A TOUGH PERIOD FOR MASSILLON CITY GOVERNMENT

Massillon Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr. has run a tight ship in Massillon for years now.

The question now is: Has time and the dire economic circumstances taken their toll and Massillon is to change dramatically from what has been?

Some of the events which suggest that Massillon is undergoing a rendering which will leave Massillon a much different town include:

• The filing of a lawsuit (which could eventually include as many as 50 Massillonians) by Massillon resident Edward Todd on May 18, 2009 regarding the sale of Genshaft Memorial Park (Genshaft), the use of city income tax monies on the city owned golf course and the appointment of Massillonian Ron Pribich to the Massillon Parks and Recreation Board.
• The termination of the potential sale of Genshaft for $3.4 million dollars on June 18, 2009.
• The plan presented by Mayor Cicchinelli to borrow money to cover operating deficits projected for the remainder of 2009 (June 29th).
  
• The voiding by the Ohio 5th District Court of Appeals of Massillon's Poets Glen housing development annexation in a decision dated June 30th.
  

It remains to be seen whether or not developments like those listed above are just temporary setbacks or signal a huge change coming to Massillon government.

However, it seems as if some "political" vultures may be circling overhead making ready to move in pick up the carcasses of Massillon as it is.

However, the SCPR doesn't count out the wily, veteran Cicchinelli just yet in his ability to redeem the difficult financial/economic situation it finds itself in.