THE MESSAGE TO ADRIAN ALLISON? SLOW DOWN ON McKINLEY TAKEOVER OF TIMKEN?

VIDEOS

CANTON CITY SCHOOLS
AT
JANUARY 20, 2015
COMMUNITY LEADERS FORUM

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LEADER INPUT WITH ALLISON’S RESPONSE

COUNCILMAN KEVIN FISHER

DR. ADRIENNE O’NEILL

ATTORNEY GUST CALLAS

TAGGART’S ERNIE SCHOTT

COUNCILMAN RICHARD HART

MALONE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT DAVID KING

It is appearing more and more that Canton City Schools (CCS) superintendent Adrian Allison has a hearing public.

The predominant message that The Stark County Political Report is hearing from stakeholders is that the "acquisition" (community activist/former board member Eric Resnick's word) by school officials/a majority of board members of the Canton City Schools' Timken High School to be totally absorbed in the more highly renowned and titled McKinley High School.

A week ago yesterday, Allison invited what he terms as being community leaders to a breakfast meeting (muffins and coffee) at the McIllwain Center located at the schools' administrative complex on - where else - (only kidding) 305 McKinley Avenue.

Last week the SCPR focused on the major dissident to seeming "fast track" that the administration and school board have embarked upon in "merging" (if one opts for Allison's descriptive term rather than Resnick's pejorative one) Timken and McKinley into one secondary school.

(Video LINK to Resnick/Allison tete-a-tete; also SCPR blog LINK commenting thereon)

Most of those present (The Report's take) supported Allison's/the board's timeframe.  But not all.  And Resnick was not the only "cautioning voice."

The major question now is whether or not Superintendent Allison will pause to listen even if it means postponing the scheduled February 25 meeting which as of now is supposed to be "the drop dead date" on  CCS Board of Education voting "yes" or "no" on what is formally known as Phase III of the school systems "Brighter Tomorrow Plan."

Here is an indicative e-mail that the SCPR received about a perceived need "to slow down the process," to wit:

Interesting enough, the e-mail is from a McKinley alum.

And noted in the above e-mail there is an allegation of politics being played.  Undoubtedly, there are many Cantonians who buy into "this is politics as usual" scenario.

Moreover, there is the Hall of Fame Village (adjacent to the formerly name "Fawcett Stadium/McKinley High School) project thing.

The SCPR was present with camera in hand on January 20 when Allison made his presentation to about 40, more or less, community leaders.

The Report starts its "video-run-through" with the Hall of Fame issue.

To the SCPR, the most disturbing thing about Allison's presentation of Phase III was his outright dismissiveness of the signifIcance of the Hall of Fame project and an apparent disinterest (or, at least, a low priority) by Allison and the BOE about the effect that shutting down of Timken will have on efforts of Canton and Stark County leaders to revive downtown Canton.

Here is Allison had to say about any coordination between the CCS and the HOF Village project.  In a word:  "none."  Which, the SCPR thinks, should be alarming to all.



The SCPR wholeheartedly agrees, though, with Greater Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce president Denny Saunier's word of admonition on the schools connecting to Greater Canton concerns on a nexus with the the HOF complex and a continuing presence in downtown Canton, to wit:



From this point on The Report's video track starts at the beginning of Allison's presentation.

In Part I Allison's focus is on four factors in implementing Phase III of the Brighter Tomorrow plan:

• efficiency,
• necessity,
• cutural, and the
• law

The one which is causing the big fight between the administration and the BOE is the "cultural" factor.

In the Resnick blog, one gets a full dose of this fight from the Timken perspective.

It appears to the SCPR that most of the community leaders assembled on January 20th at the McIllwain Center were pro-merger community leader supporters.

Later on in this blog will focus on the community leader feedback - leader by leader, except for Resnick who has already had "his day in the sun" of a SCPR blog - with video footage of their respective comments.

Of course, The Report has already presented Canton Chamber of Commerce CEO Denny Sanuier's reaction/input above.

That reaction was, the SCPR believes, prompted by Allison's discouraging comments about CCS's lack of liaison with the HOF Village project.

Here is Part I:



And Part II:



And Part III:



Finally, Part IV - Phase III Decision Timeline



The important part of the presentation and the one which should have taken up most of the superintendent's time and attention was the reaction of the community leaders who made the early morning (7:30 a.m.) trip to the CCS McIllwain Center.

Considering the schedules that community leaders have to meet, he correctly allocated one hour for the session.

However, he took way too long for his presentation.

Accordingly, the SCPR thinks that he and board members present (Brahler, Rinaldi, Milligan and Ross-Freedom) were denied the opportunity to hear a spontaneous exchange between the community leaders present and Allison.

In this section of today's blog, the SCPR honors the community leader participants in creating a separate video for each and every one of them in their back and forth with Superintendent Allison.

KEVIN FISHER

• Ward 5 councilman
• talks about brand name value of McKinley

(Canton City Council, Ward 5)



DR. ADRIENNE O'NEILL

• Long time Stark County Educational Partnership president
• keep a competive factor in play
• maintain presence in downtown Canton

GUST CALLAS

• Repository "intellectually dishonest" on Phase III timeline matter,

ERNIE SCHOTT

• the owner of Taggarts Ice Cream Parlor and Kennedy Barbecue.
• commends CCS BOE for effort to save taxpayers money

RICHARD HART

• Canton councilman at large,
• questions on cost to CCS on home schooling and charter schools

DAVID KING

• president of Malone University,
• keep the focus on the students

There is no doubt that the Timken/McKinley merger is a hot topic that has the potential to create yet another division in Canton.

The Hall of Fame city has all too many ruptures in relationships that have materialized over the decades of Canton's continuing decline.

The Report has the sense that the CCS BOE and Superintendent Allison are not effectively managing the implementation of the Brighter Tomorrow concept.

They need to step back, regroup and take whatever time is needed to ensure that all stakeholders in the reorganizing and restructuring of Canton's schools is bought into by the vast majority of Cantonians.

If they rush "pell mell" forward and the "rush to judgment" is just that, Canton may be set back even further than it is on getting things going in the right direction.

(VIDEOS) HAS MAYOR WILLIAM J. HEALY, II OVERSTATED "THE STATE OF THE CITY OF CANTON?"

LAST UPDATED:  FINAL (12:11 PM)

VIDEOS

BACKGROUND & INTRODUCTION
STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS

BY

CANTON MAYOR WILLIMA J. HEALY, II
(PUBLISHED)

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-PILLAR OF A STRONG COMMUNITY
"ECONOMY"
MAYOR HEALY
(PUBLISHED)

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-PILLAR OF A STRONG COMMUNITY
"EDUCATION"
MAYOR HEALY
(PUBLISHED)

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-PILLAR OF A STRONG COMMUNITY
"COMMUNITY"
(FORMERELYY "NEIGHBORHOODS")
MAYOR HEALY
(PUBLISHED)

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-PILLAR OF A STRONG COMMUNITY
"SAFETY"
MAYOR HEALY
(PUBLISHED)

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ASSESSMENT

BY

COUNCILMAN-AT-LARGE RICHARD HART
 (PUBLISHED)

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ASSESSMENT

BY

WARD 2 COUNCILMAN THOMAS WEST
(PUBLISHED)

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COMMENTS 
CHIEF OF STAFF
FONDA WILLIAMS
(PUBLISHED)

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SWEARING-IN OF NEW HIRES

NEW FIRE DEPT OFFICERS

NEW POLICE DEPT OFFICERS
(PUBLISHED)

Canton mayor William J. Healy, II never does anything "half-baked."  At least, he doesn't think so.

And he was a roll last night as he presented his seventh annual State of the City addresses everyone of which the Stark County Political Report has attended.

For the most part they have been sparsely attended.  But not last night.  As can be seen from the video included in this blog, there were hundreds and hundreds of interested persons in attendance if not over a thousand.

Healy's theme last night?

 

Those who read the SCPR regularly know that The Report is not prone to to be all that complimentary of the mayor.

As can seen from the SCPR's interview of Councilman-at-Large Richard Hart (independent; formerly a Republican), as published later on his this blog,  there certainly are questions to be asked about the specifics of the mayor's presentation.

The Report's overall take is that while the presentation highly polished, showy (note in the interviews that the SCPR did, I use the term "rosy" over and over) and somewhat impressive, only time will tell whether or not the mayor's case for "let the good times roll" in Canton is well founded or a case of "putting lispstick on a pig."

Time is likely to reveal that a little bit of both are at play.

Healy made "a really big deal" out of the quality of his management team (a la TeamHealy; his campaign approach).  Undoubtedly, he has some very good administrators, but they are not folks who are going to do much, if any, questioning of Hizzhoner's ideas, policies, practices and programs.

Being uncritical does not make a person ineffective.  But The Report thinks it is "unhealthy" for a leader like Healy to abide having nobody in his inner circle (in the manner of former administration officials Tom Bernabei, Tom Nesbitt and Warren Price) who takes vigorous exception to him.  

It is not good for the mayor.  But his personal political well-being is not a concern of the SCPR.  The Report does care about the people of Canton being lead down the proverbial primrose path on some "half-baked" idea, policy, practice or policy that damages the city as a whole and particular citizens because nobody who can open his/her mouth in protest to the mayor is tolerated by him.

Healy was "higher than a high flying kite" (see slide 5 of 50 slides) in touting in his slickly put together Powerpoint presentation:

And did he throw out the big numbers?  Indeed!

"City of Canton 2014 Operations:  2014 Total Operations $206 Million, 2014 General Fund Operations $54.6 Million."

Words not enough to impress you?  Okay, the SCRP helps Healy show off.  Here's his Powerpoint.

Its at this point in Healy's address that one gets the impression that the mayor is indeed "a miracle worker."

Or, maybe someone who can manipulate the numbers to make it "appear" he is "a miracle worker?"

Look at the next series of Healy-presented Powerpoints.

For the period 2007 (Healy took office on January 1, 2008) through 2007 through 2014 (projected, of course):

• $3,438,997 less General Fund Revenue
• but $612,816 more in carry over
• spending $3,888,064 less
• however income tax collections increase $1,097,123
• while the State of Ohio cut local government funding $6,125,921

 Wow!!!

The SCPR has this gnawing feeling that the numbers are being played with.  Maybe it just because The Report knows this mayor all to well?

The mayor is so confident in his numbers that he his administration has initiated efforts with New York's bond raters to reconsider Canton's bond rating.

If they buy into his numbers, then, indeed, Stark Countians should start believing that Healy is "a turnaround artist" in the face of great adversity.

Here is a video of the opening round of Healy's State of the City message.



Next up for Mayor Healy was an update on his "four pillars of a strong community" which he has been using for a number of years now in identifying those functions of government which he thinks constitute the correct priorities for making Canton a strong community.

The "community pillar" translates into "the neighborhoods."

 Key points on "the four pillars" made by Canton's chief executive officer include:

• Economy
• unemployment down some 7 percentage points (January, 2012 through December, 2013),
• working with leading Canton-based companies,
• VXI to add 650 jobs,
• SCPR Note:  low paying jobs?
• oil and gas companies,
• SCPR Note:  no mention of loss of Chesapeake Headquarters to Louisville; no mention of the number of jobs the industry has brought to Canton; no specific numerical elaboration of what his naming Canton as being "the Utica capital" as having benefited Canton's economy
• developing regional alliances,
• coordinating with the Greater Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce,

VIDEO:  HEALY MAKES HIS CASE ON CANTON'S ECONOMY

• Education
• increasing high school graduation rates,
• Canton City Schools Brighter Tomorrow program,
• Mayor's Scholarship Program,
• Stark State College downtown campus dedicated to preparing students to work in the energy industry,

VIDEO:  HEALY MAKES HIS CASE ON CANTON'S EDUCATION  

• Community (formerly, "the neighborhoods")

• SCPR Note:   no mention of achievement or lack of achievements of  Mayor's Neighborhood Commission,

 VIDEO:  HEALY MAKES HIS CASE ON CANTON'S NEIGHBORHOODS

• Safety
• relies on FBI statistics that crime is reduced in Canton
• SCPR Note:  anyone who attends Canton City Council meetings has to be real skeptical of the FBI numbers which seem to indicate Canton is getting safer.  Frequently, citizens take to the Public Speaks lectern to complain anecdotally about the severity and widespread nature of crime in their respective neighborhoods,
• SCPR Note:  Mayor needs to explain FBI numbers in light of information on MOVO.COM which says that Canton is the second most dangerous small cities in America,
• a signigficant part of last night's event was devoted to touting of new hires (fire and police [see video below] including a very nicely done swearing in ceremony,
• SCPR Note:  Mayor has resisted making these new hires over the first six years of his administration and failed to give credit to Bruce Nordman (Group 175 leader - out of Councilman Frank Morris's (council majority leader) 9th ward for putting the heat on him to get the police force to 175 members (about where it was when he took office),
• SCPR Note:  Healy failed to note the controversy surrounding the staffing of various fire stations and the lack of the availability of ambulance units because of what some believe to be punitive political action on his part and because of a fuss over overtime and other employment issue factors,
• SCPR Note:  Healy failed to note his refusal to implement hiring of fire and police in the past even though financially provided for by council,

VIDEO:  HEALY MAKES HIS CASE ON CANTON'S SAFETY

To sum up, the SCPR wants to believe that Canton "really is" on the uptick for, as The Report as often written, Canton is the hub of Stark County and The Hall of Fame City is an overall indicator of how well the county is doing.

However, the mayor ebullience inclines the SCPR towards suspicion that Hizzhonor was feeding the crowd another round of spin that makes him look good but in reality is like Canton walking in place if not loosing ground.

Councilman Richard Hart as evidenced in the following video did not get caught up in what the SCPR suspects to be Healy Hype not borne out by nearly the substance that the mayor would have you and I believe.




A more believing assessment was offered by Councilman Thomas West, to wit.



One of the SCPR's favorite Healy administrators is Chief of Staff Fonda Williams.

Here is what he had to say.



All-in-all, the SCPR urges readers to cut the mayor some slack and to suspend skepticism for the time being and see whether or not Mayor Healy actually has Moody and Standard and Poor come to Canton and thoroughly and critically examine the numbers he presented.

If they do and they confirm that his numbers are real and are willing to put their reputations on the line by raising Canton's bond rating, then we might all start believe that the mayor has turned the corner on believability and maybe the State of the City of Canton and by extension all of Stark Community is headed towards "the sky is the limit" territory.  We shall see.

Nobody can fail to be impressed by the end of last night's meeting whereby Mayor William J. Healy, II swears-in Canton's new fire and police officers.  With the additions, the Canton Fire Department now stands at 155 in force; the Canton Police Department 165 in force.

Here is the swearing-in video.

A HEALY/CREIGHTON REMATCH EQUALS A HEALY LOSS? A POST ELECTION ANALYSIS OF HEALY V. CONDE

In examining the numbers coming out of Mayor William J. Healy's victory on Tuesday night, one thing stands out to the SCPR.

Healy lost ground 57.76% to 53.13% from the 2007 election.

One might say that "a win is a win is a win is a win."

And for most people, such is a truism.

But not for Mayor Healy.  Despite his trying to spin the numbers - and we know that Healy is an incurable spinmeister - in referring to his "overwhelming" victory; such was not the case.

Of course, he would focus on the 53% to 32% Healy/Conde head-to-head numbers.  He predictably ignores the 15% anti-Healy votes.  Who believe many, if any, of those votes would have gone to Healy?

In reality for him, lost ground, however small - a little over 6 tenths of 1 percent from his 2007 election; he has "zero tolerance" for.

Does anyone doubt that Janet Weir Creighton would have been a much stronger adversary than the combined likes of A.R. "Chip" Conde, Richard Hart and John Miller?

In fact, the SCPR believes that had Creighton rematched with Healy, she likely would have won on Tuesday.

A terrific human being; a politician A.R. "Chip" Conde is not.

As yours truly sat in WHBC's Election Central with co-hosts Ron Ponder, Joe Palmisano, Canton City Councilman Bill Smuckler and Stark County Commissioner Tom Bernabei, the conversation turned to the margin of the Healy victory.

The Report's main point was that 48% of Cantonians (which sank to about 47% by night's end) had said they preferred someone else over William J. Healy, II.

What if, yours truly posited, Conde had had a plan (rather than arguing over endorsements) to present to voters?  Would that have been a difference maker?

What if Hart and Miller had not been in the race?  Would that have helped Conde?

Knowing Healy, the 47% was not lost on him.  Having 47% of the voters reject four years of Healy would not a happy camper Healy, make.

The essence of his post-election-results-message was "we have more work to do."  This is Healy's way of registering disappointment that 47% of Canton's voters are not happy with the direction Canton is heading.

And he is fortunate that the Republicans put up the non-politician Conde to challenge him.

And he is fortunate that Jeff Matthews is the chairman of the Stark County Republican Party.  Matthews couldn't exercise political might on Hart and Miller to keep them out of the race.

Had he been able to do so, it would have been a starker race:  Healy one-on-one versus Conde.

A match up structure would have help Conde but that would not have been enough.

Conde needed a plan (a 3-step plan, a 5-step plan, a 7-step plan, whatever) for Canton.

A head-to-head match-up, a clear plan for restoring Canton and coaching to be more politically schooled candidate might have been enough to edge Conde over Healy.

But such was not to be.

It was clear to the SCPR by the onset of summer (when Conde should have be out campaigning as if it was October 31st) that Conde was not going to win.

Healy did win, but it could not have been a satisfying win.

The Report sees Healy as being totally frustrated in his drive to greatness.

It should be obvious to one and all that Healy with his huge ego intends to be Canton's greatest mayor ever.

But right now he is struggling to be significant.

Nothing would be more deflating to William J. Healy, II than to go down in the pantheon of Canton mayors as being one of the many insignificants!

DISCUSSION: COUNCIL RACE - 7TH WARD - ZUTALI VERSUS BARTON (INCUMBENT) IN DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

Today the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) presents Wuyanbu Zutali, Democratic candidate for Ward 7 Council in the city of Canton.

Zutai is an expert Chess player going back a number of years. Perhaps, then this contest will turn out to who makes the Chess err political moves. The Report has done a little photo editing to show what a Zutali/Barton Chess err political match might look like.
More seriously, Zutali stopped by The Report's office and made a video about his views of why he is the best man for the 7th Ward. Two years ago Barton bested Zutali in the Democratic primary and went on to defeat incumbent Republican Councilman Richard Hart.

Hart is waiting in the wings (running uncontested in the Republican primary) for a November runoff with either Zutali or Barton.

The Report did invite Barton to a Q&A session, but Barton has chosen not to respond. Apparently, he doesn't think 7th Ward voters are entitled to know his views on important city issues.

To help readers of The Report to get to know Zutali better, The Report is including a link to a website he maintains. You can access the site by CLICKING HERE.

Here is the video of Zutali telling 7th Ward voters why the ought to be voting for him rather than Councilman Barton in the May primary: