BATH TOWNSHIP
Sellers, beware
BATH TWP.: Trustees have authorized Summit County’s Office of Consumer Affairs to oversee the licensing of solicitors, peddlers and canvassers in Bath.
“This will provide much more safety for our residents,” township Administrator Bill Snow said of transient vendors selling door to door.
While Bath has required the licensing of transient vendors since 1986, the county’s ordinance has a longer waiting period for licensing (10 days compared to Bath’s three days) as well as a background check requirement.
The trustees’ action allows Bath’s licensing to work in tandem with the county’s ordinance. Transient vendors, peddlers and solicitors wanting to work in Bath would be required to comply with county regulations for licensing. The county would then identify those permitted to solicit door to door and provide the Bath Police Department with copies of the licenses for monitoring purposes.

Santa to arrive
BATH TWP.: The eighth annual Wye Road Bridge Lighting and Santa Arrival, organized and sponsored by the Bath Business Association, will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Wye Road Bridge in front of the Bake Shop in Ghent.
“The bridge lighting starts the spirit of the holidays for many of us,” said Nancy Fay, an association officer.
Activities include caroling, turning on the lights along the decorated bridge and Christmas tree, watching Santa Claus arrive on his “sleigh,” storytelling while the children await their turn to visit Santa and writing notes and signing greeting cards to our local service men and women with the help of youth volunteers from Healthy Communities-Healthy Youth/Bath-Richfield.
For information, go to www.bathbusinessassociation.com.

BRIMFIELD TOWNSHIP
Field coach charged
BRIMFIELD TWP.: A Field High School assistant football coach is accused of having a sexual relationship with a sophomore student.
Nathan Clark, 21, of Brimfield Township, was arrested Wednesday on three counts of sexual battery, police Chief David Oliver said.
Clark was a Field High quarterback in 2007 and was attending college to be come a teacher.
Police said they received reports from the girl’s parents Monday accusing Clark of a sexual relationship with the teenage girl.
Clark worked as an unpaid volunteer coach.
Oliver said Clark and the girl admitted to the relationship.
“Our understanding is that it was a consensual relationship, but obviously when you have a coach and student from the same school, that’s a criminal offense,” Oliver said.
Clark is expected to be jailed until a court hearing is held Monday.

COLUMBUS
Suspension upheld
COLUMBUS: The Ohio Supreme Court has denied a request by former Norton attorney Thomas Walkley to lift an indefinite suspension of his law license.
The court on Wednesday found that Walkley “failed to submit sufficient evidence as to his current mental health” and did not show “he no longer poses a substantial threat of serious physical harm to the public.”
In October, the court was considering the indefinite suspension based on a motion by an attorney representing Walkley who said his client had undergone an evaluation by Portage Path Psychiatric Emergency Services, which determined he does not need commitment to a mental health facility and is “no threat to [himself] or others.”
On Aug. 17, the high court suspended Walkley’s law license following Barberton Municipal Judge David Fish finding that he was mentally incompetent to stand trial on misdemeanor charges of public indecency.
Walkley was accused of exposing himself to two teens who were seeking a counseling referral for their underage drinking arrests.

GREEN
Recognition for park
GREEN: The city’s Parks and Recreation Division has earned an Ohio Parks and Recreation Association Award of Excellence, Mayor Dick Norton told City Council Tuesday night.
The division, under Superintendent Mike Elkins, received first place in the state competition for the city’s Veterans Memorial Park in the category for projects costing up to $1 million.
Woody Woodward, executive director of the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association, said the plaque will be presented at the association’s dinner Feb. 7 at the Kalihari Resort and Conference Center in Sandusky.
Woodward said the city now qualifies for consideration along with other category winners for the Governor’s Award — a trophy and $500 donation to a group’s foundation — that also will be presented at the dinner.

STARK COUNTY
Recorder selected
CANTON: Rick Campbell, Stark County’s recorder, was elected Wednesday to be president of the Ohio Recorder’s Association.
Campbell was sworn in to the office by State House Minority Leader Armond Budish at the association’s winter conference.
Campbell said he plans to work to make legal transactions involving home ownership faster and more accessible while maintaining and protecting public records.

Case plan approved
CANTON: More intensive case management will be part of the Stark County welfare department’s plan to increase the percentage of benefit recipients complying with federal work requirements.
Stark commissioners on Wednesday approved the proposal the Department of Job and Family Services submitted.
Job search and readiness training will be introduced at the beginning of the application process. Benefits are to be canceled if clients fail monthly work requirements.
The changes are part of a statewide effort to avoid $32 million in penalties for not meeting work participation rates.
Commissioners awarded a $94,100 contract to Motter and Meadows Architects for services to be performed at the former Frank T. Bow Federal Building.
The building will be used for court-related activities. The contract covers services from making schematic drawings through construction administration.

Treasurer sworn in
CANTON: Alexander Zumbar took the oath of office as Stark County treasurer after his appointment Oct. 31 by the Stark County Democratic Central Committee. He had been serving as interim treasurer, but took the oath again as permanent treasurer because his documentation had been finalized.
It was the third such oath Zumbar has taken in less than a year. He originally was sworn in following his election in November 2010, but was removed by an Ohio Supreme Court ruling. The court said previous Treasurer Gary Zeigler had been wrongly removed from office.
He was subsequently appointed to the office after Zeigler resigned Oct. 19.