Youngstown City Council to apply for a DORA and raise sewer rates

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Raising sewer rates and applying for a DORA were among some of the things approved at Wednesday’s Youngstown City Council meeting.

By a six-to-one vote — with Councilwoman Amber White voting no — Youngstown City Council passed an ordinance increasing sewer rates.

“Listen, I don’t want to have to do this because I have to talk to my family and my mother about another rate increase,” said Mayor Tito Brown.

The rate increase will be 5 percent a year for the next five years. At the end of the five years, homeowners will have seen an increase of $8 to $16 a month. The money is needed to pay for sewer upgrades mandated by the EPA.

“But it is a fault of the leadership over all of these years. We’ve not prioritized long-term solutions,” said Councilwoman Samantha Turner

“This does not fall on the council or this administration. This has been happening for years. This can has been kicked all the way to us,” Councilman Julius Oliver said.

The Council also passed a resolution allowing for an application to be submitted to allow for a DORA — where people could carry cups of alcoholic beverages throughout downtown.

It would be allowed Thursday and Friday from 4 to 11 p.m. — Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. — and for all special events.

Turner was concerned that a DORA would require more police.

“How do I talk to my business owners and people in the community about that when we need a heavy police presence on certain sides of town, during certain times of the day?” Turner asked.

Oliver said representatives of Youngstown’s Economic Action Group will be ambassadors downtown.

“Those ambassadors will be on-site, in place, making sure people are where they need to be. If they see somebody getting unruly, or going out of the zone, they’ll be able to have direct contact with the police officers. So if it’s needed, they will come to that site,” Oliver said.

The vote only allowed for the application to be submitted. If approved — a second vote will be needed for the DORA to become law.

City Council also approved $500,000 of American Rescue Plan money to upgrade Borts Field, $400,000 for pedestrian safety on Mahoning Avenue, $50,000 for renovations of the South High Auditorium, and $50,000 for Bess Purpose — which helps women, families and veterans

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