NO CHANGE IN MAYOR'S ATTITUDE; SAME RESULT, NO?

UPDATED:  08:45 AM

On Thursday, June 18th, Massillon City Council mustered together seven members (the minimum required to act) for the purpose of passing an ordinance joining Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry in presenting to the Massillon Financial Planning & Supervision Commission (MFP&SC, Commission) a Restoration Plan (Plan) to bring Massillon out of fiscal emergency.

Council deliberated for 42 minutes and 35 seconds, more or less, (see full video below) before passing its part of the Plan after amending the original proposed ordinance several times.

Along the way, various council members seemed to lose their focus on why council was in "special" session in the first place.

Council president Tony Townsend has done much to impress the SCPR with his handling of the presidency.

Several weeks ago, he himself lost sight of the appropriateness of his action when he - from the presidency chair - weighed in on council deliberations about a Southway roadway issue. He should have stepped down from the chair to the lectern for public speaks and spoke his peace.

But last Thursday he did impress in his admonishing and structuring the "special" session of council to "keep on task" in voting up or down on the Plan ordinance.

A disturbing aspect of the meeting was the complete absence of any administration official to answer council member's questions about administration viewpoints and obtain information maintained by administration officials.

Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry was nowhere to be seen.

Budget Director and Income Tax Director Ken Koher did take a telephone call from Councilman Paul Manson.

Joel Smith, the mayor's newly appointed safety director was present, but he declined answering any questions about the mayor's perspective nor attempt to provide needed information.

All that sets the scene for comments made by Mayor Kathy in a letter transmitting the plan on Friday, the 19th to Chairwoman Sharon Hanrahan of the MFP&SC in which she said:

• that she is seriously concerned about a third city income tax increase attempt,
• that the Plan does not adequately provide for  financing of the repair of Massillon's deteriorating infrastructure such as:
• road resurfacing,
• culvert and storm grate replacing, and
• fixing of potholes,

So it will be interesting to see how the Commission reacts.

The mayor is one of seven voting members of the commission.

As far as the SCPR is concerned, Catazaro-Perry's negative attitude towards working enthusiastically and energetically with council is a primary reason that two prior attempts (one no part of the Plan) failed.

As the graphic at the lead of this blog depicts, Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry is the personification of a dark, dark, dark cloud that rains negativity into the mindset of voting Massillonians and thereby drowns the city's chances of generating desperately needed new revenues.

However, her fellow Commission members appear to lack the gumption to put her feet to the fire on her failure to be part of the solution rather than a primary roadblock to convincing voters to provide the city with sorely needed additional finances.

And who knows, the MFP&SC on July 1st at its meeting to consider the Plan submitted on the 19th may once again generate reasons to reject the Plan.

At the beginning, nobody thought that Massillon would in fact experience 15% across-the-board cuts to all departments of Massillon government.

The Stark County Political Report for one thinks that it is foolhardy given the mayor's failure to cooperate and embracingly participate in convincing voters to provide new monies to city coffers to think that the 15% cuts are not only thinkable but perhaps probable going forward.

Here is the video of the session of the 18th.

CATAZARO-PERRY ON A PATH TO HER OWN POLITICAL 'SELF-DESTRUCTION'?

UPDATE: 08:55 AM

VIDEOS

EXCERPT
COUNCILMAN PAUL MANSION
DESCRIBING "PETTINESS"
OF
MAYOR & COUNCIL PRESIDENT
====================
COMPLETE VIDEO
OF
RESTORATION PLANNING
06/09/2015 MCC WORK SESSION

No member on Massillon City Council has told The Stark County Political Report that she/he sees Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry as Massillon Public Enemy No. 1 in terms of solving the city fiscal crisis.

But in terms of having an aggressive "no-question-about-it" attitude "we absolutely need to have this tax issue pass;" the mayor has been "missing-in-action" and consequently is - the SCPR thinks - council's number one problem (a more euphemistic term than "enemy") in coming up with a restoration plan that is "reasonably certain of implementation."

Council is clearly frustrated with the non-existent (if not hostile), anemic levy efforts on the part of Catazaro-Perry since she has been mayor.

Take a look at the following segment video of Monday night's work session, part of which was devoted to discussing putting together a revised Massillon fiscal restoration plan.

• SCPR Note:  the most disturbing aspect of Monday's meeting as shown in the above video excerpt is Councilman Paul Mansion reference to the pettiness of the mayor and Council president Tony Townsend (both members of the Commission) in terms of who was not to be allowed to serve on a committee to secure passage of a tax issue designed to provide critically needed additional revenue to city government coffers
• SCPR Note:  the entire video of Monday's work session on the restoration plan discussion is accessible at the end of this blog.

Reasonably certain of implementation" is the standard that members of the Massillon Financial Planning and Supervision Commission (Commission) hung their collective hats on in rejecting the joint mayor/council restoration at his May meeting.

Amazingly enough, nobody (at the last Commission meeting) looked in the eye of "the elephant in the room" (i.e. Mayor Catazaro-Perry) and said:  "Mayor, when are you going to get off your duff and go all out on a levy effort!"

That wouldn't be polite, would it?

But it might be effective in putting heat on Catazaro-Perry to stop the political infighting with council's majority and get on with the business doing what is good for Massillon over her personal political interest to keep stirring the pot, no?

Over the seven plus years that The Report has covered her stint as a Massillon councilperson (Ward 3, 2006 - 2011) and mayor (2012 - 2015 ?), she has proved in spades to The Report that she is "in over her head" as a public official and cannot function without instructions from the Maier Massillon Political Machine.

Consequently, just on May 22nd she was named the SCPR's fourth worst elected public official for the first quarterly reporting cycle on this inaugural edition (2015) of The Report bottom 10 Stark County political subdivision elected officials.

But she does have her supporters.

A top level Stark County elected official in a recent conversation with the SCPR talked about how awesome Catazaro-Perry is in championing the cause of learning disabled children.

And her on bio on the Massillon City mayor's page shows an impressive list of civic accomplishments, to wit:

So clearly Catazaro-Perry has her societal talents.

Unfortunately for her and to the distress of many Massillonians, she does not have adequate political/governmental ability.

Over the years of the SCPR's blogging, yours truly has made excuses for her in assigning her troubles to not being who she truly is but rather what Massillon political operatives Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. (a former Stark County Democratic Party chairman and current elected Massillon clerk of courts) and R. Shane Jackson (Maier's chief deputy and the political director of the Stark Dems) think she ought to be.

Now that she is nearing the end of her term as mayor (likely her only one), The Report thinks that there is no more room for excuses and that she now owns her identity as mayor all on her own.

For four years now, she has blamed former Mayor Frank Cicchinelli (whom she defeated in the Democratic primary of May, 2011) for "all that ails" Massillon.

On several points, the SCPR agrees that Cicchinell has been deserving of criticism and blame for placing Massillon in a less than stable government foundation.

For instance, his aggressive annexation posture was - in the view of the SCPR - a short-term quick fix for immediate cash flow that did not adequately account for the costs associated with annexing residential type areas.

About the only annexation that Cicchinelli did that was a "no-brainer" from Massillon's fiscal self-interest standpoint was the R.G. Drage Center.

A cash flow bonanza that entailed very little additional servicing cost on Massillon taxpayers.

A second Cicchinelli favorite was to budget in Massillon obligations without having certifications in the hope that the money would be there when the obligations matured at or near the end of the budgeting cycle.

The Report thinks it is axiomatic that "it ain't no way" to run a city or any other fiscally responsible entity.

With Cicchinelli out as mayor and Catazaro-Perry in, those two items have lost their relevancy as excuses for the current mayor not getting the job done as are a number of other Cicchinelli policies/projects and therefore the blame game is over for Mayor Kathy.

Having gone over recent times' political history of Massillon, it is now time for Massillonians to hold Catazaro-Perry accountable for not being a helpful and cooperative with Massillon City Council in resolving the fiscal emergency status that she generated in the first place.

Immediately below are a few links to a few of the many, many past SCPR blogs which:

• detail the movement towards,
• the determination by the State of Ohio Auditor's office that Massillon qualified on Catazaro-Perry's lobbying to wear the dubious distinction of being in fiscal emergency though qualifying only on one of six criteria that being a mild cash flow problem, and 
• the effort by council to deal with the consequences of the mayor's quest, to wit:

• April 8, 2015,
• April 21, 2014,
• October 13, 2013,

One of the main points of discussion at council's work session on Monday (and, seemingly, at many, many council meetings going back to the onset of the Catazaro-Perry administration) is the dire condition of Massillon's streets and roadways and the equipment needed to service the city's thoroughfares.

This is, again, an example of Catazaro-Perry being "the elephant in the room."

As reported by Massillon Independent reporter - at the time - Matt Rink (now on the editorial board of The Repository), in an article entitled Political shots fly at council meeting (May 13, 2008); the-then councilwoman (Ward 3) in her inimitable bulldog face style stood by her clearly harmful to the quality of Massillon streets and highways opposition to Massillon getting more money to construct, repair and maintain the city's asphalt arteries, to wit: (an extract)

Mayor Frank Cicchinelli, while assessing the city’s budget, pushed Councilwoman Kathy Catazaro-Perry’s buttons when he told council it lacked the foresight to increase the license-plate fee four years ago.
...

That’s when he told council that the city would be richer – about $157,500 by a 2007 estimate in The Independent – had some members enacted the fee in 2004, before Stark County Engineer Mike Rehfus got to it last year.

“The political aspect of it killed it,” he said. “There were three or four residents that came out against it. ... I’m not here to say I told you so, but what you have to understand is the $5 we were proposing really didn’t amount to too much. Now our citizens are paying an additional $10 and we are only getting $2.50 of that.”
...

In 1987, the city imposed the first $5 allowed by law. When it attempted to raise it by $5 in 2004, the measure failed. Catazaro-Perry was one of the members who voted against it. She said Monday she continues to stand by her vote.

Cicchinelli said the increase was defeated because of “the politics (Catazaro-Perry) specifically played concerning that, the politics you absolutely played because two or three people told you they were against it.”  (large print emphasis added)

“We told you at that time the county was going to increase it,” he added. “It fell on deaf ears.”

The mayor said the revenue from a city-enacted license fee would have generated thousands more than any revenue generated from allowing businesses to set up shop on the south side of Lincoln Way East.

So there you have it folks!

Massillon is out hundreds of thousands of dollars if not better than $1 million in funds to deal with her roads, streets and highways cumulatively over the past 10 years or so because of the Catazaro-Perry led fight not to advantage the city with additional license plates fees, no?

Moreover, she has been lukewarm if not hostile to raising sorely needed revenues for the city and she as councilperson led the opposition to a windfall opportunity for more streets and highway maintenance money because of the the opposition of whom?

The SCPR thinks Cicchinelli was referring to Catazaro-Perry political mentors Johnnie A. Maier, Jr., and R. Shane Jackson (Massillon clerk of courts and deputy clerk of courts and Stark Dems' political activists).

Considering the foregoing, hasn't the SCPR made the case for the mayor being Massillon's major liability.

Council has met the enemy (i.e. problem) and it is not some outside factor or former mayor; it is the city's current mayor.

The mayor has met the enemy and all she has to do is to look in the mirror.

IS "RESTORATION PLAN" PRESSURE GETTING TO MASSILLON CITY COUNCIL?

VIDEOS

PART OF WORK SESSION

DEALING WITH

RESTORATION PLAN
(about 45 min)
(at end of blog)
===================== 
COUNCILMAN MANSON
NOT DWELLING ON MISTAKE
=====================
 COUNCIL DISCUSSES
INCREASING POLICE NUMBERS
VIABILITY IN LIGHT OF 
FINANCIAL TROUBLES
=====================
  COUNCILWOMAN HALTER
GETTING AN INCOME TAX PASSED
GOING TO BE DIFFICULT
=====================
COUNCILWOMAN DEL RIO-KELLER
LOOKING AT 5-7-10% CUTS TO
OTHER THAN POLICE/FIRE DEPTS
=====================
POST-COUNCIL-MEETING-VIDEOS

COUNCILMAN CHOVAN

COUNCILWOMAN DEL RIO-KELLER

COUNCILMAN LEWIS

COUNCILMAN MANSON

 

Some of the best theater in Stark County is the "political theater" being played out by various city councils which dot the county.

The SCPR understands that North Canton City had a raucous time at last night's meeting as the battle between Law Director Tim Fox and the Concerned Citizens of North Canton (CCNC) got heated.

A source tells the SCPR that the Public Speaks phase of North Canton council meeting lasted from 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. rivaling some of Canton City Council's Public Speaks session which is quite something for a city (North Canton) which is about one-fourth the size of Canton.

Here is what is what one North Cantonian wrote to the SCPR following council's meeting:

You missed a very heated meeting. Public speaks lasted from 7:00 to 8:15.

Miriam hit the ball out of the ballpark with challenges to the law director on public records and the zoning appeals process.

The topics in North Canton were the Zoning Appeals process and Public Records policy.  CCNC stalwart Miriam Baughman is said to have put on quite a show in confronting Law Director Fox on the appeals and records matter.

The Report is thinking that the "up to now" unfettered council support of Fox may be showing signs as cracking under the pressure that the CCNC is putting on council in this election year.

It appears to yours truly that Fox with his legal advice on various points of legislation (e.g. the health care ordinance supported by nearly 80% of North Cantonians), processes (zoning appeals and obtaining public records) has the effect of putting council and one difficult position, after another and after another.

Here is how Repository reporter Robert Wang reported on Baughman's effect:

Tabled an ordinance that would have eliminated council from hearing appeals of decisions by the city planning commission. Resident Miriam Baughman said she called other area cities, and officials told her they all had an appeals process for zoning decisions.

Put off final approval of a new public records policy as an emergency as Baughman requested language in the policy telling residents denied records their options.

Baughman is an absolutely fabulous civic activist who is more than the match of Lawyer Fox.

Who knows?  The CCNC may be the impetus for a sitting councilperson or two may not be re-elected.

The Report has written before that the only way to rein-in Fox is for ideally four sitting councilpersons to be put on the outside looking in as a consequence of the upcoming November election.

The Report thinks that CCNC member Jamie McCleaster will win one of three at-large seats come November with Dan Griffith likely being the victim of some very bad publicity that Fox has put council through.

Unfortunately, the SCPR can only be in one place on a given Monday night.

On many a Monday, it is a last minute decision as to which council meeting among Stark County's major cities that The Report is going to show up with camera in hand.

Last night, the SCPR was in Massillon.  And, council did not disappoint.

Things got a little testy and frustrating one would think from Councilman Paul Manson's perspective.

He and Councilman Ed Lewis got a little prickly with one another over whatever council comes up with in terms of a new or modified Financial Restoration (FRP) for the Massillon Financial Planning & Supervision Commission (MFP&SC, Commission) to consider in early May (the plan is due to the Commission by May 8th) that it be - as chided by Lewis - "in perfect condition."

The Commission on April 7th rejected council's second plan (the first failed with Massillon's voters defeat of an income tax levy in November, 2015) because it had some errors in it and therefore the Commission was not clear on exactly what the plan was.

Council's clerk has readily admitted that errors cropped in due to her mistake.

Manson's position is that council understands that a mistake was made that is easily corrected and the error(s) should not be dwelt on.



Another wrinkle was presented to Manson in the form of Councilwoman Halter saying that getting an income tax is going to be a piece of work.



Manson posed that the only alternative was the mayor's property tax proposal which, of course, in formulating its plan, council has rejected.

So this exchange is why the SCPR headed this blog up with a graphic that "Between a Rock & Hard Place" is now playing in Massillon City Council's political theater these days.

Yet another wrinkle to last night's meeting was Councilwoman Michelle Del Rio-Keller's suggestion that council obtain numbers from Massillon Budget Director and Income Tax Administrator Ken Koher as to how much of a savings would be realized by council directing cuts - as a part of a new/revised plan - of 5%, 7% or even 10% to non-safety-force departments of Massillon city government.



And as if there was not enough for the "Between a Rock & Hard Place" drama already, Councilman Lewis chimed in that any cuts should start with legislation reducing the salaries of Massillon elected officials by 10%.

As noted in the videos of Councilpersons Chovan, Del Rio-Keller and Lewis himself; there seems to be solid support for the Lewis recommendation as a show of their sincereness to Massillonian voters that their elected officials are willing to personally sacrifice so as to match that of Massillonians who of course if an income tax or property tax were to pass would be making a financial sacrifice.

However, the SCPR did hear a murmur last night that Lewis' idea may not be all that magnanimous.

The murmurer suggested that Lewis is likely to be the one council-at-large candidate from among present councilpersons Manson, Chovan and Lewis (Ward 6 presently) himself who may be vulnerable to not being elected and that the "let us elected officials take a 10% salary cut" may be a political play to help him get elected.

To top things off in Massillon last night was the moaning and groaning by some on council about the burden to the city's general fund of outlays to the Massillon Municipal Court.

Such has long been a sore point to various council member chief of whom has been Councilman Manson.

The SCPR thinks that council will pretty much end up where it was when its original error ladened plan was submitted on March 18th with the exception that there may be a less ambitious version of Councilman Milan Chovan's plan/passed ordinance to restore the Massillon Police Department to full strength over a period of time.

Here is council's discussion on the concern that the Commission expressed on April 7th about the viability of the "beef up the police" plan given Massillon's fragile financial condition.



Over the long haul, Chovan's plan/ordinance will pay for itself in terms of hiring startup costs in overtime savings.

To say it again.

Massillon City Council appears to be "between a rock and a hard place" with nowhere to go but to go back to the Commission with "a perfect version" of the March 18th plan.

After the meeting, the SCPR spoke with Councilman Chovan (on police),  Councilwoman Del Rio Keller (on cuts), Councilman Lewis (on elected officials 10% cuts) and Councilman Manson in his takeaway from the night's discussion.

Councilman Chovan



Councilwoman Del Rio Keller



Councilman Lewis



Video in process.

Councilman Manson



Here is the complete video of that part of last night's work session dealing with council'
s consideration of and new/revised Restoration Plan.

MAYOR KATHY CATAZARO-PERRY DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO ADD?

MASSILLON CITY COUNCIL 

SET TO REJECT MAYOR'S PROPERTY TAX

VIDEOS

COUNCILMAN ED LEWIS, IV
QUESTIONS
"THE NUMBERS NOT ADDING UP"
  =========================
BUDGET DIRECTOR/TAX ADMINISTRATOR
KEN KOHER
ON
NUMBER OF NON-RESIDENT TAXPAYERS
=========================
COUNCILMAN PAUL MANSON
ON
RESTORATION PLAN
=========================
COUNCILMAN ED LEWIS, IV
ON
RESTORATION PLAN
=========================
COUNCILMAN MILAN CHOVAN
ON
RESTORATION PLAN   

As matters stand as of the date of this blog, it seems likely that Massillon City Council will on Wednesday arrive at a consensus to reject Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry's real property based tax increase proposal (1.5 mills) in favor of council's plan to:

• ask voters to approve a hike in the city's income tax by two tenths of a percent,
• for five years,
• in exchange for council dropping the city's $25 per property owner street lighting assessment, and
• conditioned on council restoring Massillon income tax credit to 100%

Councilman Ed Lewis, IV (Republican - Ward 6) sounded the underlying reason ("the numbers don't add up) as to why council is likely to reject the mayor's plan:

• as council met again (LINK to blog on first meeting) last night in a bifurcated session 
• about 1-1/2 hours before a regularly scheduled council meeting and approximately 1/2 hour on the tail end of the regular meeting

To summarize on Lewis' notion that "the numbers do not add up:" to wit:

• that most (except those who own rental/business property in the city) of the 73% (2012 numbers) of "within city limits based business non-resident employees"  would not pay Catazaro-Perry's proposed property tax,
• Note:  As far as Massillon government employees are concerned, about 60% are resident Massillonians

• that one projection of city finances presented to council indicates that the city will be carrying a surplus five years down the road at about $1.3 million, having done nothing

• as compared to another projection indicates a deficit at about $1.4 million five years hence, 

So the thinking on council appears to be: why approve a plan that adds more burden to those who own residences and business buildings in Massillon in the light of contradictory estimates as to where the city ends up five years henceforth?

Here is video of the Koher/Lewis exchange:



Where did the 73% figure come from?

Budget Director/Income Tax Administrator Ken Koher, that's where, to wit:

As far as those persons who are employed in the City, the information available takes int d account the number of W-2s filed by employers. Employers includes resident employers and non-resident employers that file withholding taxes with the City. Keep in mind, the number of W-2s will be on the high side of the actual number of workers since employees come and go during a year's time and some work multiple jobs within the city limits. However, the proportion resident versus non-resident W-2s should give us an idea of the makeup of workforce.

For year 2012 the reconciled totals indicate 7,008 W-2s for Massillon residents and 19,372 for non-residents. This translates into the workforce being 27% Massillon resident workers and 73% non-residerft workers. W-2 earnings reflect that 28% of the reported wages are paid to resident employees while 72% are paid to non-resident workers. The income tax withheld mirrors those percentages. It is interesting to note that the average earnings for resident workers is $21,197.66, or 7.5% higher than the $19,710.41 for non-resident wage earners.

And at the work session last night:



Ever since council met last week, council has been struggling to understand the numbers.

They have repeatedly asked Koher to clarify the numbers in last week's and last night's work sessions.

And Koher has valiantly endeavored to provide numbers that make sense.

One gets the sense that Koher, a first-rate finance man, doesn't have much wiggle room in what he shares with council and what he feels would not meet with Mayor Kathy's approval if he were to share it.

Consequently, he is going back and presumably discussing with the mayor what she is willing to have him provide council.

All of which means that council feels that it cannot make a final decision on what its restoration plan will be until Wednesday at its planned 5:30 p.m. meeting.

What council needs to know is how much "net" (after deducting the elimination of the street lighting assessment and returning the income tax credit to 100% of the Massillon tax rate) the city will realize in added revenue.

Once council knows those numbers, it can then determine how much of a .2 (1.8 to 2.0) income tax increase will go towards repair of  the city's streets as compared to how much is set aside for streets vehicle/equipment replacement.

So what council is trying to do is very simple.

Make "the numbers add up!"

As far as the SCPR can tell, it seems that council members think that Koher is being straight with them and accommodating to their requests for key financial information.

But it seems that it is "a process of pulling teeth" and the SCPR thinks it is not Koher who is the problem.

Of course, Koher is not going to finger the mayor.

Another administration figure that council has been well taken is Safety Director Al Hennon (a former Massillon City Schools superintendent.

During last night's council meeting a buzz enveloped council chambers when it came to light that Hennon resigned earlier in the day for personal and health reasons.

A common comment among council members was that they were surprised how long Hennon lasted. 

He was appointed September 17, 2013 and lasted until March 16, 2015; some 18 months.

One has to wonder how much longer Koher will last, no?

With Hennon now gone, a Koher departure would likely be devastating to the embattled Catazaro-Perry administration.

There remains an unanswered question.

Will the mayor allow council to substitute income tax based restoration for her proposed real property tax?

The SCPR for one would not be surprised if the mayor rejects the change and consequently it could be that 15% "across-the-board" cuts are coming in April.

If that happens, the further question is what impact will it have on the Catazaro-Perry/J. David Ress match up in the Democratic primary come May 5th.

One thing seems to be sure.

A Ress victory (Ress says he will work with council) has prospects of ushering in an era of the administration and council working together in contrast to the pitched battles that plagued the Catazaro-Perry administration relationship with council pretty much from the onset of Catazaro-Perry as mayor.

Ress says that, if elected, he plans on retaining Koher whom he considers to be a terrific finance guy.

Same man, different mayor all of a sudden "the numbers start adding up?"

Here are videos of Councilmen Paul Manson, Ed Lewis, IV and Milan Chovan with their views of the night's proceedings.

PAUL MANSON, DEMOCRAT, COUNCIL-AT-LARGE



ED LEWIS, IV, REPUBLICAN, WARD 6



MILAN CHOVAN, REPUBLICAN, COUNCIL-AT-LARGE

PART 2 - CITY COUNCIL SERIES - 2015 AGENDAS

SCPR VIDEOS

2015 AGENDAS

COUNCILMAN ED LEWIS, IV

COUNCILWOMAN MICHELLE DEL RIO-KELLER

COUNCILMAN PAUL MANSON

As part of a SCPR series, The Report on Tuesday, January 20th was in Massillon and interviewed Councilpersons Del Rio-Keller, Manson and Lewis on their "look forward" for 2015 on their respective agendas for improving governance in Massillon.

As readers of the SCPR know, Massillon City Council is staffed with legislators some of whom have very strong personalities.

The question that has often been a topic of SCPR blogs:  Who is stronger?  Council leadership or Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry?

One of yours truly's favorite blogs on Massillon government is discussion the mayor as being Massillon's iron lady as a take off on how former (now deceased) British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was characterized by the media.

But first readers, a favor please?

Don't tell the mayor that Martin Olson said this of her (if you don't tell her, she won't know because she says she doesn't read the SCPR), okay?

But Kathy Catazaro-Perry is NO Margaret Thatcher!

She is trying, though.

More and more, The Stark County Political Report thinks that the mayor is engaging political gamesmanship.

The latest episode occurred on January 26th.

Mayor Kathy called an "emergency 'special' session" of Massillon City Council which had to absolutely endear her to at least a majority if not all of council.

On the agenda of this supposedly urgent session was a proposed ordinance (7) whereby Massillon's administration would be authorized to seek $180,000 in Stark County funding to do road work in Massillon.

• SCPR Note:  Though it was thought by some (apparently including Mayor Catazaro-Perry) that Friday, January 30th was the deadline for passing Ordinance 7 (originally written for repairing an intersection at Richville Dr SW/Southway Drive), such proved not to be the case.
• Why the SCPR thinks the Ordinance 7 caper was a political gamesmanship maneuver. i.e. "Council inaction caused Massillon to lose $180,000 in road repair funding"
• In the video below, note that though the mayor is said to have thought that a Friday deadline was in place, she did not utter a word to council.
• the mayor has a history of obtaining permission to speak to council on pending legislation,
• In the end council passed the ordinance at this past Monday's regular council meeting but changed to a higher road repair priority; namely, a portion of Main Street West to the city boundary

Well, this "emergency" session lasted a grand total of 6 minutes or less and council took "no" action, the mayor uttered nary a peep and rushed out so as not to be present for council's scheduled work session.



Councilman Paul Manson set the tone for the entire 6 minute meeting early on in the "emergency 'special' session."

Manson asked on the reading of Ordinance 5 (with 6 and 7 to follow) about:  "the necessity of this as an emergency?"

Answer?

There wasn't one, said Councilwoman Del Rio-Keller.

So why the "emergency 'special' session" called by Mayor Kathy Catazaro?

Nobody seemed to know and Mayor Kathy who can be quite mouthy had a case of political lockjaw.

Quite a contrast to the shouting match she got into with the-then council president Glenn Gamber over a tax credit issue in August, 2012.

And quite a contrast to the shouting match she got into with acting council president Paul Manson over the Dwan St. John (see links below) hiring in July, 2014.

It appears that Catazaro-Perry will do "whatever it takes" in her playing the game of politics.

The SCPR thinks that "not talking" political prank was part of an overall plan by the mayor (likely under the instruction of her political sponsors/mentors Johnnie A. Maier, Jr and R. Shane Jackson of the Massillon Clerk of Courts office) to make herself look like some kind of strong willed executive out-to-knuckle-council-down to do her will which, of course, is best for Massillon.

First, there was the fiscal emergency thing which the SCPR thinks was a concoction by the mayor to underscore her assertion that former mayor Frank Cicchinelli left Massillon in a financial mess.

Here are blog links for those readers who need to get up to speed on the SCPR's detailed thought of why The Report thinks that the move was unwarranted and a political gamesmanship antic.

• May 21, 2013
• October 23, 2013
• November 12, 2014

Second, there was the Dwan St. John matter in which she accused at least of a majority of council as being racist because there was a council insistence that the fiscal/financial basis of the hiring be vetted.

Again, here are links for those readers to get to know more about the Dwan St. John matter.

• July 9, 2014
• August 4, 2014

Third, of course, is the January 26, 2015 "emergency 'special' session" which the SCPR thinks in reality was another political gamesmanship ploy.

The SCPR believes that there have been other instances in which the mayor was politically toying with council.

As far as the SCPR is concerned, Massillon City Council is the best in all city councils of Stark County at meeting the city's executive head-to-head to ensure that politics not be "order of the day, but rather the "well being of the citizens of Massillon."

Canton Council has had some success checking him, but Mayor William J. Healy, II has proved much more masterful (i.e. less confrontational, e.g. purportedly, if the Healy administration learns that Councilman Bill Smuckler is staunchly opposed to a piece of legislation; it is not sent down) than Mayor Kathy.

In North Canton, The Report thinks that council has abrogated its duties not so much to the mayor but to Law Director Tim Fox.

In Alliance there has been, for all the years that the SCPR has covered Stark County governance, pretty much "an era of good feeling" in place between council and the administration with a hiccup here and there from the mouth of former councilman (now council president) Steve Okey.

Which brings the SCPR to the "real focus" of today's blog which is to say those councilpersons in Massillon that The Report sees as being part of a strong core of strong councilmantic leadership in Tigerland in terms of setting the agenda for Massillon's 2015 council.

First, Councilman Ed Lewis.



Second, Councilwoman Michelle Del Rio-Keller,



And, finally, third, but certainly not least the dean of Massillon City Council:  Paul Manson.



For all the mayor's political gamesmanship, all she is achieving, The Report believes, is prioritizing her personal political interests over the well being of the citizens of Massillon.

She will have Democratic Party opposition.  J. David Ress has filed.

And 2011 Republican candidate Lee Brunckhart will be the ballot in November.

The SCPR thinks that all of Catazaro-Perry's political gaming has the potential to make her a one-term-mayor.

If Massillon's council under the likes of Lewis, Del Rio-Keller and Manson can make it clear that the mayor is not in charge and is in fact out on a political self-interest limb, it could be that either Ress or Brunckhart who knock off.

As the SCPR sees it, for the Massillon Political Machine's Kathy Catazaro-Perry to lose it will take more than just Ress or Brunckhart.

It will also take strong leadership from those councilpersons who understand that the main reason there is political warfare in Massillon is because of the political agenda and political gamesmanship of Mayor Kathy.

Theirs is a happy prospective role.

By looking out - without regard to personal political interests - for the welfare of everyday Massillonians, they create a basis on which the Iron Lady will turn out to be a politically broken lady.

2015 could be the year that a politically unsophisticated candidate coming out with a pledge of "I will work cooperatively with council," and, by the way, the agenda of council in 2015 as personified by council's strong leadership group "is an agenda that I wholeheartedly endorse."

To repeat, such a concordance just might make Kathy Catazaro-Perry a one-term-mayor.

Come January 1, 2016 - in terms of the mayor and council not, more or less, being at odds with one another -  things could be looking up in Massillon government?

PART 3 - "TROUBLES, TROUBLES & MORE TROUBLES:" MASSILLON MUNICIPAL COURT & MASSILLON CITY COUNCIL

UPDATED:  09:12 AM

VIDEOS

JUDGE C. ROLAND CENTRONE

JUSTIFYING A PAY INCREASE

FOR COURT EMPLOYEES

IN

THE FACE OF

NO RAISES FOR ANYONE ELSE

IN MASSILLON GOVERNMENT

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

COUNCILMAN PAUL MANSON

ON

COURT/COUNCIL

RELATIONSHIP

As written in the previous two blogs concerning the "troubles, troubles & more troubles" being experienced in Massillon government these days, "every which way" Massillon officials turn these days there are seemingly nothing but troubles, to wit:

• November 12, 2014 - "BAD TIMES IN MASSILLON," Part 1, and
• November 13, 2014 - Part 2 - MASSILLON'S "TROUBLES, TROUBLES & MORE TROUBLES," THE LEGENDS GOLF COURSE

The SCPR's analysis is that the troubles for the most part are owing to the belligerence of the Katherine Catazaro-Perry adminstration vis-a-vis a majority of Massillon City Council members as fueled by her two key "kitchen-cabinet-esque" political advisers; namely, Massillon Clerk of Courts Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. and his sycophantic associate and deputy clerk of courts R. Shane Jackson.

The shame of all this is that the citizens of Massillon are caught in the middle.

The constant bickering and infighting between the "looking for a fight" mayor and council is making day-in, day-out citizen victims of their own government in terms of less and less services.

It has been a tortured road since Catazaro-Perry prompted the State of Ohio Auditor on October 8, 2013 to declare Massillon to be in a state of fiscal emergency.

As primarily responsible individuals are apt to do, Mayor Kathy in pointing her finger at others.

She blames council and at a deeper lever former mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr. for the city's current financial troubles.

With respect to council, she is the one who has exploded in anger several times over her three years as mayor at various council members and squared up her jaw and glared at a disagreeing council members and thereby made it clear that she is a "my way or the highway" public official who brooks no opposition.

The result?

She and council find it difficult at best to abide one another.

She opposed the first tax issue and "sat on her hands" on the second one and thereby bears responsibility, in part, for the measures' defeat leaving the city in desperate need for cash.

A nuance example of differences between the administration and council came Monday night with the appearance of Judge C. Roland Centrone before council.

Really?

What does the court and council having differences have to do with the administration?

The SCPR's take is that the mayor is not her own person as a public official and is propped up by and controlled by three people all of whom happen to serve in the Massillon Court system together like hand-in-glove.

And the three are?

Maier, Jackson and Judge Eddie Elum.

Here is a LINK for readers to check out.

The link is to the Canton Municipal Court.  See any of this "honorable" stuff there?

Here is another LINK (Alliance).

Okay, Judge Zumbar is described as the Honorable Andrew L. Zumbar.

And the SCPR is okay with that inasmuch as it has been "traditional" to address courts that way.

But the clerk of courts?  

Only in Massillon!

Not Canton, not Alliance.

Does this tell just a little about Johnnie A. Maier, Jr's ego?

Being "honorable" does not come from a title, it comes from honorably perceived conduct by those of us who observe from the sidelines.

Or, as Mother Olson used to say:  "pretty is as pretty does."

And we all know that Judge Elum has had his issues with his conduct as pointed out by the Ohio Supreme Court.

Back in 2010, he wrote the SCPR an intemperate, derogatory e-mail and threatened to file a disciplinary complaint because The Stark County "Political" Report had the audacity to chime in on his political dispute with the Massillon Police Department chief of police.

Yours truly has been waiting for an apology ever since.

Undoubtedly, "Hell will freeze over first."

The "Honorable" Judge Edward J. Elum apparently does not apologize to anybody unless "brought to heel" by the Ohio Supreme Court.

And even at that, he got a mere "slap on the wrist."

But the SCPR is a big boy who signs his name to everything The Report writes, unlike, The Report thinks, Elum's pals Maier and Jackson who yours truly believes to have been "the anonymous" factors behind the now defunct Massillon Review.

An example of bluster and bombast from "behind the curtain?"

Hopefully, Judge Elum has schooled himself on the SCPR's and others' right under the United States of America Constitution to write political opinion pieces.

Now to the real story behind Judge Centrone's appearance at Massillon City Council.

The issue?

The Massillon court wants to raise the pay of four court employees a total of some $6,000.

And Massillon's council needs to authorize the raises.

Six thousand dollars and council objects?

You've got to be kidding me, no?

Not really.

And you might ask:  Doesn't that make council look bad?

Perhaps.

It could be that some members of council don't have real objections to Centrone's request but know of the mayor's close ties with Elum, Maier and Jackson and therein lies "the real rub."

These council folks might be "bound and determined" that they are not going to be a party to having something "rammed down their throats," no?

Councilman Paul Manson, the SCPR thinks, is the primary person who carries the ball in resisting any additional expenditures on the part of the court - especially in these financial hard times.

Over the years that the SCPR has covered Massillon City Council, Councilman Manson (Democrat councilman-at-large) has consistently opined to The Report that what was once a manageable obligation for Massillon to foot most of the bill for the operation of the Massillon courts has gotten completely out of hand.

In this video of a SCPR interview with him on Monday, Manson adds to Monday's discussion by council with Judge Roland Centrone the issue of whether or not council will approve the requested pay raises.

As was pointed out (see Centrone/council video below) by Councilman Ed Lewis, IV (Republican - Ward 5 and the SCPR thinks a likely candidate to oppose the mayor in the 2015 election) it is hard for him to swallow getting pay raises of any description given that nobody else in Massillon government is getting raises.

Councilman Milan Chovan (Republican; councilman-at-Large) plans on meeting with Judge Centrone within the next week or two in order to seek common ground with the court on the matter of the pay raises.

What the SCPR does not recall being articulated in the back and forth between Centrone and council is this question which certainly implied if not expressed stated:

"How does giving four court employees a raise make them more productive?"

Centrone, The Report thinks, in a subtle way, in saying that he (presumably in concert with Elum) considered ordering council to do the will of the court on the matter raised the spectre that such could actually end up being the resolution if council did not fall into line.

Moreover, Centrone brought up his assessment that the court could use two additional employees to deal with additional duties placed on all Ohio courts by Ohio General Assembly "unfunded mandates."

Apparently, his bringing up the "we could use two additional employees" argument to make the "give us $6,000 or so additional" seem to be "small potatoes" by comparison.

Judge the exchange for yourself.  Here is a video of the entire Centrone/council interaction.

Note Centrone's seeming promise to council that the proposed raises were to be limited to the specific employees proposed for a raise and would not carryover to their replacements when they terminate their employment, presumably at retirement time.

To the SCPR, such an approach on the part of a judge is unbelievable.

To be funny, Councilman Lewis interrupted him to say:  "Martin, did you record that."

Even funnier, was the judge saying that he did not mind being recorded.

So there are light moments in all the infighting.

The real point of the exchange was a concern by the inquiring council members that they were not being snookered into agreeing to a structural change in permanent classifications which would balloon into costly and enduring additional costs to Massillon taxpayers going indefinitely into the future.

The Report liked this line of inquiry by those council persons doing such in that it was a demonstration of the proper role for council to be taking on.

An interesting twist to the exchange between the court and council is that two weeks ago Judge Elum was present at a work session to make the argument for the court.

The Report is told that he left because he had another obligation and he was not going to able to get before council on a timely basis and still meet the other obligation.

But the SCPR is somewhat skeptical of the reason given.

Could it be that Elum figured out he was not likely to get a friendly reception and therefore thought the better and perhaps more productive route was to back off and send Centrone in?

Other than the Maier connection, there is the fact that his wife Margaret who is an administrative assistant (coming full circle) to guess who?

You've got it!

Massillon mayor Katherine Catazaro-Perry who the SCPR thinks a number council persons "really" do not like.

As seen in the video of Centrone's time before council, he did not exactly get treated with "kid gloves by council.

Council members were civil but persistent in challenging the judge to justify the court's request in light of the city dire financial condition.

All too may times, especially in North Canton, the SCPR has seen council abrogate its duty to the taxpaying public to vet administration officials on money issues and on policy implementation matters.

Certain Canton council members (Morris, Fisher, Mariol, Mack, Schulman, Smuckler, Hart and West come to mind) are first-rate "inquiring minds"

The Report thinks that they have made William J. Healy, II a better mayor however reluctant he may be to learn that in running a city he must have a working relationship with council.

Citizens "by name" going public and holding public officials accountable is the very high calling for us all in this our democratic republic of the United States of America.

There is no doubt that there are a number of Stark County elected officials (The Report' focus) who think they are unaccountable.

If anyone dare hold them accountable, they are apt to "huff and puff" and threaten "to blow the house in."

To the SCPR, such behavior is antithetical to the effective functioning of our "check and balance" system of government.

The bullies, the unaccountables fail to reckon with the reality that there are other public officials and a core of citizens and some of us in the media who will stand up to them.

The clash of "the accountability faction" and those who deem themselves unaccountable is why in Massillon and many other places across this "Great Land of Ours" are plagued with "troubles, troubles and more troubles."

So be it.

Democratic-republicanism is messy.

But there is no better system across the globe for non-titled persons to live in.

Out of these political conflicts a terrific society called America the Beautiful has emerged!

God Bless America!!!

PART 2 - MASSILLON'S "TROUBLES, TROUBLES & MORE TROUBLES," THE LEGENDS GOLF COURSE

UPDATED:  11:00 a.m.

VIDEOS

COUNCILWOMAN DEL RIO-KELLER

PRESENTS AT COUNCIL MEETING

PARKS & RECREATION PLANS

FOR

"THE LEGENDS GOLF COURSE"

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

SCPR INTERVIEW
OF
COUNCILWOMAN MICHELLE DEL RIO-KELLER

In the slickly done "Fall, 2014" edition of Massillon Magazine in line with Catazaro-Perry/Maier penchant for doing a "Madison Avenue" style cover up of brewing troubles beneath the surface, the mayor portrays herself as Saint Kathy of Massillon in being on the brink of saving Massilon from a financial crisis that may never have existed in the first place.

A case can be made that Her Honor forced the issue with the State of Ohio Auditor (SOA)  which on October 8, 2013 made a thinly justified finding (only one of six assessment criteria met) that Massillon is in fiscal emergency.

As Mayor-elect Catazaro-Perry in December, 2011 she was writing the SOA asking that an audit be done which she was confident would result in a finding that Massillon was in fiscal emergency even before the man she defeated in the Democratic primary election of May, 2011 (24 year mayor, Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr) was officially out of office.

The SOA refused her "out-of-hand" because a superficial look at Massillon's numbers showed the state auditors that the mayor didn't understand basic math which clearly indicated that no emergency financial condition existed in Massillon.

The SCPR sees the Catazaro-Perry initiated effort of December, 2012 as possibly being a political set up engineered by the "all things political" duo of Johnnie A. Maier, Jr and R. Shane Jackson.

Though the two are public officials (clerk of courts and chief deputy clerk of courts, respectively) supported by Massillon taxpayers. The Stark County Political Report sees them primarily as politicians working up or on one political intrigue after another, after another.

Johnnie is a former Stark County Democratic Party chairman who many think still controls the Dems through current chairman and Canton Municipal Court clerk of courts Phil Giavasis.

And before him through Randy Gonzalez (a former chief deputy clerk for the Canton Municipal Court) who immediately after Maier's tenure as chairman until the Giavasis appointment was chairman of the Stark Dems.

Jackson is a long time political director of the Stark County Democratic Party.

So it is hard to believe that this duo don't look at all of life as being "one big political playground" and they are having "one big ball" playing "political football."

And that it appears to the SCPR is what they and their group of loyalists are doing with Massillon and Stark County government.

It may be "having fun" to Maier and Jackson.

But the consequences of them romping in the "political sandbox" could prove damaging to Massillonians and to Stark Countians in terms of a lack of quality of leadership and government.

In Massillon, the government unit which has to deal with the political mischief which seems to be being "dealt out is spades" by Maier and Jackson is Massillon City Council.

It was quite revealing to the SCPR, in sitting through council's work session Monday night as a number of troubles which currently plague Massillon were being addressed, to see the hands of Maier/Jackson all over "the troubles, troubles & more troubles" which had boiled to the surface.

Today, we cover the effort of Councilwoman-at-Large Michelle Del Rio-Keller's (a Democrat) to fix the long time broken problem of the Massillon City Government Legends golf course.

SOURCE OF PHOTOS:  
THE LEGENDS WEBSITE)

The city owes about $5.4 million in a mortgage on the 27 hole course which is currently being paid out of the .3% of income tax revenue approved by Massillon voters in 1995.

Formerly, the mortgage was paid out of Massillon's general fund.

The SCPR thinks the notion of a government unit owning a golf course to generate revenues to finance usual government services to taxpayers is one huge mistake.

Massillon started off with 18 holes in 1995.

However, Cicchinelli decided that things were going so well with 18 holes that "the more, the merrier" was in order and 9 holes were added in 1998.

Now he admits that the addition was a mistake.

But, of course, Massillon taxpayers are "left to pick up the pieces."

And such is exactly what Del Rio-Keller is trying to do.

Here is a video of her presentation on Monday.



And here is a post-meeting interview by the SCPR.





Just to spice things up a bit, the SCPR cannot pass up this opportunity to show how gullible Mayor Catazaro-Perry and her close-in political advisers are in terms of thinking they could solve The Legends' troubles by placing a "aquarium/waterpark" at the location.

From a April 11, 2014 SCPR blog:

Last month an out-of-state developer stepped forward with a project which should have been a "no-brainer" in terms of Catazaro-Perry and council working together to bring the proposal (an aquarium/waterpark combo) to reality.
But that hasn't happened and the SCPR will not happen as long as the site contemplated is the city owned "The Legends" golf course. 

Originally the plan was for the developer to lease the "excess" (i.e. the 9 holes added to the original 18 holes) part of the golf course for $10 per year for a term of 30 years. 

The neighborhood surrounding The Legends is one of Massillon's posh neighborhoods and to have a very large aquarium/waterpark in the daily eyesight of the residents in an idea that is never, ever going to fly.

As sweet as it would be for Massillon to be out of the golf course business for many Massillonians, there is indication that council may reject any such overture because members would not want to leave those who live in the vicinity of The Legends having to deal with the visage of the proposed commercial enterprise ... .

As it turned out, the excitement bought into The Legends "solve a problem" matter by the naive Catazaro-Perry entourage has to be disconcerting to Massillonians inasmuch as it appears that the developer(s) may have been looking for a government give-away and the Catazaro-Perry folks appear to have been biting.

The Report thinks the naivete was born of the administration's frustration of "having something on the table" to deal with Massillon's many troubles only one of which is what to do with The Legends.

In getting back to the Del Rio-Keller presentation, the questions is which of her ideas is likely to float with council and, probably, more importantly Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry and her behind-the-scenes-prop-ups?

Hire a full time manager? (favored by Del Rio-Keller and Paul Manson)

Bring in a full/part-time management firm?

Develop a Master Plan?

Off the table is a reduction of the course to an 18 hole course (opposed by Ward 4 residents who live next to or in the vicinity of the course), at least, as far as council is concerned contrary to the wishes of Massillon's Parks and Recreation Board which meets tonight to once again mull over the future of the the course.

The answer to "the future of The Legends" question, the SCPR thinks, is wrapped up in Massillon government politics.

Look for the decision, whatever it turns out to be, to be one grounded in "political muscle" and not "on the merits" of whether or not Massillon should be in the golf course business in the first place.

There probably isn't a poorer time to try to deal with "troubles, troubles & more troubles" in Massillon with the city being on the cusp of an election year.

In 2015, all of city council and the mayor's office is up for election.

Accordingly, the SCPR predicts that there likely will be no solution to The Legends problem because it is hard to see how the political objectives of the Catazaro/Maier/Jackson crowd can square up with the interests of the various council persons running for re-election.

And that 'ain't' all.

The Report thinks it is likely that Francis H. Cicchinelli will not challenge the mayor in Democratic primary in May but that she will be challenged by Republican Ed Lewis, IV (Republican, Ward 6, and chairman of the 'powerful' finance committee).

The Maier group is still smarting from having lost control of council (i.e. the Democrats losing control) to the Republicans in 2011.  Though Democrats regained control in 2013, the 'ain't' Maier group Democrats except for Shaddrick Stinson and council president Tony Townsend (who only votes in the case of a tie).

Look for Maier et al to try again to gain at least a plurality on council.

One of the seats that they will have to go "all-out" to defend with be that of Shaddrick Stinson (Democrat, Ward 4) as he is said to be the target of Ward 4 citizens who live in the area of The Legends.

The Report does not know where he ended up on supporting Stinson.  But Frank Cicchinelli was flirting with the idea of supporting him in 2013 face off with Republican candidate Jim Triner.

Stinson did not get a majority of the votes in the 2013 race.

Stinson was telling Cicchinelli that he was not a Johnnie A. Maier loyalist.  The SCPR's analysis is that he is beholden to the Maier Massillon Political Machine.  And his stances on most if not all issues between council and Catazaro-Perry have been with the mayor.

If Republicans can talk Triner or a viable alternative person (perhaps from among The Legends interest group) into running next year, it appears that the campaign factors on The Legends' issue are enough to put Stinson on the political sidelines.

Losing in Ward 4 would be  on the order of being stunning for the Maier Demcorats.

For they understand that notwithstanding the "political spin" they have tried to put on the "success" of the mayor's administration, the truth of the matter is within the perception of voting Massillonians as to whether or not Catazaro-Perry deserves her self-serving billing.

Should Catazaro-Perry get through the 2015 election year successfully, a second term will be disastrous for her and Massillon if she continues to be at odds with a majority of council.

That the Maier faction will be focusing on council as well as reelection of Catazaro-Perry enhances Lewis' chances, so the SCPR thinks.

Lewis is one of the unique elected officials who comes off as being "non-political" in nearly everything he does.

Even as Catazaro-Perry has tried to insult him, badger him; he has come off as looking like the statesman and she as the thorough going politician.

Should Lewis decide to run, the SCPR is saying now that it is likely he will win in November, 2015.

Already, the SCPR is told, scores of Republicans are organizing at the prospect of a Lewis candidacy.

One of his prime encouragers has been Stark County Republican commissioner Janet Weir Creighton.

However, a question of her reliability as a supporter of Republican candidates is in doubt insofar as the SCPR is concerned.

She could have been the person:

• in her role as a if not "the" leading Stark County Republican in terms of popular support, and
• as one of Republican governor John Kasich's hugely successful (wining by some 37,000 votes in Stark) 2014 campaign as northeast Ohio campaign coordinator 

to put Larry Dordea "over-the-top" in his race against Maier Loyalist Group candidate George T. Maier (Johnnie's brother, of course).

But she didn't lift a "significant" finger for Dordea.

She even refused to endorse Dordea when asked in public.

It would have been one thing had Dordea's qualifications to be sheriff was in question.

On the policing experience factor, it appears to be pretty much of a wash as between him and Maier.

However, on "the character question" the SCPR thinks Dordea was "head and shoulders" superior to George T. Maier.

The SCPR suspects that Creighton has ties to at least one in the Maier Loyalty Group that caused to her to withhold out-and-out support for Dordea.

If that is the case, the question for Lewis has to be:  Will she do the same to me if the Maiers use their SCPR suspected avenue to Creighton to prevail on her to back off on supporting the Ward 6 councilman.

Nobody should underestimate the ability of Maier (Johnnie) to worm his way into the councils/counsels of the Stark County Republican Party.  

Republican Stark County commissioner Richard Regula is a pretty obvious example of that, so the SCPR thinks.

If Lewis decides not to run, the SCPR thinks that the Creighton factor could be the deciding factor.