Youngstown council fails to suspend dozens of ordinances; several items moved for further review

A motion to suspend the rules and place more than a dozen ordinances on the consent agenda failed at the Youngstown City Council meeting on April 15, 2023, leaving those items to be considered at later readings or committees.

Councilman Gray moved to suspend the rules and present items 1–3, 5–12 and 14–23 (plus a late ordinance 26-80) on the consent agenda. After a roll call, the presiding officer said the council did not have the six votes required to pass the suspension, and the listed ordinances will be taken up at second reading.

"I move that items 1 through 8 be received and filed, referred to INS and planning and permission granted as appropriate," Councilman Gray said during the communications and reports portion; later he advanced the broader suspension motion for the ordinances.

The council separately moved item 4, authorizing payment to Marucci and Gaffney Excavating Company, to a second reading rather than immediate passage. Clerk readings showed item 13, an Excel Court sanitary sewer improvement contract authorization, was referred to the CPED committee for further consideration.

Council members agreed to postpone reorganization and committee assignments until the next meeting because several members were absent; Councilman Ray also asked the clerk to add a law department memorandum about an MBSD board appointment to the next meeting agenda for a roll-call vote.

No final ordinance adoptions occurred on the consent agenda at this meeting; several items will return for formal consideration at later meetings.