VOLUME 3 - THE STARK BOE "PROTEST" HEARINGS

WILL THE CICCHINELLI CERTIFICATION 

AS AN "INDEPENDENT" DECISION 

BE ANY LESS POLITICAL 

THAN IN BERNABEI?

The Stark County Political Report believes as between the two Stark County Board of Elections (BOE, Board) protests (i.e. Bernabei and Cicchinelli), former Massillon mayor Frank Cicchinelli has a significantly stronger legal case for certification as an "independent" candidate (hearing:  Monday, July 13th at BOE, 3525 Regent Ave NE, Canton starting at 9:00 a.m.) for mayor of Massillon than does Stark County Commissioner Thomas M. Bernabei in his quest to be an "independent" candidate to run for mayor of Canton come this November.

Last Monday the Stark County Board of Elections (BOE, Board) stalemated at 2 to 2 on whether or not Bernabei will be certified.  In a couple of weeks or so Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted (SOS) will break the tie and then it is highly likely that it will be onto the Ohio Supreme Court - no matter who prevails at the BOE/SOS level.

However, The Report thinks that the law of Ohio has very little if anything to do with how Ohio Boards of Elections and for sure the Stark County Board of Elections decide controversial, highly politically-charged contests on "independent" candidate certification.

Accordingly, not withstanding his strong legal position, do not be surprised if Cicchinelli gets skunked 4 to 0 come Monday's protest hearing.

Around the time that Cicchinelli started talking about running as an "independent:"

• hold your noses closed tightly folks as the SCPR is including a LINK to the Massillon Review (MR) blog,
• the MR's anonymous blog author(s), the cowards they are,
• who The Report believes to be Stark County Democratic Party political director R. Shane Jackson and/or Stark Dems Executive Committee official - at least in the de facto sense of the word official (and a former chairman) Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.,
• have been writing nearly non-stop since April 30th bashing Cicchinelli for his move out of the Democratic Party

The SCPR sees the MR as a shill blog for the Kathy Catazaro-Perry administration whom The Report has long thought to be a puppet of Maier, Jr. allowing him and Jackson to be the de facto mayors of Massillon.

Recently, of course, the SCPR has been hanging out at the Stark County Board of Elections.

To show what yours truly thinks is an example of the utter historical politicization of the guardian of the sanctity of Stark County elections and candidate qualification, The Report notes that hanging on the wall at the Stark County Board of Elections is a photo including the likeness of Maier, Jr.

In the opinion of The Report, nobody in Stark County political subdivision government and politics personifies personal political interest as his overriding factor of public persona than Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.

One of his stock answers when asked to do this thing or that thing is:  "Now why would I do that?"

A clear indication, The Report thinks, that to the degree he has wheels turning, they calculate the personal political advantage to himself and his political followers.

Though he is no longer a member of the BOE, his shadow lingers over the Democrat members of the Board.

Who believes that Dem members Ferruccio, Jr. and Sherer, II make any decision whatsoever without consulting with Maier, Jr.

As far as Sherer, II is concerned, there is a touch of irony involved with his apparent beholdence to Maier, Jr.

For The Report can still recall vividly Maier, Jr. engineering his father's "I don't want to go" departure from the BOE after some 13 years as what thought to be at the time "labor's seat" on the BOE as a political payoff for organized labor's perceived "in political lock-step" relationship with Democratic candidates.

It was a move that yours truly, as Democrat Executive Committee member at the time, voted against.

With Sherer, II's recent appointment, we have come full cycle.

Sherer, Sr., to compound the irony, was replaced by whom?

Sam Ferruccio, Jr, that is whom!

The Maier spin was that the at-the-time Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner was telling Democratic officials of local Boards of Elections to have a lawyer among their appointees.

The Report thinks Maier had it right.  But that didn't keep Brunner from "throwing him under the bus" with a denial she had said what Maier attributed to her.

It is always nice when folks like Maier, Jr. get "hoisted by their own petard" (i.e. throwing fellow politicos 'under he bus' when the situation demands it).

Undoubtedly, Maier wasn't phased in the slightest at being thrown under the bus by Brunner.  For he understands that such is life in the world of political infighting.  All one does in the jungle of Democratic and Republican politics is "to live to fight on another day."

Maier, Jr. is quite accomplished at that.

If Cicchinelli makes it to the ballot, the SCPR figures he likely wins a three way race, but an all out effort by Massillon office holding Republicans could allow Republican Lee Brunckhart to slip into office through the backdoor.

The Report does not think such an outcome is likely, but it is a possibility.

To repeat The Report's point about how the shadow of Maier, Jr. lingers over Ferruccio and Sherer, II and evidenced by and keeping the Massillon Review focus in mind (the figures that it is the mouthpiece for the Maier Massillon Political Machine); does anybody believe that Dem BOE members would dare be open minded about Cicchinelli meeting "the good faith test" required for a successful disaffiliation from a political party?

In the Bernabei matter, the SCPR was completely unimpressed with lawyers Ferruccio and Cline (one of two Republican members) in being lawyer-like in discharging their quasi-judicial function as BOE members.

It drew a muted laugh among a number of observers on July 6th, when Member Cline reappeared after a 15 minute break after the conclusion of taking in testimonial and documentary evidence with what appeared to be several pages of printed material from which he read as he gave his supposed legal analysis for his vote to certify Bernabei as being qualified to run as an independent.

In Cicchinelli, Republican members are sort of in a political twilight zone as to what to do.

In Bernabei, they certainly seemed to have their marching orders and their vote to certify him appears to have been in compliance therewith.

But Cicchinelli presents a dilemma to them.

If one or both vote of them vote to deny Cicchinelli certification and the denial sticks through sure to come litigation, then the much disliked by Massillon organization Republican Catazaro-Perry breezes to a win in November against the Republican candidate; notwithstanding her close call in the May Democratic primary election.

Undoubtedly, the protesters attorney; namely Steve Okey, if the BOE vote is 4 to 0, 3 to 1 not to certify, will push his chest out like he's the Stark County legal expert on Boards of Elections cases.

For the SCPR's money, Okey can't hold a candle to what Lee Plakas did for his clients (the Ohio Democratic Party, the individual protesters, and the ghost of William J. Healy, Il) in gaining a 2 to 2 tie in the July 6 BOE hearing, but the political dynamics are as different as night and day.

If - on the other hand - the two Republicans hold rank and vote to certify Cicchinelli, then The Report sees Secretary of State Jon Husted affirming the Republicans in breaking a tie vote.

In Massillon, thanks to a Republican Party led by the likes of Councilwoman Nancy Halter, Councilmen Ed Lewis, IV and Milan Chovan, there is a viable candidate in Republican Lee Brunckhart in the right political environment.

In this scenario, Massillon Republican officeholders close rank behind Brunckhart and he ekes out a narrow "through the backdoor" victory while Catazaro-Perry and Cicchinelli engage in political bloodletting.

As readers of the SCPR know, yours truly detests the Ohio Board of Elections structure.  It is totally out-of-step with our democratic-republican form of government and only exists to enable "organized" Republicans and Democrats to use an institution of Ohio government support by the taxpaying public for the benefit of political parties and the personal political interests of those who control the respective parties.

An intriguing side of Craig T. Conley being Frank Cicchinelli's attorney is that he tellsThe Report that if his client is not certified at the BOE level, he plans to challenge the constitutionality of the underlying BOE "protest procedures" statute.

He says the statute is unconstitutionally vague terms of being said by courts applying it to require "good faith" (whatever that is) and needs to be thrown out.

If the courts agree with Conley and throw the statute (ORC 3513.257) out, then the Ohio General Assembly would have to visit the issue and perhaps even take a look at the archaic, out-of-touch-with-the-times (i.e. more and more voters are turning non-partisan)  partisan politics driven current BOE structure and do an overhaul.

The Report wishes Conley/Cicchinelli well on Monday.

But it sure would be nice to have a constitutional challenge to the terrible, terrible Ohio Board of Elections structure which results in it being dismantled.

And that would take a court challenge.

We should all wish that the challenge takes place and the pre-eminent role political party interests prevailing over the public interest comes to an abrupt end.

Perhaps those protesting (and their background supporters) will ironically achieve an end counterproductive to their selfish political objectives that they did not envision at the beginning.

Let's hope!

A CATAZARO-PERRY V. RESS MASSILLON MAYORAL DEBATE? WELL, SORT OF!

VIDEOS

MAYOR KATHY CATAZARO-PERRY

ON

THE DEBACLE

OF

THE LEGENDS OF MASSILLON

===================

WHO HAS BEEN IN CONTROL

OF

PARKS & RECREATION MATTERS

COUNCIL

OR 

THE MAYOR?

===================

MAYOR

AS

MICRO-MANAGER

OF

THE LEGENDS

===================

 Q&A

ON

BELLIGERENCE

OF 

PARKS & REC BOARD

===================

MAYOR'S

QUALIFICATION

TO BE

MICROMANAGER

(BY OPPONENT RESS)

===================

JUDGE ELUM

INVOLVEMENT IN

PARKS & REC ISSUES

===================

COMPLETE VIDEO

OF

MAYOR'S LEGENDS PRESENTATION

A resident of the neighborhoods surrounding The Legends of Massillon told the SCPR that she was told that Massillon Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry had let it be known that if her Democratic opponent in next Tuesday primary election; namely, J. David Ress, was going to be at her "neighborhoods of Massillon" meeting at The Legends; then she wasn't.

Well, he was there, she came, she stayed and there was a mini debate of sorts.

She said his questions were political and therefore (impliedly) out-of-order at her "non-political" neighborhood meeting that she scheduled some five days before the primary election of May 5, 2015.

Hmm?

Of course her appearance was political and Ress's questions were politically inspired, pure and simple!

Anybody who knows and understands this mayor cannot be surprised that she would try to shut somebody up.

And that is exactly what she tried to do at The Legends of Massillon at last evening "neighborhood" meeting.

While there were some awkward and embarrassing moments for Mayor Kathy at the meeting, she likely managed to get through it without inflicting major political damage on herself.

The SCPR thinks she is likely to win on Tuesday, but this race may be closer than anybody thinks and if it is could harbinger a loss in November should former Democratic mayor Frank Cicchinelli he decides to run as an independent alongside Republican Lee Brunckhart.

In this blog, the SCPR will feature "highlight" short video clips of the interaction between the mayor and The Legends of Massillon area residents.

However, at the end of this blog, the SCPR makes available the entire footage of the mayor's night at The Legends.

HIGHLIGHTS

THE DEBACLE AT THE LEGENDS

Council Put Doug Nist In Charge of Massillon's Park and Recreation Over the Objection of the Mayor 

In essence, as Mayor Catazaro-Perry nearly always seems to do, she blames what she terms as being "the debacle of The Legends" as being the fault of Massillon City Council and in particular an "unnamed" councilperson who the mayor claims forced her to hire Doug Nist (August, 2013) as director of Massillon's Parks and Recreation Department before he was ready.

To boot, she claims that she was hamstrung by council in the oversight of Parks and Recreation until January of this year.



The SCPR's recollection is somewhat different.

The Report's take is that council always has known and supported the notion that it was not structured so as to manage Parks and Recreation.

And that only Massillon's administration was equipped to do so.

However, council did want to be part of the process of management in terms of being consulted with and protecting whomever was hired/fired as director from the political whims of various interest groups (including the mayor's office).

Here is a SCPR video of council reaction to proposals (one by then Councilman Larry Slagle and the other by the mayor) made back on July 8, 2013.



Readers of this blog can see the prior SCPR blog (LINK) which reports on the Parks and Recreation controversy and has embedded videos of Councilman Slagle making his proposal and Mayor Catazaro-Perry making hers.

Council and Law Director Perry Stergios were the Cause of the Debacle but Now the Mayor has Embarked (as of March 20, 2015) in Micromanaging The Legends of Massillon




As suggested early on by a Legends area resident last night, the SCPR thinks that her interest in asserting control is more a function trying to survive in upcoming elections as mayor than her claiming to have been freed from constraints placed on her by Law Director Stergios and Massillon City Council.

Questions to the Mayor



It was "grit your teeth" time for Mayor Kathy as she opened the session up to questions.

The Report's take is that she "bobbed and weaved" all over the place like a boxer who is trying to avoid a knockout punch.

Her defense of the current set of four Parks and Recreation Board (PRB) members (there is one Massillon School Board vacancy to be filled) was lame at best and is likely seen by some as insincere.

Marsha Harris smoked her out when the mayor put on the obvious pretense that "if only someone would apply" that the School Board would likely respond.

When confronted then she, as she is apt to do, turned about face and came up with the cockamamic but politically correct/safe response that the board is concerned with educating Massillon's children and not fulfilling its obligation to fill the vacancy on the PRB.

And she was in "a fully protect mode" on PRB member Dave Gallagher who, according to some at the meeting, is no longer qualified to be a member of the PRB because of a disqualifying number of absences from PRB meetings by the PRB's own bylaws.

These Catazaro-Perry responses the SCPR thinks is clear evidence along with her newly found optimism that the PRB members "all of a sudden" are open to do a 180 on a prior recorded unanimous vote (of those present and voting) to seek the closure of The Legends of Massillon.

What the SCPR believes we saw last night was a mayor being highly political and was supposed to be a non-political neighborhood meeting.

There will be other examples of such sprinkled in the remainder of this blog.

The SCPR thinks she has been using the PRB as "a trial balloon-esque" mechanism to see whether or not getting rid of The Legends of Massillon is a goal that can be achieved.

More questions to the Mayor



In the video immediately above the mayor's haste to jump on the proposal to put a Waterpark at The Legends came up.

The SCPR is of the belief that talking of "a debacle," the celebratory ebullience that broke out with the the Catazaro-Perry administration at the time was indicative of the desperation that the mayor was experiencing and continues to experience to bring big-time economic development to Massillon.

She has had some success.  But a significant part of that success came from groundwork laid by the Frank Cicchinelli administration which Catazaro-Perry continues four years later to bash as being the fault of "all that ails Massillon, four years later."

She needs to give that one up.

Even Mayor Healy of Canton has given up bashing the administration of Janet Creighton as being the genesis of everything that is problematic in Canton.  And, like Catazaro-Perry and Franchis H. Cicchinelli, Jr., Healy and Creighton continue to hate one another.

Mature people jettison personal animosity when they have an elected office responsibility.

That Catazaro-Perry has been unable to move on, shows that she is ill-suited to continue on as mayor of Massillon.

What is interesting is that she plays it both ways.

On the thing with the PRB and the members' antagonistic relationship with residents of The Legends area, she says "we need to move on."

But if she can lampoon former the former mayor and council for things past, guess what she does?

She goes after them with a vengeance!

So add to her characteristics, that she is utterly hypocritical.

More questions to the Mayor



One questioner committed an unpardonable "political" sin in attacking Massillon Municipal Court judge Eddie Elum who has been a advocate for Massillon's Parks for years.

Elum likes to use being a judge as a shield from political criticism/scrutiny when he in effect casts off the robe and enters the political arena on controversial political issues.

He got very ugly with The Stark County Political Report when The Report did extensive coverage of his political tiff with the-then Massillon chief of police.

Out of that episode Elum was disciplined by the Ohio Supreme Court.

Some think he got off with a mere "slap on the wrist" for what seems to be some very serious disrespectful conduct that one would think should not be coming from a judge.

So he is hardly the angelic figure that Catazaro-Perry likes to make him.

Moreover, the SCPR thinks that Elum is a member of  a "Kitchen Cabinet" of sort (Elum, Clerk of Courts Johnnie A. Maier, Jr, and his chief deputy Shane Jackson) without whom the SCPR thinks Catazaro-Perry could not function as mayor.

Also included in the immediate preceding video, is an exchange between the mayor and her Tuesday primary election opponent J. David Ress.

The mayor is absolutely correct.

Ress's point that she is not qualified to micromanage The Legends was clearly a political attack.

She would have been in order to try to ignore him had she not timed her appearance before the area residents of The Legends within five days of the election.

In so scheduling, she herself was being political and of course her attacks on council and on the law director were political attacks.

In the session she made the point that "all" members of council are up for election this year.

Hmm?  What was that allusion to?

Maybe that the folks gathered at last night's event ought to be voting against Councilwoman Michelle Del-Rio Keller, Councilman Paul Manson and Councilman Milan Chovan?

Think maybe, just maybe?

So her treatment of Ress is yet another case of demonstrated hypocrisy which Mayor Kathy is so accomplished at.

CONCLUSION

The SCPR has picked out the highlights of the more controversial elements of last night's event at The Legends of Massillon.

One not featured is the argument of whether or not Massillon should be in fiscal emergency in the first place.

The SCPR has written frequently that The Report thinks that Catazaro-Perry and her "Kitchen Cabinet" devised a political gambit designed "over the long haul" of being in office for four years that the mayor would look like some kind of financial/economic development "miracle worker."

Last night she tried to posture herself as being a mere bystander while the State of Ohio Auditor (Dave Yost) showed a lack of "due diligence" in not detecting what she likes to posit as being a dire financial situation.

The fact of the matter - the SCPR thinks -  even before she took office on being elected in November, 2011 is that she was besieging Yost to put Massillon in fiscal emergency in the context of what the SCPR thinks was a political contrivance as described above.

Eventually (October, 2013) she was successful in convincing (there is a SCPR blog which contains her pro-active arguments as to why Massillon should be determined to be in "fiscal emergency") Yost to act and place fiscal emergency.

Even with Catazaro-Perry's highly active effort, Yost's folks found the slimmest of reasons for placing Massillon's fiscal matters under State of Ohio control.

In doing so, if it happens that she and council cannot agree or ultimately put together an agreed upon plan acceptable to Massillon voters to bring Massillon out of its "cash flow problem," then Massillonians will bear the full brunt of 15% across-the-board cuts that undoubtedly will visit extreme hardships on Massillonians in terms of greatly reduced city services (i.e. police protection, fire protection, street and highway repair, accessibility to city administrative service [e.g. obtaining permits, getting answers to income tax questions and the like]).

And the SCPR thinks - if such happens - will be a consequence of a politically-calculated-long-term-benefit to the reelection chances of the mayor will be the culprit.

Accordingly, it is mind boggling that Massillonians may well reward what the SCPR thinks was irresponsible behavior with re-election.

There is no doubt that Tuesday is a tough choice for Massillonians.

Catazaro-Perry's apparent to the SCPR political gaming versus an inexperienced candidate for mayor in J. David Ress.

Ress admits his obvious unpreparedness to be mayor and promises to bring in the very best to assist him as mayor.

And the SCPR thinks should he upset Catazaro-Perry in Tuesday's election, Ress will go on to be elected mayor in this heavily Democratic city.

Even if he doesn't, who thinks that Republican Lee Brunckhart is any more prepared than Ress to be mayor?

The only real alternative to Catazaro-Perry is former mayor Frank Cicchinelli.

But if Ress wins, the word is that he will not file/follow through as an independent candidate.

Indeed, the stakes are very high in Tuesday's election.

Anyway Massillonians' vote is a risky enterprise for this once proud city!

Here is the unedited video of the entire Catazaro-Perry presentation at The Legends of Massillon, April 29, 2015.

COUNCILMAN FRANK MORRIS ON CANTON PARKS REORGANIZATION:

CANTON PARK COMMISSION RESPONSE?

VIDEOS

PARK COMMISSIONER

PRESIDENT ANDY BLACK

MAKES CASE

FOR

PARK COMMISSION MODEL

========================

PARK COMMISSION BOARD

ON CREATING A

MEANINGFUL ADVISORY BOARD

========================

PARK COMMISSION BOARD

ON

MORRIS' "GO BIG OR GO HOME"

&

WHY LEVY SHOULD BE FOR 5 MILLS

========================

COMPLETE DISCUSSION

ON

STRUCTURE/FINANCE OF

PARK REORGANIZATION

At Monday evening's Canton City Council Committee of the Whole work session, Canton Parks and Recreation director Derek Gordon presented a range of management models and funding models for the soon to be reconfigured parks and recreation system.

Right now the system is split in two.

Canton's parks are managed (in an overall sense, not "day-to-day" which of course is Director Gordon's job) by a Park Commission which was put into existence by Canton voters in 1920.

In 2013, Cantonians voted to fund the city's parks at 4 mills as a prelude to the reorganization which is projected to take hold on or about January 1, 2017.

Canton's recreation system is managed (again, in an overall sense) by a body named the Canton Joint Recreation District (CJRD).

Back in 2014 when reorganization of Canton's parks and recreation facilities and activities became a "hot button issue" in the wake of Canton voters having approved in November, 2013 the 4 mill levy (referenced above) which was the first step in Canton mayor William J. Healy's desire to reorganize parks and recreation functions for Canton; a challenge to the reorganization was mounted by an attorney connected with the provision of legal services to the CJRD (LINK).

There are those who think that former CJRD president Eric Resnick was in the thick of being a part of the challenge.  And there was a controversy as to whether or not Resnick was entitled to serve on the CJRD itself inasmuch as his term on the Canton City Schools (CCS-BOE; which he was an appointee of) had expired on December 31, 2013.

Resnick has been replaced on the CJRD by CCS-BOE member Ida Ross-Freeman.

With J.R. Rinaldi replacing Resnick as president, it seems that a much more conciliatory relationship between the Canton Park Commission and the CJRD has taken hold which portends and meshing of the two organizations on a more or less amicable basis.

• SCPR Note:  Rinaldi and Resnick appear to be bitter political enemies in that they ran against each other in November, 2013 for a seat on the CCS-BOE with Rinaldi coming out the victor.
• However, the "never say die" Resnick has taken out petitions to run once again for a CCS-BOE seat.
• Resnick was at the center of a controversy earlier this year over the merger (he prefers the term "takeover") of Timken High School under the banner of McKinley High School which was part of a three phase Brighter Tomorrow project of the CCS Board of Education and being pushed by Superintendent Adrian Allison.

Resnick has taken out a petition to run again for school board (not for Rinaldi's seat).

Betcha John Rinaldi is cheering for Eric, no?

Anyway, with Resnick out-of-picture for now,  it appears not IF the CJRD will blend into the Canton Park Commission but rather WHEN and HOW and the amount (in terms of millage) officials will ask Cantonians to approve in November, 2015 and, if it fails, in November, 2016.

It will be interesting to see whether or not Resnick becomes a leader to defeat the funding initiative and thereby stop the merger, no?

Putting that question aside, the focus now is the model of the reorganization and how much Cantonians will be asked to fund the new entity with.

Yesterday the SCPR attended the April meeting of the Canton Park Commission (Commission) and is making available at the end of this blog the entire videotaped discussion among board members on those issues.

The Commission voted yesterday to recommend to Canton City Council (which has the final say on how the merger will be structured and financed), to wit:

• that the current Park Commission model be the framework of the reorganization,
• that it be funded at 5 mills (on the City of Canton tax base), and 
• expressed a desire that the newly constituted entity would embrace a total community encompassing citizens advisory board that has meaningful input into Park Commission board decisions, and
• expressed a desire that a strong connection be formed/maintained with the Canton City Schools and the Plain Local School District inasmuch city of Canton students utilize both school systems,

President Andy Black effectively articulated reasons that the SCPR agrees with as being persuasive factors compelling the Park Board Commission model as the one that Canton City Council ought to adopt.



On having a citizens advisory board as part of a Park Commission new entity model, here is the discussion from yesterday's meeting:



As seen in the video below, there was some contention about the amount of the millage.

Park Board Commissioner member and president Black references Canton City Council vice president and majority leader Frank Morris, Ill's comment - in response to Gordon's city council presentation:  "Go BIG, or go home!" comment.

And, trying to avoid being an advocate for higher millage, Director Gordon did point out to members Andy Black, Wuyanbu Zutali and Drew Pelger that 5 mills on the City of Canton tax base will not financially sustain Canton's parks and recreation functions and that if 5 mills is the ultimate millage presented to voters and they approve same such would necessitate cuts to a parks and recreation system that is already substantially undermanned when compared to government entities across the nation that provide parks and recreation services.



One possibility discussed to try to make a Parks Commission 5 mill model work was that cuts in annual funding to the J. Babe Stern Center and the Southeast Community Center would have to be made.

The extract below shows the numbers that will work going through 2021 on the basis of a 5.5 mill levy on the Canton city tax base.

A 5 mill levy is projected to put a Park Commission model entity at a $3.75 million deficit by 2021 if no cuts are made.

A CJRD model 5 mill levy is projected to keep Canton's park and recreation not only solvent but indications are that there would be nearly a $875,000 carryover going into 2022.

There is no doubt to the SCPR that cuts to the Stern Center (located in Ward 5) would be vehemently opposed by Ward 5 councilman Kevin Fisher not only because the center sits in his ward but because he used the center's facility during his growing up years in Canton and knows firsthand the value of the center in providing wholesome activities for the youth of Canton.

So one can see Fisher joining Morris to ramp up the proposed Park Commission Board recommendation to at least 5.5 mills which Gordon says will keep operations on an even keel through 2021.

On the other hand there is Councilman Edmond Mack (Ward 8).

While he clearly wants the best for Canton's parks and recreation needs, he is also mindful that the burden of property taxation is on properties in Canton's most wealthy section of the section, that, of course, being Ward 8.

While Mack, Fisher, Mariol (Ward 7) and Morris (Ward 9) are in agreement on many issues facing city council, the millage issue might be an example of differences which they have with one another from time-to-time.

Yesterday's Park Commission Board action was primarily designed to give the go ahead for Canton's law department to go to work in fashioning properly worded legal documents for the accomplishment of parks and recreation reorganization and to ensure that whatever millage is asked of Canton's voters will stand a test of judicial scrutiny if challenged by opponents of a merger of the CJRD into the Park Commission.

For the SCPR's part, yours truly finds the Morris admonition appealing:  that is to say "Go BIG, or go home!"

Perhaps rather than BIG, the mantra should be "bigger than 5.0 mills."

The Report sees a fully funded and therefore vibrant parks and recreation function as being a vital part of the upcoming Canton Citywide Plan which has the potential to hold Canton's population stable and perhaps be a lure for young families to take advantage of some very good home purchase values on the condition that city officials can:

• get a grip on Canton's continuing crime problems,
• devise a long term plan to replace the substructure of Canton's streets and highways so that repaving is no longer like pouring money down a rat hole, and
• bring living wage jobs to Canton so that new generations will "work and live" within the city

Being a city councilman in an American city these days can be an overwhelming task.
 
That is why voters have to learn to be very selective in determining who constitutes having those qualities that will enable a body such as Canton City Council to cope with the overwhelmingness and over time turn despair into, to borrow the CCS expression,:  "A Brighter Tomorrow!"

Here is the SCPR's video (about 35 minutes) of the complete discussion that the Park Commission Board had at its regular monthly meeting this past Wednesday: