COMMISSIONER BOSLEY TO FELLOWS FERGUSON & MEEKS - "WE - THE COMMISSIONERS - NEED TO KEEP OUR PROMISE TO THE PEOPLE OF STARK COUNTY"

 UPDATE:  01/07/2009 AT 07:52 AM

This is what Stark County Political Report reader Justine Johnson thinks of Bosley's ability to keep promises

Todd Bosley made so many promises to my group when we were campaigning for him...well you can imagine.  He's weazled out of every single one.  

I am thrilled to have discovered your blog. (excerpt  from an email sent to SCPR on 01/06/2010)

ORIGINAL POST

"A promise made, is a promise to be kept," so says Stark County Commissioner Todd Bosley.   He tells the SCPR that he is a risk taker (courageous) to do what needs to be done to move Stark County forward and that he is a man of his word.

In November, 2009 outgoing commissioner Tom Harmon made a motion to take money originally committed to centralizing 9-1-1 into a Stark countywide cystem with one dispatch center and a backup and place it in "a county stabilization fund" (aka as a rainy day fund).  Commissioner Pete Ferguson seconded and voted for Harmon's motion.

Commissioner Bosley objected on the basis that "a promise made, is a promise to be kept."

Bosley had told the SCPR, after he lost the vote, that he was coming back another day (after Harmon was gone) to restore the money to 9-1-1.

At yesterday's regular commissioner's meeting, he was back.

Commissioners agreed to take a new vote next Wednesday, January 13th.

It will be interesting to see what Meeks, in particular, does,  The SCPR believes that Meeks will - by and large - get his marching orders as commissioner from Stark County Democratic Party chariman Randy Gonzalez.

But there is a dilemma here.  As Stark County Council of Governments (SCOG) Governance chair, it is in Gonzalez's interest for Meeks to vote with Bosley.  However, voting with Bosley could cause Meeks huge blow-back come 2011.

How so?

There will be a huge deficiency of county revenues come 2011.

If Meeks gets "retained" in November, 2010, he will need every penny that is available in the general fund come 2011 to have any chance at all to keep Stark County departments of government afloat.  Even though county officials are trying to work out a plan to get voters to approve new taxes come November, 2010; the prospects are dim indeed.

The best that county officials will be able to do is to get a renewal of the 1/4 of one percent sales tax currently on the books set to expire in 2011.  However, it is quite thinkable that Stark Countians will not even approve a renewal of the tax.

Now enter another player.

Who is that?

County administrator Mike Hanke.

How so?

The SCPR believes he was the architect of the Harmon move to assign all the remaining money to be collected from the "imposed" tax to "the stabilization (rainy day) fund.   Hanke has projected to yours truly that he will have $6 to $7 million in the fund by 2011, if, of course, ALL the remaining "to be collected" from the imposed sales/use tax money is placed in the stabilization fund.

Now that Harmon is gone, The Report believes Hanke is making the case to new Commissioner Meeks to sustain the Harmon position.

In the judgment of the SCPR, Hanke will succeed.

How will losing again affect Bosley's chances in November, if he decides to run for re-election as commissioner?

Bosley can still say to Stark Countians that he kept his promise.  That he is a man of principle, conviction and courage.  While one might disagree with him on various issues; his staying with the original committee is proof that he can be depended on to keep his word.  In short, he is a promise keeper.

Principle, conviction and courage?  When was the last time an incumbent Stark County politician ran for re-election on a message of principle, conviction and courage?

How will Stark Countians react to such a campaign?

Will they believe Bosley?

It will be interesting to see!

COUNTY COMMISSIONER PETE FERGUSON NAMED IN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AS A DEFENDANT ON A FORECLOSURE LAWSUIT?

According to Stark County Court of Common Pleas records, Stark County Commissioner Pete Ferguson is a defendant, in his individual capacity, in a lawsuit filed by National City Bank (NCB) regarding a default in payment on a promissory note in the amount of $368.500.00, dated May 1, 2007 (said in the complaint to be $375,610.35 plus accruing interest as of the date the suit was filed [Ferguson, running as a Democrat, was elected county commissioner in November, 2008]) and mortgage securing same for which Ferguson's property at 3507 Cleveland Avenue NW, Canton is as being collateral.

Moreover, NCB included a claimed default for another $89,600 ($91,336.60 plus accruing interest as the date the suit was filed) on a Business Credit Line and Security Agreement.

Right now the case is in mediation by order of Judge Charles Brown. Ferguson is defended on the suit by Attorney Samuel Ferruccio, Jr. who is one of two Democratic representatives on the Stark County Board of Elections.

The SCPR contacted Ferguson for comment on the suit but Ferguson said he didn't know anything to pass on to yours truly about background factors leading to the suit and the status of the suit except to say that he is confident that matters will be worked out.

The suit was filed on April 3, 2009 and Judge Brown's order putting it into mediation was filed on June 3, 2009.

What is the political significance of this story?

Here's the SCPR take.

Did Ferguson know when he ran for county commissioner that this foreclosure action was in the offing?

If so, had it been revealed to Stark County voters, could we be looking at a Commissioner John Hagan rather than Commissioner Pete Ferguson?

COUNTY COMMISSIONER PETE FERGUSON - EXCUSE ME: "DOCTOR" PETER FERGUSON HAS A PROBLEM AND ITS NOT A BACK PROBLEM - WHAT IS HIS PROBLEM?

UPDATE: AUGUST 03, 2009

Moments ago the SCPR got an e-mail response from Commissioner Pete Ferguson from an e-mail sent several days ago:

Here is the text of the e-mail: (in yellow)

From: Martin Olson, as a citizen/voter in Stark County also, publisher of the Stark County Political Report E-mail: tramols@att.net phone: 330 699 5002 Commissioner Ferguson: As you know from reading my blog, I do not accept that public officials think they can ignore questions related to their public function. whether from the media or an everyday citizen. You still have not answered my questions to you e-mailed on 3/6/2009. Though I think giving you an opportunity - by asking the question via e-mail - to get your material together and reflecting on your response before making it via return e-mail is the preferred way to go; you have ignored me so far. Such is unacceptable. Perhaps, I will have to attend a commissioners' meeting and ask them in public? If you would prefer I ask them at a commissioners' meeting, that's fine with me. Let me know within the next few days. Here are some additional questions posed by a reader of the SCPR: One thing that I wanted to know..... back when he was running, he was promising that he was going to make large donations to local charities whether win or loose. Since he won, I believe the deal was that he was going to donate his first years salary to a charity. Do you know if he has followed through with his promise? If so, what is the charity? Also, does he insist on still being called doctor because he is still practicing medicine??? Another promise broken??

FERGUSON'S RESPONSE: (in gold)

In response to your e-mail although I make charitable donations, I never said I would donate my salary to charity and I never have and do not insist on being called doctor.

THE ORIGINAL BLOG
During the run up to the 2008 elections, the SCPR did a piece on the campaign between Pete Ferguson (Democrat) and John Hagan (Republican) in a contest for who was going to succeed Jane Vignos (Republican) as Stark County commissioner.

Political insiders from both sides of the aisle were telling yours truly how utterly lazy each were being in campaigning for office.

Their laziness was highly relevant material for a SCPR blog.

Why's that?

Because if you can't work your tail off to get a job, once you get the job then it highly likely you are going to sit back, relax and muse to yourself "mission accomplished. i got my job without much effort: why would I change my style now?"

And that it exactly what has happened.

Pete Ferguson is about the most comatose county commissioner that Stark County has had in many a year. To boot, one of the most insecure! (insists on being called DOCTOR Ferguson). Moreover, he does not keep his promises (see below), at least to the SCPR.

Stark Countians were between "the devil and the deep blue sea" on selecting between Ferguson and Hagan because both have the same public sector work ethic.

When the SCPR did the "laziest" article, Ferguson called yours truly to complain. "But Martin, I have always liked you," he said. As if that has anything to do with anything.

By all reports, Ferguson is a nice guy, but the SCPR does not factor in "nice person, nasty person" attributes.

In the same telephone call, yours truly asked Ferguson to answer a few questions: Ferguson: "I don't have the time now, but I will call you back."

I'm still waiting Commissioner Ferguson.

On the Stark County commissioners website, visitors are invited to e-mail the commissioners. So being naive, as yours truly is prone to be, off went an e-mail to Ferguson (March 6, 2009).

What was the was the question and what was the answer?

The question had to do with a potential "conflict-in-interest" and seeking specific information on campaign contributions.

The answer?

I'm still waiting Commissioner Ferguson.

The SCPR adamantly maintains that public officials are duty bound to answer citizen questions. And, when they don't or if they "cherry pick" (i.e. answer only self-aggrandizing questions); that, in and of itself disqualifies them to be re-elected.

So, DOCTOR Ferguson when are you going to keep your promise and return that call? And, when are you going to answer the e-mail?