39%*
OF
STARK'S "100 TOP JOBS"
OF
STARK'S "100 TOP JOBS"
ARE HELD BY WOMEN
(not included elected officials)
=======================
7.6%
OF
STARK'S TOP 13 JOBS
ARE HELD BY WOMEN
(not including elected officials)
====================
40%
OF
STARK'S TOP 20 JOBS
ARE HELD BY WOMEN
(not including elected officials)
(not included elected officials)
=======================
7.6%
OF
STARK'S TOP 13 JOBS
ARE HELD BY WOMEN
(not including elected officials)
====================
40%
OF
STARK'S TOP 20 JOBS
ARE HELD BY WOMEN
(not including elected officials)
But Stark County is populated at the rate of 51.5% by women.
Note: US Census figures
While the SCPR is not advocating that there be a one-to-one match in terms of Stark County taxpayer supported employment (i.e. 50% or better of county employees being female), The Report does think Stark can do better than only 39 of the top paid 100 Stark County officials (elected and unelected) being women.
In 2014, does anyone "really" think men are inherently more talented than women?
Stark County auditor Alan Harold (post-the SCPR blog on the auditor's office) once shouted at the SCPR, "Martin, you are making us look like a bunch of sexists!"
Apparently, the SCPR series pointing out that Stark County has a discernible "gender equity" problem has had very little effect on Harold's hiring practices.
On August 4th, Harold hired (very quietly, it appears; something akin - it seems - to the "Chip" Conde hire) a new "top gun" in the Information Technology of the county auditor's operation.
Peterson appears to have impressive credentials.
But insofar as the SCPR is concerned, not any better than, and perhaps not as good as, Anita Henderson.
In fact, it seems that Henderson has deeper and more varied experience in IT than does Peterson.
Though the date of hire for Henderson in the auditor's database shows 2005 (some 10 years more than Peterson), the fact of the matter is that Henderson goes back to being an IT person in the Kim Perez years as Canton city auditor (1994 through 2004).
And, as pointed out by Perez in an interview with the SCPR last Wednesday, it is hard to believe that she was not promoted to the county auditor's IT job, presuming, of course, that someone superior to Peterson in qualifications and therefore most likely to Henderson had applied.
According to Harold, Peterson is so much more skilled (in his judgment) than Henderson that he merits making about $32,000 more in annual salary.
Keeping in mind that Perez and Harold are strident political enemies, the SCPR thinks (no matter Perez's protestations to the contrary), Perez suggests that Harold hired Peterson not primarily on a merit basis but rather on political and/or personal ties.
Also keep in mind that Perez is a strong supporter of Republican Harold's opponent in November; namely, Jeff Gruber who is Canton City Schools' treasurer.
Notwithstanding the Perez caveats listed above, the SCPR thinks Harold has some Sarah Palin-esque "explainin'" to do.
Wouldn't it have been a coup for Stark County women to have had a highly qualified "technically" skilled woman get a non-elected leadership position that ranks with the highest paid positions in the county?
Had Harold promoted Henderson, it would be of some consolation to Stark's women that she could have joined Deborah Forkas (CEO, Jobs and Family Services) as being number two and three, respectively, as Stark's top officials when "elected" officials are not included in the list.
Consolation?
Indeed!
Not including elected officials in the list, of the resulting top 13 Stark unelected officials, only one (Deborah Forkas) woman makes the list.
That folks! is 7.6% in a county that is 51.5% female.
Doesn't something seem just a little wrong about that?
Expanding the list to the top 20, only 8 make it.
Interesting enough, 8 of 20 "in the top 20" pretty much matches the overall 39% figure cited above.
* SCPR Note: The number may actually be 40%, if J. Gray is a female (reference: the top 100 list below)
The SCPR has spent some time on the Peterson/Henderson situation in order to introduce how poorly Stark County's women are doing in terms of top leadership/pay positions in Stark County government.
Here the list of the top 100. The SCPR has included elected officials to make it look better for women at the top of the pay scale.
Here are links to prior SCPR blogs on gender equity in Stark County.
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