Youngstown City Charter Review Commission
Meeting Notes: March 5, 2012
Meeting Began: 5:00 p.m.
Meeting Adjourned: 6:07 p.m.
Present: Jerome Williams (Chair); Scott Schulick (Vice-Chair); Phil
Kidd: Leona Crogan: Jacqueline Taylor; Sandra Horton-Teague; William Carter;
Thomas Rusback, Michael O’Hara.
·
Jerome Williams (Chair) called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
in the Council Caucus conference room on the 6th Floor in City Hall.
Topics to be discussed at next meeting:
Ø Section of 83 of Charter—reduction of Wards
Ø Mayor and Council Member (Terms & Salaries)
Ø Editorial (addressing editing changes to the Charter)
Ø Nominations & Elections (elected officials)
Ø Monetary penalty adjustment for members of city council who miss meetings.
Old Business
ü Scott Schulick—asks commission
members when, where and which businesses would they like to meet (those within
the city or outside, those who conduct business or desiring future relations
with Youngstown).
ü William Carter---would like to meet
with those who are local and those who have interest in business with the City
of Youngstown.
ü Jerome Williams (Chair)—Informed the commission members that the city does
have a listing of contractors. Businesses from this list could be contacted to
attend the forum.
ü Leona Crogan—Asked when do we
want meeting to be held and at what times.
ü Jerome William –suggests that Main
Library may be the best place to meet.
ü Scott Shulick—suggests that
business personnel would like to meet during the week and as early as possible.
ü Jerome Williams (Chair)—suggest sending copies of the charter to those who
plan to attend so they are able to review them. Also expresses that all members
of the Chamber of Commerce are invited to attend. He will leave everything in
the hands of Scott Schulick (Vice-Chair) regarding business meeting, time and
place.
ü Phil Kidd—explains that
changes to the printing of the Charter have been made. When the charter is
printed it will print as one document (20-25 pgs).
New Business Agenda due to Public Forums
v Jerome Williams (Chair) started off the meetings by asking everyone for their opinions regarding
the public forums.
v Thomas Rusback ---states that he
was very impressed with the forums and the public’s response.
v Jerome Williams (Chair)--- expressed the same sentiments and added that the public (East Side
Library) wanted the forum to last longer.
v Leona Crogan ---felt that
participants at the East Side forum were very
vocal with their concerns regarding changes to the Charter.
v William Carters asked the
commission members if they would like to share or comment on some of the
concerns that were shared at the forum.
v Sandra Horton Teague-said that much of the information that participants provided at the forums
regarding their concerns, city policies and ordinances and the Charter was very
insightful and informative. The exchange of information was great.
v Leona Crogan –expressed that
many of the participants expressed their concern with the requirement for
department heads to live in the city. Also many participants expressed that
they did not want the city and county health departments to merger.
v Michael O’Hara –commented on how
many of the participants brought up issues regarding people who work for the
City of Youngstown
being grandfathered in. He also asked is there was a law concerning
“grandfathering.”
v William Carter—also mentioned
participants concerns regarding department heads being required to live in the
city. He stated that the Mayor when hiring a department head can choose to hire
someone living inside or outside of the city.
v Phil Kidd – Stated that the
Ohio Supreme Court made the decision regarding city employees not being
mandated to reside within the City of Youngstown.
v Phil Kidd—also brought up
concerns regarding how if there is a conflict with City Council regarding
conflicts with changes in the Charter, the citizens of Youngstown should be
able to override City Council by voting on the changes that they (citizens)
would like to see within the Charter.
v Sandra Horton-Teague—expressed a concern regarding the need for a checks and balances on all
spending done by department heads.
v Michael O’Hara –agrees with Phil
Kidd on taking conflicts of interest between the Charter and City Council to
the ballot for the people to decide.
v William Carter—states that the Charter
stays that everything must be presented to Council.
v Jacqueline Taylor—Ask for the
section
v Michael O’Hara –states that issues must be
placed on a referendum. However, it is not enough time to get the number of
signatures that are needed for a referendum.
v Scott Schulick--stated that
there will be disagreements regarding changes and any backlash will create
debates. However changes presented need to be compelling. Facts must be
presented to City Council in order to show the public’s concern.
v Jerome Williams (Chair)—Said that commission should ask how things were handled in the past such
as, “were there things or changes recommended by the commission in the past to
City Council that were not accepted.
v William Carter –states that the
Charter Commission was not set up in the way that it is currently set up.
However, City Council had the last say in what changes would be approved. If
they disapproved then the issue/concerns could not be placed on the ballot.
v Leona Crogan says that some
other concerns were in regards to council members receiving full-time benefits
for part-time positions.
v Michael O’Hara –suggested that
things be recommended to Council, if the changes are rejected then take it back
before the public. Council (7 people) should not be able to make the final
determination of what changes should be made within the charter or on the
ballot.
v Jacqueline Taylor –states that the
Ohio Revised Code states that there must be 7 legislative members for approval.
v Phil Kidd—states that we
are a Charter coded government and we are not subject to the Ohio Revised Code.
v Phil Kid –feels that the
forums were good. Citizens wanted to know if there was an opportunity for them
to get feedback or top 10 issues. People want to be more involved.
v Michael O’Hara—asks who will
write out the changes to the Charter.
v Jerome Williams—Tony Farris will
do the wording for all the changes to the Charter.
v William Carter—Would like to
know how an addition of new departments will be funded. Ex. The financing of a
Community Development Department is under a block grant (federal government
funded), but how will I.T. and other departments be funded.
v Leona Crogan—feels that during
these times it would be difficult to ask tax-payers to fund another department.
v Jerome Williams (Chair) ---Feels that the commission should ask if it will cost more money to create
a new department. However, we can’t to sit back and not make some necessary
changes. We can’t afford to make all the changes, but we can’t afford not to do
some things. When talking about changes we need to talk about growth.
v William Carter –states that when
the Community Development Department was created the money was brought by
Council.
v Jerome Williams (Chair)—would like
commission to think about how departments are funded. We must look at how
things have changed and are changing.
v Phil Kidd ---agrees and
states that the commission must study similar cities. The commission must also
think about growth and planning in case of decrease.
v Jerome Williams (Chair) –would like to know if everyone feels that the commission has reached out
to everyone (Mayor, Council, Community and department heads)? Jerome Williams
(Chair) feels that the business community was left out.
v William Carter feels that the
commission should have Chamber of Commerce come in and meet with commission
like other groups. Would like the commission to make a motion for Chamber of
Congress to meet with commission members.
v Scott Schulick—agrees and feels
that the President of Chambers or Head of Chambers could meet with commission.
The whole business community throughout the area should meet with the
commission. Those affected by the Charter. Get business personnel on board to
meet with the commission.
v Phil Kidd—Will try to get
the downtown conference room at the Main Library booked for the meeting with
business personnel and commission.
v Sandra Horton-Teague---asks how will information be combined to make decisions for changes
within the Charter? She suggests that all information should be created in one
report under one section. Commission will review all information and go through
to determine top 10 issues. Break down those issues of concern then research
them.
v Scott Schulick---suggests that
we basically focus on top 10 issues or concerns.
v Phil Kidd—feels that the
commission should also review those concerns that are important, but were not
expressed by a majority of the public.
v Jerome Williams (Chair)—feels that certain issues will take more time than
others. But he would like to know when the commission feels that they should
vote on changes to the Charter.
v Scott Schulick—suggests the
commission should create a deadline for themselves. First they should identify
those issues that are easy to change then research those that are more indepth.
v Jerome Williams (Chair) –would also like to ask for a proposal for the creation of an Information
Technology Department (I.T. Department) from Michael Krynannski in order to get
a better understanding of what they he feels the department will require in
order to operate successfully.
v Michael O’Hara—would like to
make a motion to address the business community.
v Jerome Williams (Chair) ---second motion.
v Scott Schulick—will try to
contact the business community to set up a date and time to meet.
v Jerome Williams (Chair) ---re-iterates that forums were very good and that everyone has done a
great job.
v Sandra Horton-Teague—motions to adjourn meeting
v Michael O’Hara—seconds motion
v Meeting adjourns at 6:07 p.m.
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