YOUNGSTOWN — All seven members of Youngstown City Council are seeking reelection with five of them facing opponents.

In the 1st Ward, incumbent Democrat Julius Oliver, owner of Kingly Xpress Hand Wash & Wax, is being challenged by Republican Tracy Randall, a medical secretary at St. Joseph Warren Hospital.

In the 2nd Ward, incumbent Democrat Jimmy Hughes, a retired Youngstown police chief, faces two independent challengers: Million Perry-Phifer, CEO of the Millionaire Corp. and the Persayus Way Project, and Benjamin Brown.

In the 5th Ward, Democrat Pat Kelly, director of security for the Youngstown school district who was appointed to fill the vacant seat Jan. 7 by Democratic central committee members in that ward, is being challenged by independent Richard Yaslik, parts manager for Kufleitner Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.

Incumbent Democrat Anita Davis, a retired Youngstown police detective sergeant, faces independent Cheryl Findley in the 6th Ward race.

In the 7th Ward, incumbent Democrat Basia Adamczak, president of Atlas Consulting Ltd., is running against Republican Josie Lyon, a medical office coordinator, and independent Amber White.

A Republican was last elected to city council in 2003 and the last independent candidate was elected in 1995.

Samantha Turner, D-3rd Ward, and Mike Ray, D-4th Ward, are running unopposed.

1ST WARD

Oliver, who is seeking his third four-year term, said his top priorities are increasing economic development in the city, improving the quality of life for Youngstown residents and supporting our youth.

“These are my priorities because intentionally supporting and raising our youth, livable wages and improvement environments will decrease crime,” he said.

Oliver said he’s worked with federal officials on housing shortage issues and youth programs, is developing a citywide youth development program, has talked to federal officials about railroad safety and crossings that need repaired in Youngstown, is working on the veterans housing complex in his ward, created a home improvement program for 1st Ward residents using American Rescue Plan funds, is planning a senior center on the South Side and helped with legislation that lowers income tax rates for businesses relocating or expanding in the city.

The 1st Ward includes downtown as well as portions of the city’s East and South sides.

Randall said her top priorities are to increase safety, be available and personally connected to ward residents and bring common sense to city council.

Regarding safety, Randall said she will find “a way via grant money to provide video doorbells for those in owner-occupied homes. The police seem to be challenged in keeping neighborhoods safe in recent years.”

Other safety concerns that need addressing, she said, are South Avenue traffic and stray cats and animal hoarding.

Randall wants to be accessible to her constituents and bring back common sense to council, saying council members in the past were taken in by the owners of the stalled Chill-Can plant and by the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel downtown that was able to defer a $700,000 loan by 25 years.

2ND WARD

Hughes, who is seeking his second four-year term, listed continuing to improve the East Side, redevelop the McGuffey Plaza and make road improvements as his top priorities.

The ward takes in most of the city’s East Side.

“We’ve been working to make the East Side a better community and we’re heading in the right direction,” Hughes said. “I want to continue that in my next term.”

Hughes also wants to clean up the former McGuffey Plaza property and gave $250,000 from his $2 million ward ARP allocation to the Western Reserve Port Authority, which bought the property last year, towards an environmental study of the location.

Hughes wants to continue to make road improvements in his ward as well as use ARP funds to install security cameras in the city to prevent and reduce crime. “My residents want to be safe in their homes,” he said.

Perry-Phifer wants to redevelop the former McGuffey Plaza as well as the Oak Street and Jacobs Road corridor and expand business opportunities for Crab Creek.

Perry-Phifer wants to improve roads, sidewalks and curbs in the ward and add more lighting as well as offer a roofing and basement waterproofing program.

He also wants to bring local produce and grocery stores to the East Side and conduct a feasibility study on roadways and expressway entering the 2nd Ward to find opportunities for industrial businesses.

Brown didn’t respond to a Vindicator questionnaire and couldn’t be reached to comment.

5TH WARD

Kelly said since his appointment in January to council he has “worked tirelessly on making sure that we as Youngstown’s 5th Ward are given all access to services that are presented.”

Kelly, who is a former Youngstown detective sergeant and ex-Campbell police chief, said safety is a priority. “I am uniquely qualified to deal with any and all safety issues since I am able to handle these problems and (know) exactly who to call and what to have done,” he said.

Kelly said he has held several town hall meetings in the ward, which includes the city’s lower West Side, to hear issues and concerns, which are then forwarded to the right city department to get them fixed.

Kelly also said he worked to bring to light issues regarding unmanned speed cameras in school zones, particularly concerns raised by constituents that there isn’t an appeal method in place.

Yaslik’s priorities include bringing a grocery store back to the Mahoning Avenue corridor, remediating a demolished former gas station at 1206 Bears Den Road and developing a community coalition for the ward.

The grocery store would “require a concentrated effort to not only reach out to potential retailers, but also to develop a plan to provide potential suitors with the confidence that they will be conducting business in a safe and secure neighborhood,” Yaslik said.

The Bears Den Road location, which is owned by the city, is a development opportunity, but the onsite fuel pumps and tanks are issues, he said. Developing it would “create economic opportunities while eliminating the eyesore that this has become,” Yaslik said.

Yaslik added: “Blighted homes, code violations, safety and infrastructure issues are at the forefront of resident concerns and it is the duty of the council person to address them.”

6TH WARD

Davis, who is seeking her third four-year term on council, said safety is her top priority.

With fewer city police officers, Youngstown has to update its “smart technology and adopt best practices,” she said. That includes drones and security cameras, Davis said, as well as offering competitive wages for the police force.

Davis also wants to grow the city financially.

“We have to make it easy as possible for legitimate businesses to start up and expand here,” she said. “We have to make Market Street and South Avenue shovel ready.”

Davis said she’s used part of her ward’s $2 million ARP allocation to help on those two streets as well as Glenwood Avenue.

Another priority, Davis said, is continuing the plan of demolishing dilapidated houses in the ward.

“Our neighborhoods look better, our streets are safer and our home values have significantly increased as a result of tearing down the deplorable structures that plagued our community,” she said.

Findley didn’t respond to a Vindicator questionnaire and couldn’t be reached to comment.

7TH WARD

Adamczak, seeking her third four-year term on council, lists improving quality of life, infrastructure and neighborhood development, and business development as her top priorities.

“Quality of life, including safety, is a top priority,” she said. “We need to sustain and attract residents to the city.”

Adamczak spearheaded council’s decision to spend $10.5 million from its ARP funds to improve the city’s parks and is working on an all-inclusive park in the city. She also used a portion of her ward’s $2 million ARP allocation to hire a quality of life ambassador.

Adamczak said she’s focused on safety by supporting new technology for the police department including body cameras, speed cameras in school zones, cameras in strategic hot spots for crime, drones and an emotional support / search and rescue dog.

Regarding infrastructure and neighborhood development, Adamczak has appropriated her ward’s ARP funds for sidewalk replacement and has worked with the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. “to strategically identify home in the ward that could be rehabbed and sold.”

Adamczak said she’s helped businesses by creating income tax incentives for companies to relocate and expand in the city, worked with Habitat for Humanity to bring its headquarters to the 7th Ward and a Dollar General to Youngstown Poland Road.

The ward includes the southeast portion of the city.

Lyon’s top three priorities are improving quality of life and code enforcement, advocating to reduce crime and violence, and attracting new businesses and retaining existing ones. Lyon said she wants to further examine code enforcement legislation and determine “why it is not being enforced at an acceptable rate.”

Lyon said she would work to fund youth and family mentoring programs to reduce crime and violence.

To attract and retain businesses to the city, Lyon said she would find “grants and funding for small businesses and keep a consistent line of communication between business owners, their council representatives and the city administration.”

White said she wants to build community relationships, keep young people safe and make infrastructure improvements if elected. White said she wants to develop “strong community relationships and maintain effective communication” between herself, city council and the ward’s resident.

White said she wants to collaborate with the police department to increase safety patrols, particularly in hot spots for crime.

She also said city residents deserve affordable housing, safe neighborhoods and strong schools.

dskolnick@vindy.com