Canfield’s plan to build town hall is questioned

Canfield’s plan to build town hall is questioned

EDITOR:

I went to the Canfield Township trustees meeting March 10 and got a civics lesson. According to the chairman, it is illegal for them to put the spending of over $1 million of our money by borrowing to a vote of the people. I thought that was the basis of our government and country “the voice of the people.” The spending of a few thousand dollars to put the issue on the ballot is “improper” but the spending of a million-plus without a vote is OK.

The trustees are bound and determined to build a town hall without public meetings and/or voter approval by calling it an administration building, thereby side stepping the Ohio Revised Code. The building being challenged was supposed to have a rent-a-hall, which according to a trustee was dropped, but when on-the-record confirmation was asked for, they refused to do so.

We were told that the county prosecutor ruled that they didn’t need public participation in the decision to build. They claimed that a survey two years ago resulted in the public expressing their opinions and the current development plan reflects their input.

They can save a bundle by building on Messerly Road next to existing township facilities. But they then invented excuses for not building there (“an old dump”), even though they demolished the house on it and filled it in anticipation of building there. That had the blessing of two of the trustees in office in 2006. Now they want to build a palace on Herbert Road. I can see the need for office space into the future, but this is ridiculous and not in the best interest of the township.

RICHARD BESHARA

Canfield

Fly the flags proudly

EDITOR:

This letter is in reference to the article in the March 10 paper, “Flag rule raises dispute.” It seems that St. John the Baptist Church in Campbell, which owns and operates St. John Cemetery in Coitsville, does not want to put the American flags around the perimeter of the cemetery anymore. This is one of the things wrong in America today.

I live in Liberty but I felt I needed to comment on this story.

My father was a World War II Army veteran and a Catholic. He was proud of both. He passed away two years ago. He had a military funeral, a Catholic mass and was buried in a Catholic cemetery.

I am proud to be an American and what a great feeling I get when I see the American flag flying anywhere.

I hope that St. John the Baptist Church thinks long and hard about this decision. Just because there are flags all around the perimeter, doesn’t make it look like a military cemetery. More than ever we need to see as many American flags flying as possible and be proud to be an American.

PATTY TOWNSEND

Liberty