Q&A with Youngstown mayoral candidate Ryan Kelly
Ryan Kelly
Office sought: Mayor of Youngstown
Candidate's party affiliation: Democrat
Candidate's biography: Ryan Kelly was born and raised in Youngstown, graduated from Ursuline High School and YSU and spent the last 15 years developing and operating businesses in and around this area, including Kelly's Pub on Mahoning Avenue (now Hackett's Pub) and the Belleria restaurant chain. He and his wife, Elizabeth, a special needs teacher, reside on the city's West Side. He currently serves on the boards of the Youngstown City Health Department and Potential Development and previously served on the board of Red Cross of the Mahoning Valley.
What qualities do you possess that qualify you to be mayor of Youngstown?
When you are a CEO of a company, you need to be a strong leader and a strong manager. If you want to be effective you can't be weak in either area. You need to have a clear plan, purpose and vision that [resonates] with your entire organization. That's department heads down to part-time summer help. Your passion, your vision and your purpose need to be contagious. You need to inspire your staff to want to change, because they believe in where you want to take them. You need to be able to hold yourself to a higher standard than anyone in an organization/city. If you can't set clear, defined expectations and admit when you make a mistake, how can you expect any of your employees to do the same? You need to stay true to long-term plans and never settle for a quick victory, if it means deviating from your vision. Never lose sight of the bigger picture. Obstacles and mistakes happen. Learn from them and stay the course.
If you are elected, is there anything in particular that you hope to accomplish? And briefly, what is it and why is it important?
We need to see a major reduction in crime and focus heavily on the causes of crime. Known areas of high criminal activity will not be tolerated in my administration. This will be achieved by attacking neutral crime activities like traffic violations. When taking that approach, only two colors matter: red and green. We will also work to address the socioeconomic factors that lead to future criminal activity. We will not allow the future generation to become part of the problem, because we will focus on them being the solution. We will partner with Youngstown City Schools as well as other government agencies to make sure we are building the soft skills necessary to gain employment. We will create year-round liveable wage job opportunities for high school students that will focus on preparing them for long-term careers as well as create programs and pathways to financial literacy/fitness with all paths leading toward Youngstown people owning Youngstown homes.
What do you feel will be the top issue facing this office over the next term? How would you focus your efforts to tackle it?
The need for a change in culture as well as the operating system in the city of Youngstown is way past due. Who you know can no longer outweigh how hard you work. Our city's leaders need to focus on results not reelection. We cannot grow through division. We need to foster and promote a culture of innovation and inclusion. Reward new ideas and remove the phrase: "This is how we've always done it.'' We need 21st century technology in place at City Hall as well as in all city departments. We need a true assessment of each department to find where we can become more efficient. Whether it be infrastructure, morale or our budget, we are a city covered in Band-Aids. Hoping, patching and blaming will never be the answer to our problems.
What are your plans to ensure that all of your constituents would have access to the same resources and opportunities, regardless of race or socioeconomic status? In your view, where does the system fall short?
We have a major digital divide in the city of Youngstown. When only 70 percent of the city has access to the Internet, that's a major problem. The barriers to participation and lack of access to city government is age, race and gender-neutral in the city of Youngstown. Digging the conduit, running the fiber and increasing connectivity through broadband is a major step in becoming a smart city. This is the first step toward identifying and addressing specific needs in each neighborhood. Youngstown is not just downtown; Youngstown is in the neighborhoods. We need to create specific programs with measurable standards to address underserved populations and underserved areas. If you want to ensure any of this happens, it will not be through plans; it will be through action. I don't believe we can adequately serve the people and areas that have the greatest need, because we do not have the proper systems in place to measure and identify those areas.
What are you doing to disrupt the status quo of politics? If you had the power, what one change would you make right now?
I personally will be releasing a 100-day to three-year plan prior to the election. That is the means through which I want to be held accountable. If the goals and areas I focus on along with those specific plans are not being addressed or they are not improving, running for a second term will not be an option. We cannot continue to allow this to be the standard. If we are still the poorest city in America, I will not run for reelection. If we still have a crime index of eight — which means we are only safer than 8 percent of the cities in the United States — I will not run for reelection. If our firefighters and our police officers are still forced to hold families hands and pray that an ambulance will make it in time, I won't run for reelection. If someone hears me blame the previous administration, blame council or make an excuse, I may resign on the spot; it won't come to reelection. If a mistake is made I will own it, learn from it and try again.
Are you satisfied with Ohio's response to the COVID-19 pandemic? If yes, why? If not, what do you think should be done instead? Can more be done at the local level? The federal level?
I don't think anybody should be satisfied unless every person in the city, state or country has equal access to the highest quality and most effective vaccines or PPE. Being a member of the Youngstown Board of Health during the pandemic, I was able to witness firsthand real life heroes in action. Whether it be the compassion, resilience and countless acts of selflessness shown by the brave members of our Youngstown City Health District or watching Dr. Davis not only deliver a powerful call to action and testimony but also physically leading through action when he sought out and educated elderly members of the minority community who were wary from decades of dishonesty on the potential life saving benefits the vaccines had to offer, we need to continue to provide the Health District every resource available. We need to ensure education, support and transportation continues regardless of campaigns or politics.
The city is receiving $88.6 million in federal stimulus funds. How should the city set budget priorities? What are your top three uses for the funds? How do you plan to make sure that the funds are spent properly?
The city should reach out to the heads of each department to seek a needs assessment. Speak with management within each department to better understand the daily operations and interview and observe the employees within each department to understand every perspective in an effort to reach peak efficiency within every city department.
1. The city needs to purchase four ambulances and fund the initial implementation/integration of a City EMS.
2. The city needs to eliminate the digital divide in our city by purchasing, digging/installing and running all conduit and fiber needed for optimal broadband connectivity. This will create jobs and a long-term revenue source and will help provide the data that is necessary to best serve the public in the future.
3. Address infrastructure needs, specifically the needs serviced through the enterprise fund that for years council as well as current/previous administrations have used for every reason but its purpose, which is the infrastructure that provides safe high-quality drinking water.
I would make sure all these funds are spent properly because I will recruit, hire and empower high-quality decision-makers to serve in my cabinet. I would also consider the formation of an (unpaid) advisory board comprised of representatives from the neighborhood groups, business owners and private professionals [who] have experience with funding of this magnitude [and] will be able [to give] off their unbiased professional opinions. This is important to ensure decisions are not solely driven by emotion.
What do you think is the most pressing matter that pertains to the next generation of Youngstown residents who may be voting for the first time?
They want a reason to stay. They want to be able to buy a home in Youngstown and raise their family here. They had a reason to buy in, and now they want a reason to stay. They want the essential services: leisure, safety and quality drinking water, and they want to know the people they are voting for care about the same things.
Are you frustrated by the political sniping, exaggeration and even lies associated with politics that has diminished respect and reasoned compromise? If so, what will you personally do to make the situation better?
Absolutely. We are past taking sides in the city. We need one Youngstown. We need a united Youngstown to give us the opportunity build a foundation generations before us fought and dreamed we could/would one day have.
Who is your hero, and why?
My younger brother. He's taught me more life lessons than he/most realize.
He made a selfless commitment to his country by serving in the United States Military. Upon being honorably discharged, he immediately continued his commitment to service by becoming a police officer. I was and still am inspired by his commitment to service. It's not just his commitment to service that inspires me; it's his commitment to serve at home. He has received multiple accommodations over the last few years, and I know he will receive many more in the future. His call to service, passion to serve and his dedication to doing it at home truly makes him my hero.
This story was originally published April 20, 2021 at 3:52 AM with the headline "Q&A with Youngstown mayoral candidate Ryan Kelly."