YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) - At Youngstown's SOBE plant Tuesday afternoon, a crew was placing a pipe onto the boiler, part of the process of piping steam to heat and provide hot water to 27 buildings downtown.

"So far, we see progress, and that's what we like to see," said Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown. Brown may be pleased with the short-term progress, but as far as a long-term plan for heating and cooling downtown, he's deferring to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and the owner of SOBE Energy Solutions. He does not support the city taking over the plant.

"These industries that you see now are kind of antiquated. We're not in the business of public utilities. We do water and wastewater. That's what we do," Brown said.

As far as transitioning all of downtown to natural gas -- and get

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