Youngstown Council to Consider a New Planning Contract Wednesday - The Vindicator


City council will consider legislation Wednesday for a contract to have the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. continue to serve as the city’s planner, and to possibly vote on laws regarding property maintenance, demolition and unsafe buildings.

YNDC was selected in July 2013 to provide planning services for the city in conjunction with the Youngstown State University Center for Urban and Regional Studies.

The city paid about $100,000 to YNDC last year for planning work, said Ian Beniston, the agency’s executive director.

The amount for this year’s work is up to $60,000 as not as much work needs to be done, said T. Sharon Woodberry, the city’s director of community planning and economic development.

Much of the work last year was focused on a citywide development plan, including $25,000 to the YSU center for mapping and data.

YNDC’s contract with the city expired last Dec. 31.

The city administration didn’t seek a contract renewal until now because it wanted to make sure there was enough money in the budget to retain the organization, Woodberry said. Council approved the city’s $179.7 million budget March 18.

The new deal will expire at the end of this year.

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