Bath Township Opposes Political Redistricting Plan

Two is not better than one.

That's the message want to get across to Summit County Council. On Monday (Aug. 1), the council proposed a plan to split the township into two county council districts. The new districts would join Bath Township with districts covering Cuyahoga Falls, Akron, Fairlawn and Copley Township.

Bath Township Administrator William Snow, and Township Trustees Elaina Goodrich, Becky Corbett and Jim Nelson are against the redistricting.

"We want one representative," Snow said, at the trustees meeting Monday following the County Council session. 

Nelson said the township is interested in drainage and septic issues, trash and solid waste disposal, cemeteries and appropriate signage. He said those concerns are not shared by municipalities and urban areas.

Nelson also fears Bath Township would lose influence and representation in the proposed combined districts. "Presently no township is split," Nelson said. "Every Township is whole and we wish (it) to remain whole... Any community member who may wish to run for office in the future (will be) buried in a district of dissimilar votes." 

The chief author of the current redistricting plan is Summit County Councilman District 2 Representative John Schmidt, a former deputy director of the Board of Elections.

Schmidt said the change was proposed because Bath's current Council District 1 has about 6,000 more people than any other.  Accordding to Schmidt, County council's goal is to distribute the population more equally, roughly 66,923 for each of county council's eight districts.

There is no law that requires the county to divide the districts, and the plan does not have to be approved by voters. "The division puts each district within roughly 5 percent population," Schmidt said. "It's in the state constitution and is accepted for other offices."

The new plan would split residents between District 5, which also covers Copley, Fairlawn and Akron, and District 4, which covers Akron, Cuyahoga Falls and Bath. The township's new representatives would be Tamela Lee and Frank Communale respectively.

Summit County Council District 1 Representative Nick Kostandaras, whose district has covered Bath Township for the last seven years, said the redistricting "is a tough call.

"I think John did a fairly good job," Kostandaras said,  "and he talked to everyone, the County Executive, the County Prosecutor and the Board of Elections." 

Kostandaras said Bath has legitimate concerns in being conbined with cities into a district. "Bath is a very progressive community unlike any other township. "It's a very complex mix of rural, and they have the Montrose businesses."

Alternative plans are expected to come from Bath Township and from Summit County Council At-Large Representative Bill Roemer.

County Council will discuss the plan again in a council committee meeting  at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 8,  and a vote is expected at the meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. Aug. 15. Public comment is permitted at both meetings.