YOUNGSTOWN — City council agreed to sell vacant property on the East Side that will allow its ambulance service provider to have a second location in Youngstown.

Council voted 7-0 Wednesday in support of legislation to declare about a quarter-acre at 1000 Oak St. as surplus and sell it for $46,320 to Joseph Asset Management LLC, a sister company of Emergency Management Transport, which provides ambulance service in the city.

EMT plans to put an ambulance at that location, said city Finance Director Kyle Miasek.

It currently operates out of 1122 E. Midlothian Blvd. on the city’s southeast side.

“This will help improve response time in the city,” Miasek said.

Miasek said Joseph is considering a third location in the city with a private property owner, but nothing has been finalized.

The city in December 2022 signed a three-year contract to pay $3.97 million to EMT for ambulance service using American Rescue Plan dollars with a two-year renewal option.

Also Wednesday, council signed a $60,000 contract with CS Public Affairs of Canfield to develop a strategic communications plan and “present a positive image of the entire city,” according to the ordinance’s language.

The firm is run by Andy Resnick, the former communications and public affairs director for America Makes in downtown Youngstown,.

Councilman Mike Ray, D-4th Ward, said CS would write press releases for the city as well as develop “a unified approach as to how we present ourselves. It’s a criticism we’ve had for years.”

He added: “We don’t do communications well. It’s been an Achilles heel. He’ll work with us to better communicate.”

Council voted Wednesday on a resolution urging the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to not grant a requested 30% rate increase by Enbridge Gas Ohio.

If the rate increase is approved, it would cost the average residential gas consumer more than $100 per year. Also, Enbridge — which purchased Dominion Energy Ohio on March 7 — is asking to charge customers additional monthly fees of $8.78 per month in 2025 and as much as $29.69 per month by 2032.

Several government entities in Trumbull County have approved similar resolutions including Warren, Niles, Cortland, Bazetta, Brookfield, Liberty and Weathersfield.

Youngstown is the first in Mahoning County.

Council agreed Wednesday to authorize the board of control to hire a contractor for improvement work to Industrial Road.

The project is estimated to cost $1.5 million with $605,283 coming from the city’s ARP funds and the rest from its auto license fees.

Council also approved a proposal to spend $48,608 in ARP funding to install a kayak launch at McKelvey Lake on the East Side. Council moved the proposal May 1 to its parks and recreation committee for further discussion.

Councilman Jimmy Hughes, D-2nd Ward, whose ward includes the lake, said he’s been left out of the loop on work being done there.

“I don’t think we’re doing a great job of communicating on McKelvey Lake,” he said.