City Council Public Utilities Committee Meeting - Sunday, July 22

[Youngstownshrimp]

It's costing poor City property owners millions, it is costing the City of Youngstown 10's of millions.  But.....the public sector can always rely on the printing presses for their entitled checks, printing money is the source and understanding of the monetary system.

[Rick Rowlands]

This crap has already cost me $5,000 in REAL MONEY!!! 

[Towntalk]

Example of Ben Price's mind set.


http://www.celdf.org/downloads/The%20Corporate%20State%20Ascends%20-%20Municipal%20Corporations%20become%20its%20Colonies.pdf

[Towntalk]

The outfit Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund is a Pennsylvania agatation group, and I must ask just how much money they expect to get for developing a so-called citizens rights something or other.

I know that this outfit is a "non-profit" outfit, but even non profit outfits need money, and I'm sure that Ben Price isn't working for nothing, out of the goodness of his heart.

[irishbobcat]

At least the Vindy covered the Beaver Township anti-fracking meeting.....

[iwasthere]

i had to laugh when mike ray said he and others on the puc must educate themselves on the fracking process. ray can educate those board members on fracking due to his employment with the coal and gas company located outside of the pitt. pa area.

[Towntalk]

27/33 covered it.


You don't really have a fracking problem here, you have a democracy problem. That's was the message at a City of Youngstown Public Utilities Committee meeting Sunday.

Dozens of community members against fracking packed council chambers to show their support of a proposed community-rights based ban on fracking.

"It's not just about protecting the city, it's about protecting the water that nourishes the city," said Susie Beiersdorfer, Frack Free Mahoning Valley.

The proposed six page ordinance spells out the rights of city residents and the natural environment, including the right to self government.

"It's a community bill of rights that recognizes that the members of the community have certain rights, and that to protect those rights they have democratic authority to prohibit activities that would violate those rights,"said Ben Price, Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund. Price helped write the document along with a local attorney. They sought community input before drafting the six page proposed document.

CELDF is a public service, non-profit law firm serves community groups and municipalities.

"We're attempting to assist communities to establish the greatest degree of local control and self government possible," said Price.

He worked with Pittsburgh City Council on banning fracking in the city in November 2010. Sunday, he presented Youngstown's Public Utilities Committee with a break down of the proposed ordinance. He told members he understands how they sometimes feel their hands are tied because of existing law.

"In democracy when existing law doesn't serve the people, what you do is change it, and so that is what this does." said Price.

Councilman Mike Ray says the proposal is almost parallel with civil rights, and adds it's an interesting approach that hasn't been taken.

"As a home rule charter area, we have that right to say that we want these things," said Ray.

Ray went on to say this is a learning process for the committee, they have to educate themselves. In the meantime, community members are urging them to review the ordinance and sign it.

"It would set a precedent for many other areas, I think," said Beiersdorfer.

[irishbobcat]

God forbid if a major local news story broke on Sunday......We'd have to wait until Tuesday to
read it in the Vindy....

[Towntalk]

I agree.

[jay]

The newsroom at the Vindy is closed on Sundays and no one is there unless the editor assigned a reporter to cover a particular Sunday event

I'm sure the councilmen knew this and that is why they held the Public Utilities Committee meeting on a Sunday.

[Towntalk]

The newsroom at the Vindy is closed on Sundays and no one is there unless the editor assigned a reporter to cover a particular Sunday event, and then he/she may come in long enough to file a story and then go home.

[jay]

I don't believe many newspaper reporters work on Sundays.
That could be the reason why the City Council Public Utilities Committee held the meeting on a Sunday.

[irishbobcat]

Sad to see once again that the pro fracking bias Youngstown Vindicator failed to send a reporter
to cover this meeting on a citizens-rights based fracking ban for the city of Youngstown. If there was a reporter
there, did anyone see them?

[jay]

Why is the Public Utilities Committee of Youngstown City Council holding this meeting on a Sunday?

[jay]

Youngstown City Council
Public Utilities Committee Meeting

Sunday, July 22, 1:00 p.m.

- Location -
City Council Chambers
Sixth Floor
Youngstown City Hall
26 S. Phelps Street
Downtown Youngstown