NEWTON FALLS — After meeting three times in the past few months, a newly formed committee has been ended.

At their meeting Wednesday, council voted to end the historical sites and structures committee, which has held meetings recently about the future of the community center at the park, among other things.

Councilmembers Brian Axiotis, Patricia Benetis, Kevin Rufener and Julie Stimpert voted to repeal the ordinance that established the committee.

New 3rd Ward Councilwoman Brenda Persino abstained from voting since she served on the committee for one meeting before being selected as the new 3rd Ward Councilwoman, replacing Tesa Spletzer, who was recalled by the voters in the November general election.

The ordinance indicates council feels the historic sites and structures committee is unnecessary; constitutes an additional, unneeded and confusing layer of administration; and provides no value toward the restoration of the community center, protection of village history, or preservation of other Village owned historic sites and structures beyond pre-existing efforts.

Councilmembers indicated they want to eliminate the committee and accomplish the goals through the collaborative efforts of other long-existing village departments.

Before the vote was taken Village Manager Pam Priddy, who served on the committee, said the community center has simply been used “as a political pawn” for many years.

Priddy said there should never have been a lease on the center with Heritage Accord and it was nothing more than the previous administration not fulfilling its responsibility to maintain this historical building.

“This council wants to use the community center as a political pawn yet again,” Priddy said.

She said efforts were being made to get grant money and other funding to restore and open the building.

Priddy said the Heritage Accord group did not make the needed repairs in the past four years and left it in the condition it is currently in.

“That building was meant to be a community center for all the village to use,” she said.

Priddy said since the committee members are all volunteers, it does not cost the village anything. She added a town hall meeting was held in December to provide updates and ideas on directions to go with the center.

Rufener said the community center continues to divide the community with people who want to see it used again and others who do not. He said the committee is not doing anything positive but continuing the divide.

“I want to see the community center come back but I want to see it historically restored as it should be,” he said. “But, I do not want to spend any more taxpayers’ money to make that happen.”

He said there is a court case pending on the lease issue with Heritage Accord and the village.

“No action or any work should be done at the building until after a judge has made a decision,” Rufener said.