Mayor: Good outweighs bad in city; the best is yet to come

[Micky]

Hmmmmnnn! 
Can't go out after dark, can't drive on busy main streets in the daytime due to gunfire, armed robberies, burglaries, car theft, gunshots heard every night, but we're so glad our streets are being cleaned!

How many new businesses want to come to Youngstown, rated 9th violent city in the U.S.?

Housing is cheap, taxes are high, decent jobs that you can support a family on are nearly nil -  must seem like a dream to outsiders.

Wake up and come down from the clouds! 

We've loved this city but it's rapidly being destroyed by terrorists.  We loved going to events at the Chevy Centre but will no longer go through war zones to get there and back.  We've just about had enough.  Hire more police persons - not just a few who will be replacing those that are retiring or leaving.  Call for state and federal assistance and gain control of the situation.  Pay the county money to house Ytown's criminals and fast track them thru the courts. 

Demolish everything in sight and move those criminals further into the suburbs.  Then we can have one big picnic in the city park.

Boy, this sounds so awful. In the past year, our neighborhoods have become frightening.  We have to take our kids into the suburbs to play.  If finances allowed, we'd move in a heartbeat.  This is no place to raise our children.
   

[yfdgricker]

Mayor: Good outweighs bad in city; the best is yet to come
Story from the Youngstown Vindicator on 1/2/2007.

The mayor said his biggest challenge is fighting crime.

By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — Mayor Jay Williams said his first year of running the city had its peaks and valleys, but overall he's proud of what his administration has accomplished.

Among the accomplishments are the continued revitalization of the city's downtown, the expansion of businesses, the demolition of close to 400 long-dilapidated structures and positive national publicity about the city's 2010 comprehensive plan that city officials hope will attract developers here.

But what makes Williams proudest? "The feeling I get that the attitude of this community is changing," Williams said. "It's one of hope and optimism."

The perception that walking downtown after dark is dangerous still exists, he said. But Williams said the increased number of people downtown for events and shows at the Chevrolet Centre, the DeYor Performing Arts Center and other locations shows that perception is lessening.

"The evolution of downtown is helping people to rediscover it," he said. "We can all be proud of our downtown."

Williams said he drives through downtown after events and shows and is pleased that restaurants and bars in the area are filled.

Downtown projects

The mayor said there are other downtown projects that will continue to help it grow. Those projects include:

The Frangos Group's developing the Wick Building on West Federal Street and the Realty Building on East Federal Street into high-end apartments and condominiums.

The continued improvement work to the city-owned 20 Federal Place, formerly known as the Phar-Mor Centre, on West Federal Street.

The planned development of the $5.9 million Taft Technology Center, next to the Youngstown Business Incubator, by the Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corp., also on West Federal.

Expansions of current businesses in the city including Exal Corp., Industrial Waste Control/Groundtech and M-7 Technologies.

"We're seeing economic development occur," Williams said. "We all want new businesses, but the expansion of current businesses is an important gauge as to how we're doing as a city."

Cleaning up

Also, Williams persuaded city council to spend $1.2 million to demolish about 400 vacant structures, mostly houses, this year. The mayor will request a similar amount be placed in the 2007 budget for demolitions.

"If we can continue to do this in the next two to three years, it will have a dramatic impact on the city," he said. "If we keep up this pace, we can keep things under control. We can move on to big commercial structures that cost about $200,000 to $300,000 to demolish, and put those properties back into productive use."

The mayor also wants to pay attention to the little things that can go a long way toward improving Youngstown.

"We are cleaning the city," he said. "People are thrilled with street cleanings."

A goal for 2007 is the replacement of street signs, he said. Some are missing, while others are upside down or covered in graffiti, he said.

"It's a quality-of-life issue," Williams said. "It's about the appearance of the city. That has a positive effect on people."

Tackling crime

As for his biggest challenges as mayor this year, Williams said crime is at the top of the list.

Williams said it is an ongoing, long-standing problem in Youngstown, and unfortunately it can't be resolved quickly. While even one murder in the city is too much, the city will finish 2006 with fewer murders than the 35 recorded in 2005, he said.

"One of the low points was the incident" at the South High Stadium, Williams said.

Larry D. Jones was shot multiple times at the stadium Aug. 19 in front of hundreds of spectators.

"There's only so much the police department can do," he said. "If someone is intent on committing a murder, it's going to happen. Police have an important role to play [in fighting crime], but it would [not be fair] to put it on their shoulders and say, 'Take care of it.'"

The city recently hired six additional police officers and is talking to the police department about ways to reduce crime and improve response time. Among the topics of discussion, Williams said, is the use of auxiliary officers, community policing and increasing patrols.

There was talk in 2005 of reducing the number of officers on special units and putting them on patrol. That has occurred to a certain extent in 2006, but it's important to not abandon the special units, Williams said.

Another challenge this year was the operation of the city-owned Chevrolet Centre, he said.

The center ended the 2005-06 fiscal year in September with a loss. The center also experienced a number of other financial problems, and Williams complained that the facility took up more of his time as mayor than he wanted.

"I can predict there will be some problems with the Chevrolet Centre in 2007," he said. "I just don't know what it will be."

But the center has helped with the downtown's renaissance, Williams said.

"I would rather have it than not have it," he said. "The potential to develop that site is promising."

Proposed tie with suburbs

Williams expects his proposal to create joint economic development districts with surrounding communities, including Austintown, Boardman and Canfield townships, will be his biggest initiative of the upcoming year.

The proposal, announced in August, created interest and concern from officials in those surrounding suburbs. Williams wants the city to work out deals with those communities to impose the city's income tax — currently at 2.75 percent, but could drop to as low as 2 percent if the plan is properly implemented. In return, the 40 percent surcharge townships pay for city water service would be reduced or eliminated.

Most JEDDs are done on undeveloped land in the suburbs, but Williams also wants them on current businesses. That latter aspect has some officials in those suburbs concerned.

A $100,000 study on the financial benefits of JEDDs is expected to be done next month, Williams said.

"We need to look at it to examine this," Williams said. "The reaction is varied from cautious to 'we don't want to be bothered, leave us alone,'" he said. "There are a few guarantees and one of them is change. JEDDs have worked in other communities. I don't want to sound paternalistic, but we have to do what's in the best interest of Youngstown because that is also in the best interest of the Mahoning Valley."

A year from now, Williams wants to see a successful JEDD agreement with at least one surrounding community, and, he hopes, all of them.

Demanding job

Williams, who spent about five years as director of the city's Community Development Agency, said he started the year as mayor with realistic expectations. The mayor wasn't awestruck by the job because of his experience working for the city but was surprised by "the sheer demands of the job. It's a seven-day-a-week job."

He described the first 12 months on the job as "an eventful year," but said strangers who approach him with opinions of how he is doing as mayor are very positive.

"It's the best job in the world, and in the same breath, it can be the most frustrating job in the world," Williams said. "But I wouldn't trade it for anything."