REPOSITORY EDITORIAL BOARD INSULTS RON/KYLE DEVIES & SNICKERS AT "SMALL TOWN" MARLBORO?

In his own mind Repository Executive Editor Jeff Gauger - even though he hails from Rockford, Illinois (Rockford where?) - is a very important guy.

From the tone and the smugness that emanates from yesterday's Rep editorial Chief, trustees must move on, the SCPR is guessing that Gauger was the editorial writer.

Yours truly would e-mail Gauger and find out who wrote the editorial, but it would probably be blown off; like his sidekick Gayle Beck blew off an e-mail asking a mundane question about whether or not The Rep had endorsed in the Chandra/Dann attorney general primary race in 2008.

The SCPR had been hearing that the Rep editors were unhappy with the penetrating critiques that The Report has been doing on their work.

Beck's blow off was all the confirmation the SCPR needed. The SCPR is pleased to put "only countywide newspaper" under the microscope. As former editor David Kaminski once said, The Rep likes being the 800-pound gorilla. Even though he is gone, his statement accurately reflects the attitude among the editors at The Rep today.

The Canton Repository is fast fading as a respected investigatory newspaper. Staff cuts galore are being made at The Rep except for the sports department - of course, many Stark Countians cannot do without their sports.

New owner GateHouse Media Ohio is disliked by the folks who work at The Rep about 60/40 (with 60 being the negative number) according to a source from deep inside the bowels of the Canton daily.

The biggest drop off at The Repository has been with the quality of the editorial staff headed by Jeff Gauger. Let's put it thise way: he is no M.L. Schultze!

The editorial being commented by the SCPR on is about as bush as editors get.

It's done in what the editorial writer thinks is a clever way to demean the Devies and Marlboro Township without it being clearly apparent.

Some examples.

"Let’s put aside the snickering about small towns ... " The writer goes on to cover his/her tracks by bringing in Canton, Massillon and North Canton and their "silly politics."

Not so fast. Apparently, Gauger (et al?) betray themselves and conversation that has been going on in The Rep editorial board room. Frequently, such is the case. He who disses "anonymous" others is covering up his own dissing.

A clever attempt to ridicule Marlboro, while appearing to take the high road.

The clincher is this line: "It’s time for the trustees to put Devies back to work, for him to drop any thought of a lawsuit, and for both sides, now, to put the public first."

The Devies have always put the public first. But not Wise and Wolf. No! They got this mess started. And Marlboro has suffered at their hands. Not the Devies.

To equate the Devies with Wise and Wolf is a huge insult.

And, the Devies are "to drop any thought of a lawsuit."

No, no and no again.

It is obvious that the member(s) of The Repository editorial board do not fully understand the American system of justice.

There is a civil side to our system of justice. The Devies unjustifiably experienced the criminal justice side. Now is their turn to have justice. That is the beauty of the American system.

If the Marlboro trustees damaged the Devies in violation of legally recognized rights in established tort law, then making them pay money damages is the civil side of the American system of justice way sending a message that such conduct could be costly and therefore is check on any who would follow their example.

Where were the editors when the trustees made a mole hill of a matter into a gigantic mountain?

Why weren't the editors editorializing the trustees to not make this a criminal justice matter? Why weren't they editorializing the Stark County sheriff to proceed on a criminal basis with the greatest reluctance. Why weren't they editorializing the Stark County prosecutor to make double, double sure they had a solid case before going to the grand jury?

It is said that a prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich.

The Devies matter is a classic case of the Stark County prosecutor doing just that? Except the Devies are not ham sandwiches. The Devies are real breathing, feeling and thinking human beings. With his sloppy work (as confirmed by Judge Sinclair), Ferrero and his involved staff deeply hurt and damaged a pillar of the Marlboro community. Feel good about that John?

There was no case against the Devies. As one who attended a good part of the trial, that became apparent to me by noon of Tuesday, the 19th. Of course, yours truly knew that long before the indictments came down. Check The Report's blogs.

But where was The Rep editorial board?

Nowhere to be seen!

But now they want to weigh in.

Go get a life Rep editors - outside the editorial board room!

MARLBORO TRUSTEE WISE CHURNS IN QUICKSAND. THIS GUY IS HIS OWN WORST ENEMY, NO?

Tomorrow night (Friday) at 8:00 PM an emergency meeting of the Marlboro Township Board of Trustees at township hall has been called for the purpose of considering the reinstatement of Police Chief Ron Devies (currently on paid administrative leave) at the initiative of Trustee Wayne Schilig.

But there is likely to be trouble.

Why?

Because Trustee Tim Wise (and, perhaps Dave Wolf) is/are mired in political quicksand of their own making and are struggling to find a "face-saving" way out.

Trustee Wise has let it be known that he will only agree to reinstatement under certain conditions.

Chief Ron Devies has told the SCPR that he will only accept discussion of the conditions in public and will not allow the matter to be discussed in executive session.

The SCPR believes that Trustees and Wolf are not done in trying to make the knuckle under. Although both, in all likelihood, only have until December 31st remaining as trustees (for surely they will be defeated if they stand for reelection); all signs point that they will go down fighting with Chief Devies.

According to Devies, Wise and Wofl began their fight with him shortly after they took office in January, 2006.

Chief Devies is in the catbird seat vis-a-vis Wise and Wolf. He announced some time ago that he would exercise is constitutional rights as a Marlboro citizen to work for the defeat of his two antagonists.

If for some reason, Devies is unwilling to accept Wise's edict of conditions (assuming Wolf is on board with him), the Chief will simply bide his time until they are no longer in office. Then, presumably, the new trustees would join Trustee Wayne Schilig to rehire Ron Devies.

Who would take the job as chief in the meantime?

For a lame duck trustee or trustees to impose conditions indicates to the SCPR that someone does not have a handle on the political reality of the situation.

When your truly was a kid, we used to watch the "Friday Night Fights" on TV.

Will Friday, May 22, 2009 be a visitation of a "political Friday Night Fight?"

Or will Wise and Wolf get politically real and begin a conciliatory departure process as township trustees?

MARLBORO TRUSTEE WOLF - JUDGE, JURY AND EXECUTIONER?

Trustee David Wolf (Marlboro Township) was out looking for a replacement for Marlboro police chief Ron Devies by mid-January?

Yes. That is what the SCPR has learned from a highly reliable source.

Remember, this was during the time that Stark County Deputy Sheriff Rick Perez was investigating whether or not the chief and his son, Kyle, had done anything to the Township's computer system to merit charges being brought.

On February 23rd, at a trustee meeting, Wolf said in a public meeting that "we will just have to wait and see what happens with the investigation." (a paraphrase)

So why is Wolf out scouting for a replacement after mid-January? Kyle Devies had been fired and Ron Devies had placed on paid administrative leave on or about January 12th?

Doesn't sound like "waiting and seeing" to yours truly. Does this mean that Wolf intends on firing Devies even if he is acquitted in his May 19th trial?