AUSTINTOWN Officials challenge petitions

A township man says he and his girlfriend found about 75 cars illegally parked in handicap spaces this month.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Do you think you unknowingly signed a petition to place this township's new strip club resolution on the ballot? Then township officials want to hear from you.
Those officials are hoping to use your comments to challenge the petitions to place the strip club resolution on the ballot.
Township Administrator Michael Dockry said he's working to determine what is needed to challenge the petitions. Dockry added that he's also sent blank affidavits to three township residents who said they were misled by those circulating the petitions.
Trustees said Monday that they want to hear from residents who didn't know they were helping to put the strip club resolution on the ballot when they signed the petitions. Dockry said comments from the residents might show a pattern of fraud.
The petitions, which contain 1,749 signatures, ask the Mahoning County Board of Elections to place the resolution on the November 2003 ballot. Youngstown Atty. Scott Cochran presented township clerk Michael Kurish with the petitions Oct. 22.
Cochran represents The Babylon, a strip club on Javit Court.
About the resolution
The resolution would require all strip club owners and employees to receive a license from the township zoning inspector before working in Austintown. In addition, the resolution would prohibit strippers from dancing totally nude and from touching customers.
Trustees said Monday that they've received calls from residents who were told by those circulating the petitions that their signatures would support trustees' efforts to regulate strip clubs. Some residents also were told that the petitions were to place home rule on the ballot, trustees said.
Home rule is a limited form of self-government that will appear on the ballot this November.
Cochran has said he stressed to those circulating the petitions that the petitions have nothing to do with home rule.
Dockry said trustees have until 60 days before the November 2003 election to challenge the petitions.
Illegal parking
On Monday, trustees also received a report from Joseph Poschner, a township resident who has been working to discourage motorists from illegally parking in handicap spaces. Poschner's report shows that he and his girlfriend, Shannon Raines, have found about 75 cars illegally parked in handicap spaces since Oct. 9.
After speaking with Poschner in recent weeks, Police Chief Gordon Ellis said he asked his officers to conduct a sweep for vehicles illegally parked in handicap parking spaces. The officers checked about 196 parking spaces between Oct. 22 and Saturday and found three violations, Ellis said.
Trustees said they hope to meet with Poschner soon to discuss handicap parking in the township.
At Monday's meeting, trustees also gave first reading of a resolution to create a township property maintenance code. Two readings are needed before the resolution can be approved. The second reading of the resolution is slated for Nov. 11.
Under the property maintenance code, township residents would be fined if their home or land does not meet several standards. Those standards state that property must be kept clean and safe, weeds must be less than 10 inches tall, house numbers must be at least 3 inches high and readable from the street and yards must be kept clean of garbage and debris.
hill@vindy.com