Youngstown council puts anti-fracking amendment on November ballot

YOUNGSTOWN ­— City council voted today to put an anti-fracking charter amendment proposal on the Nov. 3 ballot, and the Mahoning County Board of Elections could do the same as early as Wednesday.

Council approved the proposal as part of the agenda at today’s special meeting without any comments about the bill that has been rejected four previous times by city voters.

The possibility of it not getting on the ballot came when Secretary of State Jon Husted removed anti-fracking charter amendment proposals in Athens, Fulton and Medina counties.

But his decision wasn’t connected to a proposed fracking ban in a home-rule city such as Youngstown.

Law Director Martin Hume and Mark Munroe, chairman of the county board of elections, said Husted’s rule recognizes there’s a difference.

The board of elections is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday, and is likely to approve the ballot measure then.

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com