If he won't step down, then ask the Governor for help. 

We, also, will not vote for any more levies, taxes, or same ole' political hacks until we see real improvement.


 

[Towntalk]

Actually there are two members of this group who are in a position to write such a letter to the Governor, one of whom is a part time radio talk show hostess and the other a former City Councilman.

Certainly if most of us were to write such a letter it would be ignored, unless there were a blizzard of letters all coming from the city and original in content ... NOT FORM LETTERS ...

The question is would the two folks I have in mind get together and write that letter or are they all talk absent any visible deeds?

The letter should also be co-signed by a member of the Banking Community ... the Chamber of Commerce ... the Bishop of Youngstown and one or two officials from other major Youngstown businesses a well as YSU heads.

[connie254]

I think we need to find out how to go about getting the state govt involved in assisting with crime.  The zero tolerance lasted as long as the OSP were involved. Who would be the one that would step up to the plate and contact Strickland and company?

[Mary_Krupa]

Iattended this meeting. I live in the 7th ward and it is very hard to stay positive. It requires re-fueling my "positive" brain cells every day. Anywhere I look in Youngstown I see city ordinances being broken. I feel bad about the city and feel like I'm in a terrorist state.

There are a number of things I do not like about Jay Williams:  retaining David Bozanich as finance director when he doesn't even live in the city, having Jason Whitehead as his assistant (he comes off as arrogant), his association with Bishop Wagner and his interest-free loan on his house.

However, I do have to say that he is a good speaker and has high energy. I think he has high values, too. I came away from the meeting feeling very good as to when I went into the meeting feeling very depressed and cynical about the city. I think Jay has the ability to inspire through his words.

Let's face it, he has an overwhelming job. Also, someone has to be in these elected positions. Whether or not elected officials can hold off from becoming arrogant, losing any humility they had (and need to have) and not letting power go to their heads, is pretty iffy.

But, I do think that at this meeting, Jay did a good job. Most questions he answered directly and I don't think he made too many excuses.

[Towntalk]

Simply stating the obvious is NOT GOOD ENOUGH ... NOT GOOD ENOUGH AT ALL ... what are you going to do about it besides flap your gums, spew out a few platitudes, and little more Mr. Mayor. The time for excuses is over, and unless we start to see results, this Mayor will be a one timer to be replaced by someone who will do more than talk.

Until we see results, you can bet that I for one will push to vote NO one every single levy that the city places on the ballot regardless of how worthy it might be.

We can not continue to see decent law abiding families have to live in fear 24/7 simply because our Mayor doesn't have the courage to do what he must. To paraphrase a saying by the Rev. Al Sharpton .. "NO SAFETY NO PEACE!"

Back a number of years ago when the city was experiencing a crime wave the Mayor then had a ZERO TOLERANCE that was backed up by police carrying twelve gauge shotguns with orders to "SHOOT TO KILL". He also recruited more police officers to patrol the streets.

It's a crime when people aren't even safe in their own homes and have to hide every time they hear gunshots, and if Mayor Williams can't understand that, then he's not fit to be Mayor, nor are any of the Councilmen for that matter.

I doubt that anyone in this group will do it, but we need to flood the Governor's office with pleas for State help. If the Governor gets enough letters, he will hopefully do what another Governor did back in 1920 ... he fired the Chief of Police and placed the Mayor on notice that he had better clean up Youngstown, or he would be looking for another job.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm tired of the sorry excuses coming out of City Hall.

[jay]

About 40 people attended the meeting.

Many people questioned why the zero tolerance program had to include senior citizens.  The mayor admitted that the program had forced some drug dealing to move the the suburbs for a few days.

As expected, crime on the south side was an issue of concern.

[jay]

Seventh Ward Citizens' Coalition Meeting

Thursday, March 15, 7:00 p.m.

Speaker:
Mayor Jay Williams

Location:
Brownlee Woods Presbyterian Church
Everett Avenue at Irma
Youngstown, Ohio

The meeting is open to the public.
All south side residents are urged to attend.