Staff photo / David Skolnick Youngstown City Council honored the legacy of former Mayor Patrick Ungaro by presenting a proclamation Wednesday to his family.

YOUNGSTOWN – Youngstown City Council paid tribute to Patrick Ungaro, the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history, by honoring him with a proclamation.

Council President DeMaine Kitchen said Ungaro, who died last month after a battle with cancer, “laid the foundation for many of the successes Youngstown has seen over the past 25 to 30 years and led the region through one of its most challenging periods of economic uncertainty.”

The proclamation was accepted Wednesday by Ungaro’s family.

“We appreciate these guys and ladies for this honor,” said Eric Ungaro, his oldest son. “He was able to give the city some hope and change back during some rough times. That is part of his legacy. You want to leave things a little bit better than how you found them. We’re very humbled as a family.”

Ungaro, 78, served 14 years as mayor, leaving at the end of 1997 because of the city’s term-limits law, which has since been repealed by voters.

Before that, Ungaro was 3rd Ward councilman for four years and council president for two years. He was first elected mayor in 1983.

He also served as a teacher, assistant principal and coach in the Youngstown school district from 1966 until he became mayor.

In 2001, he went back to education, serving as assistant principal at West Elementary in Youngstown.

A year later, he was appointed Liberty Township administrator, a position he held until he retired in June.

The proclamation reads: “He helped redevelop brownfield sites into industrial parks and his work as mayor was the catalyst for the resurgence of the city’s downtown.”

It added: “He has often been described as a straightforward, honest man with great integrity and a sense of humor who loved his family and was proud of his kids and grandchildren. Patrick Ungaro will be remembered forever due to his professionalism, expertise and relationship-building as well as his vision and hard work in revitalizing our great city.”

dskolnick@tribtoday.com