(VIDEO) CANTON CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE 128/2012 "IS HIS BABY," BUT WARD 5 COUNCILMAN KEVIN FISHER SAYS CITIZEN NORMA MILLS DESERVES THE CREDIT

LEGISLATION APPEARS SET TO SAVE CANTON AT LEAST $250,000 IN LAWN MOWING AND OTHER EXPENSES THE CITY NOW SPENDS ANNUALLY ON FORECLOSED PROPERTIES

In October 2011 when KevIn Fisher was in effect Councilman-elect  having won a contested Democratic primary in May and was running unopposed in the general election, he was contacted by Canton community activist Norma Mills who asked him whether or not he would be willing to introduce legislation in Canton City Council to hold foreclosing banks as being responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of properties being foreclosed upon.

Councilman Fisher had gone to an OccupyCanton meeting and had taken in and participated in a discussion the group was having about doing something about the urban blight that is afflicting Canton.

Fisher says that MIlls was the prime mover then for the legislation passed originally on August 27, 2012.

He started on the bill in late January, 2012 which was the same month he took office.

It was some seven months of arduous work before he was able to convince colleagues to pass his and Norma's pet project.  As can be seen from the graphic below, it was July 30th before his bill got a first reading.

The Stark County Political Report captured Fisher on August 13th at a council work session explaining to his fellows the import and specifics fo Ordinance 128 - 2012.



And, you will note from the graphic set forth below,  he had three council allies sign on to help him; namely, Councilwoman Mary Cirelli (D, at-large), Councilmen Greg Hawk (D, Ward 1) and Frank Morris (D, Ward 9).

Later on, when it was learned that the original legislation was deficient in terms of "ease of enforcement," Councilman Thomas West (D, Ward 2 and chairman of council's Judiciary Committee) became a very important figure in getting the legislation in shape for "full speed ahead" in terms of enforcement.

The SCPR captured Fisher at a work session of the Canton City Council to explain the import of the-then proposed legislation.

Fisher first challenged for the Ward 5 council seat in 2005, when he took on sitting Democratic councilman Terry Prater.

And the Stark Democratic Party leaders were not happy about Fishers challenge of Prater.

That he only lost by 38 votes was clear indication that Fisher was a "comer" and by 2011 (when Prater moved on to a job at the Stark County Board of Elections) he proved he was ready for political prime time in winning the 2011 Ward 5 Democratic primary very handily.

Even though Ordinance 128 - 2012 passed on August 27th and was signed into law by Mayor Healy, very little, if anything, was done by the administration to enforce the legislation.

Mayor Healy would tell Fisher one-on-one that he was favorable to the legislation but he had no money to hire staff to implement its provisions.

But Fisher also knew the Canton's chief building enforcement officer Angela Cavanaugh (recently hired away from Canton by Stark County) reportedly was saying she had problems with the language of the original legislation and therefore was unenthusiastic about enforcing it.

The Ward 5 councilman compliments Cavanaugh for being a first-rate plans persons for permitting purposes, but is unimpressed with her attitude towards the enforcement issue.

So here is a mayor and his administration allowing taxpayers to in effect subsidize banks who it appears were gaming the legal system by filing foreclosure but aborting them just short of taking legal title.

The taxpayers of Canton were paying to have non-city-owned-properties boarded up, their lawns mowed and otherwise attended to - to the tune, Fisher says, of some $250,000 or better annually.

And the mayor says that saving Canton $250,000 in general revenue fund dollars annually in expense and plus getting revenue at $200 to $300 per ordinance enforcement action is not enough to hire someone dedicated to enforcement?

The SCPR will say it.  Councilman Fisher will not.  It is more phony-baloney from the mayor. Knowing this guy, there has to be some political motive for his not firing up his chief building officer.

Here is a guy who does not abide members of his administration not following his direction. 

What is he afraid of?  Offending the banks?

Guess who is lurking in the background while this procrastinating was going on?

You've got it!

Norma Mills.

And Norma Mills, Fisher says, is someone to be put off when she is on a mission.

Fisher credits her with keeping the heat on him, on his colleagues and the administration to get the enforcement mechanism up and running.

If The Report's conjecture is correct that Healy had a political motivation not to press Cavanaugh on enforcement, then one has to believe that Norma Mills and her political dynamism trumped what other political factor may have been in the mayor's mind.

Meanwhile, the city of Youngstown picked up on the legislation (which Norma Mllls and an Ohio citizens activist group she is associated with [Stand Up for Ohio] had discovered had been passed and implement in Springfield, Massachusetts) and for some reason was able to solve the supposed language problem with Canton's ordinance.

One has to wonder about the Canton Law Department and it apparent inability in reviewing Fisher's legislation (i.e. the Mills Stand Up for Ohio bill modeled after the "working" Springfield, MA ordinance) to have his original legislation in shape to be enforce when passed on August 27, 2012.

Youngstown has $800,000 or so in bonds posted.

In April of this year Mills had had enough.  She organized a rally held at Nimisilla Park hosted by Stand Up Ohio.

She also arranged for local officials (which included a representative from the Canton Law Department, Ward 2 Councilman Thomas West and Canton's building department) to meet with Youngstown officials to learn how Youngstown was able to do what Canton's official family seemed unable to figure out.

Councilman West appears to the Stark County Political Report to have been a key person as chairman of Canton City Council's judiciary committee to get "amending" legislation on the books so that Canton officials now feel comfortable in enforcing the legislation that Fisher got passage of in August, 2012.

West gets high marks from Fisher for being an integral force in getting the legislation in shape.

Amending legislation passed on September 30th.

Fisher is optimistic that the administration finally "gets it," that the delays in implement his legislation are over. 

He says that Kyle Stone who is the Healy administration's Fair Housing officer will be doing the enforcing rather than the building department.  Soon, he says, Stone will be meeting with the banks to get them on board with ordinance compliance.

He sees Stone as being a highly aggressive enforcer.

So it appears that the Canton foot dragging cost Canton taxpayers perhaps as much as "a quarter of a million dollars" and a plentitude of neighborhood eyesores.

This from a mayor who says he cares about Canton's neighborhoods.

Political rhetoric is something that the mayor is quite accomplished at.

But if citizens' priorities are not his, then, they can forget it.

Canton subsidizes banks $250,000 or so annually and then says he does not have enough money to keep all fire stations open and cannot afford to bring the police department up to levels they were at when he took office.

Such poor mouthing rings hollow, doesn't it.

He seems to find money for whatever tickles his fancy, no?

One has to wonder how long Cantonians are going to put up with this guy.

Councilman Fisher, West, Cirelli, Hawk and Morris all deserve praise for their work on this important piece of legislation.

But Fisher says the most deserving person in Stand Up for Ohio's and Canton's Norma Mills.

A SCPR "Hats Off" to Norma Mills for working to make Canton a better place to live in!

COUNCILMAN WEST FOR LESS CANTON COUNCIL ACCOUNTABILITY?

Canton councilmen have taken a fancy to tinkering with the city's political structure.

Recently, Councilman Joe Cole (lame duck - at large) offered an initiative to eliminate Canton three at-large representatives.

Cole's main argument for the change?

Save money.  Some $93,000 he said.

But on May 20th, except for Cole himself, Councilman (and majority leader) David Dougherty (D - Ward 6) and Edmond Mack (D - Ward 8); the rest of council voted "no" on Cole desire to put the question to voters.

Some feel (including the SCPR) that the ostensible reform was more sour grapes on Cole's part than any genuine desire to make council more efficient and responsive to the Canton citizenry.

In a series of political maneuvers between Cole and Councilwoman Mary Cirelli, Cole got finessed out of running again for council-at-large in what turned out to have been an almost certain pathway to his returning to council.

The SCPR's thumbs down on Cole's proposal was that it would have eliminated a valuable perspective on council:, to wit:  "a citywide perspective."

The latest attempt to change the way council does business with its constituents is one initiated by Councilman Thomas West (D - 2).

West, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, proposed changing the term of Canton council members from two years to four years.

On Monday night, council approved sending the measure to Canton's voters for consideration on the November ballot.

Councilperson Mary Cirelli (lame duck; D - at large), Kevin Fisher (D -5) and Frank Morris voted against the West measure.

West gave as his reason, the low voter turnout, and therefore holding an election every two years is a waste of money.

By that logic, why have general elections.

The SCPR took a look at all of West's elections from his first in 2003.

Look at the numbers.

Even in the general election, a maximum of 1,075 voters in all West's years running for Ward 2 councilman in any one election.  The 1,075 represents about 25% of all the voters in Ward 2.

In his 2011 primary election contest, 1023 voters showed up.  Again, about 25% of all the Ward 2 voters.

A waste of money, Councilman West?  A general election, a waste of money?

To boot, in the eleven elections taking place; West has run unopposed five times.

It is very interesting that Councilmen Cole and West want to save money at the expense of Cantonians having voices in a varied perspective (citywide) and in terms of frequency (every two years).

While Cole's proposal certainly would have saved Canton taxpayers money in eliminating three council positions; West's proposal in the opinion would not.  Elections will be held in off odd numbered years whether or not Canton ward and at-large races happen to be on the ballot.

Closer to the truth, the SCPR thinks, is that it is pain for West and some other councilpersons to get off their duffs and be out there connecting with their constituents.

Poor voter turnout?

Maybe because West is such an utterly unexciting councilman who does not have the leadership ability to get his people (the councilman in council presentations like to refer to Ward 2 voters as being "my people,") involved in their government.

Being the unmotivated person he appears to be in terms of energizing "his people" to participate in their government, undoubtedly West has enjoyed running "unopposed" in five of his eleven elections.

Rather than feeling burdened by elections, West should take up the challenge of ginning up more involvement and participation.

Maybe even school some young Ward 2 citizens as potential rivals in upcoming elections?

What's more, West could let the idea of Canton's going to a charter government see "the light of day" in his role as judiciary chairman.

The Report's recollection is that West deep sixed (as judiciary chairman) former Republican Councilman Mark Butterworth's proposal to submit to the voters the question of charter government during his term as councilman.

Doesn't sound like West is all that strong on democratic principles of government, does it?

Cirelli, Fisher and Morris in their votes show that they are less self-serving than their peers.

The SCPR, for one trusts that Canton's voters will soundly reject Councilman West's anti-democratic proposal!

DISCUSSION: HEALY FAILS AGAIN WITH CANTON CITY COUNCIL - COUNCIL POISED TO REJECT "REWORKED" CONTRACT PROPOSAL

UPDATE: MARCH 19, 2009, 5:00 A.M.

Mayor Healy must read the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT and saw the numbers posted above.

- FROM THE REP 3/18/2009 (LATE EVENING POST) “It appears to me the (City Council) votes are not there to get it through council at this point in time,” said Mayor William J. Healy II, following a Finance Committee meeting earlier tonight.

It appears that only the sure "pro-Healy" votes were informed personally by the mayor what the changes he negotiated with Redflex Traffic Systems as a proposed contract to install traffic law enforcing cameras in downtown Canton.

As the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has been saying all along, Mayor Healy is a "my way or the highway" type of guy who is considerate, nice and informative to those he thinks are his "yes" men and women.

The Report's source related how the Canton City County chair of the Public Safety & Thoroughfares Committee (Karl "Butch" Kraus) was snubbed by Healy and that Councilman Kraus learned of the proposed changes by reading the Canton Repository's account that the Healy administration had already shared with Councilpersons Casar, Smith and West, and, of course, The Rep.

The Report also learned that Councilman Griffin's meeting with the public last evening did not go well for the Mayor Healy and his staunch allies on Council (Casar, Smith and West),

Forty or so citizens show up at Griffin's meeting with only a couple or so supporting. One of the supporters is Cynthia Vignos who his running for council-at-large against the anti-Healy leading incumbent-candidates Mary Cirelli and Bill Smuckler.

The amazing thing about Healy is how he fails to learn from his experiences. He has had difficult relationships with Council from is taking office in January, 2008 through the present. The only way he was able to work with Council was via the facilitation provided by his fired safety director and chief of staff Tom Bernabei.

Unless Healy can twist some councilperson arms, he will suffer a humiliating defeat on this coming Monday, the 23rd.

The Report has learned that Council President Allen Schulman will be out of town on Monday which explains why he lambasted Healy on the "bad appearances" that accepting campaign contributions from folks who have an interest in obtaining city contracts this past Monday.

As Mayor Healy stumble bumbles his way around City Hall, Canton languishes and suffers.

The Report's condolences to the good folks of Canton.

DISCUSSION: CANTON CITY COUNCIL RACES - 9TH WARD

Will the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) cover ward races in the city of Canton. Of course. Candidates who wish to get their points-of-view out to the voters (ward or council-at-large) contact The Report at tramols@att.net or 330-699-5002.

Today, The Report feature Frank Morris who is running against the venerable Joe Carbenia.

Party officials (Democratic and Republican, but especially Republicans) do not like party primary fights. Plus in the city of Canton there aren't enough Republicans to have a contest.

But no so with Canton's Democrats. Look at the council-at-large field. Ten candidates for one seat.

One seat, aren't there three?

Yes, but does anyone really think Smuckler and Cirelli are going to lose?

Back to the 9th and Frank Morris versus organized labor friend Joe Carbenia (a long time member of and official of the Canton fire fighters union).What else does Morris have to say about Carbenia and his fellows on Canton City Council. Here is his statement to The Report:

Their attitude of business as usual needs to stop because it is not business as usual. this country is in serious trouble and local government needs to tighten their belts like so many of us.

There is no honesty in city government either, council raise the parking meters fee and increased ticket prices to " Increase the amount of shoppers in downtown" what are we stupid!!!

RedFlex is for our safety not revenue, but the first two minutes of the presentation showed a traffic accident that was caught on tape???
Guess the system does prevent accidents does it.

City council can no longer operate as they have in the past, it's time to think outside of the box.

Mr. Carbenia is not letting the voice of ward 9 be heard in council, he has become business as usual.

To find out more about Morris here is a link (CLICK HERE) to his website.

Is Morris a threat to defeat Carbenia?

DISCUSSION: WILL CANTON'S COUNCIL-AT-LARGE TAKE ON A DIFFERENT LOOK AFTER MAY'S PRIMARY?

If the Canton Council-at-Large faces are to change, it will only mean Democrats with a different face and different name.

No Republican has even taken out a petition for the three at-large position. Only goes to show how moribund the Canton part of the Stark County Republican Party is. And the county side is about the same; maybe a tad better - on life support?

Right now there are sure to be at least six candidates for the three slots (Smuckler hasn't filed yet, but does anyone doubt that he will).

The results are likely to be that Smuckler and Cirelli retain their seats.

Who does the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) think will win the "open" seat assuming all the outstanding petitions are filed?

The winner probably will be between Babcock and Vignos on the basis of "the name game" in a large field of candidates.

Odds are that Babcock is likely to make the final cut because the Babcock name still resonates with many Cantonians (Jimmy's father and mother having been mainstays in Canton Democratic politics). The Vignos name is recognized in Canton as being a Republican name. Nevertheless, it should stand out enough to bring Cynthia in right below Babcock for the third spot.

If Babcock gets elected, then will Stark County Auditor Kim Perez have a de facto seat on council?

Babcock works for and is politically close to Perez. The Report's assessment of Jimmy is that he is a nice guy who is probably the best dressed Stark County politician day-in and day-out, but he has very little policy making/political substance to him. He would need Perez to give him gravitas.

DISCUSSION: RESISTER-IN-CHIEF - BILL SMUCKLER?

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has learned that the brouhaha going on in Canton politics has a strong Smuckler versus Healy tint to it.

When you look at the historical political relationship between the two men, it certainly makes sense that the "real" fight is: Who is going to control the city of Canton - Smuckler or Healy.

In 2008 Democrat Bill Smuckler was "entitled" to take on Republican Janet Creighton-Weir for the mayoralty of Canton. But the "having paid his political dues" factor flew out the window when political newcomer (from an established Stark County political family) decided he needed a job.

Healy's father had lost in a mayoralty race to Republican Richard Watkins in 1999. Looking around the political landscape, Healy decided to run against the "entitled one" for two reasons. First, Smuckler only appeals to Democrats and not to all of them. Smuckler in particular is not a favorite in the African-American community. Therefore, the "Team Healy" forces decided Smuckler was vulnerable. Second, there was the "redeeming the family honor" factor. Healy's father had served in various elected political offices (most notably as state representative) covering the city of Canton. To Healy, the senior Healy's defeat did not set well. Becoming mayor of Canton became a consuming passion for the junior Healy.

As it turns out, Jamey (as his close friends call him) made a huge political miscalculation that haunts him to this day. He loses to Smuckler in the primary and then, in the minds of Smuckler supporters, "sat on his hands" while watching Smuckler lose to Creighton in a heavily Democratic city. The Report believes that Smuckler to this day nurses a political grudge against Healy.

Another political mistake was his running against popular Canton and Stark County Democrat Mary Cirelli while she was the incumbent in the 52nd House District seeking re-election.

Mary is a "homespun" type who is absolutely loved by many Canton voters. Her major strength is servicing her constituents; not thinking up and seeing enacted into law policy initiatives. The Report believes that Cirelli severely underestimated the drive, the determination and the polish of Healy and his "Team Healy" campaign force.

So Healy wins this one. Subsequently, Cirelli runs for city council at large and has no problems whatsoever getting elected.

Healy doesn't enjoy being a "little fish in a big pond" and so he decides to run for mayor once again. He has a relatively easy time against Creighton as any Democrat ought to and wins with a significant margin.

Well, who sits on city council as Healy takes the oath of office as mayor of Canton? Indeed, Smuckler and Cirelli.

In probably one the worst moves that he could have possibly made, Healy chose another Canton political mainstay as his service director and chief-of-state: Tom Bernabei.

Really? The worst?

Yes, the worst from the Healy interest standpoint.

Tom Bernabei is, perhaps, the most respected and skilled politician and elected official to ever serve the people of Canton. You have to give Healy credit. He knows a gem when he sees one.

What he didn't see was that Tom Bernbei is a man of his own mind. His loyalty and devotion to Canton clearly trumps political loyalty to his boss. In this case, Mayor William J. Healy, II.

Bernabei tries to talk sense to Healy but (as The Report has written before) Healy is arrogant and cannot take counsel from anyone for more that in an episodic fashion. Who knows better than William J. Healy, II, Healy muses to himself.

Bernabei has a solid relationship with Canton City Council, having been a key member of that body. While Healy was denying to The Report that he had troubles with council, Bernabei in a deflected sort of way admitted such to be the case but clearly felt he used his relationship to smooth things out for the Healy administration. Smuckler, in particular, has almost reverential respect for Benerbei.

So it should be no surprise that Bill Smuckler - especially in the light of the Bernbei firing - is the resister-in-chief to Mayor Healy.

Being a resister is one thing. But, to imply, as Healy has; that anyone who is a resister to Healy's self-assumed role as "changer-in-chief" is somehow a suspect in the "anonymous letters" matter - is way over the line of propriety.

It is more than a bit ironic that the mayor gets very indignant at malicious rumors being spread by someone who is not willing to be "front and center" about the allegation(s) and to provide the proof - and, indignant he should be. Then, on the other side of things Healy suggests, implord and aspersesd that mere political opposition is grounds in and of itself to merit inference that the opponents are behind the anonymous letters.

The Report knows that Healy is well-taken with his own intelligence. And smart he is.

What the mayor hasn't realized is that there are people in and about Canton city government that are every bit as sharp as he is - if not sharper!

A final point.

Playing his own game, one might ask: Why is Mayor Healy - as a matter of a full court press - engaging in these diversionary tactics anyway?

DISCUSSION: WILL HEALY'S ARROGANCE DO HIM IN?

It is never a pretty sight, but there are unending examples, in the political history of America, of "political arrogance" that end up doing a politician in.

Are Stark Countians about to witness a local example?

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has been a political observer of Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II for a number of years.

The Report has had an inkling from the beginning of his political questing in Canton that Healy has a haughty tinge to him. He may now be into full-blown arrogance.

On what basis?

1. Born and schooled in Canton (also Kent State/associate degree) he expatriated from Canton to New Jersey (bachelor degree from Rowan) and then to New York to attend "the Stern School of Business." (Remember "the Stern School of Business" - it's his main claim to fame, before, of course, he became mayor of Canton)

His first time out on the political hustings was to contest the right to be the Democratic mayoralty candidate (he lost narrowly to long term Democrat Bill Smuckler in the primary) against Republican Janet Weir-Creighton.

2. Healy: A man who had never run for anything in Canton or Stark County (remember he had relocated to New York) prior to the mayoralty foray. Apparently, he felt compelled (in the motivational sense) and perhaps entitled to run for mayor of Canton (2003) because his father was a long time state representative for Canton who lost a mayoralty contest to Republican Richard Watkins in 1999.

3. Having lost to Smuckler, Healy decided to take on sitting Democratic state representative Mary Cirelli in the Democratic primary (2004). Healy won.

4. Ineffective in the Ohio House (he probably would say because the Democrats were in the minority - but he was never a major player in the Democratic caucus) he decided to run for mayor again in 2008.

When you have been prepared at the "Stern School of Business," aren't you just wasting your time and talents being 1 of 99?

5. In 2007, he defeats Creighton.

Wow! Canton had not had a Democrat mayor since Sam Purses (1991).

6. After Healy defeated Creighton and took office, he was quick to bash Creighton for leaving Canton in a huge mess.

One has to wonder. Was he setting himself up to be the Sir Galahad of Canton?

7. His campaign name: "Team Healy."

Oh yes, a real team player this Healy. He came out of nowhere to run against two established city of Canton Democrats in Democratic primaries (Smuckler & Cirelli). Moreover, this Democratic team player probably has a much worse relationship with the 100% Democratic council than did Republican Creighton.

8. During all his campaigns Healy had difficulty attracting energized organized labor support, even though he is a Democrat.

From The Report's perspective, Healy - ever the suit, white shirt and tie guy, just didn't seem to fit with workaday folks. Moreover, he took positions on issues important to organized labor that union leadership didn't cotton to.

And he just loved to repeat ad nauseum his business credentials and his masters degree from where? You guessed it. New York University's Stern School of Business.

9. There is a highly officious side to Healy. Remember officiousness is the first cousin of arrogance.

An example of his officiousness: He is known to take people aside and tell them how to dress. Of course, from a man who is the most impeccably groomed and dressed man in Stark County except maybe for Jimmy Babcock.

10. We all know his penchant for firing.

Perhaps, there is a lot of George Steinbrenner (New York Yankee owner - did I say New York) in Healy. When a person is perfection personified in his own mind, it is hard to brook the "merely" near perfect, let's say for example, former Yankee manager Joe Torre and, closer to home, former service director and chief-of-staff Tom Bernabei.

11. Ah, the anonymous letters; the Healy request for an FBI investigation.

The Report has this gnawing feeling that the Healy FBI move was a gambit devised by a person well taken with his own intelligence.

12. There is a report in The Rep today that indicates:

• Healy will be less of a give-and-take mayor in his relationship with council.
• Healy has an marked inability to work with those who disagree with him.
• Healy cannot work with strong administrators; he fires them or they look to leave.
• He apparently does not trust his own law department to do labor negotiations.
  

13. Council president Allen Schulman sums it up best in saying that Healy is not a strong mayor BUT The Report add he desperately wants to be and in a twisted, gnarled, arrogane, out-of-touch was has and says he is going to refortify playing the "bull-in-the-china-shop."

We all what a bull leaves behind in the china shop. Wreckage, that's what. Apparently, that will be the consequence to Canton as Healy embarks on his quest to be a stronger mayor.

Kind of like: "Pride goeth before a fall."