ANGELA ALEXANDER'S BIGGEST HURDLE: BEING AN "OUTSIDER," AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN OR A COMBO OF THE TWO?

(Maps from Google Maps)

VIDEOS

FROM 
SCPR CONTRIBUTION TO 
"YouTube"
MARIOL ENDORSES ALEXANDER
=====================
FROM
THE GENERAL POPULATION OF
"YouTube"
Trials to Triumph
A Tribute to Judge Ira G. Turpin

includes Ralph Regula interview
when he was still a congressman

Everyone that The Stark County Political Report has talked to say that "There is no doubt about it," both Angela Alexander and Kristen Guardado are highly qualified to be Canton's newest municipal court judge.

The opening came about when Stephen Belden stepped down (resigned/retired as of December 1, 2014) in a swirl of controversy about how he handled certain cases during his time as a Canton Municipal Court judge.

On or about January 9, 2015, Governor Kasich appointed Republican Curtis Werren to replace Belden.

This is Werren's "second bite at the apple" inasmuch as he was appointed Kasich to replace a retired judge on the Stark County Court of Common Pleas in June, 2013.  However, he failed to hold the office as he was defeated by Democrat Chryssa Hartnett in a very close November, 2014 election.

Though a SCPR analysis of the vote in the Hartnett/Werren race showed that Werren bested her by about 1,000 votes in the Canton Municipal Court district, The Report thinks that Werren is vulnerable notwithstanding his impressive showing as cited above.

Werren has a very large stake in who wins the Democratic primary as between Guardado and Alexander.

His chance to retain his appointed seat is for Alexander to come out on top in the Democratic primary.

However, the SCPR doubts that an Alexander win is in the offing.

A Guardado win likely makes Werren "a two-time-loser" in being unable to retain for Republicans an appointed judgeship.

Alexander will make Guardado work hard to win the Democratic primary.  And that will benefit her in what will be a "political life or death" struggle in this fall's general election inasmuch this election has to be "the end of the 'political' road" for Werren, if he loses.

With the bulk of Alexander's stellar (LINK to prior blog detailing her Summit County work) professional legal work having been done in Summit County; whereas Guardado's has been done with the Canton Law Department, such is likely prove to be an Alexander fatal political flaw that provides Guardado a comfortable margin of victory come May 5, 2015.

Both Guardado and Alexander live in Plain Township.

But other than the Summit/Stark thing, there is another significant political difference.

Guadado has been on the Plain Local Board of Education for more than a decade, and, in the course of things, has been on the ballot for three elections achieving "top vote getter" status in two of the three elections.  Such only adds to the SCPR's belief that at the end of the day Guardado will prevail against both Alexander and Werren.

Alexander is making a valiant effort as evidenced by her impressive website.

The most interesting and significant thing about Alexander's website is the listing of some high profile Canton City Council members endorsing her for judge, to wit:

Surprising, no?

The SCPR surmises from a conversation with one of Alexander's endorsers is that her being African-American is a key component difference maker for some of them in choosing between the two well qualified candidates.

Of course, Chris Smith (Ward 4) and Thomas West (Ward 2) are themselves African-Americans.

The Report's source thinks Alexander is a "win-win" for Democrats if she were to get the nod to go up against Republican Werren in November.

The SCPR's source thinks that Alexander can win such a match up because of her far superior to Werren's legal profession credentials as compared to Werren's being president of the Stark County Red Cross for several years before Kasich first-appointed by to the Stark County Court of Common Pleas bench.

Moreover, it is thought by the source-person that being a minority will be a positive in that voters will see the need for an African-American to be on the bench inasmuch as Canton has a Black population of 24%.

The source said he believes that the Canton Municipal Court has never had an African-American judge and Stark County only one.  That being Stark County Court of Common Pleas Judge Ira G. Turpin.

However, a Stark County Political Report research reveals that in 1962 Ohio's 60th governor and Democrat Michael V. DiSalle appointed African-American Clay Hunter (1895 - 1976) as a Canton Municipal Court judge.  Hunter is referred to in a reverential vein in the video below of Stark County' only ever Stark County Court of Common Pleas and 5th District Court of Appeals (the only Black at the Court of Appeals in all of Ohio, at the time); namely, Judge Ira G. Turpin.

It appears that Hunter was unsuccessful in his effort to get elected in his own right in that The Report's next research shows that Hunter is listed as a magistrate in Stark County's family court in a 1975 The Evening Independent article.

There is no doubt about it.  Canton and Stark County seems to always been a tough venue for Blacks.

Here is a snippet from a publication of yore (2005) which provides anecdotal evidence that such has been the case.

The SCPR always endeavors for each and every blog to thoroughly search on the Internet for material germane to a given blog.

In yesterday's search for this blog, yours truly found "a gold nugget:"  A video entitled "Trials to Triumph - A Tribute to Judge Ira G. Turpin."

Turpin's interviewer is former Timken executive Stephen Perry.  Perry's daughter, Andrea, is Canton's safety director.

The SCPR implores The Report's readers to take about 22 minutes and view this YouTube video.  It is awesomely inspiring!

While Angela Alexander suffers the same fate as Turpin when he in 1969 failed to win election as a Canton Municipal Court judge, there is no doubt that she is a high quality lawyer and, in time, if she persists become a member of the Stark County bench at some level.

Were Alexander to be the Dems' nominee, it seems to the SCPR that Werren has a huge advantage in Plain Township (22% of the vote in the November, 2014 election) inasmuch he bested Hartnett by 668 votes which was nearly 67% of the 913 votes that he won by this past November election; only calculating the votes in the Canton Municipal Court district.

The Report thinks that if the Dems are to capture this judgeship, their political strength lies with Guardado as pointed out above.

But there is more.

On March 3rd of this year, Kristen Guardado held a fundraiser at Skyland Pines.

This event perhaps more than other advantages that she holds in the mind of the SCPR is indicative of the political strength of Kristen Guardado.

The Report talked with Guardado last week about the event.  She was humbled as about 300 people showed up at her fundraising event.

Included in the assembly were former Canton law directors:

• Harry E. Klide, (1970s; went on to become a judge a various levels),
• W. Scott Gwin (1985 - 1988; now a 5th District Court of Appeals judge) and
• Thomas Bernabei (1988 through 2000; now a Stark County commissioner), serves as Guardado's campaign treasurer,
• Joseph Martuccio,  current law director (appointed by Stark Dems Central Committee members to replace Bernabei who retired mid-term; elected in his own right in November, 2001) 
• Note:  Kristen Guardado works for Martuccio

Republican Canton Municipal Court Judge Richard Kubilus was also in attendance.

The SCPR did attempt to contact Alexander to learn more about her level of support (beyond the four councilpersons identified above), but she as not returned The Report's call as of the writing of this blog.

But The Report has on yours truly's initiative been in touch with three of the five listed Canton City Councilpersons listed on Alexander's website as being endorsers/supporters.

First, Councilman John Mariol.



Second, Councilman Frank Morris, III (council vice president and majority leader).   Morris had this to say:

Frank Morris
Mar 10 at 3:10 PM

To: tramols@att.net

I feel that Angela Alexander is an outstanding individual with an impressive background as an attorney. 

After meeting with her just once I knew she was the candidate I would be endorsing in the primary election. 

Her go against the grain, aggressive attitude and strong work ethic is exactly what we need in our court system.

Thirdly, Canton City Council president Allen Schulman.

Schulman made the point that both Alexander and Guardado are clearly and highly qualified to be Belden's replacement.

Without making it sound like he was in favor of some sort of quota for Black aspiring officeholders, Schulman said that it is high time for a richly qualified African-America to attain a judgeship in Stark County.

Since Ira Turpin retired from the bench on January 31, 1982; no Stark County Black aspirant above the Ward level has gotten very close to achieving elective office.

And who can quarrel with Schulman that electing an eminently qualified African-American such as Alexander is long overdue.

Having said that, the SCPR thinks that the political dynamics (i.e. her having a Summit County legal work base and Guardado firmly entrenched in Stark County politics and legal community) are such that were Alexander to defeat Guardado in some 50 days; her success would be billed by most political analysts as being a stunning upset.

To repeat, if the SCPR is correct and election on May 5th is not in the cards for Alexander; she needs to try and try again.  She is clearly first-rate.

Like it or not, Alexander needs to square up with the political realities of her being an "outsider" at least as perceived by many leading Stark County-based elected Democrats and work after the election to establish herself with the core leadership of the Stark County "organized" Democratic Party.

In 2015, one likes to think that Alexander being an African-American is not a barrier in Stark County. For in 2008 and 2012 Barrack Obama carried Stark County.

Nevertheless, there are those who think that it is virtually impossible for a Black to get elected above the Ward level in Stark.

The SCPR disagrees.  However, it will take hard work and persistence like that demonstrated by Ira G. Turpin.  Angela Alexander appears to have Turpin-esque qualities in her make up.

This time around, it is apparent to the SCPR that Stark County "political insider" Kristen Guardado is the odds on favorite to become the Democratic nominee to challenge Republican appointee Curtis Werren.

While she may lose on May 5th, the SCPR encourages her to cement her professional ties to Stark County and thereby overcome the "outsider" label in future tries for public office.

Who knows what the future brings.

A vacancy can develop in a heartbeat (e.g. Belden's sudden resignation) in the Canton Municipal Court or the Stark County Court of Common Pleas.

Should Alexander lose in the Democratic primary to Guardado, hopefully Alexander will have by the time another judicial vacancy occurs be in a position to become Stark County's "only ever" Black female judge.

List of elected officials who attended Guardado March 3, 2015 fundraiser:

(VIDEOS) MAJORITY LEADER CHALLENGER THOMAS WEST (WARD 2) SAYS "IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON," BUT DOES HE MEAN IT?

UPDATE:  NOON

The SCPR just received a communication from Councilman West, and in the conversation he raised three (3) main points:

• That contrary to The Report's conjecture (which is based on information provided by others on council) that Mayor William J. Healy, II may be involved in devising the political tactics and strategies in the fight over who shall be Canton City Council majority is unfounded,
• That he is the subject of "being ganged up on" (the SCPR's words; not West's) by Councilpersons Morris, Mack, Mariol, Fisher, Smuckler,  Hawk and President Allen Schulman and the resources of Schulman's law firm and the law firm that Mack is associated with, and
• That he was "surprised" (West's term) when President Schulman made his ruling and did not allow space and time for debate on his ruling. 

The Report's impression is that had West not been "surprised" by the swiftness of Schulman's move onto other business, it was his plan to "appeal" the ruling and thereby prompt a debate among the council members as to whether or not Schulman's ruling was to be abided.

As is the policy of the SCPR anyone who has difference with The Report, or wants to add their points of view to a blog is given ample opportunity to do so.

The Report thanks Councilman West for his imput both after the meeting (last Thursday) and in today's telephone conversation.

It seems to the SCPR that should West get his thorough going discussion of the Schulman ruling, he is then prepared to move on as he told The Report he wanted to do at the conclusion of Thursday's meeting.

 VIDEOS 

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

Schulman's Decision

 ========================

West's Argument for Selection

======================== 

Morris' Argument for Selection

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

 The Vote

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

 Martuccio's Opinion

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

 West Post-Meeting SCPR Interview

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

Morris Post-Meeting SCPR Interview

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

Encore

Dougherty 12/17/2013 

Executive Session Motion

 ==========================

Schulman Post-Meeting Interview

(On West's Planned Parenthood Point)

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

 Schulman Post-Meeting Interview

(On "Ease of Reaching Decision")

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

 Citizen Interview

Curtis A. Perry

(Includes Public Speaks)

Perry

&

Chet Werren

========================= 

Chris Smith Post-Meeting Interview

========================= 

Last Thursday night's "organizational" meeting of Canton City Council proved to be anything but humdrum.

The "key" moment in the proceeding was Allen Schulan's ruling (in his capacity as Canton City Council president) on the issue of whether the 2014-2015 majority leader had to be elected by a majority of 12 votes or a plurality of 11 votes, one member having abstained.

Here is Schulman with his decision:



Before Schulman made his decision, the contenders (Thomas West, D-Ward 2 and Framk Morris, D-Ward 9) for the majority leader post "put their best feet forward" in advocating as to why council should choose one over the other as majority leader (officially, "Vice President"):

First, West:



Next, Morris:



 And next, the actual vote:



After the vote, President Schulman turned to Law Director Joe Martuccio for his take on the significance of the vote while carefully reminding all that, though he treasured Martuccio's opinion, he would not necessarily adopt the opinion in making a ruling.



As readers now know on viewing the video above, he did not.

The SCPR video-captured the reaction of West and Morris on the outcome of the vote.

WEST



MORRIS



Thursday's meeting (in terms of the outcome) was pretty much of a repeat of the December 17th meeting of council (including members-elect Bill Smuckler [a Democrat] and Richard Hart [an independent] but minus Mary Cirelli and Joe Cole who after December 31st were no longer council members EXCEPT that the December 17th meeting was held in executive session on the motion of the-then majority leader David Dougherty (Democrat - Ward 7).



The Report is told that nothing was said in the executive session that had not already been said in public.

After the meeting, President Schulman elaborated on his determination that Council Frank Morris was "duly" elected having achieved a 6 to 5 plurality (see video below).

That the December 17th meeting included an executive session is distressing to the SCPR because the quintessential political liberal of Stark County government circles; namely, Allen Schulman, in his role as president of council, cast the deciding vote (as seen in the above-video) to break a five to five tie vote which resulted in Dougherty's executive session motion prevailing.

While Schulman has not completely escaped The Report's critical assessment, but as public officials go, he ranks very high as being one of those public officials who bends over backwards to enhance the public's right to know and to be heard and generally is highly supportive of small letter "d" democracy.

Clearly, December 17th was not a good night for President Schulman by SCPR standards.

Many think well of Dougherty as a councilman.

However, as a government official, he, in the opinion of The Report, leaves a lot to be desired in terms of his facilitating public expression.  The Report has written a blog or two of how Dougherty as majority leader (subbing for Schulman) seemed to discourage citizens who availed themselves of the "public speaks" forum of Canton City Council.

So The Report is glad to see that he will not be serving in a leadership position in this term of council.   He seems to the SCPR to not be all that friendly to public accountability, accessibility and transparency.

But it was not for a lack of trying that Dougherty is out as leader.

In the political jockeying that took place post-November, 2013 election, the SCPR is told that it became apparent early on that Dougherty had "burned too many bridges" among his fellow council members to get over the top with a majority of the twelve council votes.  One councilperson calls Dougherty a "a hot head."

While Dougherty might have been able to pull off a tie, President Schulman let it be known that he was leaning towards Frank Morris (Democrat - Ward 9).  Schulman supported Morris in the challenge by the-then Councilman-at-large Joe Cole in November's election.

Tom West (Democrat - Ward 2) was waiting in the wings to see whether or not Dougherty could get that one vote he needed from among Hawk (D-Ward 1) or Smuckler (D, at-large).  It certainly was not going to come from among "the four young turks" (Kevin Fisher (D-Ward 5), John Mario (D-Ward 7), Edmond Mack (D-Ward 8) and, of course, no-way from Frank Morris (D-Ward 9).

Dougherty's failure explains Tom West's emergence on Thursday night.

And further back in the wings, it appears to the SCPR, is Mayor William J. Healy, II.

Now why would Healy want to foment division on council?

How about getting council so divided and at one another's throats that even if legislation is passed that he does not like, he can veto it and there would be very little chance of get 8 voters to override it?

Some think that Healy was the person behind the political scheming and strategizing to make West majority leader.

Knowing that if there was a tie (six to six) vote among the 12 members of council and that President Schulman was going to break the tie in Morris' favor, The Report is told that someone (thought to be Healy himself) prevailed upon newly elected Councilman-at-:Large Richard Hart (a political independent, formerly a Republican) to abstain from the vote as between West and Morris so as to make it impossible for Morris (unless he could get to a 7 to 4 vote from the 11 non-abstaining members of council) to achieve a majority vote of the total of "the present and voting one way or the other" members of council.

Hart, by the way, is seen by a number of councilpersons of allowing himself to be used as "the tool of political shenanigans."  Hardly, a good start for the new councilman, no?

West went the additional step of pulling out (undoubtedly, aided by Healy) a vote on an "informal" resolution on a Planned Parenthood issue, the "non-lawyer" he is, as legal ammunition, to wit:

The SCPR, in the post-meeting interview, asked President Schulman (who is one of Stark County's premier lawyers)  specifically about the Planned Parenthood matter.



Moreover, here is the rest of the video in which he talks about his decision that the six to five vote was a valid vote to elect Frank Morris as majority leader.



West apparently proved to be a very unskilled politician in effectuating what appears to be "the Healy Plan."

He was supposed to appeal the ruling of the chair (Schulman) to throw the matter into further council debate and consideration as set forth in Canton City Council Rule 42, to wit:

Rule #42 APPEALING DECISION OF THE CHAIR

A. An appeal may be made from any decision of the Presiding Officer (except when another appeal is pending), but it must be made only immediately after the ruling that is being appealed.

B. If this appeal is seconded, the Presiding Officer shall state clearly the question at issue, and he or she may state his/her reasons for his/her decision, and then state the question as follows:

"The question is, shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" This question is then voted upon to determine whether the decision of the Chair shall be sustained. A majority vote of those present is required to sustain the Chair. The President of Council may vote to break a tie vote.

But he did not do so. The Report is told that a number of his supporters were unhappy afterwards that he failed to fully execute the plan.

Here is Allen Schulman's take on West's failure to appeal:

Had West appealed, he would certainly had lost even if Councilman Hart voted to overturn Schulman because, undoubtedly, the chairman on a six to six vote would certainly have broken the tie to sustain his initial ruling.

After the meeting, The Report interviewed West supporter and well known Stark County businessman Curtis Perry.  Watch the video very carefully to perhaps pick up on a tip-off that maybe Tom West would not be "moving on," but rather carrying on his fight to become majority leader.

(Note:  The video includes the SCPR interview of Mr. Perry post-meeting as well as a video of his "Public Speaks" video as well as that of Mr. Chet Werren)



The SCPR's clear take, as seen by the follow up questions, was that Curtis Perry was considering advising his close confidant West to take up a legal challenge to Schulman's decision.

The Report immediately went to West who was standing nearby for a reaction.

West would no go on camera with his response, but he did say that he wanted "to move on" and was not thinking of a legal challenge.

Well, apparently, he thought otherwise overnight (likely on hearing the dissatisfaction of his supporters) and fired off a letter to Canton law director Joseph Martuccio sometime on Friday (January 10th).

WEST LETTER TO MARTUCCIO, JANUARY 10, 2014



REQUEST FOR "FORMAL" LEGAL OPINION

Hmm?

A "formal legal opinion."

Isn't that interesting?

So the "on the record of council proceedings" (duly recorded) opinion by Martuccio that seven votes are required is not good enough?

That one should be easy for Martuccio, for in this blog the SCPR published (see it above) the video of Martuccio issuing his opinion.  All he has to do is reduce the video to print form.

REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION & SUSPENSION OF MORRIS A MAJORITY LEADER

 WEST'S OPINION

For whatever it is worth.  And the SCPR thinks:  not much!

WEST SUMMARY OF "WHAT HE WANTS" 

All the SCPR can say to Councilman West is "lot of luck!"

If West expects Martuccio to take on a power that he does not have and declare President Schulman's decision "null and void," he can forget that one.  For "it ain't gonna happen!"

The Report thinks he is going absolutely nowhere on his inartistic and poorly executed "politiking" and apparent legal maneuvering, even if Mayor Healy is the supposed tactics/strategy genius behind the effort.

Implicit in West's letter when coupled with Mr. Perry's comments is a suggestion that he may take the issue into the courts.

So we shall know soon whether or not West's word to the SCPR that its "time to move on" was mere words that he undermines with contrary actions.

There is no doubt with the SCPR but that Dougherty was Healy's point-man on council.  When it became apparent that Dougherty was not going to make it, The Report thinks that there were only two viable councilpersons to step-in unless one thinks Jimmy Babcock is leadership material.

And they were West and Chris Smith (D-Ward 4).

It has been suggested to the SCPR that though they appear to be "joined at the hip," there is a sort of competition between Smith and West.

It seems that that coming from the 2012 organizing of council when Smith nearly became assistant majority leader when she challenged Jim Griffin (D-Ward 3).  The Report is told that she had 5 votes of the 7 needed to oust Griffin.

Had she won, she would have surpassed the longer serving West and as can be seen from the following West video from Thursday night, he thinks "seniority" should count for something.

What's more, The Report is told that West, Smith and Ward One Councilman Greg Hawk are pointing to two years hence when 49th District Ohio House representative Stephen Slesnick is term-limited out of the Oho General Assembly as a possible replacement.

It appears that Smith is more popular with and esteemed by fellow council members than West is.

Her nomination and election as First Vice President (assistant majority leader) Thursday night was a "slam dunk-esque" process, witness the 12 to 0 vote.

And that West in his letter to Martuccio suggests that Smith be elevated to serve as de facto majority leader on the presumption that that Schulman will be of a mind to reconsider this ruling suggests that knowing that Smith's election was to be uncontested suggests that it was a Healy/West pre-plan to offer her up as a stop-gap to the requirement that a majority leader be selected by Friday, January 10th in the case that they could successfully stop Morris has having been the victor in council's plan.

Here is Smith's reaction to having been selected as assistant majority leader:



It has been pointed out that some councilpersons view West dimly because of his propensity to "spring surprises" on council like his grandstanding-esque proposal that council adopt and adapaton of the National Football League (NFL) "Rooney Rule" whereby "persons-of-color" are required to be interviewed in the filling of any leadership vacancies in the NFL.

Moreover, it didn't set well with a number of members of council that West refused to have the Judiciary Committee (of which he was chair in 2012-2013) take up the proposal to possibly submit to Cantonians the question of whether or not Canton should have a charter of its own and not continue to have its powers defined exclusively by the state of Ohio via its statutes.

Because of the charter government issue and one held up, a council person tells the SCPR, by Councilman Greg Hawk for two years (the pool issue in Smith's Ward 4) when he was finance chairman in the 2011-2012 term of council; there is agitation to change the rules of council to lessen  the power of committee chairpersons.

Moreover, because of what some council members believe to be the "high-handed" manner of handling the prerogatives of majority leaders; there is sentiment to curb the powers of the majority leader.

So tonight's meeting (the 5:30 p.m.; which immediately precedes the regular 7:30 p.m. meeting) might be more than a tad interesting.

One huge issue is whether or not Greg Hawk is to be finance chair, once again.

The Report is told that Councilwoman Smith is saying "anybody but Hawk!"

The SCPR believes that comes straight out of the Healy penthouse on the 8th floor of Canton City Hall.

Had David Dougherty handled himself differently in his relations with the rest of council, it appears to the SCPR that none of what has been written about in this blog would have occurred.

For he would have been the choice to once again to be elected majority leader.

The "chickens do come home to roost," no?

Moreover, Cantonians should be holding Councilman West to his word, no?

It is time to move on, isn't it?

That's the sentiment expressed by veteran councilman Bill Smuckler to the SCPR.  He who returned this term as a councilman-at-large after taking a two year break.

Will Tom West get the message that "moving on" is exactly what the everyday citizens of Canton want?

Words are one thing, action is quite another!

(VIDEOS) FRANK MORRIS & CHRIS SMITH TO BE NEW CANTON COUNCIL LEADERS?

 VIDEOS

ALL VIDEOS ARE NOW POSTED

"An Aspiration Meeting of Canton City Council?"

EXECUTIVE SESSION VOTE
POSTED AT 07:13 AM 
 
(POST - SESSION VOTE)

POSTED AT 08:20 AM  

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

COUNCIL WOMAN CHRIS SMITH

"First Female/African-American Leader of Council"

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

COUNCILMAN-ELECT RICHARD HART

'His Role as a Politically Independent Councilman"

=================== 

 

COUNCILMAN FRANK MORRIS

"Consensus New Majority Leader"

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

COUNCILMAN KEVIN FISHER

"A Review of Past 2 Years & Looking Forward"

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

COUNCILMAN JOHN MARIOL

"A Review of Past 2 Years & Looking Forward"

====================== 

COUNCILMAN EDMOND MACK

"A Review of Past 2 Years & Looking Forward"

======================= 
 

In a August 30, 2012 blog the Stark County Political Report dubbed Canton City Council's newest members as being "the four young turks."

The Report is pleased that these members (Frank Morris - Ward 9, Edmond Mack - Ward 8, John Mariol - Ward 7 and Kevin Fisher - Ward 5) have taken to "the young turk" description.

For the expression is meant as a high SCPR compliment indicating their energy, zeal, vision and persistence in what appears to be a dogged determination they have to slowly but surely bring Canton back to a semblance of her former greatness.

While "not young enough" to be included in the 'young' aggregation, Councilman-at-Large elect Bill Smuckler and Councilman Greg Hawk (Ward 1) are empathetic with the aspirations of "the four young turks" and are likely to join forces with the four in critical votes determinative of the direction that Canton city government takes going forward.

A key councilman and, perhaps - a pivotal factor - is likely to be former Republican Canton city councilman Richard Hart who was elected "at-large" this past November.

It could be that Hart will be a difference-maker between "the four young turks and their allies" and a bloc of remaining councilpersons; which the SCPR dubs as being "the Smith bloc," namely;

• Jimmy Babcock, at-large,
• Tom West,Ward 2,
• a candidate to be leader this time around,
• Jim Griffin, Ward 3,
• former "assistant majority leader,"
• Chris Smith, Ward 4,
• likely to be voted "assistant majority leader," on January 6th,
• David Daugherty, Ward 6
• the former leader who wanted to be leader again,

Hart could join either bloc of council persons on "key" issues that come up on council, but the SCPR expects him to side mostly with Morris-led bloc.

Council President Allen Schulman will likely continue to be tie-breaker when a tie vote occurs.

It seems to the SCPR that "the young turk coalition" will not want a question to come out a tie because in The Report's view, Schulman in his votes over the past two years - in The Report's perception - have been mostly with the Mayor William J. Healy, II administration position (which also, more or less, is supported by "the Smith bloc).

Last evening Canton City Council met under what the SCPR in what President Schulman termed as being "an aspirational meeting" to determine a consensus of who is going to be council's next majority leader and assistant leader.

The prospective new leaders are:

Frank Morris (Ward 9) as "majority leader:" also known as the vice president of council.

Chris Smith (Ward 4) as "assistant majority leader:" also known as first vice president.

It appears that neither the SCPR,  Matt Rink of The Repository, nor the general public may have been afforded the necessary pre-meeting notice to have been a properly called and conducted meeting.

The Report opted not to file an objection because the meeting held in "executive session" on the motion of David Daugherty was pretty much an extension of "informal" discussions which have gone on among the various players for majority leader (Morris, Daugherty and West) pretty much from November 7th (the day after this fall's general election).

It should be disturbing to the Canton voting public that Leader Daugherty moved to go into executive session on the matter, that is to say:

A vote as to whether or not to go into executive session the vote breakdown?

As seen in the SCPR video (see below) of the session:

• For:
• Babcock,
• West,
• Griffin,
• Smith,
• Daugherty

• Against:
• Hawk,
• Fisher,
• Mariol,
• Mack
• Morris

Here is video on Daugherty's "lets' go into executive session" motion vote.

 Here is the post-executive session video.



Hmm?

Five (5) to five (5).

A harbinger of things to come, no?

And guess how Allen Schulman voted?

You've got it:  with "the Smith bloc."

No surprise here to the SCPR.

While The Report likes Schulman and thinks he does a superlative job in terms of civilities, courtesies and his "citizen-friendly" demeanor amply demonstrated in the "public speaks" segment of council meetings, there is little doubt with The Report that substantively he is more or less aligned with the Healy administration viewpoint.

The SCPR sees Schulman as one of Stark County's most zealous small letter "d" democrats (he being, perhaps, Stark County's most "liberal" Democrat) and all that the small letter "d" democrats connotes which includes among a large list of democratic values the value of "openness."

Last night was an opportunity for Schulman "to put his money where his mouth is" on democratic values and The Report thinks that he failed that test and denied the Canton citizenry the opportunity to see exactly what Councilman Daugherty wanted to hide from the public.

The Report asked Schulman for an interview after last night's meeting to ask him on camera - under critical questioning - the reason(s) for his siding with closing the meeting to the public.  However, he declined to be interview.

The SCPR has known for some time that a consensus had been reached among Canton's councilpersons that Frank Morris and Chris Smith are to be the new leadership of city council and that a lot of wrangling has occurred among council members to get to the consense.

Moreover, the SCPR also has known that Daugherty was not going down easily.

The Report's take on Daugherty is that he only has himself to blame.

Over the past two years of SCPR coverage of Canton city council, there is a good sprinkling of blogs featuring Daugherty which indicate a surly, "inconsiderate of others' feelings" (including the general public when citizens use council's public speaks forum, when he has substituted for Schulman) demeanor.

Hardly, what one wants of a leader of council, no?

One can only imagine what he is like when not in the public view and not on camera?

Hopefully, as far as the SCPR is concerned; residents in the 6th ward will find an alternative to Daugherty come November, 2015.

Which is a shame.

Because the SCPR is told by a number of his fellow councilpersons that David Daugherty is a very bright guy who has provided high quality substance in terms of policy and practice.

But the guy needs to learn civility, courtesy and how to deal effectively and with political maturity with those with who he disagrees.

The SCPR did take advantage of last night's session to talk with "the four young turks, prospective new "assistant majority leader" Chris Smith and new councilman-at-large Richard Hart "on camera."

Here are those interview.

First, Chris Smith, who is breaking ground as the prospective new assistant majority leader as being the first female and African-American as a leader of Canton Council.



Second, Richard Hart and his perspective on his role as the only non-Democrat on council.



Third, Frank Morris, the expected to be elected at council's next regular meeting (January 6, 2014) majority leader.



Fourth, Kevin Fisher, Ward 5.



Fifth, Edmund Mack, Ward 8.



Sixth, John Mariol.



Canton mayor William J. Healy, II will be challenged as never before by the 2014-2015 version of Canton City Council with "the four young turks" who have learned their political lessons well over the past two years.

He can choose to fight with them (which the SCPR predicts he will do) or seek to find "common ground."

The Report would like Healy to "turn over a new leaf" and demonstrate a political maturity that he has never seemingly shown before.

But if he does not, the SCPR is confident that the new leadership of Canton City Council will forge ahead with programs, practices and policies that bode well for the future of Canton.

(VIDEOS) UNIONS/DIVERSITY CONCERNS AND OTHER TURF INTERESTS DOOM CANTON'S CHARTER GOV'T FLIRTATION?

In order for Canton Ward 8 Councilman Edmond Mack to get the issue of Canton's going to a charter form of government before city voters, it is going to take a dramatic turnaround on the thinking on the part of most Canton City Council members.

A vote on the legislation, which Judiciary Committee chairman Tom West has said he will sign off on (on the condition of Monday night's town hall meeting having been held) in order to get the Canton Law Department to work drafting the legislation, will likely take place between January 6 and March 6, 2014 in order for the question (if council approves the legislation) to make the filing deadline for it to be on the May, 2014 primary election ballot.

By the SCPR's nose count of councilpersons, it appears that Mack has an uphill fight to get council to approve presenting the matter to voters.

Co-sponsor Mary Cirelli will not be around to be one of his "yes" votes inasmuch as she - having opted not to run for re-election to council - will not be around.

Additionally, Cirelli announced Monday that she will not be a candidate for the charter commission should city council place the question on the ballot.

Come January, he will acquire a superb ally to aid him in the cause.  Longtime charter advocate and former councilman Bill Smuckler will be returning to Canton council.

On Monday council minority members West (D - Ward 2) and Chris Smith (D - Ward 4) said flat out that they will not be voting for the legislation.

The SCPR is disappointed in West in that he argues for citizens and fellow council members to be educated on city issues (e.g. Redflex traffic cameras) before forming a position while seemingly, in The Report's estimate, having made up his mind on the charter issue.

In an interview with him Monday night post-meeting, West appears to be open to the possibility of changing his mind.

However, The Report thinks that his seeming hedging on having made up his mind is more a case of wanting to give the impression of openness rather than being genuinely open to changing his mind.

After all, it is a tad hypocritical to decry others for not being informed and then close one's own mind to perhaps mind-changing information - is it not?

Another SCPR criticism of West has to do with what yours truly thinks is unfounded focus on the diversity issue.

Canton now has two African-American council persons out of total of thirteen total councilpersons when one includes the council president.

Okay.

A little math lesson is in order:  2/13 = 15%.

Hmm?

Canton has a 24% black population.

So why is he and why is Chris Smith (D - 4) zealously protecting the status quo?

Are they willing to settle for a mere 15% of black leadership roles in Canton government in the face of African-American composing 24% of Canton's population?

It is hard to see how African-American representation in any proposal that a charter commission might come up with would be less than 15 per cent.

The potential is there for African-American politicians to achieve citywide and countywide offices.

Kelley Zachary ran a very respectable race for Stark County treasurer and Canton treasurer.  West himself ran well against Kirk Schuring a number of years ago for the state Senate in a district that covered about 90% of Stark County.

There is a case to made that BUT FOR Mary Cirelli being a candidate for Canton treasurer that Zachary would have defeated Kim Perez.

But for African-Americans to improve their numbers one would think that a Canton/Stark County African-American needs to step up to the plate having designed a workable plan for electing blacks citywide, even countywide.

Of course, it is not enough to come up with a plan. Someone will have to actually "roll up the sleeves" and do the hard work of selling the plan to the electorate.

Who better than Councilman West?

Being the social worker, politician, businessman and educated man he is, West should have inner characteristics, qualities and resources to get creative and be a pro-active Stark County minority leader that gets results.

To boot, he has been a councilman ten years.  Hardly a novice, no?  But in all fairness one has to ask what does he have to show for it?

While yours truly personally likes Tom West, it seems that he needs to be challenged "to be all that he can be" in terms of making his mark in Canton and Stark County as a leader among leaders.

That is not what The Report is seeing in Tom West of 2013.

West is no different than another other Stark County-based elected official who is not measuring up.

The Report typically prods those Stark County political subdivision "a day late and dollar short" leaders holding public office who are not delivering a quality of leadership that Stark County cities, villages, townships and boards of education so sorely need.

Stark County does have a model of county level of leadership being ratcheted up to a higher level with the election of Tom Bernabei and Janet Creighton in 2010.

Before Bernabei and Creighton, SCPR readers will recall what a mess Stark County government was in.

It is encouraging to see that Canton in Edmond Mack as a person who is willing to take on a "the odds are against me" issue and seek to turn the negative thinking around. Folks, this is leadership.

Not to pit them against one another, but yours truly thinks Councilman Edmond Mack (only now finishing up his first two year term) demonstrates far more in the kind of leadership that the SCPR is looking for than West does.

There is no doubt about it.  Mack seemingly faces insuperable obstacles of bringing charter government to Canton.  But do not tell him that.  He embraces the challenge of adjusting and accommodating to various perspectives in quest of reaching his ultimate goal.

The Report presents via video the entire formal presentation of both from Monday's town hall meeting on the charter government issue.

Edmond Mack.



Thomas West.



The Achilles Heel of Mack's presentation was his failure to tie in creating a charter government to specific benefits to be derived by everyday citizens.

West was far too much into "the fear factor" and resting on the security of the maintaining the "status quo" in appealing to the base instincts of people.

Lastly, yours truly has a special word for Stark County organized labor as personified by Stark County trades union president David Kirven.

Kirven did what he is paid to do which is look out for the interests of unions.

But for elected public officials to factor special interests into their decisions as to what structure of government is best for the public is not a responsible basis for decision making.

While The Report personally favors Project Labor Agreements (PLAs), prevailing wage laws and protecting public workers' pensions, it doesn't follow that maintaining a statutory form of government has anything whatsoever to do with those matters.

To sum it all up, it appears to the SCPR that the private, political and special organization interests of a number of Canton city councilpersons (i.e. turf interests) are playing into the decision on whether or not Cantonians will have the democratic right to determine their own structure of government.

The overall interests of the citizens of Canton appear to be taking a back seat.

The obvious decline of Canton that is underway should be an wake up call to the city's councilpersons.

As one citizen said on Monday night on recounting the dramatic loss of population since 1950, "don't you think we might be doing something wrong" in terms of how we do government in Canton.

And it is noteworthy that Cantonians took a look at fashioning charter government in 1962.  Unfortunately, the 1961/62 set of commissioners came up with an ill-founded plan of electing all of of the commission member at-large.  In doing so, they took away the ability of Cantonians living in clustered neighborhoods (e.g. Vassar Park) to hold individual councilpersons accountable.

Cantonians reacted the way they should have at the ballot box in voting 78% against that proposal.

The beauty of the chartering process is that the voters can always say "no," if out-of-touch charter commissioners loose their heads.

But does anyone think that a new commission would repeat the mistakes of the 60s era group?

Canton council needs to approve letting a new group of 15 give formulating a charter a new try.

Having at the ready flexible tools (whether or not they are ever used) to do a more efficient and effective job for the taxpaying public equips government to more responsive to public demands to fix things gone wrong.

The Report understood Ward 5 councilman Kevin Fisher on Monday night of having talked about getting the Ohio General Assembly to change the formula for the election of charter members to reflect the demographics of a city.

Fisher's idea is a good one that the Canton's representative to the Ohio House (Stephen Slesnick - D/Canton) and Stark County's representative to the Ohio Senate (Scott Oelslager - R/Plain Township) should pick up on.

For Canton, such a change could mean electing a 13 member charter commission:  Nine (one each) from the existing wards plus four at-large members.

But there is no chance that any change in state legislation will be forthcoming over the next six months.

Nevertheless Canton desperately needs a fresh start with as much flex as Ohio law allows for charter cities to structure themselves for the maximum benefit of the citizenry.

Seventy-three percent (73%) of Ohio's cities are charter cities.

If statutory status meets the optimal need of cities, why have 3/4ths of Ohio municipalities opted for the charter form?

As long as Canton is represented by the self-centereds who pretty much flesh out a "public be damned" underlying attitude in pursuit of their perceived special interests, the city will continue its downward spiral.

More and more Cantonians should be asking themselves this.

Is a Detroit scenario really all the far away from Canton's doorstep?

CANTON CITY TREASURER RACE: WHO WINS? WHICHEVER CANDIDATE GETS HER/HIS VOTERS TO THE POLLS!

As to who will win the Democratic Primary for Canton city treasurer on May 7th, one veteran Canton politicians tells the SCPR that he thinks:

• Kelly Zachary wins Wards 2 and 4,
• Kim Perez wins Ward 1 (his former ward when he was in council),
• Mary Cirelli wins Ward 3 (which she formerly represented) and Ward 5 and, perhaps 6, and
• Wards 7, 8 and 9 are up for grabs,

The overall winner, he thinks, will be the candidate that gets her/his voters to the polls.

Not a whole lot there to disagree with from the SCPR's vantage point.

But there are a number of things to consider.

First of Ward 5 councilman Kevin Fisher has sided up with Kim Perez.  He worked for Perez when Perez was county auditor.  And it would have been surprising indeed for Fisher to abandon him in the treasurer's race.

So Mary Cirelli winning Ward 5 with Fisher doing a campaign flyer for Perez?  The SCPR is skeptical.  It makes a lot more sense that Fisher pulls Perez through in Ward 5.

If he doesn't, he may give pause for thought for someone to take him on two years down the road.

The Report believes it is likely that Cirelli comes in a competitive second in the 5th and by coming in second in the wards she does not win could be the key for a squeaker overall victory for her.  Should she slip to third in this ward, it could portend a Perez victory.

Also, Ward 6 is a troublesome spot for Cirelli.  Majority Leader Dougherty is the councilman for Ward 6 and one only has to take in his sighs of exasperation when Cerelli speaks up at council meetings to pretty much know that he (being Healy's point man on council) is going to be supporting the mayor's choice who, of course, is Kim Perez.

So yours truly does not see Cirelli winning Ward 6.  But she does come in a relatively close second.

But she will have to place first somewhere other than in the 3rd to become Canton treasurer.

Cirelli wins the election if she is victorious in Wards 7 and 8. 

They are Canton's largest (in terms of number of voters who show up on election day; election year-in, year-out) voting wards.  And they are Canton's most Republican wards.  Of course, this is not the general election and Republicans do not factor in.

The only question along these lines would be if the Democrats in these wards are more Republican like than any other wards in the city?  If they are, Cirelli wins because Perez is the personification of Democratic establishment politics (i.e. one of the Dems "good ole boys").

Keys in these two wards are Councilmen John Mariol (who is running unopposed in the 7th through the general election) and Edmund Mack (unopposed in the primary in Ward 8).

You have to believe that they are leaning Mary's way inasmuch as they often vote with Mary when opposing controversial Healy administration legislative proposals.

A Cirelli triump in Ward 9 (Frank Morris' ward - likely to have a large turnout because the of the Morris/Cole face off) would be icing on her political cake.  Cirelli is nonstop wearing her Group 175 button in support of Vassar Park (located in the 9th Ward) resident Bruce Nordman's campaign to force Canton to add 25 or so police offices to the Canton force.

The SCPR thinks her solidarity with the Vassar Park folks could be a key to a Ward 9 win for Mary.

Speculation is flying around that Fisher and Councilman-at-Large Jimmy Babcock (who also worked for Perez at the county auditor's office) are in line to work for Perez once again.

Fisher says emphatically that he will not be becoming a Perez employee.

Political sideliners seem convinced that Babcock will be off to the treasurer's office in a heartbeat if Perez wins.  And so he is certainly going all out for his former boss.

Why is the SCPR focusing on Cirelli and Perez and pretty much leaving Kelly Zachary out of the discussion up to this point?

Though she has impressive educational background and has the support of the Stark County Black Caucus (Caucus) and current treasurer Bob Schirak, the SCPR sees her likely to take Wards 2 and 4 and running third in the rest of Canton's wards.

It is hard to see how she has a winning campaign strategy.

She is part of a line up at a  Stark County Black Caucus Candidate Support Gospel Concert Rally to be had at the Mount Olive Baptist Church this coming Saturday beginning at 5:00 p.m.
 

While the Caucus should be able to deliver Wards 2 and 4 to her, the SCPR believes that such a base is a losing proposition citywide in heavily Democratic Canton with the likes of Kim Perez and Mary Cirelli on the ballot.

However, one has to wonder whether or not she might be vulnerable to being upset given her thrashing (though running as the incumbent) at the hand of current Councilwoman Chris Smith in the 2007 Democratic Primary?

Smith is now solidly behind Zachary and a good word from Chris may pull her through to victory.

Cirelli and Perez are proven vote getters citywide in Canton.

The city treasurer match up will be unlike Zachary's race against Republican Alex Zumbar in November, 2012 in which Zachary ran well against the Republican in Canton (winning by a substantial majority) but losing it once she got out into the townships and burgs of Stark County.

Her real role in the city treasurer's face off, the SCPR believes, revolves around the question:  Can she be a difference maker as between Perez and Cirelli?

Potentially she can be.

However, only in the sense of BUT FOR ZACHARY being in the race, the Caucus undoubtedly (with Councilpersons Smith and West being solid Healy supporters and therefore presumably Perez supporters) would steer the Caucus to endorse Perez which could have produced enough votes for him to edge out Cirelli citywide in a nip and tuck contest.

Other than being in an off-hand spoiler role, the SCPR does not see Zachary as having much to do with the overall outcome of who becomes Canton city treasurer.