Here's another example of the stupidity of my community and local politicians. A $1 billion worth of jobs on the line and two adjoining cities are getting into a pissing match on whether its constitutional/legal to annex some property. We have a 17% unemployment rate, a shining example of the rust belt. But, in other local news, one of these idiots cut the ribbon in a celebration of the opening of a new Walmart. Yeah!!!!!!!





http://www.wytv.com/content/news/local/story/V-M-Steel-Expansion-Latest/JGt1xiFaD0mWucFIX2AnjA.cspx



Leaders from both Girard and Youngstown met Wednesday morning to try and keep a proposed expansion of V & M Star Steel from going somewhere else. This is after a border dispute came up between the two cities last weekend.

The expansion of V & M Star Steel is such an important project to the Valley that city leaders from both Girard and Youngstown, along with V & M's President, sat down to hammer out an agreement. Congressman Tim Ryan was the moderator.



The issue is the annexation of 80 acres of land from Girard to Youngstown. Mayor Jay Williams says the company wants the land annexed before it proceeds with the project. The Mayor says it's crucial to keeping the company from setting up its expansion plans somewhere else.



Youngstown recently purchased the land for $5 million so it could be a part of the city, but Girard Mayor Jim Melfi says this is new information. "There is a deal here that is very important to both cities and the Valley. For that I am willing to listen, but of course your first instinct is not to move boundary lines," Melfi said.



Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams says reaching an agreement quickly is imperative. "A billion dollars may be on the line. That is the key to the process or none of us would be standing here today."

Even though a deal has not yet been agreed upon, both sides are going to continue to talk throughout the day.