Council OKs street index modification
Norton City Council
By Maggie DeMellier
Norton City Council voted 7-0 to modify the index of approved streets, private streets, unimproved right-of-ways and vacated streets within the city at the March 27 meeting.
According to Councilman Scott Pelot (at large), chairman of the Planning Committee, the ordinance is needed because Rosemont Drive was listed as an approved street, but it is not, and it must be placed on the index of unimproved right-of-ways.
Also during the meeting, an ordinance approving the preliminary plat of the major subdivision proposed by Pride One Norton LLC had its first reading. A public hearing is scheduled for April 10 at 7:30 p.m. The subdivision is located on Cleveland-Massillon, Eastern and Fairland roads. Council voted to waive second and third readings and pass as an emergency an ordinance to establish Sky Bank, Fifth Third Bank, FirstMerit and J.P. Morgan Chase Bank as depositories for city funds for the term beginning March 24, 2006, and ending March 23, 2011. According to Norton Finance Director John Moss, the city cannot invest or deposit money in any bank that has not met certain requirements, and these banks have met those requirements. He said he felt there might be other banks in the community that want to be on the list, and additional names may be added later.
At the March 13 council meeting, an ordinance to adopt a new Building and Housing Code to regulate the maintenance of properties and structures had its second reading. At the public comment session, several residents expressed concerns and opposition to the new code, calling it too restrictive.
Council members decided to discuss the proposed code at its Committee-of-the-Whole meeting March 20. Citizens attended, and nine of them voiced their complaints. The ordinance would have been up for vote at the March 27 meeting, but at the Committee-of-the-Whole meeting, council members decided to table the controversial ordinance until the April 3 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting.
In other business at the March 27 meeting, Mayor Joseph Kernan said Clean Up Norton day will take place April 29 from 9 a.m. to noon. Citizens, businesses and community groups are encouraged to participate and should report to Columbia Woods Park, where there will be coffee, donuts and juice in the morning. After the cleanup, participants are invited to return to the park for hot dogs. For information, call the city administration offices at (330) 825-7815, ext. 14.
After the meeting, resident George Tomko expressed outrage that he was not allowed to speak during the public comment session.
Council President Mike Zita (at large) told him he knew very well why he was denied, and it was because Tomko had written “stuff” on the application to speak on the line where he was required to state his topic.
Last month, former councilwoman Brenda Hlas had a similar experience and was not allowed to speak after writing “stuff” on the form.
Taxpayer assistance is being provided to senior citizens who need help filing their city taxes. Help is available April 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Community Center and April 13 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Norton City Council Chambers.
The next regular council meeting is slated for April 10 at 7 p.m. in the Safety/Administration Building on Columbia Woods Drive.
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