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LIBERTY -- Township trustees on Monday addressed logging in the township, about which residents previously expressed concern, including that Oakview Lumber LLC was logging too close to their homes.
The logging has been happening since November. The company has a contract with homeowners Martin E. Slaubaugh, Marianne Slaubaugh, William Albert and Esther Miller.
Among the residents at the meeting was Susanne Miller of Academy Drive, who lives directly behind where some of the trees were cut down. She said the logging was done only 3 feet from her yard and she wants the tree stumps removed.
"What I don't understand is how they can leave a mess when there is home rule No. 3 that says the property has to be cleaned up," she said.
She also said the mess behind her house is unsightly and could be dangerous to her and her home if it were to catch fire.
"If there's a north wind coming, my house is going to be toast," she said.
Resident and lawyer Jeff Kurz also spoke out on the matter, stating these trees could affect public health, safety and welfare.
"I would like to see, as a citizen and somebody who is in that area (of the law), a more active approach, not necessarily for the landowners, but to try to put pressure on the logging companies to try to clean up the mess they've caused," he said.
Township trustee Devon Stanley said they have been in contact with State Rep. Nick Santucci, R-Howland, and Ohio Sen. Sandra O'Brien, R-Lenox, in order to improve the logging cleanup regulations. However, he didn't mention any improvements that were being discussed. He also said that attempts to contact the logging company were unsucessful.
"If it (the home rule law) was enforced to its extreme right now, it would be a $250 fine," he said. "That's not what we're looking for. We're looking for a solution."
A fine also does not satisfy Susanne Miller, who said she wants to see the law changed.
"I think our best hope is working with Rep. Nick Santucci and state Sen. Sandra O'Brien and that's going to take a long time," she said. "They can write a bill, it'll sit there in the House and they might not even act on it."