2nd case names trustees as defendants

CANFIELD -- Monday's court hearing could be the last one for the CWORD lawsuit against the township trustees. But it most likely won't be the last time the trustees appear in court as defendants.
The trustees also are the defendants in a lawsuit filed by CTW Development Corp. of Boardman and Train America Studios of Canfield. That suit alleges that trustees and a group called Canfield Township Residents Association tried to start a scandal by publishing a document called, "Vote No To Excessive Commercial Development in Canfield."
Attorneys for all the residents, trustees and companies are exchanging documents related to the lawsuit. No hearing date has been set.
The suit says the document was part of a campaign against a zoning change CTW had requested last year. The change would have allowed CTW to build a $7.5 million shopping center near Summit Road.
It was defeated by township residents in a referendum in November.
Trustees and the residents' group engaged in defamation of character and made libelous and misleading statements when campaigning against the zoning change, the suit adds.