YOUNGSTOWN — Mayor Jamael Tito Brown urged voters to support his re-election because of the successes of his administration, while his two Democratic primary challengers said it’s time for a change in city leadership.

Brown; Councilman Julius Oliver, D-1st Ward; and Ryan Kelly, a businessman; squared off Monday in a debate sponsored by 21-WFMJ-TV.

In touting his endorsement by The Vindicator, Brown, seeking a second four-year term, said: “We cannot afford to change leadership in the middle of a global pandemic. We cannot afford to change leadership, and we’re about to receive a legacy opportunity” — a reference to the $88.6 million the city is receiving from the federal government in COVID-19 relief funding.

But Kelly said things haven’t improved in the city since 2005, when he first “dreamed” of being mayor.

“I want to make the city safer,” he said. “I want to improve the quality of life for our citizens. I want to bring the city government to the 21st century. I want to build partnerships that will help us grow in the future, and I want to make sure we take every single opportunity to move Youngstown forward.”

Oliver, elected in 2019 to his second four-year term on council, said to city residents: “I want you to ask yourself some questions: For decades, administration after administration, have you been able to see a difference in your neighborhood, on your block, on your street? Have you been able to see a difference in your schools? Have you been able to see a difference in your city parks? Have you been able to see a difference in city hall? To me, the answer is no.”

He then took shots at Kelly and Brown, respectively, adding: “We don’t have time to be fulfilling anybody’s dream or to be giving anybody a second shot on their dream.”

Asked about the $88.6 million coming from the federal government, Brown said he wants time to understand the rules about the money and create a long-term plan that includes improving the city’s corridors, increasing youth employment, getting a full-scale grocery store in the city and addressing infant mortality.

Kelly also called for a strategic plan that includes an assessment in each city department and a focus on the city’s infrastructure needs.

Like the other two, Oliver also wants a strategic plan. He wants to use the money to improve the quality of life for residents with a focus on infrastructure, particularly in the neighborhoods.

CRIME ISSUES

Regarding Youngstown’s crime problems, Brown said the city is working to improve the relationship between police and the community and to make officers more visible in the neighborhoods.

Kelly, whose father is a former Youngstown police officer and current Campbell police chief, said police need to be more visible in high-crime areas through saturation patrols.

But Oliver countered: “You can’t police away crime,” and that the culture needs to change through programs to reduce it.

While all three said they supported a citizens review board for the police department, Kelly couched his backing by saying board members would first need training and that such a body could lead to division in the city.

Oliver responded by saying it wouldn’t cause division.

Kelly compared it to someone coming into Oliver’s car detailing business and telling him what to do. Oliver said he’d welcome that as an opportunity to learn.

Also, the three were asked about the “bias-free policing” plan unveiled by the department in February that calls for fair and bias-free treatment regardless of race, ethnic background, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, immigration status, gender identity, religion, socioeconomic status, disability or political affiliation.

Kelly, who is white, said he’s not aware of bias issues in the city police department. He added that if an officer is in a ward with a high minority population, that officer might be hesitant to stop a minority over racial bias concerns.

Brown and Oliver, who are both black, said Kelly hasn’t experienced what they and other African Americans have with police.

“What you’re not seeing is you’ve never had to deal with that,” Brown said.

“In order to be an effective mayor in a city like Youngstown, Ohio, you would have to have a better understanding of the people and the situations that they deal with on a daily basis in the city,” Oliver said.

Early voting has already started. The Democratic primary is May 4.

The winner will face Republican Tracey Winbush in the general election.

Also, the independent candidate filing deadline is May 3, the day before the primary.

dskolnick@vindy.com