To the Editor:

Petition circulators are currently collecting signatures to put an issue on the November ballot for approval of a Medina County Charter. Upon successful petition, Medina County residents will have the opportunity to vote on a home rule form of government. At the core of this charter is a Community Bill of Rights for the citizens of Medina County, asserting their constitutional voting rights on issues affecting the well-being of the county, our communities and our environmental policies.

This initiative stems from the NEXUS pipeline and compressor station planned by Spectra Energy to transport natural gas fracked in eastern Ohio to Canada. Medina County property owners living in the projected evacuation zone along the path of the pressurized 36-inch natural gas pipeline currently cannot exert reasonable property rights or expect safety guarantees.

While the pipeline itself may be a local issue, the operation of a compressor station would affect the whole county. A ballot-based decision is the best approach to reach a conclusion. More information on the Medina County Charter and the Nexus project is available at www.NoNexus.org.

Corinne Sacksteder

Hinckley