BREAKING NEWS! FORMER DEMOCRAT SHERIFF SWANSON TO ENDORSE REPUBLICAN DORDEA FOR STARK COUNTY SHERIFF!

The Stark County Political Report has learned that the broken glass of the Stark County Democratic Party will become scattered shards with the impending "press release" later today by former Democratic Stark County Sheriff Tim Swanson that he endorses Republican Larry Dordea over fellow Democrat George T. Maier.

Swanson, as captured in the photo above by the SCPR with former Stark County sheriff department Captain Lou Darrow (now retireat a Stark County Council of Governments (SCOG) meeting on November 12, 2013, just days after the Ohio Supreme Court removed Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee appointee George T. Maier (02/05/2013) from office as "unqualified" by the Ohio Supreme Court on November 6, 2013.

A Swanson filed quo warranto on February 12, 2013 was the basis for the November 6, 2013 decision.

Swanson and Democratic Stark County prosecutor John Ferrero (a former chairman of the Dems) opposed Maier in supporting Darrow on February 5th and again on December 11, 2013 when the Stark Dems once again appointed Maier.

At the February meeting Darrow received 84 votes compared to Maier's 92.  In December, there were still 66 Democratic precinct committee members who were willing to face down the Maier Massillon-based political machine.

Long term Stark County political observers were stunned at the closeness of the February vote.

Had the vote been by secret ballot, many observers think that Darrow would have won.

There are those who think that Maier's brother Johnnie, Jr (a former Dems' chairman) hatched the "open to public scrutiny" vote change in the local Democratic Party bylaws justified by an argument that central committee members are "elected" officials and therefore are obligated to vote out-in-the-open.

While the SCPR agrees with the political theory behind the "out-in-the-open" vote, The Report does not buy into the notion that Gonzalez and Johnnie A. Maier, Jr are "transparency-fostering" party leaders.

The Report thinks that Gonzalez and Maier, Jr will shift with the wind depending on their personal political interests.

As far as the SCPR is concerned, there has never been a definitive answer by the Ohio Supreme Court as to whether or not Maier is currently qualified under relevant Ohio statutes to be sheriff.

And the possibility remains that should he be elected on November 4, 2013, Maier will once again face a quo warranto action like that initiated by Swanson on February 12, 2013 that could keep the Stark County sheriff's office in a state of flux.

With Swanson's endorsement, Dordea - who the SCPR thinks already has an advantage in that the Democratic gubernatorial candidate (FitzGerald) self-destructed and therefore Democrats across-the-board are in for a real shellacking in less than two weeks - picks up another advantage with dissident Democrats who look to Swanson and Prosecutor John Ferrero for leadership.

Ferrero has not, so far as the SCPR knows, endorsed Dordea.  However, it is hard to imagine that he would be telling anybody that he thinks it is okay to vote for Maier after his (Ferrero) being humiliated on February 5th by then Stark County Dems' chairman Randy Gonzalez for having submitted an affidavit expressing his assessment that Maier was not qualified under Ohio law to be sheriff.

To repeat, the Ohio Supreme Court vindicated Ferrero's opinion on November 6, 2013.

George Maier was removed as the Stark County Democratic Party appointed sheriff.

Though The Report thinks Dordea is disadvantaged in that he is a classy guy who runs his political campaign at a very high moral level as compared to the political "rough and tumble" Maiers (to be nice about them); it could be that the "stars are aligning" for him and the rift within the Stark County Democratic Party in combo with the coming Republican tide will put him over the top on November 4th.

SWANSON'S ENDORSEMENT

After careful consideration I have decided I cannot remain silent any longer concerning the Sheriff's race. Having spent the last forty years of my life dedicated to serving the citizens of Stark County and for fourteen of those years you trusted me as  your elected  Sheriff (1999-2013), I must speak out.

There is only one qualified candidate appearing on the November ballot, Larry Dordea. I cannot believe the audacity of the Democrat candidate, who was found to have illegally occupied the office of Sheriff by the Ohio Supreme Court. 

I implore you not to be deceived by the rhetoric and untruths being shared by Mr. Dordea's opponent. 

There is only one candidate appearing on the ballot who truly meets all the necessary qualifications. That candidate is Larry Dordea.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. 
-- Sir Edmund Burke  1729-1797     

Tim Swanson retired

Stark County Sheriff

Tim Swanson 

STATEWIDE DEMS ADMIT THEY ARE ON THE CUSP OF A WIPEOUT; CAN GEORGE MAIER SURVIVE THE ONSLAUGHT?

VIDEOS

COMMISSIONER THOMAS BERNABEI

ENDORSES

MAIER

COMMISSIONER RICHARD REGULA

SAYS HE'S NEUTRAL

COMMISSIONER JANET CREIGHTON

SAYS SHE ONLY CARES

ABOUT

HERSELF & JOHN KASICH

Recent Ohio political news indicates that the Democrats have given up on the November 4th election.

It is looking more and more like Republican John Kasich's margin of victory will challenge George Voinovich's resounding defeat of Democrat Rob Burch back in 1994.

Two days ago, the SCPR got this email (extract):

Martin,

Democrats are just two points away from a complete wipeout.

That's what a Quinnipiac pollster announced today. But he also said something else -- that nearly half of Ohioans don't know enough about what's at stake in this election and that a quarter of the people supporting the current governor are likely to change their minds.
...

Melissa Klide Hedden
Finance Chair

And a few days ago, this from the Cleveland Plain Dealer "online" edition:

One might think that these headlines spells doom for the candidacy of Stark County Democratic Party appointed sheriff George T. Maier.

But not necessarily.

George's brother Johnnie A. Maier, Jr survived the 1994 candidacy of Burch (losing 72% to 24% to Republican Voinovich) and, in fact, pretty much reversed the percentages (66% to 34% [rounded off] in his reelection bid to the Ohio House of Representatives.

Twenty years later, is Stark County political history about to repeat itself?

Not likely, because a number of things have changed.

First, the 56th Ohio House District is not the equivalent of Stark County as a whole.  Junior had the Democratic stronghold of Massillon in his district.

While the SCPR thinks that Stark County leans Democratic (especially in presidential years); the county is pretty evenly divided in terms of the chances of a Republican or a Democrat being elected.

Second, the Maier name in terms of political oomph, even is Massillon, is not what it used to be when Johnnie got the family enmeshed in local politics.

At one time, the SCPR thought Johnnie was an up and coming, democratic-republican system enhancing public official.

But no more.

Beginning in 2002, yours truly has gotten an "up close and personal look" at Johnnie and in seeing all of his political warts, The Report now sees him and his sidekick Stark County Dems' political director Shane Jackson as being Stark's foremost political bullies.

And it seems that more and more Stark Countians are taking on the SCPR's view of this former chairman of the Stark County Democratic Party.

From what The Report has experienced of George since he became the Stark County Democratic Party appointee as sheriff, it appears that he is also a "you can agree with me or you can be wrong" sort of guy.

He exudes arrogance.

Exactly what one wants in a law enforcement officer, no?

While The Report does not think George, in his race for sheriff against Republican Larry Dordea, can match Johnnie's 1994 feat; he just might show like - "a Salmon swimming up stream against a rushing current" in the species' annual trek to the spawning grounds - that he can withstand the Ed FitzGerald generated political Tsunami that is about to engulf Ohio and Stark County.

A Maier survival seems plausible in light of what the SCPR views as a Dordea "patty cakes" campaign approach and the apparent unwillingness of a key Stark County Republican (Creighton) to go "all out for Larry."

Maier received a boost on Wednesday from Stark County Commissioner Thomas Bernabei who, in a press conference (question posed by an Akron Beacon Journal reporter) at the end of the regular weekly meeting of the commissioners, endorsed George.



Richard Regula (a Republican, and son of former long time 16th District Congressman Ralph Regula, now retired) repeated his "I am going to be neutral" stance which the SCPR blogged on recently.



The Report does not believe him, given his connections to what the SCPR calls "The Maier Loyalty Club."

Commissioner Janet Creighton, Stark County's most influential and powerful Republican politician came off very disloyal to fellow Republican Dordea in her statement that she is for herself (Ha! Ha! Ha! - she's running unopposed) and for Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich.

She very obviously refused the opportunity to endorse Dordea.



Creighton is heading up Kasich's reelection effort in a northeast Ohio multi-county area (including Stark County).

She did sign his petition in January of this year when he filed to run for sheriff.

The SCPR's take is that with political friends like Janet Creighton, who needs political enemies, which, of course, Dordea has in spades with the Maier Loyalty Club who are "all out" for Maier.

One thing that the Dordea campaign needs to put him over the top next month is to be embraced in Stark County by Kasich.

Crieghton is in a position to facilitate such a connection, but the vibes that The Report is getting is that such is not currently on the table.

Given the shellacking that Kasich is going to visit on FitzGerald, Dordea certainly would benefit from videos, billboards, campaign literature and the like showing him arm-in-arm with the governor with a statement from the lips of Ohio's chief executive saying: "Vote for me and my friend Larry Dordea."

Another problem for Dordea is a surfacing of discontent within the upper level Stark County Republicans with campaign chairman Alex Zumbar who is the Stark County treasurer.

He is described by a top notch Republican as being extremely conservative in what he is willing to counsel Dordea to do in tactics and campaign strategy.

Some Republicans want Dordea to go after Maier on character issues.

In the view of the SCPR, there is plenty to go after.

Off the top of the head, there are three opportunities for Dordea to use to "seal the deal" with Stark County voters; namely:

• his "alleged" derogatory treatment of state highway patrolmen as the assistant director of Public safety,
• claims of "over-the-treatment" of Lawrence Township trustee Michael Stevens while he served as a streets department supervisor in the Cicchnelli adminstration, and
• what number of Stark Countians think to be his politicizing of the Stark County sheriff's department.

THE HIGHWAY PATROL FACTOR

In August, 2008 the Columbus Dispatch published an article about allegations that Maier had abused Ohio state highway patrolman, to wit:

Some troopers and officers whom Maier once commanded as a captain accused him of threats, intimidation, favoritism and creating a hostile workplace.

When state troopers leveled charges of misconduct against the assistant director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, the top boss and top cop began butting heads.

Col. Richard Collins, superintendent of the State Highway Patrol, strongly urged that Ohio's inspector general be brought in to investigate Assistant Public Safety Director George Maier.

However, Public Safety Director Henry Guzman declined to dig into the charges against his No. 2, ruling that there were no grounds to justify either an in-house or outside investigation of Maier.

The article goes on to describe the allegations:

Some troopers and officers whom Maier once commanded as a captain accused him of threats, intimidation, favoritism and creating a hostile workplace.

The Dispatch tried to interview Maier, but he refused.

As far as the SCPR knows, Maier has never told his side of the story.

As a candidate to Stark County's "top cop" position, The Report thinks is obligated to.

Obviously, he is not going to step forward on his own.

Exactly what is the Dordea campaign doing to "smoke Maier out" on this issue at joint appearances and by having campaign supporters question him in campaign appearances?

Moreover, why aren't the "unanswered questions" being trumpeted in campaign literature and on the social media?

You can bet that tables were turned, Maier supporters would be all over Dordea.

THE MIKE STEVENS INCIDENT

Back in 2012, before George T. Maier was a candidate for sheriff, the SCPR did a blog on allegations of mistreatment by Maier made by Lawrence Township trustee Mike Stevens in his capacity as a streets department employee of Massillon city government.

Here is a summary of Stevens account:

Again, the SCPR thinks that Maier owes it to Stark County voters to give his account.

But he won't.

If any part of the state highway patrol allegations and the Stevens' allegations are true, it certainly bears on the question to be decided by Stark Countians on November 4th:  Is George T. Maier suited to be elected Stark County sheriff?

Dordea appears to be taking the "high road" and that is commendable.  But it might well mean  that he setting himself up to lose once again in his quest to become Stark County sheriff.

IS THE SHERIFF'S DEPT BEING POLITICIZED?

The SCPR thinks so.

The Report blogged on this issue on Wednesday.

This campaign should be Larry Dordea's to lose in light of the favorable political environment for Republicans and the political baggage that George T. Maier carries.

The Report thinks it is highly "chancy" for the Dordea campaign to primarily be relying on 2014 being a banner year for Republicans.

Such appears to be the case.

If it is and folks like Creighton do not pick up the pace, Dordea and Zumbar and the Stark County Republican Party may well wake up on November 5, 2014 to this SCPR headline:

MAIER DOES A "SALMON SWIMMING UP STREAM AGAINST A SWIFT CURRENT" DASH TO VICTORY!

CIVIC ACTIVIST CONFRONTS STARK CO. COMMISSIONERS: WE ("A NUMBER OF VASSAR PARK RESIDENTS") WANT STARK CO. JAIL FILLED TO CAPACITY & THOSE CHARGED WITH CRIMES OFF THE STREETS!

 VIDEOS

 Nordman Challenges Canton City Council

Nordman Tells Commissioners:  No Excuses!

  Press Conference of Area Media and Nordman

The SCPR loves civic activists.  Stark County does not have enough of them.

Add another Stark Countian - Bruce Nordman -  to the list of those who toil long and hard doing their homework and then confronting public officials who, in Nordman's activism - seemingly are not making satisfactory headway on their promises to voters on filling all the Stark County jail beds growing out of the passage of a countywide 0.5% sales tax in 2011.

All too many everyday citizens like to complain among one another about the ineffectiveness of public/elected officials but nary lift one finger to go to the houses of government seeking to hold these officials accountable.

Officials undoubtedly do not like citizen confrontation, but civic activism works to produce results and more Stark Countians should get involved in making their elected officials accountable.

Nordman who lives in and participates in the Vassar Park Neighborhood Association (VPNA - located in the 9th Ward represented by Democrat Frank Morris) has demonstrated this week that he is willing to ask tough questions of officialdom in Canton (Monday) and of the Stark County commissioners (Wednesday).

But he was not appearing as an official spokesperson for the VPNA.

To underscore the latter point, the SCPR presents an e-mail sent by VPNA vice president Jean Hershberger, to wit:

Dear Frank & Mr. Olson,

First, thank you, Frank, for your kind words of support for our organization!  We also appreciate you and your work for our entire ward!

A CLARIFICATION:

Mr. Bruce Nordman is a resident within the VPNA boundaries and was formerly part of our board.  Whatever he shared at the commissioners meeting was done so as a private citizen who just happens to live within the VPNA boundaries.  

His opinion should not, in any way, be construed as being the 'voice' of our assocation.  

This is an issue that I know many neighbors have strong opinions about; however, VPNA as a body does not have an official 'position' at this point.

If Mr. Nordman presented himself as being the 'voice' of our group, then he was out of line because he does not have the authority to speak for VPNA.

Respectfully yours,
Jean Hershberger

Apparently, there is a division of opinion on the part of  members of the Vassar Park Neighborhood Association (VPNA) as to whether or not they welcome Nordman's invoking the name Vassar Park which just happens to be the area of Canton he lives in.

Ms. Hershberger's disclaimer notwithstanding, the SCPR has to believe that Bruce Nordman has the ear of many folks who live in Vassar Park and, indeed, throughout Stark County.

If "one of the unjailed - charged with a crime persons" proves to be a problem in the neighborhood, one wonders how Ms. Hershberger as an official of the VPNA will account to the membership for the "official" distancing from Nordman.

After all, one of the prime missions (see mission statement below) of the organization is the safety of residents.

How is what Nordman did inconsistent with the organization's mission statement?

The Report does not think that the Stark County commissioners will react this way, but, in general, public officials like to see discord in the ranks of the citizenry. 

Such presents an opportunity to officialdom to avoid accountability.

Nordman was at Canton City Council on Monday night with his pitch (allowed only three minutes by council rules) that Canton city council members should step front and center and join him on putting pressure on Stark County commissioners (who control the purse strings for the Stark County sheriff) and the sheriff himself (the recently  Stark County Democratic Party appointed George T. Maier) to get the jail open to capacity.



As Nordman sees it, every little bit helps.  And, the SCRP agrees with him.

He says that Canton's share of the 100 remaining unused beds at the Stark County jail will take a few more criminals off his neighborhoods' streets and make thereby make the area safer.

Countywide, 100 beds slept in by accused criminals over the course of a year(s) will spare a untold number of Stark County families the misfortune of having their lives impacted upon by those who choose to engage in anti-social activities.

In November, 2011 Stark Countians, by a surprising margin, approved a 0.5% sales tax increase that commissioners promised to earmark as being for Stark's criminal justice system.

As part of the campaign for passage of the tax, proponents (which included all three Stark County commissioners) promised county residents that the proceeds from the tax would as a matter of first and uttermost top priority be focused on getting the Stark County criminal justice system back up to full speed.

One of the casualties of the county losing earlier in 2011 all sales tax revenues due to the expiration of a 0.25 levy, was the Stark County sheriff's office and its jail division.

The jail has a capacity for 501 inmates, but due to sheriff department layoffs (41), the-then sheriff Timothy Swanson had to shut down an entire wing of the jail meaning that scores of those charged with crimes were arrested and then released out in the general public while their cases wound through the various Stark County based court jurisdictions.

Well, it has been going on 16 months since the levy passed and the jail population only stands at 400 or so inmates which represents 80% of the jail's capacity.

The SCPR spoke with Police Chief Larry Dordea of Hartville yesterday.

The question:  Had you been elected sheriff last November, would all the beds at the Stark County jail be filled by now?

Answer:   Yes.

Dordea says he believes that the beds are not filled because doing so has not been a priority with the now-former sheriff Tim Swanson.

He says that since the levy passed and money was made available by the commissioners to rehire laid off deputies, the very top leadership of the Stark County sheriff's department has been missing in action in that:

• Swanson was not at the office for a good part of the time and therefore Stark County did not have a fulltime sheriff until George Maier became sheriff,
• McDonald (chief deputy - jail division) was dealing with his illness, and 
• Rick Perez (chief deputy - operations) had a situation that he was unable to fill in the void.

An ironic thing about Nordman's appearance is that Stark County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday is that President Tom Bernabei is apt to solicit those of us who attend commissioners' meetings (usually few in number, indeed! [mostly press, and local officials with official input for the commissioners agenda]) to stand up and participate in the public speaks portion of the meeting agenda.

So the irony comes in with Nordman and his Wednesday appearance.

The commissioners got public speaks in spades and in dynamic, "I challenge your excuse making " that went on for the better part of 34 minutes.

And it was not just Nordman speaking.  The commissioners engaged him in a give and take and they gave as good as they got.  Interestingly enough, civility prevailed.

But it was unmistakable (be sure to see the video) that the Vassar Park resident did ruffle some commissioner feathers.

In the main, the commissioners claimed:

• they had no authority over the sheriff (i.e. he is an independent elected official)
• the sheriff is having a difficult time finding qualified deputies as many of the original 41 laid off have gotten other jobs

All which Nordman said was just plain old excuse making and that he and his followers were not into accepting excuses and that they are demanding results.

To the SCPR this is exchange embodied the heart and soul of our democracy.

Immediately below is the entire exchange between the commissioners and Citizen Nordman.

It is a "must see" for anyone who cares about government accountability and the ability of an ordinary citizen to get answers and to press for action.

Stark Countians who care about accountability of government, owe it to themselves to drink in every minute of the Nordman/commissioners exchange.



Nordman promises to return with his friends, neighbors and other compatriots to next week's commissioners' meeting.  The commissioners promise to have either Sheriff Maier or a person who can answer Nordman's questions present.

Commissioners will meet next Wednesday (March 13th) at 1:30 p.m. in the commissioners meeting room located on the second floor of the Stark County Office Building.

The SCPR and other local media stayed around after the meeting to do a Q&A with Nordman.

Readers of the SCPR will find this video to be captivating.



The Report applauds Nordman for holding the commissioners' and sheriff's "feet to the fire" of promises made in order to get the 0.5% sales tax levy passed.

It is obvious that he has taken to heart the mission of the VPNA, having been a past board member.

It is worth reciting the mission of the VPNA, to wit:

Vassar Park Neighborhood Association is committed to improving the quality of life in our neighborhood through communication and collaboration with our neighbors and community leaders.

We are dedicated to promoting the safety of our residents, preserving the rich history of our neighborhood and working together for a better future.  (LINK to the VPNA Facebook page)

The Report asked Morris for a reaction to Nordman's initiative.  His response:

Martin,

Vassar Park is indeed in Ward 9 and a valuable asset to our Ward. The current president is Bruce Brewer whom I speak with on a regular basis on various issues.

As you very well are aware we have been told many times  that the bed spaces at the jail are [a]ffecting  Canton's crime rate.

I personally feel that the decrease in staffing levels and reduction in bed space has resulted in a increase of crime across the board.

I admire and respect the entire Vassar Park Neighbor Assoc.. VPNA does not settle for excuses, they demand results, and they speak their minds.

Just imagine what a better place Canton, Ohio would be if everyone held elected officials accountable just like VPNA does!!! 

I was elected by them to represent them & honest have become friends with many of them.

If VPNA wants to shake the tree, then I will support them.

Frank Morris
Ward 9

A SCPR "Tip of the Hat" to Citizen Nordman for making Stark County democracy work!

SHERIFF SWANSON CONFIRMS THAT HE WILL BE NOMINATING LT. LOUIS A. DARROW AS STARK COUNTY'S NEXT SHERIFF

NOTE:  The SCPR is focusing on the naming of a new Stark County sheriff.  With each new blog, The Report will include links to other blogs written since Friday, January 4th.

LINKS

• January 10, 2013 blog,
• January 8, 2013 blog,
• January 5, 2013 blog,
• January 4, 2013 blog,

********** MOST RECENT BLOG **********

"We can see no better time for him to possibly make that wish come true by my nominating him (Lt. Louis A. Darrow) to the Democratic party to fill the vacant position."

Those are the words of Stark County Sheriff Tim Swanson in his e-mail response (about High Noon today) to a SCPR inquiry asking for confirmation that Darrow (apparently, known to his acquaintances as being "Lou") is, in fact, his choice to succeed Mike McDonald as sheriff of Stark County due to the tragically unfortunate circumstances of McDonald's career ending illness.

Though yours truly does not know Darrow at all, he likely will be a better choice than either George Maier (safety director of Massillon) or Tom Ream (safety director of Canton) for the reason that he is not known to have a strong association with leading Stark County political operatives.

In the case of Maier, the association is with his brother Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. who is a former head of the Stark County Democratic Party. 

In the case of Ream, the association is with his boss Mayor William J. Healy, II of Canton.

Whether they will admit it or not, the SCPR sees both Maier and Healy as competitors for dominance of the Stark County Democratic Party.  Right now Maier is "king of the hill."  However, Healy, in the opinion of The Report, is watching and waiting for his opportunity to bring the king down.

Insofar as everyday Stark Countians are concerned, we should not want political operatives like Maier and Healy dictating who is going to be Stark County's next top cop.

So Swanson is to be lauded for presenting an alternative to the Stark Dems and the SCPR suggest the central committee folks (who actually vote on whom will be the next sheriff) give great weight to the sheriff's expected nominee.

Here is the full e-mail that Sheriff Swanson sent to the SCPR:

Lou has been a member of this Office for twenty-six years and has been assigned to work in every division of the Sheriff’s Office.

He’s shown the professional demeanor and leadership skills and has worked his way through the ranks and became a Lieutenant in August 2012.

He began his career here as a corrections officer in 1987 and attended the basic police academy in 1988 and became a Deputy Sheriff in the spring of 1989 at the completion of the academy. 

Since that time he has worked and supervised in the Civil Division and Operations Division. 

He was promoted to Sergeant in April of 1997 through competitive testing. 

Noting that with the budget difficulties the Sheriff’s office has experienced for several years Lieutenant Darrow was called upon many times to perform the duties of a higher ranking individual because promotion weren’t feasible due budget shortage and manpower. He has always performed those duties in an  exemplary fashion with due diligence. 

After completive testing he scored number one on the test of which  nine other sergeants tested. He was promoted to Lieutenant in August of 2012 and upon the retirement of Chief Rick Perez he was made the division commander for Operations. 

Operations division consists of Road Patrol, Detectives, Dispatch, Civil Division, Court House Security, Mechanics, VAWA, Sexual Abuse Investigator, MRDD Investigator, METRO Narcotics, word processing, Records and property.  

For the past two years Lieutenant Darrow helped fill the void of not having Captains assigned to the Operations Division with the retirement of Captain’s Rutledge and Shankle.  

Lou has expressed to me through the years of being interested in some day running for the Office of Sheriff.  [SCPR Note:  Darrow did take out petitions in 2012 to run for sheriff but did not file them]

We can see no better time for him to possibly make that wish come true by my nominating him to the Democratic party to fill the vacant position.

A LOOK AT STARK CO. DEMOCRATIC PARTY POWER POLITICS?

The only question is whether or not Massillon Safety Director George T. Maier has maintained his credentials so as to be qualified to be Stark County sheriff.

That is what Canton Mayor Healy told yours truly at last night's Canton City Council meeting.

Healy says that his safety director, Tom Ream, is qualified.

But Healy concedes that if Maier is qualified and wants to be sheriff that brother Johnnie (former Stark County Democratic Party chairman and probably still the man to be reckoned with as the "real" power in a behind the scenes sense) has the political clout to make it a reality.

The Stark County Political Report believes, despite his denials to the contrary, that Healy would like to be a dominant player in Stark County Democratic Party politics.

For that to happen, Maier would have to decide he has had his fill of politics.  Who believes that is likely to happen anytime soon?

The man eats, drinks, sleeps and dreams politics. He'd probably be a cop on the beat or a mental health worker if it were not for his good fortune that former state Rep. Red Ash ran into personal difficulties in 1989/1990 making Maier a person being in the right place at the right time in November, 1990.

While no one in Stark County has the individual political skills that Healy has, he does not have the far reaching and long term connections that Maier has.  

It is truly amazing that he has been able to survive one problem after another, after another, after another.

He is a guy that is resilient as they come.  Just when it appears that he put himself between a rock and a hard place, he somehow finds a soft landing.

One has to wonder whether or not - going back far enough - he has blood ties to Bill Clinton.

Ream becomes the choice only if Maier is unqualified or is qualified but does not want to be sheriff.

Healy sees nobody but Ream or Maier emerging as serious contenders to be sheriff from any field of candidates that the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee considers later this month or sometime in February.

And the SCPR thinks Healy is right on the mark on this one.

While Stark County Sheriff Tim Swanson has something to say in whom will be the next sheriff, The Report gets the impression from Swanson that either would be just fine by him.

Swanson says he doesn't care about the political thing.  However, he did not become sheriff and the staying power he has enjoyed without being appropriately political.

However, the SCPR believes that the Stark County sheriff's department will step up in politicization if either Healy or Maier is "behind the scenes" in terms of being the political sponsor of the new sheriff.

Certainly it is more difficult to impose a political litmus test on who would be deputy sheriffs than it used to be.

One thing The Report believes either Ream or George Maier as sheriff will expect of existing deputies and new hires is personal loyalty.  One way or another that will be communicated to the deputy force and such has the makings of evolving to the point of taking on a political dynamic to it.

That folks is a dangerous thing when it comes to policing.

Behind the scenes politicking and policing are not a good mix!

(VIDEOS: SWANSON SWEARING-IN, COM'RS REGULA, BERNABEI & CREIGHTON, CITIZEN LOY REACT) WILL SHERIFF SWANSON DETERMINE WHO HIS SUCCESSOR IS? SEE McDONALD'S LETTER

 

 
 UPDATE:  01/05/2013 AT 5:15 PM

The Stark County commissioners were thankful Friday that they had someone to turn to on learning that Sheriff-elect Mike McDonald is unable - for health reasons (Swanson:  "it's a completely new battle that he [McDonald] is into now") - to assume office at 12.01 AM on January 7th.

Not just anyone could have been selected by the commissioners inasmuch as official duties cannot be assumed by an elected county official until and unless a bond is issued.

SCPR readers will recall the stand-off between former Stark County treasurer Gary D. Zeigler and Stark County auditor Alan Harold in 2011 (immediately after the Ohio Supreme Court restored Zeigler to office) whereby Harold refused to pay Zeigler and refused to authorize Zeigler to use the county's computer system unless and until he obtained a bond.

No such problem with Swanson.

Inasmuch as he is currently bonded as the sitting county sheriff, it was a mere formality for Tim Swanson to qualify for a newly issued bond to cover the up to 45 days from January 4th on that he will continue to serve as sheriff.

The first order of business for the commissioners was to reluctantly accept the letter of Mike McDonald stating that he was unable to take office.



Immediately prior to being sworn-in, Sheriff Swanson had these comments:



Commissioners accepted McDonald's declination of accepting office and Swanson was immediately sworn in by his legal counsel Vivianne Whalen-Duffrin:



After the swearing-in, the SCPR and other area media conducted a press conference with Swanson:



The SCPR captured reactions to the McDonald situation from Alliance area resident Derrick Loy (former president of the Alliance Area Democratic Club) and Commissioner Richard Regula.



Minutes after the press conference, the SCPR moved outside the commissioners' meeting room with him.  Off-camera,  he shared some interesting additional tidbits, including revelations:

• that he does have a preference who the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee names as his successor and that he will make that name known in due course and try to convince the committee to adopt his choice,
• making it pretty clear that the choice would not be Mike McDonald's November Republican opponent Larry Dordea (who has told The Report he is likely to apply) inasmuch as he (Swanson) deemed Dordea's campaign against him in 2008 to have been an unexpectedly nasty one and that he felt Dordea had stabbed him in the back and had lied to him in telling him that he (Dordea) would not be running against him,
• Swanson recalled how he helped Dordea during his tenure as Alliance Chief of Police (LINK) clean up policing in The Carnation City and had facilitated Dordea's success in the city by hooking him up with leading Alliance area Democrats,
•  

• Note:  This turn in Swanson's take on Dordea is surprising to the SCPR.  During the 2008 campaign Swanson only had neutral to positive assessments of Dordea. The Report's question of Swanson about the contradiction was ignored.
•  
• indicating that his long time chief deputy Rick Perez would not be the choice in saying that Perez would be proceeding with his retirement from the sheriff's department a midnight on the 6th,and
• that he could be supportive of Massillon safety-service director George T. Maier for sheriff, but he is not certain that Maier has kept his policing qualifications current.  However, Swanson did say that he had had difficulties with Maier's brother (Johnnie) in the ebb and flow of Stark County Democratic Party politics over the years.

The SCPR believes that Swanson indeed has enough clout within the Stark County Democratic Party to pull off having the selection committee honor his wishes as to whom succeeds him.

Swanson shared with the press that he has been hanging around the sheriff's department since 1971 as a reserve deputy and stayed on through Papadopulos, Berens (a Republican), Stern and Umpleby and that he plans on returning to reserve status once his extra stint as sheriff is concluded.

The sheriff seemed to be shaken by the necessity of stepping in to help out in the unfortunate circumstances of Chief Deputy McDonald's career ending illness.

He reviewed with the media of how he experienced a similar trauma in transition in office when his predecessor Bruch Umpleby died suddenly and unexpectedly in July, 1999.  Only a week before his death, Swanson told the press, Umpley pulled him into his office to tell Tim that he would not be running for reelection and that Swanson was his choice to succeed him.

He went on to describe how former fellow deputy sheriff Steve Zerby (who had run against Bruce Umpleby in 1996 and who went on to co-found the Jackson Police Department in the late 1990s) challenged him in the 2000 Democratic Party primary (Swanson having been appointed to succeed Umpleby by the John Ferrreo-led party) and that he (Swanson) had survived because of the support that he had from Umpleby and Umpleby predecessor Babe Stern.

The SCPR has put together a video of Commissioners Bernabei, Creighton and Regula as to what they had to say about the devastating circumstances of McDonald not being able to take office and the need of having Sheriff Swanson stay on for a bit longer.

Within the next week or so it will become clearer who will be the next sheriff of Stark County.

A name that could be one to pay attention to could be that of Canton safety director Tom Ream.  His big liability though is his close association with Mayor Healy.  In the discussion with Swanson on Friday, he made it clear that he is not a big fan of Hizzhoner.

When, in November of 2011, McDonald put his pursuit of being sheriff in doubt, the SCPR asked Ream whether or not he was interested in stepping in.  He indicated that while he was honored that he had been asked to consider pursuing the Democratic nomination that he had determined that he was not interested at that time.

And what about David Zink, the under suspension police chief of Jackson?

Swanson expressed his amazement at the January 2nd gathering of the Jackson FOP (police union) regarding the future of Chief Zink at which the members were considering a "no-confidence" vote.  While the vote was never taken, it appeared to Swanson that the contemplation of such in and of itself was a sign that Zink is not a viable candidate to become McDonald's successor.

It could be that the Jackson trustees have not adequately disposed of the Zink matter to the satisfaction of some township residents.  Swanson suggested that the January 8th meeting of the trustees may produce an onslaught of irate Jacksonians who want more action taken against Zink.

The bottom line on the McDonald succession question appears to the SCPR to be that the recipient of the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee selection could well be determined on the say-so of Swanson.

But for Umpleby and Stern, Tim Swanson may never have been the Stark County sheriff.

Is history about to repeat itself?

Will McDonald's successor be saying:   "But for Tim Swanson's endorsement,
I may never have been Stark County sheriff."

Stay tuned, the next 45 days could be full of political excitement and intrigue!

MASSILLON COUNCIL PRESIDENT GAMBER "GAVELS DOWN" MAYOR CATZARO-PERRY. SLAGLE SAVES THE MAYOR FROM THIRD DEFEAT ON INCOME TAX CREDIT ISSUE FOR THE TIME BEING?

It was interesting to hear Mayor Kathy Catzazro-Perry accuse Massillon City Council (at least her opponents on the issue of reducing Massillon income tax credit for Massillonians who pay taxes to other communities) of playing politics with the issue.

Well, as the SCPR sees it, the administration and councilmatic ally Larry Slagle (on the tax credit reduction issue) played a little game of their own last night.

At first it did not fit in The Report's thinking that Slagle voted "no" on a motion to suspend the rules on three readings so that the mayor could have an up or down vote for the third time.

NOTE:  Third time?

In a technical sense of an "up or down vote," there has only been one up or down vote [March, 2012; 8 against, 1 for].

The first time (late last year with the outgoing council) was not an actual vote on the merits of the question, but rather a refusal to put it on the agenda.  And, of course, last night was not an actual vote on the merits of the question, but merely a vote on whether or not to allow a vote at last night's proceedings.

But on reflection, it appears to The Report that what Slagle (the only councilperson to vote for the reduction back in March), was really doing was "saving the mayor's bacon."  For if an up or down vote had taken place last night, it was obvious that the issue was going down to defeat at least by a 5 to 3 margin with Chovan, Halter, Lewis, Manson and Peters voting (Cunningham - thought to be another no vote - was absent because she had been in a traffic accident earlier in the day).

Catazaro-Perry was fortunate to have the opportunity to avoid yet another humiliation.  Had Cunningham be able to attend, Slagle's move would have been unavailing as she undoubtedly wold have voted to suspend the rules and her vote would have provided the necessary seventh vote  to carry the day on the matter.

Here's a video of the actual vote.



If the mayor has made any headway since the March vote, it will in be in possibly picking up the votes of Scassa and Townsend to add to the Slagle vote.

If there ever is going to be a chance that Catazaro-Perry could convince council to vote in favor of the reduced income tax credit, she may have blown it last night as she came out with guns blazing (figuratively speaking, of course) in a Johnnie A. Maier, Jr-esque power move which appeared to be an effort to intimidate council into doing the will of the mayor.

In an earlier blog this year, the SCPR wrote about the mayor's propensity to keep digging a deeper hole for herself in her endeavor to solve Massillon's financial problems.

Apparently, she wants to keep digging.

Here is a video of a sharp exchange between the mayor, Councilman Manson and council president Glenn Gamber on her being out of order during the discussion on the tax reduction issue.



Auditor Jayne Ferrero (perceived by some not to be a big fan of the mayor) lined up with Catazaro-Perry in pleading with council to pass the ordinance.

Here is a video of her plea.



If the administration's assessment of a failure on the tax issue (or, alternatively, other adequate revenue raising measures) is correct, then Massillonians (according to Finance Director Ken Koher) can expect Ohio's auditor to declare Massillon to be in a fiscal emergency and send in a team of auditors to go over Massillon's budget with a fine toothed comb and start making cuts.

The meeting was jam-packed with dramatic moments.

• Councilman Slagle's question of Finance Director about Massillon's failure to collect all that is due it (about $350,000 as drawn out in questioning by Councilman Chovan) in delinquent and collectible income taxes,
• Councilman Townsend asking whether not council's approving the reduced tax credit would result in the re-hiring of the laid off safety forces (answer:  no, but may prevent future layoffs),
• Catazaro-Perry's assertion that there is no more room to cut Massillon's expenses be it street lighting or further layoffs,
• The vote last night was the most important vote of the year for council,
• Councilman Manson pitching his longstanding position that council place an increase in the city income tax rate from 1.8% to 2.0%,
• Councilman Manson in a back and forth with Finance Director Koher and Safety Director George Maier on the credibility of the numbers on the sufficiency of revenues (estimated to be $751,000) to solve Massillon's immediate financial quagmire,
• Councilman Lewis drawing out of the mayor her administration's plan to convince the Stark County auditor to allow Massillon to borrow against the projected revenues that an income tax credit would bring in so as to make the money available this year,
• The gaveling down of Catazaro-Perry and Manson (during Lewis's questioning) as a consequence of an argument ensuing as the mayor accused Councilman Manson of "not being serious" about his income tax hike proposal,
• Catazaro-Perry outline activities of the administration to increase Massillon's income tax base,
• Councilman Slagle:  "Madame Mayor what is your position on an income tax increase?" and the mayor shifting the subject to the reduced income tax credit (ultimately refusing to answer the question) despite Slagle's objection,
• Councilman Manson referring to Catazaro-Perry's bad decisions of the past (presumably referring to when she served on council herself for 8 years),

The Report has compiled a video of the highlights of the drama.

COULD A SUB-TITLE FOR KATHY CATAZARO-PERRY'S ELECTION AS MAYOR OF MASSILLON BE: A Tuscarawas Township Takeover of Massillon?

In hindsight, outgoing Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr. likely cooked his political goose in terms of continuing as mayor of Massillon in the summer of 2010 when he tried to annex the Tuslaw (Tuscarawas Township) schools in order to get at some $120,000 in school employee income tax money.

Earlier in 2010 when he picked off the R.G. Drage Career Center for about $70,000 in additional revenues for Massillon, there was no one to oppose him other than the school employees themselves who come from all over Stark County if not beyond.

But Tuscarawas Township was a different matter.

Communities like Tuscarawas are some of the most zealous about their schools being geographically, politically and government-wise within the boundaries of the actual community.

Tuscarawas has a unique factor about it in that it is also the home of long time Cicchinelli political adversary Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. (Massillon clerk of courts and former chairman of the Stark County Democratic Party).

Maier had to break out in a huge smile when he learned of Cicchinelli's plan to take the "pride and joy" of Tuscarawas and make it part of Massillon.  For, being the astute politician he is, he had to know instantly that had Mayor Frank Cicchinelli right where he wanted him.

Where's that?

Right in the bullseye sights of Tuscarawas residents who, though not eligible to vote in Massillon elections, had been riled up by the Cicchinelli power move and came out in significant numbers and with great political intensity to aid Maier political devotee Kathy Catazaro-Perry in her May, 2011 Democratic Party primary quest to unseat the mayor.

Could it be that the irate Tuscarawas mustangs were the reason why 344 more Massillonians said they preferred Catazaro-Perry over the 24 year reigning monarch of Massillon?

And the larger part of the story might be how Maier has sat "as snug as a bug in rug" in his Tuscarawas Township home, a township in which his wife serves as the elected fiscal officer, and where his children attended Tuslaw schools and parlayed this secure base of operations (aided by being the chairman of the Stark County Democratic Party for a number of years) into control of Massillon city government via the election of his political protege Kathy Catazaro-Perry and in terms of his own election as clerk of courts (in his third term) along with having at one other high Massillon official in elected office.

A case of the country-bumpkin-appearing Maier besting city-boy-sophisticate Cicchinelli and the city-boy handed the victory to country-bumpkin boy on a silver platter?

While not everybody in Tuscarawas is enamored with Maier, he has had enough support to have had a comfortable cover to operate from.

Make no mistake about it, Maier is no country-bumpkin.  He rivals, probably surpasses, Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II in political knowhow.

Healy is very obvious about his political manipulations and power moves whereas Maier is content to be behind the curtain a la the Wizard of Oz.  Those audacious enough not to please Johnnie,  can expect

And, Maier, in orchestrating (along with his political appendage Shane Jackson [chief deputy clerk of courts and political director of the Stark County Democratic Party and all around Maier "go-fer"]) Catazaro-Perry's victory was a demonstration of his political wizardry.

As the SCPR has written many times - that if elected, whereas Kathy Catazaro-Perry will be the de jure (i.e. "as a matter of law") mayor of Massillon; Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. (JAM) will be the de facto (i.e. "as a matter of fact") mayor of Massillon.  These political allies likely will operate in a Kitchen Cabinet fashion (a collection of unofficial "realpolitk" advisers [i.e. the Maiers and their close friends e.g. the Jacksons, the Elums, et cetera] a la the Andrew Jackson presidential administration of the early 1800s and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration (1932 - 1945).

Evidence of Maier's audacious clout is his being able to have a direct and immediate presence in the mayor's office with Catazaro-Perry's announced selection (Thursday) of Maier's brother George as the mayor-elect's safety-service director.  Moreover, the mayor elect's transition team is made up of those known to be JAM disciples.

George Maier has to be very thankful especially at this time of the year in having such a politically powerful brother.

Johnnie, of course, latched onto Ted Strickland (the first county chairman to endorse Strickland in the Democratic gubernatorial primary of 2006) and became "family" to Strickland.

Does anyone doubt that Johnnie had to be the reason that George became an official in the Strickland administration?

However, there is at least one incidence of Maier not being able to work wizardry from his Tuscarawas Township roost.

Apparently Maier thought he a seized on the perfect candidate at the perfect time when he brought out all "the king's horses and all the king's men" to make former Tuscarawas Township trustee Celeste DeHoff state Representative Celeste DeHoff.

It was the election of 2008.  Republican John Hagan of Marlboro Township was term limited out.  The Republicans had selected the unknown Todd Snitchler of Lake (now Governor Kasich's public utilities chairman) to be their standard bearer. 

DeHoff, a former Republican, who Maier - apparently - convinced to switch over, proved to be a monumental flop as a candidate.

Notwithstanding Maier's seeming consummate effort to raise for her from the political action committee bigs located in Columbus and his bringing in Ohio first lady Frances Strickland, the governor himself, John Glenn, then Secretary of Treasurer Richard Cordray and U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, Celeste wasn't close to Snitchler when the final tally was tabbed.

Moral of the story:  Maier does make political miscalculations from time-to-time.

But overall, he has been impressive in seeing and seizing political opportunities to enhance himself and those who toady up to become part of his loyalist entourage.

Not too sure what he gets done for the benefit and welfare of the citizens of Tuscarawas Township and the city of Massillon, but there is no doubt that he does well for himself and his own kind.

Could it be, looking long range after kingmaker Maier has passed on to his eternal reward, that Massillon will unincorporate and be reborn as Maierville, Tuscarawas Township, Stark County, Ohio?