CANFIELD TOWNSHIP Trustees will meet to think over plan

No new resolution for the paving project will be proposed today.
CANFIELD -- Township trustees, who voted for a controversial $400,000 road paving project, plan to reconsider that decision at a special meeting tonight. The move comes days after a judge in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court approved a request from a group of Gibson Road residents to suspend plans to pave the road.
Lawsuit filed
William Reese, trustee chairman, said he called tonight's meeting to consider rescinding a resolution that allows the paving project after residents filed a lawsuit Friday, alleging that the resolution was passed without unanimous approval or citizen petition, as required by state law.
In the suit, the resident group -- Citizens WORD (Citizens Wanting Only Responsible Development) -- argued that the resolution violates state law because road improvement projects using taxpayer money must have unanimous approval by the board unless there is a petition requesting the improvement signed by a majority of the residents living on the road.
The resolution to repave and widen the road to 20 feet passed 2-1 in an Aug. 12 vote, with Reese and Trustee Paul Moracco voting yes, and Trustee Judy Bayus voting no. The measure called for using $320,250 in township monies with a $204,750 state Local District Issue II grant to fund the project. No petition is mentioned in the resolution, the lawsuit says.
Restraining order
Judge R. Scott Krichbaum issued a 14-day temporary restraining order against the township until a hearing could be held.
Reese said no new resolution to pave the road will be offered at the meeting, but lawyers will work out legal issues.