Ab-so-Ludt-ly Not!

Agree with everything accept for Sciortino, just for personal reasons. The auditors office is filled with excess. McNally is a stand up guy.

Ludt and Traficanti stood up to the crooked Cafaro family. At least one is headed to jail. These 2 stood up for the employees and got them out of the dump they were in. People were getting sick there you can check the workers comp claims. Now the Cafaro's are out for revenge....they put $100,000 into the worthless chump against Gains to punish him. Now it's Ludts turn .

Rggetti-Spagetti HAS done NOTHING in the city that has it's own share of financial misery. Now they are causing the county problems by not paying for their prisoners.

I'm sick of Youngstown dumping all its bills on the suburbs.

Check the campaign finance reports Carol has been in the Cafro pockets for years!!

Oh here we go again. Let's paint the Cafaro's as a bunch of thugs that have done nothing good for the Mahoning Valley.

FACT: Cafaro is one of the largest employers in Mahoning County.

FACT: Cafaro's Eastwood Mall employs thousands of people in the Mahoning Valley.

FACT: We have Minor League Baseball in the Mahoning Valley due to the Cafaro's.

Listen, I do not know the Cafaro's and I really could care less about the conspiracies you guys post on here or on Vindy.com. Ludt has done nothing since becoming Commissioner and since Traficanti won, Ludt has done WHATEVER Traficanti has done.

For that reason alone, I am voting Carol.

I'LL PAY ANYTHING FOR THAT PICTURE OF JJ IN HIS ORANGE PRISON JUMP SUIT HANDCUFFED!!!

Cafaro's are a huge supporter of the Regional Chamber and spend a lot of time recruiting businesses for the area. They could easily have relocated out of the area if they wanted to.

McNally is a stand up guy. No matter what certain politician do, it will never be enough for some people. AHHH CONSPIRACY!!!

McNALLY will be sitting in jail next to his fat buddy JJ and I hope BLACK BUBBA STICKS IT TO BOTH OF THEM..

They will never leave, they have the best government here money can buy. They use the Chamber and all it's government tax money to their BENEFIT.

Just watch his deposition and you can tell what a liar he is.
I can't wait to see the Ursuline reunion in jail..

Typical Youngstown attitude.

Also, the Chamber does not receive government money! The Chamber is run by fees it collects from its member, local donations from people and businesses, and grants from area non-profit groups. The Chamber is also non-partisan because of its non-profit status. For every Democrat event the Chamber hosts, they host a Republican event.

I will give you that. The Chamber is truly non-partisan. However this MVOC can claim all they want they are non-partisan, but how many Republicans/Conservatives have they hosted since they came into existance? Few, if any!

The Chamber and MVOC both feed off TAX money.

Yeah not true.

Here is a copy of of the Chamber's most recent tax form 990 from 2008.

http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2008/341/731/2008-341731411-056e 46aa-9O.pdf

Line 8 on page 1 "Contributions and Grants" is 0, and to verify check out page 9.

I know they didn't get anything in 2009.

Mitchel, I think the loony bin crashed your site.

Oh geez, now the Chamber is a conspiracy. The Chamber is run by people who actually care about this area and want the Valley to succeed. It is sad how our society finds any fault possible with people who succeed in life.

Isn't great when both your enemies are fighting. STAND BACK AND THROW THE GASOLINE!!

The real fight is over who gets the Cafaro money. They are both puppets of the Cafaro family. Mark Hanni has returned from Belmont Ave. with a fat envelope more than once.

Now I see the Cafaro family is out to punish Ludt by funding a know nothing done nothing city council failure.

AS FOR THE CHAMBER
They will never leave, they have the best government here money can buy. They use the Chamber and all it's government tax money to their BENEFIT.

The Chamber for your info(you don't know the facts) the membership dues account for 15% of their revenue!!! They operate on grants that their lackey Timmy boy gets them. The Chamber has 15 employees earning over $50,000 a year and Humpty Dumpy gets over $120,000 if you count benefits..l

The Chamber got no grants from Tim Ryan in 2009. I was there to witness the bad news. The Chamber is lowest funded Chamber of Commerce in the local region.

Seriously, Tom Humphrey has done more for this area in a day, than you will do for your life. Tom Humphrey is a nice guy and is banking his reputation on the success of this area. He ran two companies before he took the job at the Chamber and is starting another company now.

While you sit behind your computer and bitch about this area, there are people at work who want to do something about it. I have had the opportunity to work at the Chamber and YBI and it is refreshing to work with people who are positive about this area and want this area to succeed.

"Lackey Timmy" that's cute.

Lets hear your grand ideas on how to restore this area to a bit of prominence?

Michael, If you are as conservative as you say you are why have you not ansered my question.
What has carol RR done for the City of Youngstown that is so great that we need to vote her to a county seat????????
As I have told you before your idea of the Oakhill purchase is incorrect. Money was being drained out of the county funds to fix a cafaro owned building even though it was a rental. two commissioners simply decided to put that money into a county owned building instead. This was a smart move for many reasons. First, as we all know buying is more of an investment than renting. Secondly, we might as well fix up a county owned building with county funds than a Cafaro owned building with county funds. Thirdly, if you did your research before writing your opinion based on incorrect facts you would have found out that most of the renovations of the Oakhill building are paid for by grants. Grants are money that we don't have to pay back and it's free. How is this bankruptic our county. Sounds like a pretty good move to me.

Jennifer. The mayor has more control over the budget then does Carol. Ludt has enormous control over the county budget. The fact is they are spending too much and now we are broke yet again. Big spending get's you nowhere.

Time to vote out Ludt. I am expecting a big win by Carol next month.

Young Man, You really need to start looking into facts if you want to get into journalism. Ludt is one vote in the county seat. And the spending is coming from the other county entities. For example, the Sheriff dept gets a certain amount of money for their budget. Do you know why they are threatening to lay off deputies. I'm sure you don't because investigative journalism isn't your thing. The threat of laying off deputies is because the Sheriff chose to give his budget money towards large pay increases to his buddies in administrative positions. these buddies you probably won't ever see at the jail but draw a check from the county and will get a nice retirement from our county tax dollars. How is this the commissioners fault? They can only control how much monsey goes to the department not what is done with the money. How will Carol RR be able to change this? Again I ask you what she has done for Youngsown that is so impressive that we should vote her for a county position?

Keeping our hard working county employees in a mold infested building that increased workers comp for the county and took county funds to fix a cafaro owned building and dumping money into a Cafaro owned building. And may I also add the building was in a very bad location were our employees cars were parked and women and small children had to go for assistance. How can you say that Carol RR keeping our money into a Cafaro owned building would have saved our budget? Have you ever taken economics? Money that would have kept coming out of our county budget to fix a building we don't own. yet now we are getting grants to fix up a building we own. Do you understand what grants are Michael. I am getting the feeling that you just are not grasping the political system here. Please don't voice your opinion without proper validation. It makes for very bad journalism. Nobody likes Red Herrings my friend.

With all due respect, I am not an aspiring journalist, I am studying to become an accountant/financial analyst. This website is just my vehicle to post my opinion on current events here in the Mahoning Valley.

Sure Ludt has 33.3% of the Commissioner vote, but you need to understand this: Ludt ALWAYS votes with Traficanti, while McNally does not. Therefore when Ludt whatever Ludt votes for, chances are Traficanti is going to vote for it as well and it will pass.

Jennifer, I see a ton of Carol signs up around the county. I think Carol is going to win by double-digits next month. To be quite honest with you, I am probably going to vote in the Republican primary this year so you need not worry about my vote.

Signs don't win an election. Been in politics too many years to know that. It's like saying that Ludt will win because he has more facebook fans. the signs don't go vote. So you are basically saying that you don't care about our county you just want a commissioner to be buddies with Mcnally?

Jennifer,

Sure signs or Facebook pages may not win Elections, but that doesn't mean Carol can't win. She is receiving a lot of support from a lot of different people and is poised to unseat Ludt.

I obviously do care about our county considering I want Ludt out for supporting the purchase of Oakhill Renaissance Place; which is one of the major reasons this county is BROKE!

Please explain to me why oakhill was a bad purchase. there is nothing about it that was bad except for the fact that the people who tried to keep the purchase from happening are afraid of insictments. I have given you several reasons why it is saving the county money. Have you read any of the reasons? Look it up. It is all public reacord. Don't believe anything you are told in this county. Find out the truth for yourself!! Otherwise you will be left looking like a fool!!

You said it best Jennifer, "Don't believe anything you are told in this county. Find out the truth for yourself!! Otherwise you will be left looking like a fool!!"

I have found the truth myself Jennifer, hence the reason I am supporting Carol.

Michael, I suggest you go into another field of study other than economics. We will not prosper in this line of work. I don't think Political science would be a good choice either. Did You read the Vindicator, Abviously the finally figured out investigative journalism is the way to go!

I think I am doing just fine studying business, so no need to attempt to degrade my studies Jennifer. Not quite sure what your last sentence was trying to imply either as it was poorly written.

My guess is Carol by 10%. 55-45%

Few typos there. Sorry I'm a nurse not an English professional. I'm not degrading you I was just suggesting that economics is probably not a good path if you believe renting is better than buying. Especially with governmet, when a government entity owns they become eligible for grants to repair and upgrade their property. To me this is a better investment than paying to upgrade someone else's building. To top it off in the end all County offices will be held in this building and decreasing costs of utility payments and upgrades to all other buildings that we are currently paying. Sounds good to me. I'm still not getting how you see that Oakhil has bankrupted the county? I'm not getting it. You have done nothing to sell me on your theory or your canidate.

Had the county stayed on Garland avenue there would have been a minimum of 100 workers' comp claims because of mold, etc ! Ask ANY employee who worked there ! This is never mentioned during the debates of the Oakhill purchase! Talk about the county losing money????? Semper Fi ! " VOTE AMERICA.....VOTE TRAFICANT !"

Mike! Prepare for an enormous disappointment regarding your expetations coming to fruition for a big win for Carol RR! She is going to get crushed! The citizens of Mahoning County are cognizant that Carol RR is a cafaro puppet! The people do not want the cafaros OWNING Mahoning County AGAIN! Remember the sweetheart deals for the Annex and Garland avenue? Lisa A. orchestrated the endorsement of Carol RR over DAVE LUDT by the MCDP at the behest of the cafaros and as daveee BEVIS beetras stood and watched! Great leadership by the "chair.!" Semper Fi ! " VOTE AMERICA.....VOTE TRAFICANT !"

Ahhh Conspiracy! I don't think anymore than 3% of the population gives two craps about the commissioners race. Not tying to be a pessimist Mitch, just a realist. I do agree that Ludt and Traficanti have had their chance and its time for new people and a new direction.

Also, jim Traficant was bringing the scrappers to Youngstown to help the city. Cafaro's politicians at the time said it was a bad idea and it would not bring money into the city. Well we all know who is getting the money from that conspiracy.

The only thing you got against Carol is that you claim she is tied with the Cafaro's. In my eyes, that is a non-issue. You guys really need to come up with some new material if that is all you got against her.

What has LUDT done since he has become Commissioner?!?!?! This County is a mess under his time in office folks!

Michael,

My problem with Carol is that she is not NEW blood. She has done nothing to improve the city of Youngstown. Ludt has done many things to move the County forward. One of them being a purchase of a building instead of renting. He is one of three that started moving all the county sectors into one building (the Oakhill Building) soon all offices will be held in this facility. Hence, saving the county tons of money in the future. Not to mention he has never asked for a refund for any travel expenses nor has he ever had a county cell phone or car. He is out campaigning for our sales tax to pass and taking time from his own campaigning to make sure it passes because he cares about the county workers before himself. Have you ever met Mr. Ludt? If you were stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire he would stop and help you and never take a dime. This man has helped many of mahoning county citizens over more years than you have been alive. Ask around. I am sure you will find many who have received a free tow from him in the past. Kind of hard to vote against a man that has rescued you when you were stranded!! That is what he is doing with the county. He is putting us in a better position. It may take years but it will happen.

Again, I am going to ask you the same question that I keep asking and never receive an answer. What has Carol RR done for the city of Youngstown that is so great that we should give her a county seat. Everyone stays away from answering this question. Why? Rhetoric with no substance, That is all she is. She is in for it to increase her pension, all on tax payers expense. She has no plan. NONE WHAT SO EVER!!!

You want to talk about new blood... Please explain to me how Mr. Ludt, who can be considered a career politician here in Youngstown, is new blood?

Please explain to me how this County is in better shape under his leadership, considering unemployment soared to 14.5% in March?

Sorry Jennifer, Ludt has done nothing to earn my vote. I don't care if he is good friends with Traficant or not, I vote on whether or not the candidate has delivered for the voters. Ludt has not. Our county is a mess. Our economy is a mess. He has done nothing to stop it.

Carol may not be someone new, but I'd be willing to give her a shot over Ludt any day!

I did not say Ludt was new blood but he has done alot for this county. I have repeatedly listed many reasons why he has Mahoning county headed in the right direction. There is nothing Carol has done for the City of Youngstown to make her get a county seat. Her slogan is "change" but yet she is not a "change" because she already holds public office and has not impressed us with her record in that seat.

As for the unemployment rate mahoning County is way better off then other counties in the US. It is called a recession not a county mess up.

I agree our county has some problems but you need to look at the bigger picture. Due to the last years economic decline Mahoning County has stood its ground. Therefore, making it a great place for new businesses to come.

We have actually been in a recession here for many years, way before ludt became commissioner. Because of this our valley was not hit as hard by the national recession as other areas. The current commissioners all have done a great job at moving the county forward instead of backward. Yes, this is going to take some money at first but in the long run it will save the County tons of money and we can start rebuilding this area and make it the place it should have always been.

The reason people keep bringing up that she is backed by Cafaro is more important than you think. Unfortunately Cafaro's people have not made the best choices for our valley. We are moving away from this and want to keep moving on upward not back down.

People keep bringing up the oakhill purchase and Ludt has ran for office already after that purchase. And what is CArol going to do. Move the employees back? This purchase is the only "negative" thing that they have on David Ludt. And to the majority of people it was a great move. If this is all they have on Dave Ludt How can you say he is not doing a great job? You can't even say he is a career politician. The man has been a successful business owner his whole life and has not lived solely on public office income. So how can you say he is a career politician?

s

p.s. I'm not pointing at you Zan. xD I *might* make one for the Spear's sake. wow power leveling The axes are just a big turn off for me. The videos didn't help because their attacks lacked... style. wow power leveling O_O I guess when you're a thief, it's all about stealing. xD or the npcs i was thinking about the fat guy with the buckets of wow gold water and the stupid drunk guy on his bed all the time lolwell if you want me to make a guide for a clan, aion power leveling provide me with the following-2 characters of the same clan who are AT LEAST opening chi 1 but below raising light 2 aion gold (opening chi 1 .>

LUDT ALL THE WAY Ab-so-LUDT-ly. He has been in office many years and has done a great job. The move to the Oak Hill office was the best for this county and many residents are very grateful for that. We will just have to wait and see what the residents decide at the polls-really pointless to keep going back at eachother!

I agree Kim, I was challenging Michael to give us some facts to support his article. An arguement has more substance when it is backed up by facts. But I guess there are no facts he can present us. GO DAVID LUDT!!!! Ab-so-LUDT-ly!!!

Jennifer:

FACT: Mahoning County's Unemployment Rate is 14.5%

FACT: David Ludt is currently a Commissioner

FACT: The County is BROKE

Those are just three reasons why I am urging my readers to NOT support Ludt this May.

This shows the current
position this county is in. I applaud Ludt for standing up to the SCUM that the Cafaro family is..


http://ytownfunnies.blogspot.com/2009/03/ursuline-irish-alumni-dancing -to-cafaro.html

That would almost be funny if you actually knew where those people went to high school.

John Reardon and Anthony Sciortino did not graduate from Ursuline buddy. Therefore your attempt at humor, a rather pathetic one, isn't even factual!

On second thought, it would never be funny because it is just plain stupid.

Also for your small brain the cartoon represents the CASFARO brothers...both of which may join the long list of Ursuline grads to server prison time...it's quite a list

AS FOR THE CHAMKBER...
But getting back to the Chamber of Thieves anytime someone from that organization opens their mouth you better grab your wallet cause it's gonna cost you tax money. Does anyone else remember their Steal to Scholars ripoff of almost $600,000 federal tax money. About $30,000 went to benefit the students the rest went into the pockets of Chamber cronies like Trabert at WYTV. As I recall Humphries himself was to line his own pockets to the tune of close to $80,000 in additional salaries and benefits.


Don't look for anything this group does to benefit anyone but themselves

Yeah your full of shit. You have nothing to back any of your data. You can go look up their financial records at guidestar.com. I hope you realize the steel to scholars campaign wasn't designed to dump money into the schools. The campaign was a public relations campaign to let people know how well or how bad your school is performing. The goal was to put pressure on parents, teachers, and superintendents to push students to achieve more.

TV27 news at 60 the TOP STORY was about the Youngstown
Warren Regional Chamber that received a $585,280 grant to conduct the
Mahoning Valley Educational Initiative otherwise known as Steel to
Scholars. Joe Bell (before he became a CAFARO FLUNKY) showed that the only benefit to students was 30-39
thousand with the rest going up in smoke. The 110 news cut it
dramatically. In any case I'm including the text version of the
budget here and an Adobe scan of it. I hope
that talk radio picks up on the story as they do on most TV27
news stories.

It's hard to believe how little of the money went to direct student
benefits about 30 to 39 thousand of a 585 thousand dollar grant. Over
$350,000 went for public relations, ADVERTISING. Over $100,000 went
for Salaries and FRINGE BENEFITS.

I spent almost 4 months getting this document from the Federal
Department of Education and would have never gotten it without Tom
Zamary's help.

Remember these are your federal tax dollars and all they did was WASTE
this opportunity rather than help students.

Budget Justification


PERSONNEL
Year 1
> Thomas M. Humphries 8 hours/week @ $59.02 salary/per hour. Total $22,664/year.
> Harry B. Christman — 22 hours/week @ $20.40 salary/per hour. Total
$21,542year.
> Michelle Phillips — 7.5 hours/week @ $13.19 salary/per hour. Total
$4,748/year.
Year 2
> STEMM Careers Academy Program Coordinator -- $35,000.
> STEMM Careers Academy student assistants — 5 students @ $100/day for
10 days = $5,000

FRINGE BENEFITS
Year 1
> Thomas M. Humphries — 8 hours/week @ $11.93 fringes/per hour. Total
$4,581/year.
> Harry B. Christman — 22 hours/week @ $5.42 fringes/per hour. Total $5,724year.
> Michelle Phillips — 7.5 hours/week @ $6.77 fringes/per hour. Total
$2,437/year.
Year 2
> STEMIM Careers Academy Program Coordinator @ 14.3%

TRAVEL
Year 1
> $750 for miscellaneous travel associated with the MVEI Clearinghouse Center.
Year 2
> $5,000 to transport STEMM Careers Academy students

EQUIPMENT
Year 2
> $9,000 — computer/printer/software for STEMM Careers Academy Project
Coordinator at both YSU and NEOUCOM ($1,500 each), plus
computers/printers/software for students ($6,000)

SUPPLIES
Year 1
> $1,000 misc. office supplies for the MVEI Clearinghouse
> $210 for use in Department of Education grant administration.
Year 2
~ $8,200 for student textbooks, workshops, t-shirts, etc.
> $3,600 misc. office supplies

CONTRACTUAL
Year I
> $351,168 for contracts with local public relations firm to develop
marketing campaign, including TV, newspaper, billboard placements, and
community events.
Year 2
> $6,000 for STEMM speakers
> $5,456 for student tutors
30



CONSTRUCTION
none

OTHER
Year 1
> $30,000 to purchase data analysis and conduct research on
educational attainment, best practices and related issues.
~ $15,000 for conferences, meetings, etc. to promote MVEI findings and
encourage broad- based participation
> $8,400 for printing and publications
Year 2
> $5,000 formeals
> $8,000 for lodging
> $6,000 quarterly activities

TRAINING STIPENDS
Year 2
> $13,000 for 20-25 students @ $500 each




P

Data Voice System Review, Inc. registered at the home address of Tom Humphries, 87 Navajo Trail, Girard, Ohio 44420 – statutory agent John Pogue, then changed to Bruce Luntz, who is the statutory agent for most Chamber nonprofit affiliates at 972 Youngstown Kingsville Road, Suite C, Vienna, Ohio 44473. This corporation landed a contract with the Youngstown CIC for communications in the Voinovich Building. I have copied an article on this issue from the Business Journal at the end of this e-mail.

Bruce Luntz, is the statutory agent for Chamber affiliates, and is also the finance officer for the Youngstown CIC, at least until recently.

A building at 197 W. Market Street in Warren is listed on the Trumbull County auditor's website as owned by North Coast Holdings, Inc. I had thought it was owned by the chamber, and I think it is, but if so, it is through a complicated legal maneuver. The address given for the owner on that website is Lake to River Holding, Suite 1600, 11 Federal Plaza Central, Youngstown, Ohio 44503. Since there are two Lake to River Holding entities, one a nonprofit, the other a LLC, both with affiliation with the Chamber, I do not know which this one is which is the address for this building. North Coast Holdings is the former Warren Tool Holding Company.

Among the tenants at the 197 W. Market Street building valued at $148,700 are the district office of Congressman Tim Ryan, a naval recruiting office, and the Community Improvement Corporation of Warren & Trumbull County. The chamber to my knowledge, has a contract with the last under which it manages the Warren Trumbull CIC.

According to the Ohio Secretary of State website for corporations, besides Data Voice System Review, Inc., Tom Humphries is associated as the statutory agent for two other corporations:

Highrise Communications Services Limited, Thomas Humphries statutory agent, 87 Navajo Trail, Girard, Ohio, and

Highrise Communications Services Inc. Thomas Humphries, statutory agent, 87 Navajo Trail, Girard, Ohio

Humphries was listed as an incorporator along with Richard Ouzounian on the original incorporation papers for the Western Reserve Film Commission, which received funds from the county, and later went belly up. They can no longer be found on the Secretary of State website.

Humphries also had an interest in Regional Business Services, 1200 Stambaugh Building, 26 Market Street, Youngstown, Ohio , a corporation whose registration has been cancelled by Secretary of State.

According to the Chamber's website, these are its affiliates:

AFFILIATE ORGANIZATIONS – Source – Chamber website


Lake To River Development, LLC
Lake to River Development, LLC is a for-profit development entity. For more information, please contact Walt Good at (330) 392-6140, ext. 22.

Lake To River Holding Company
Lake To River Holding Company is a real estate development affiliate of the Regional Chamber, promoting community development throughout the region. For more information, please contact Dave Kosec. [Son-in-law of Edward Flask, former director of Mahoning Valley Sanitary District whose father was Mayor of Youngstown]

Leadership Mahoning Valley
The mission of Leadership Mahoning Valley (LMV) is to identify, educate and motivate community leaders to address the challenges facing the Mahoning Valley. The program also has a youth component with programs designed to develop the leadership skills of high school sophomores and juniors. For more information, contact Karen Stacey at (330) 744-2131, ext. 41.

Mahoning County Commissioners
The Regional Chamber has an agreement with the Mahoning County Commissioners to provide economic development services throughout the county. These services include assisting companies by providing site, demographic and community data; access to and understanding of all applicable local, state and federal assistance programs; and pre-project planning and coordination. The Chamber also serves as the County Enterprise Zone Manager, as well as the Housing Officer for the North Jackson Community Reinvestment Area. For more information, please contact Tom Presby at (330) 392-6140, extension 17.

Mahoning County Community Improvement Corporation (CIC)
The Mahoning County Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) was formed for the sole purpose of advancing, encouraging and promoting the industrial, economic, commercial and research development of the community or area. For more information, please contact Walt Good at (330) 392-6140, ext. 22.

Trumbull County Commissioners
The Regional Chamber has an agreement with the Trumbull County Commissioners to provide economic development services throughout the county. The services include 150 personal visits and follow-up assistance to Trumbull County firms, developing marketing materials that promote the area and creating an inventory of good, available Trumbull County sites and buildings. For more information, please contact Tom Presby at (330) 392-6140, extension 17.

Warren Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Foundation
The purpose of the foundation shall be to promote economic development in the Trumbull County, Ohio area in accordance with the purposes and powers set forth in the Articles of Incorporation of the Foundation.

Warren Area Chamber of Commerce Education, Cultural and Civic Foundation
The Foundation promotes education, civic and cultural growth in the Trumbull County, Ohio, area in accordance with the purposes and powers set forth in the Articles of Incorporation of the Foundation.

Warren GROWs, Inc.
Warren GROWs, Inc. is a volunteer-based organization focused on leading a comprehensive, sustainable, community-based program to restore viability to downtown Warren, Ohio, through the preservation of historic resources and education of our community volunteers in the Main Street methodology. Warren GROWs strives to follow the Main Street Four Point Approach through its Organization, Promotion, Design and Economic Restructuring committees.

Warren/Trumbull County Community Improvement Corporation (CIC)
The Warren/Trumbull County Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) was formed for the sole purpose of advancing, encouraging and promoting the industrial, economic, commercial and research development of the community or area. For more information, please contact Walt Good at (330) 392-6140, ext. 22.

Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corporation (YCACIC)
The mission of the Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corporation is to revitalize the Central Business District of Youngstown, Ohio, through the zealous pursuit and promotion of downtown development activities. Through its efforts, YCACIC promotes jobs and activity in Downtown Youngstown; encourages and supports commercial, retail and residential activities; supports and grows an Arts & Entertainment District; creates and promotes a safe and clean downtown environment; and develops relationships with the surrounding community.

Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation
The Foundation is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable purposes by making distributions and/or conducting charitable activities which exclusively benefit or carry out the charitable, educational and/or scientific purposes of the Youngstown Area Chamber of Commerce and its successor, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber (collectively the "Chamber", and which also carry out the purposes set forth in the Articles of Incorporation of the Foundation.

The Chamber gets earmarks on an annual basis from the federal government through Tim Ryan and now Charlie Wilson.

According to the Federal Election Commission website, these are the contributions by Tom Humphries to Tim Ryan for Ryan's entire career. [total $4,950]

9/8/7 - $1,000

3/24/6 - $200

3/31/5 - $1,000

3/1/4 - $1,000

10/21/4 - $500

11/1/2 - $250

2/21/2 - $1,000

Earmark this year - source Cleveland Plain Dealer

Amount: $295,000
Sponsoring member(s): Wilson, Charlie
Bill: Labor-HHS-Education
Section: Department of Education
Subsection: Elementary & Secondary Education (includes FIE)
Project description: Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber, Youngstown, OH for the From Steel to Scholars initiative

Tom

CIC Learns Late Chamber’s Humphries Owns Share of Data/Voice Systems

Wednesday, February 28 2007 @ 088 AM GMT+5
From the Business Journal

By Dennis LaRue
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The property committee of the Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corp. was ignorant of Thomas Humphries’ partial ownership of Data/Voice Systems Review Inc. last week when five of its members recommended the CIC board enter a contract with Data/Voice, officials said.

Humphries is president and chief executive officer of the Regional Chamber, which administers the CIC under contract, and sits on the CIC’s board of directors.

Upon learning of Humphries’ involvement with the company yesterday, just before their meeting, the CIC board still voted 6-0-2 to extend a contract with Data/Voice to perform work on its communications systems in three downtown buildings owned or administered by the CIC. The contract is projected to save the downtown redevelopment agency $3,538 a year in its telephone and related communications bills.

The buildings are the George V. Voinovich Government Center, where the CIC has its offices, the Mahoning County Children Services Board building and the Ohio 7th District Court of Appeals courthouse.

Humphries left the room as the rest of the board discussed whether to extend the contract and then abstained when the vote was taken. G. Richard Pavlock, a senior vice president with First Place Bank and chairman of the CIC board, also abstained, saying he did so because Humphries also serves as a director of First Place Financial Corp., Warren.

The president of the CIC, Jan Seidler, assumed blame for the property committee’s ignorance. After yesterday’s meeting, Seidler explained to The Business Journal that he thought the committee was aware of Humphries’ stake in Data/Voice when they recommended the contract. “My mistake was in not making them aware of it ahead of time,” he said. “I dropped the ball.”

Seidler’s assumption might be attributed to the address on Data/Voice’s Web site, which lists Humphries’ home address, 87 Navajo Trail, Girard, as its office. The company’s letterhead, on which its savings projections to the CIC were itemized, gave 972 Youngstown-Kingsville Road, Suite C, P.O. Box 705, Vienna, as its business address.

When Data/Voice was incorporated June 19, 1997, Humphries and attorney John L. Pogue, who filed the necessary documents with the Ohio Secretary of State, gave the chamber CEO’s residence as the company’s principal address.

The chairman of the property committee, Mark Brown, said during yesterday’s discussion that he had not been aware Humphries is a principal in Data/Voice.

“The committee should have been aware before the vote was taken,” said Brown, the general manager of The Vindicator. Regardless, the committee’s action “is not a binding vote,” he continued, as which point Humphries excused himself.

A Data/Voice sales representative, Al Leroy, approached the CIC about reviewing its phone systems for possible savings, Seidler explained after yesterday’s meeting, not Humphries, and the president of the chamber never involved himself in the matter.

Because Data/Voice wouldn’t be paid for any claimed savings until at least 90 days after the contract takes effect, the CIC board was inclined to grant it and noted the relatively small amount involved, a maximum payment of $1,770, half of the first year’s projected savings if realized.

At James Miller’s recommendation, the board also instructed Seidler to approach AT&T to learn if it wants to lower its rates rather than have the CIC switch to another carrier. Miller is president of Midwest Safety Systems Inc., Logan Way.

As Richard Schiraldi, CIC treasurer, noted, “If there are no savings, they [Data/Voice] don’t get paid.”

The CIC agreed to contract with Mahoning-Youngstown Community Action Partnership (Mycap), for $12,500 so that Herman L. Hill, its director of business development and compliance, can monitor the prevailing wage law as the Taft Technology Center is built. Hill will be paid $50 an hour and he projects 250 hours of work. He originally estimated 300 hours for $15,000, Seidler said.

Mycap is the successor to Youngstown Area Community Action Council and Richard Roller is its executive director. The CIC board was persuaded to use Mycap because the city of Youngstown uses the agency to monitor the prevailing wage law at its construction sites.

When members balked at the estimated 250 hours for a 30,000-square-foot building, noting that it was 300 hours for the 80,000-square-foot Children Services building, Seidler pointed out the size of the building has little bearing on monitoring records and holding the required random interviews.

The financial health of the CIC has done a 180-degree turnaround, Bruce Luntz, reported, going from a deficit of $17,350 a year ago to a surplus of nearly $31,000 today, “a swing of nearly $48,000.” Luntz, chief financial officer of the Regional Chamber, also reported an outside audit of the CIC will begin May 1.

Copyright 2007 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.

I already knew all of this and whats your point? I said in the last two years the chamber has been stiffed federal funding. Also who cares if they get grants, there putting it to good use.

Once again, the Chamber has brought more jobs and businesses to this area than you (internet flunkie) will ever do. The Chamber is now marketing this area to a global audience. The Chamber also provides lobbying services at a state and federal level to assist local businesses.

I really didn't get your point with those articles?

You realize that the Chamber's board of directors that is filled with 30 local business leaders? They can vote out Humphries when they see fit. Do you really think that all 30 of them are "Cafaro" flunkies? Your probably one of those people who think that Rockefellers and Rothchilds are controlling the world.

thought you said that the Chamber didn't get any tax dollars, and now you say that they do and that they put it to good use.

Tell me what good came of the $700,000 that the Chamber got from the Department of Education for the Steel to Scholars program. Did you ever see where that money went. The schools improved on their own, not because the Chamber had a space at the trough through earmarks.

And what good came of the money the Chamber got from the State of Ohio for the SOARS program? The air base was saved by Traficant, and it is still open not because of the Chamber but because of the wars in :Iraq and Afghanistan.

And you might ask the Chamber how much money they made on the land the Lake to River Holding Company sold next to the airport. I heard that they doubled their money. Not a bad deal if you have the connections.

Do you think that the Chamber should be making money from its events when the principal draw is a public official. How much people would go to a Chamber event if the speaker were Tom Humphries instead of Ted Strickland or Tim Ryan? How many people would show up if the speaker were Matt Blair of the MVSD fame, instead of Jennifer Brunner or Lee Fisher. Public officials should not allow their presence at an event to be the prime reason for a nonprofit group to make money, since we pay their salaries. And don't tell me that they don't make money from those events, since you already told me you read the IRS forms 990. Just look at any one of them in the last four years.

The chamber has brought business to this area, but they have been well compensated for that work. They need to give credit to those who are paying the bill for things such as the Steel to Scholars or the SOAR program, and the many other improvements that they Chamber takes credit for. The taxpayers are paying the bill and the Chamber works for them.

Интересно даже для бухгалтера ))))