LORAIN — Lorain Council’s Finance Committee meeting Monday night became a shouting match between the mayor and a councilman with the committee’s chairman futilely trying to regain control before finally forcing a recess.

Discussion about cash advances from the Utilities Department to cover General Fund expenses through the end of 2009 and for 2010 prompted the heated exchange.

“The advances that the city’s been doing since 2002 have always been a point of contention,” Mayor Tony Krasienko said after a few council members and residents complained about advancing money from utilities instead of figuring out a way to increase revenue.

“I find it interesting and odd that we’re discussing advancing money … and not talking about a revenue plan and how to advance that,” said Councilman Greg Holcomb, D-6th Ward. “We need to fix the situation itself.”

“Everybody wants to say ‘where’s the plan,’ ” Krasienko said. “Council didn’t have the balls, and the administration didn’t have the balls” in years past to institute revenue suggestions in studies done in 2004 and again in 2008 which included, for example, a license plate tax, he added.

Krasienko was clearly frustrated as he mentioned the cuts made in 2009 — and cuts that may need to be made in 2010 because an estimated $2 million less in revenue is expected next year.

“I don’t want to hear that this Council doesn’t have the balls to make decisions,” Councilman Dan Given, D-at large, shot back when Krasienko. “Send it (a plan) down. You don’t want to send it down. I’ll be (expletive) if you’re going throw this council under the bus. We made tough decisions!”

At this point Krasienko and Given began yelling back and forth at each other and couldn’t be understood while Finance Committee Chairman Mitch Fallis, D-at large, tried in vain to restore order.

Fallis yelled at both men to “stop it right now” and called for them to “respect the chair” at which point Krasienko turned around and yelled “Oh shut up” at Fallis who then insisted on a 5-minute recess.

Before the yelling started, Council voted 7-2 to allow County Auditor Ron Mantini to advance $1 million from the Utilities Department to cover payroll through the end of 2009 and to cover the first payroll of 2010 which would need to be deposited at the end of the December. The money must be repaid by June 30, 2010.

With Council members Eddie Edwards, D-5th Ward and Mickey Silecky, D-7th Ward, both absent, Council didn’t have enough “yes” votes to give Mantini the funds immediately.

The legislation passed, but with a 30-day waiting period which puts the Dec. 18 payroll at risk of not being paid, Mantini said, also citing more than $800,000 in unpaid bills and threats from vendors to cut off services.

Mantini said he will probably bring legislation to the Dec. 7 meeting and ask Council to repeal Monday’s ordinance and replace it with a new one with the emergency clause attached.

Holcomb and Councilman Dennis Flores, D-2nd Ward, voted against the advance.

Krasienko brushed off the yelling match with Given after the meeting.

“We’re like brothers,” he said. “We play hard and we fight hard.”

Contact Alicia Castelli at 329-7144 or acastelli@chroniclet.com.

In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement and discussion guidelines.
You must be registered and logged in to post a comment. If you aren't already registered, click here.
If you are registered, click here to log in.
Need help? Email Us.