Editor’s note: The Canton Repository is asking leaders in every Stark County township, village and city to share some highlights of what they have in store for 2026 in their communities.
PLAIN TWP. − A campaign promoting a proposed Plain Local Schools bond issue to build three elementary schools.
A new fire chief, and a new permanent full-time zoning director.
These are among the new things that Plain residents may notice in 2026.
Plain Local bond issue campaign
Supporters of a 37-year, 3.5-mill bond issue for Plain Local Schools should be sending mailers soon.
If approved by voters in the May 5 primary, the levy is expected to raise $116.8 million to cover the cost of constructing three elementary schools in an initial phase of construction.
The locations have not yet been chosen, but they likely would be on sites of current elementary schools, which would not close until the new schools were ready to open.
The schools, kindergarten through fourth grade, would not expect to open prior to 2029 or 2030. Some of the the money could help cover part of the cost of building a new middle school in a subsequent phase.
A steering committee of residents organized by the school district concluded that the cost of renovating existing schools would eventually exceed building consolidated new schools by $250 million.
Eventually, the state is expected to reimburse 46% of the cost. The levy funds are needed to advance the project.
The cost to property owners would be $122.50 per year for every $100,000 in property valuation, according to the Stark County Auditor’s Office. Collections would fund $6.11 million per year in repayment to cover repaying over 37 years a total of $226.2 million for the principal and interest.
Plain Township voters will also in May see another property tax issue.
It would renew for another five years the township’s 1-mill parks levy. It now costs a property owner $22.23 a year for every $100,000 in valuation. If the renewal is approved, it would not result in any increase in cost to property owners.
On the issue of property taxes, Plain Township Trustee John Sabo is seeking to educate the public about his opposition against citizens groups’ efforts to put an issue on the November ballot that would abolish property taxes.
Repeatedly expressing concern about the proposed amendment in trustee meetings the past several months, he’s concerned a successful issue would devastate the township’s finances.
“Our fire department, parks, road crews, and contracted law enforcement services are funded through levies approved by residents who expect and deserve reliable, high-quality service,” Sabo wrote. “Without property taxes, these services would not simply shrink; many would cease to exist in their current form.”
New Plain Township fire chief
Howard Hershberger became the new fire chief on Dec. 21, succeeding Chuck Shalenberger.
Hershberger, 49, had been a firefighter in some capacity for the township since 1995 when he was a volunteer while attending GlenOak High School. He had been battalion chief since 2012. The trustees chose him out of five candidates.
Shalenberger, the township’s longtime fire chief, slid a few seats over at township trustee meetings. He officially became on Dec. 21 the township’s new permanent director of zoning, after serving in the job on an interim basis since late Juy. The township’s zoning director before Shalenberger, Tom Ferrera, retired.
Shopping for lower electricity rate
The township’s administrator, Lisa Campbell, told a resident at the trustees’ Feb. 9 meeting that the township’s electricity broker is trying to find a new attractive electrical aggregation rate.
But due to the sub-zero temperatures of late January, the broker has not been able to find anything under 10 cents per kilowatt/hour. The township’s current aggregation rate is 8.26 cents per kilowatt/hour, which the township secured for March 2025 to May 2026.
The broker has instructions to lock in a rate should it fall below 10 cents per kilowatt/hour.
Taylor Swift-themed party
Plain Township Parks has booked Nikolina DJ Diva of Q92 to host a Taylor Swift-themed dance party at the Plain Township Amphitheater 6 to 8 p.m. June 27, according to the township parks director Rob Steinberg.
The event is free and open to the public. Ice cream and cotton candy will be served.
Other planned free amphitheater events are the Cleveland Keys Dueling Pianos concert on June 4; Josee McGee band on July 2; the U2 tribute band One on Aug. 6; and an Oktoberfest event at 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19.
The Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce is organizing the free Oktoberfest with Plain Township Parks, which will include Bavarian beer tastings, polka, German bands, a stein holding contest, face painting, pumpkin painting, a balloon artists, games and German food.
The parks system will also host an electronics recycling day at Diamond Park from 9 a.m. to noon on April 4.
The township also spent nearly $20,000 to acquire a granite columbarium for the township’s cemetery on Eby Avenue NE. The structure has 48 niches to hold cremains and urns. The cost included two benches.
Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: What’s new in Plain Township in 2026? New personnel and a bond issue
Reporting by Robert Wang, Canton Repository / The Repository
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