Finance Committee forwards a package of discretionary requests, communications contract renewal and fee waiver to council

The Youngstown City Finance Committee voted June 17 to report a package of discretionary items and several contracts to the full council, including a $60,000 renewal for a public-affairs contract, a request to waive duplicate tap-in fees for a local company’s expansion, and requests tied to office furnishing and a storage building procurement.

Staff described a renewal of an annual contract for CS Public Affairs, led by Andy Resnick, to provide communications services beyond traditional press releases — including website enhancements, email notifications, event coordination and support for emergency communications (within the $60,000 annual budget). The contract term covered in the item runs June to May of the next year. (Speaker 12; Speaker 13.)

Economic development staff presented a waiver request that would avoid charging a repeat tap-in fee for Gulu Electric’s multi-phase expansion; staff said the company already paid tap-in fees for the first phase and is now expanding from that same connection. (Speaker 9.)

Staff also described a furniture request to finish a second-floor renovation: $50,000 from the general fund and $44,165 from CDA funds, with vendors and some reuse of existing furniture; ordering would proceed only after council approval. (Speaker 9.)

The committee moved items 2–4 and 6–32 to the full council for consideration, and referred item 5 (dead-animal pickup) to the Safety Committee. (Speaker 1.)