Youngstown city government must face population decline

The 18 percent loss in population in the city of Youngstown in the last 10 years has come as somewhat of a surprise to Mayor Jay Williams. There should be no such reaction from city officials when the census data for 2020 is made public. Barring some major turnaround, the city’s population will be less than its current 66,000. Therefore, changes to the structure of government must be instituted as soon as possible.

Mayor Williams is demonstrating the kind of forward-thinking required of all city officials with his plan to appoint a commission to review the Youngstown Home Rule Charter and make recommendations for changing the way government does business. The last commission was empaneled in 2004 by then Mayor George M. McKelvey, but there wasn’t the pressure there is today to deal with the reality of a fast shrinking city.

Williams is providing a framework for the discussion that the nine to 13 members of his charter review commission will engage in as they operate on the premise that the status quo in City Hall is not sustainable.

Youngstown cannot afford the government it now has. Seven members of council elected in wards and a council president elected at-large is a legislative branch that may be too large, while having an elected mayor with a salary of $100,000-plus may be too rich for a city that has a large number of residents on fixed incomes — Social Security or welfare.

Williams has suggested that the commission discuss a reduction in the number of council members and whether they should run at-large. He also wants the panel to examine the advantages and disadvantages of having a city manager as opposed to a politician as the chief executive.

Any consideration of a city manager must begin with the understanding that baseline qualifications, such as a master’s degree in public administration and experience in city government, are necessary. What that would do is diminish the influence of politics.

There are a host of other issues that the charter commission will have to address, given the current state of the city and the future reality of population lower than the 66,000.

Wages and benefits

The topic of wages and benefits for city government workers at all levels is intertwined in every aspect of government’s operation because such compensation soaks up 80 percent of the general fund.

The commission would also have to delve into the operation of the Youngstown Municipal Court, which has three full-time judges and a full-time clerk of courts. All run in elections.

If the formula contained in the state statute governing municipal courts is applied, the city would only be eligible for two judgeships.

However, there is a provision in the law that applies only to Youngstown, which is why it has three judges. The Ohio General Assembly would have to do away with the special provision, which would happen if the voters of the city had their say on the changes to the city charter proposed by the commission.

Given all the issues that need to be addressed, the most important first step is the composition of the commission. Mayor Williams must make sure that the individuals he appoints have a solid understanding of Youngstown as a community and an in-depth knowledge of city government. They must also have the courage to do what’s necessary to meet the goal of right-sizing City Hall.