Panel will meet to pick last member

The district is on hold pending a decision in a lawsuit.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- Members of the Quaker Community Fire District board will meet Saturday to discuss picking its last member.
The meeting will be at 9 a.m. in city council chambers.
Salem council and the Perry Township trustees have each named two members.
The most recent is James Newman who was tapped by the trustees as their community representative. He is a salesman, serves on the township's board of zoning appeals, and formerly served on the Salem Board of Education.
He joins Councilman A. Frederick Vogel and Carl A. Ryser, who represent the city, and Trustee Larry Parker.
Formation of the district is on hold because of a lawsuit filed by city firefighters, who have a contract with the city. The city and township want to eliminate their fire departments and form the district to save money.
"It's an idea that has merit," Vogel said.
Preliminary work
A judge has allowed the board to engage in preliminary planning. But the board has no money, so township Clerk Susan Johnston has agreed to initially keep records.
Vogel said he wants to make sure the meetings are held according to state law and records are properly kept.
The Quaker district would be similar to the fire services in Canfield and Poland. But Vogel and Perry Township Trustee Jerry Wolford don't expect controversy over the board to end.
The four members are all Republicans, but Vogel said that's happenstance. The members stepped up because they want to do a good job, he said.
The fifth member could give the city or township a majority on the new board.
Wolford said the majority might be rotated from term to term. But Vogel pointed out all city residents get to vote for township officials.
He said people should start looking at the fire district from a community perspective.
wilkinson@vindy.com