Some Youngstown city council members say people want to know why American Rescue Plan dollars are not being spent to improve their wards.

 

Others want Youngstown's mayor to veto projects he doesn't approve, and explain what's needed to gain approval.

 

They believe this would be better for the community than allowing the projects to languish.

 

City Council approved spending $55,000  of America Rescue Plan funds for scholarships for students from the 6th Ward to attend barber college so they can sustain themselves for a lifetime. 

 

Council also voted to approve $100,000 to be given to Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation so it an help leverage funds to renovate the old Foster Theater.

 

The plan is to create some affordable housing with apartments and some shops downstairs.

 

But it doesn't mean the council-approved projects will get that money allocated. 

 

That is becoming a source of concern for some residents and council persons in Youngstown.

 

"People are angry, they are wondering why the council isn't getting it done, and we tell them we're trying to get it done, but there is this hold up," Anita Davis 6th Ward Councilwoman said. 

 

That hold up she and some others believe is the Board of Control and the criteria must be sustainable, which is ambiguous and can be subjective.

 

"The Board of Control is the Mayor, the Law Director who is appointed by the Mayor, and the Finance Director who is appointed by the Mayor. They serve at the pleasure and answer to him," Davis added.

 

"Put it right there veto no. Then say why no. Because we're not getting a why. We're not getting a clear answer about what we're not meeting," Davis emphasized.

 

 

Mayor Tito Brown says it's not like he doesn't want to help the organizations but he won't approve spending federal funds until all questions are satisfied.

 

"We're asking them to do more work on the front end before they just pass the legislation and say hey just pay the contracts and they may not have a vendors number. There are so many different pieces we have to do before we send it to legislation. They have to do the same," Mayor Jamael Tito-Brown said.

 

"If it comes under public works. If it's coming under health get with those department heads, get with the mayor, and my staff, and talk with us about your requests, then we work it through the process with finance and the Mayor's Office and who it will affect in the community," Tito-Brown added.

 

"This was the first time I saw this. I need to go back and see who is getting contracts, who we're spending with. You got the legal side, you got the financial side, so those are things we look at," Mayor Tito Brown said.

 

"It's not like I don't want to help these organizations that are out there, but at the end of the day contracts and federal funds, public money, public promise. You have to put a public product out there. We just want to make sure that's what's happening with everything we spend out. We won't pay the vendor until questions are satisfied," Mayor Tito Brown.

 

"The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation already received the same dollar amount from the 5th Ward Councilperson, so what's the issue," Councilwoman Davis asked.

 

"We are going to keep passing our legislation and the public needs to ask the mayor why the specific requirement of not sustainable enough is his criteria," David added.

 

Councilman Jimmy Hughes believes the Board of Control doesn't have that authority under Ohio Revised Code or Youngstown's Charter.

 

Councilman Julius Oliver doesn't understand why his project that could help kids build better futures and stay away from violence hasn't been fully approved.

 

"The city council is doing their due diligence. We are doing what we need to do, in some cases following the administration and their suggestions to the T on what to do with these ARP funds, and how to put it out and at times still being rejected," Councilman Oliver said.

 

"East End Businesses I was told how to do it by the administration, and a non-profit put that whole thing together, and that was still rejected so what I asked the mayor today is how do we work together moving forward to make sure we actually get these things out into the community because our city, our constituency, our neighbors are waiting for these funds to be felt and seen in the community," Oliver emphasized.

 

"The project near and dear to my heart is our community center. We are in the process of purchasing a building, we put $660,000 worth of ARP money towards it, and this program would absolutely change the face of Youngstown. It's designed strategically to raise our youth from the age of 5 to 11 and from 11 to 18 years old and expose them to every occupation and career path. At the same time they'll be following entrepreneurs, so by the time they graduate high school they will not only know what they want to do in life but they'll know how to put it into practice at that time," Oliver said.

 

The concept has not been wholly rejected. We are working to make sure we do our due diligence. We have an opportunity to get a building turnkey. Everything is new, we can purchase it, walk in and get to work. It is unbelievable to get rejected especially in today's climate with the violence in our city," Oliver emphasized.

 

Councilman Oliver believes we need to reach children when they're young before they realize mommy and daddy are poor and a child's focus becomes survival rather than being focused on goals.

 

He explained his wife was exposed to a doctor when she was young, and today she is one of the top doctors at Cleveland Clinic. We have an opportunity to expose our youth to medical practice and other professions. To be rejected is mind-boggling.

 

His concept for this community center is called, "Building Community from the bottom up."