(VIDEOS) COUNCILMAN EDMOND MACK: "A POLITICAL BAPTISM" BY FIRE?

 UPDATED (FINAL - 11:00 AM)

WARD 8 RESIDENT

DEBRA BERBELIS

OBJECTING 

TO

PARK PLAN
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TOM BERBELIS
OBJECTS
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CHARLES COX
OBJECTS
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 COUNCILMAN MACK
RESPONDS

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DEBRA BERBELIS
INTERVIEW
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TOM BERBELIS
INTERVIEW
================== 
CHARLES COX
INTERVIEW 
================== 
DON McVEHIL
INTERVIEW 
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COUNCILMAN EDMOND MACK
INTERVIEW
 

In a flyer sent out to Canton Ward 8 residents regarding the creation of a park within the ward, Councilman Edmond Mack was being politically wise in inserting this disclaimer:

However, to the SCPR; Mack was politically naive to think that he could (from how the SCPR interprets the perspective of objecting Ward 8 residents) be less than forthcoming on how the proposal got started and in failing to disclose that some might think that Healy administration Canton Parks Commission director Derek Gordon had a personal and private interest in the city working out a deal with St. Mark's Episcopal Church out on 48th Street in the Mack represented 8th ward.

Gordon is a member of St. Mark's and therefore is understandably suspected by those "objecting to the park proposal" as being part and parcel of developing a plan to relieve the church of the burden maintaining a recreation area which the SCPR understands has been in existence some 15 to 20 years.

It is interesting to the SCPR that Ward 8 residents (see videos below) seemed to The Report to be more irate with Mack than Gordon.

It could be that the residents know that they have a way to make Mack accountable whereas Gordon is insulated as long as Mayor Healy has confidence in him.

The SCPR did talk with the mayor after last night's regular Canton City Council meeting.  While he was careful not to weigh in on the controversy, he agreed with The Report that "the political firestorm of protest" against the plan as registered by a handful of residents during council's "public speaks" portion of the meeting agenda was a very tough political experience for Gordon and Mack.  However, the SCPR detected no waning of support for Gordon whatsoever.

The SCPR's take on last night's brouhaha was that Mack did indeed make a huge political mistake in the way he managed rolling out the proposal.

Rightly or wrongly, the SCPR thinks, Ward 8 residents got the perception that Mack, Gordon and church officials had cooked up the deal and endeavored to slip it through to fruition "under the political radar."

This is an appropriate place in this blog to share with SCPR readers an email received from Councilman Mack, to wit:

 St Marks

        Edmond J. Mack
        Today at 7:24 AM

To:  Martin Olson

Martin,

I read your blog with great interest this morning. However, I must take issue with your suggestion that Director Derek Gordon's status as a parishioner at St. Mark's was not fully and completely disclosed in connection with the park proposal under contemplation.  More specifically, this was expressly disclosed by both Director Gordon and myself during the first day that this was discussed with Mr. and Mrs. Berbelis, the neighbors that addressed City Council last evening.  It is also disclosed during the informal conversations that take place throughout the neighborhood, and will again be disclosed during the neighborhood meeting that is scheduled to discuss this potential project on Oct. 23 at 6 PM at St. Mark's.

Thanks for allowing me to clarify.

Edmond J. Mack

In response to Councilman Mack.  The SCPR is not suggesting anything but merely conveying The Report's take on what objecting Ward 8 residents have to say.  

The Report has added to the blog's original comment clarifying language (that is to say: "from how the SCPR interprets the perspective of objecting Ward 8 residents") to make it clear that the SCPR is not making a judgment as to whom has the accurate take on the matter.

Debra Berbelis was particularly pointed in this regard in the SCPR interview with her (see below).

The Report sees Mack and Gordon as the essence of Canton's future political leadership.

Along with Ward 5's Kevin Fisher, and Ward 7's John Mariol (recently married, and, in fact, missing from last night's council meeting as he was on his honeymoon trip), Mack and Gordon likely will ascend to top-of-the-line leadership positions in Canton government.

But make no mistake about it.  Mack has a major political repair project in his hands to cope with.

And his handling of the repair may well determine whether or not he has a future in Canton's leadership.

Right now, the residents are "mad as Hell" and are hurling "the fires of Hell" at Councilman Mack.

Mack's ability to adapt to the political reality that "there is no way in Hell" the park proposal is going to fly and to skillfully and gracefully jettison the project is his pathway to political salvation.

And he did leave himself a "straight and narrow" pathway to redemption, to wit:

Here are a series of videos made last night by the SCPR of various residents' public speaks, separate SCPR interviews as well as Councilman Mack's responses.

(SCPR Note:  Mrs. Berbelis' first name is misspelled in the videos featuring her.  Correct spelling is Debra)

DEBRA BERBELIS "Public Speaks."



TOM BERBELIS "Public Speaks"



CHARLES COX "Public Speaks"



COUNCILMAN RESPONDS DURING MEETING



DEBRA BERBELIS - SCPR interview



TOM BERBELIS - SCPR interview



CHARLES COX - SCPR interview



DON McVEHIL - SCPR interview



COUNCILMAN EDMOND MACK - SCPR interview