SitemapCity council plans Wednesday to approve $684,685 in American Rescue Plan-funded projects from the $14 million allocation it gave its members, but administration officials said they won’t authorize the work without first determining whether the expenditures are permissible under federal law.
“We have a lot of reservations,” city Finance Director Kyle Miasek said during a Monday council finance committee meeting. “We’re going to be thorough in reviewing these agreements to make sure how (ARP funds) are being expended.”
City council voted April 6 to give its members control over $14 million of the city’s ARP funding, which is $2 million per member.
For the first time, council will vote Wednesday on projects — four in all — from that $14 million.
The largest amount is $300,000, sponsored by Councilman Julius Oliver, D-1st Ward, for small business assistance grants for the east end of Federal Street, where Youngstown Flea, Penguin City Brewing Co. and D.O.P.E. Cider House & Winery operate.
Councilwoman Anita Davis, D-6th Ward, is seeking to spend $160,000 in ARP money to purchase the former McDonald’s at 2525 Market St., which closed December 2017, in order to convert it into a police substation and community center.
The amount doesn’t include any needed improvements to the building.
Councilwoman Basia Adamczak, D-7th Ward, is requesting $130,685 from her ward’s ARP funding for improvement to Lynn Park while Councilwoman Lauren McNally, D-5th Ward, is seeking $94,000 for emergency home repairs and roof replacement project for low-income residents in her ward.
Miasek said he is working with council members on their requests and is urging them to use fiscal agents who have previously had success in handling community development projects for the city, such as the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. YDNC is the fiscal agent for the projects sponsored by Adamczak and McNally.
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