NEWTON FALLS, Ohio - During an acrimonious meeting lasting over three hours Monday, a visibly frustrated A. Joseph Fritz, village law director, described the political environment of Newton Falls Council as “a nuthouse,” a comment that drew angry groans from the audience at the council meeting.

It is, perhaps, the most glaring example of what has been a badly split council and community most of this year.

Fritz’s comment followed a question from John Baryak, 2^nd Ward, who challenged the law director about changing his legal opinion on occasion. Fritz explained that new information can impact his recommendations, but followed it with "I can't control the nuthouse."

The audience reaction forced Mayor Kenneth Kline to gavel for silence, but the mayor wasn’t finished. He accused the law director of occasional “inconsistency” and indicated that residents of the community neither trust Fritz’s opinions nor those of city Manager David Lynch.

Council has been badly split over a number of issues, in which Kline, Baryak and Tesa Spletzer, 3^rd Ward, have lined up on opposite sides against Lynch, Fritz and two other council members: Adam Zimmermann, 1^st Ward and Sandra Breymaier, 4^th Ward.

One hot button issue: the attempted recall of Breymaier, an election ordered removed from the ballot last month by the Ohio Supreme Court. On Monday, a resolution to set the recall date for next November 2, which Lynch argued was according to charter, was defeated.

Council with Kline’s vote also defeated a motion to name Terry Wentworth to fill the council at large seat, vacant since last May. “Wentworth is a good man, but not at this time can I vote for him,” said Baryak without explanation.

Kline also joined Baryak and Spletzer in voting against Wentworth with the council deadlocked 2-2. The mayor also offered no reason for opposing the nomination.

“I can’t wait till July 4,” the mayor said, the date for which he may be able to appoint an at-large replacement. In his closing remarks, Kline indicated he is considering appointing a member of his family.

Another unsettled item during Monday’s meeting was a resolution to provide for restoration and maintenance of local soccer fields. Spletzer argued that the issue should have been presented in an ordinance, the only way funds can be approved instead of a resolution.

No one was able to say if the delay would impact the start of the local soccer season.