Youngstown council suspends rules to pass series of ordinances including ShotSpotter maintenance, infrastructure and appropriations

Youngstown City Council convened Sept. 17, 2025, and during a brief regular session approved a package of ordinances and budget actions, many under suspension of the council rules.

The council’s actions included authorizing professional services and contract payments for public-safety and infrastructure work, accepting a state health subsidy, and approving several appropriations and small ward discretionary expenditures. Motions were repeatedly moved by Councilman Mike Ray; recorded roll-call tallies in the minutes show a six-to-zero vote in favor for many items, with Councilmember Samantha Turner absent.

Key approvals included an ordinance moved to the Safety Committee concerning an annual maintenance agreement with Sound Thinking, Inc. for the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system (ORD-25-312 was read and referred to committee). The council voted to approve legal services for redevelopment work at 20 Federal Street (ORD-25-313; authorization up to $49,500), and it approved a contract to remove utility poles to assist the Mill Creek Park interceptor sewer replacement project with Ohio Edison (ORD-25-314; cost not to exceed $77,000).

The council also approved a five-year professional engineering/technology agreement with Vertex One to expand customer-engagement and self-service functionality (ORD-25-315; total not to exceed $647,495) and an engineering services agreement for a waterline replacement project (ORD-25-316; not to exceed $98,072). The council amended a prior authorization for the Mah-South Ave. bridge consultant, increasing the not-to-exceed amount from $170,000 to $225,000 (ORD-25-317). Several appropriation adjustments and acceptances of grant/subsidy funds were recorded, including acceptance of a $24,925.65 subsidy awarded to the Youngstown City Health District by the Ohio Department of Health (ORD-25-319) and a related appropriation increase (ORD-25-320).

Council also approved smaller, community-focused expenditures: $30,000 for school-zone flasher units and signage under the police reserve project (ORD-25-322), $600 from First Ward discretionary funds to support HolaFest Youngstown (ORD-25-323), and $800 from Sixth Ward discretionary funds to support a veterans appreciation luncheon (ORD-25-324). The committee-signed parking enforcement ordinance (ORD-25-243) was read a second time and passed; it allows the Board of Control to advertise for proposals and enter agreements for downtown parking enforcement, with a total not to exceed $100,000.

Zoning items were also on the agenda. ORD-25-235, which changes multiple Pearce Ave./McFarland Ave. parcels to a Planned Development Overlay District, was read a second time and recorded as passed. On ORD-25-217, concerning a zoning change at 37 N. Schenley Ave., the minutes state the ordinance was “then placed before council and defeated,” but the same line in the minutes records the vote as “yeas, 6. nays, none.” That internal inconsistency is recorded in the meeting minutes and is noted here rather than reconciled; the minutes as released do not permit a definitive, unambiguous outcome for ORD-25-217.

The meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn by Councilwoman Anita Davis, seconded by Councilman Mike Ray. The minutes were certified by Clerk Valincia Marrow Thomas and the next approved meeting date is recorded as Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025.

Actions taken at the meeting are recorded in the official minutes and are summarized here for public transparency.