NEWTON FALLS — Doing what is required based on the village charter, council on Wednesday voted 4-0 on a resolution requesting the Trumbull County Board of Elections to schedule a recall election for 3rd Ward Councilwoman Tesa Spletzer.

The recall issue will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Citizens of the ward circulated a petition and obtained enough signatures, which were verified by the board of elections.

First Ward Councilman Gideon “Bud” Fetterolf said the charter directs council to pass a resolution and submit it to the board of elections.

“This is not action instigated by council but putting this issue where it belongs, before the people” Fetterolf said.

Residents at meetings have expressed concerns over Spletzer’s representation of them and her behavior at council meetings and in public.

Residents secured 139 signatures out of the 101 needed. The document cites reasons for Spletzer’s recall — her failure to conduct business of the village fairly and properly, failure to spend taxpayer money wisely and misfesance.

Spletzer was not at Wednesday’s meeting and previously had said she had “no comment” about the petition for recall.

This is not the first time residents have attempted to recall a sitting council member, with former 4th Ward Councilwoman Sandra Breymaier recalled by voters in 2021. Attempts were made by residents to remove others in the 1990s and 2000s, including current 2nd Ward Councilman John Baryak.

Julie Lemon, a member of the charter review committee, said having the recall placed on the ballot is what council is supposed to do.

“This is council’s term in doing what it is required to do following the charter and let the chips fall where the may in November. This nothing personal …,” she said.

REVITALIZATION

In other business, Baryak said he attended the March 9 “Revitalize or Die” revitalization informational meeting in an effort to draw community involvement.

“We want the residents to step up and try and do what they can do to help the community. They need to pick themselves up by their own bootstraps and do what they can to move the community forward and make it something we can all be proud of ,” Baryak said.

Baryak said unfortunately the community has the Citizens Against Virtually Everything (CAVE) group which does not want to help for the betterment of the whole community.

He said council has worked to move the village forward.

“We will be better. We have turned finances around. People need to stop pointing fingers and making false statements,” Baryak said.

Brenda Persino said she agrees the importance of working together but is tired of hearing what past councils or past officials or council members have done.

“If you want us to all come together and serve on a community or do fundraising together then leave what happened with past administrations in the past,” Persino said.

Former Councilman Adam Zimmermann said the meeting was more of “a gripe session” with people complaining about comments and other issues on Facebook.

“That was turned into a $5,000 gripe session,” Zimmermann said in referring to the cost given to speaker Jeff Siegler, a civic pride consultant and founding partner of Price Places, an online company that helps struggling communities.

Rick Kerlin said the meeting was “amazing” encouraging people to be positive by doing positive things to help the community and stop being negative.

Patricia Benetis, who attended the morning session of the revitalization meeting, questioned the $5,000 cost for the session.

She said while the speaker discussed what other communities, such as Sandusky, have done to enhance their community, the Newton Falls meeting focused on transient people and drug houses, social media and unkind remarks, Easter festivities, and how someone decorated their home and received a gift card,

“I would say $2,500 for the morning session was a little pricey,” Benetis said.