SitemapAnother city council meeting, another postponed vote on a contract with the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.
Because of questions from Councilwomen Janet Tarpley, D-6th, and Annie Gillam, D-1st, about a YNDC contract renewal for up to $60,000 this year to provide planning services to the city, the item was pulled from Wednesday’s council agenda in the finance committee meeting.
“We want to know where they’re at, what they’ve done and what they’re going to do in the next year or so,” Tarpley said to a Vindicator reporter after the finance committee of which she is chairwoman. “The request is nothing difficult.”
Tarpley also said a finance committee meeting will be scheduled for early next week to bring all the parties together to discuss the contract.
During the finance meeting, Councilman Paul Drennen, D-5th, a committee member, asked why those with questions didn’t get them answered beforehand.
He was more vocal after the finance committee meeting.
“I’d rather come to a meeting prepared,” Drennen said. “We have two council members holding legislation hostage,” referring to Gillam and Tarpley.
“This makes us look inefficient,” Drennen added.
Councilman Mike Ray, D-4th, told a reporter between finance and the full council meeting, “This is ridiculous. It slows down the process. The contract is in place. What is there to ask? You have an obligation to get your questions answered. Do it before the meeting rather than postpone it and have a special meeting.”
Responding to a reporter’s questions after the council meeting, Tarpley said, “I don’t know why [Ray and Drennen] make a big deal about it. Each of them have done this themselves. Both of them are taking this personal and making it into a personal vendetta, and that’s not the case. I’m really offended by it.”
Tarpley said as finance committee chairwoman, “It’s my responsibility as chair that members are good with the legislation and that’s what I want to do.”
Also, Tarpley said key people with knowledge of the contract didn’t attend the finance or full council meeting.
Drennen complained that Tarpley took the item off the agenda. But Tarpley correctly pointed out that council rules permit two members of a committee — her and Gillam in this case — to table legislation in that committee.
The YNDC issue came two weeks after council members and the mayor engaged in a somewhat heated debate about a grass-cutting and property-cleanup program to be supervised and managed by YNDC for $102,168 annually. Council met the following week and approved that contract.
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