A FEROCIOUS CAMPAIGN IN THE OFFING FOR MASSILLON - IF FRANK RUNS FOR MAYOR. REPUBLICAN LEWIS WILL NOT RUN FOR MAYOR. BRUNCKHART TO BE GOP CANDIDATE

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Provider:  Gavin Bell

UPDATE:  09:36 AM

A clarification from Milan Chovan

Good morning, Martin.  Thank you for the kind comments about me in today's blog.  I'm not sure who thinks I'm close to Johnnie Maier because of music, but I want to tell you about it.

I play guitar in a classic rock band called ReUNITED.  My bass guitar player is Ron Frailly.  Ron also plays bass for Maier's polka band, Visinata.  That's the connection, plain and simple.  When Visinata first started several years ago, they played at a bar in Massillon called Sideliners.  My cousins and I were at the bar and I got up to sing an Italian song with the band.  I've never appeared again with them and, in fact, haven't heard them since they played for a Massillon Community event two summers ago.

This doesn't mean that I don't like Maier as a person.  I do.  I just don't agree with him, politically.

Just wanted to clear that up.

ORIGINAL BLOG

Most Massillonians know who the true and original Massillon Tiger is when it comes to politics and government in Tigerland.

If an open-ended (i.e. not to suggest a desired answer) survey were to be made of typical Massillonians, the SCPR dare says the overwhelming answer would be:  Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr.

Cicchinelli had been mayor of Massillon for the better part of 28 years when he was uprooted by former Perry Township resident Kathy Catazaro-Perry in the Democratic Party primary of 2011.

Sponsored and tutored by long time Cicchnelli political nemesis:

• and - for a number of years  now - Tuscarawas Township resident Johnnie A.Maier, Jr. (a former Stark Dems' chairman)
• and his clerk of courts sidekick - Perry Township resident R. Shane Jackson (also Stark Dems' political director);

current mayor Kathy Catzaro-Perry may find out that, should Cicchinelli decide to attempt reclaiming the mayoralty, she is facing a different version of tiger in the upcoming 2015 primary.

In 2011, Cicchinelli proved to be a political "kitty-cat" as he sat on his laurels and played the role of "statesman-mayor" and thereby succumbed to the "rough house" political style of the Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. Massillon Political Machine (MMPM).

Should he decide to run (which the SCPR thinks he will not); every indication is that he will play the role of a roaring tiger and wage a ferocious campaign.

A second match up, if it occurs, will likely be the meanest, the vilest and the most belligerent campaign that Massillon has ever seen.

There would be a lot at stake.

For Cicchinelli, there is, among other interests, a basic need for vindication for all that he has done over three decades of public service for the well-being of Massillon.

For Catazaro-Perry, there is, among other interests, a basic need to look after extending the continued employment well-being of all those loyalists that she brought into her administration on assuming office.

Cicchinelli has less than 30 days to decide.

You can bet your bottom dollar that Catazaro-Perry supporters are "on pins and needles" in anticipation of Cicchinelli's final decision.

To say it again.  The SCPR does not think a rematch will take place.

But if it does, "Katy bar the door" on the political rumble-tumble in the history of Massillon  that is likely to take place.

If Cicchinelli's posturing about running proves to be just that, then Catazaro-Perry, the SCPR has learned will have a virtual free ride into a second term as mayor.

The Report has learned that Ward 6 Republican councilman Ed Lewis will not be running as the Republican candidate for mayor.

The SCPR is disappointed to learn such.

Ideally, the "come and let us reason together" Lewis style of government and politics, is the most productive model of governance ensuring that government is the province of the many and not the baliwick of the few.

While Cicchinelli as mayor was much more approachable and democratic-friendly than anybody connected to the MMPM, he has been through many wars and therefore cannot possibly have the fresh view of an Ed Lewis.

The SCPR thinks the MMPM power politics style does a lot of destroying and as a consequence is highly erosive of citizen participation in our democratic-republican processes.

Of course, the primary goal of power politics is the aggrandizement of personal political interests, "the public interest be damned!"  If any public interest is served by the likes of the MMPM, it is mere happenstance.

The SCPR has learned the 2011 Republican candidate Lee Brunckhart is to be the 2015 Massillon GOP standard bearer.

Brunkhart is a well meaning and caring of the public interest guy who presents himself as a work-a-day person. But he is no match for the MMPM or Frank Cicchinelli, should he decide to run.

The Report hears that he has taken on some studies on government and politics and thinks he is better prepared to run and win this year.

Cicchinelli and the MMPM folks have to be having a guffawing, back-slapping time among themselves on hearing of Brunkhart's political naivete.

Either Cicchinelli or Catazaro-Perry will have a "walk-in-the-park" time of it in the November general election.

So it is going to be either Cicchnelli or Catazaro-Perry who wins in November.

In either case, it is imperative that Massillon City Council continue to be the strong entity it is in the sense of being a "check and balance" on the executive branch of Massillon city government.

But there is a concerted effort on the part of MMPM to alter the de facto separation of powers function of council.

Here is the SCPR analysis of how the council races of shaping up.

WARD 6

Republican Ed Lewis likely would be defeated were he to run against MMPM candidate Linda Litman.  Litman lost by a mere 20 votes in 2013. 

Now that Lewis has more of a record to attack and/or distort, it is hard to believe that the MMPM folks will not be out in full force going after Lewis.

Lewis is the future of the Massillon Republican Party.

The MMPM people want to nip this political red rose in the bud before he develops the sophistication and resources to rival these Massillon Democratic Party politicos.

Lewis has developed an innate sense of the doable over his four years of political life in Massillon government.

And he is likely correct that the timing is not right for him to do a head-to-head challenge to the Maier, Jr. forces.

Accordingly, he has decided to step aside from Ward 6 in favor of Democrat Michelle Del Rio-Keller.

Sources tell the SCPR that Del Rio Keller has a family history in Ward 6 and resources to put distance between herself and MMPM loyalist Litman.

So it appears that whomever is elected mayor can count on Del Rio-Keller to be there faithfully functioning as a "check and balance" councilperson.

One more thing about Ed Lewis' decision not to seek reelection in Ward 6.

It appears that there is a "wink and nod" agreement between him and Del Rio-Keller for her to opt out of her incumbent council-at-large spot for Ward 6.

Lewis will be running at large come November.

Short of running for mayor, the politically wise thing for Lewis to do is to change venues. 

He should be a lock for one of the three council-at-large seats which of course means another proven "check and balance" councilman remaining on council.

WARD 5

Ditto on the last paragraph in the Ward 6 discussion for Ward 5 incumbent Democrat Megan Starrett.

The SCPR thinks that Starrett has been very solid in looking out for the public interest on each and every issues that comes before Massillon government.

Moreover, count her as among councilpersons who willingly takes on a councilperson's "check and balance" function in our "separation of powers" form of government.

WARD 4

It is looking more and more like incumbent Ward 4 Democrat Shaddrick Stinson is not going to have an opponent this time around.

That such might be the case in light of the reality that he is equivocating with residents of The Legends on the durability of the golf course which abuts their homes.

One would think they could come up with a candidate that is openly committed to looking after their interests.

Of course, anyone that they would come up with has to have a broader take on Massillon government than merely the fate of the golf course.

Maybe that is the problem?

Stinson is wholly unimpressive to the SCPR.

The Report had a good belly laugh at Stinson's expense recently.

Yours truly has always counted him to be part and parcel of the MMPM notwithstanding his disingenuous presentation to Frank Cicchinelli (who is a The Legends resident) that he - if elected - would be an independent thinking and acting councilman.

And, of course, the SCPR has written a number of blogs substantiating The Report's viewpoint.

Recently, Stinson as a matter of political rhetoric took exception to the SCPR's point of view.

Regular readers of the SCPR know that The Report unlike the Massillon Independent and the Canton Repository provides subjects of SCPR commentary a full opportunity to respond.

An to the degree he did respond in writing, the SCPR published same.

The Report offered to do an "on camera" interview.

But Stinson would only do so "on certain conditions" including having a MMPM minder present for the interview.

Really?

No, not really,  The Report is kidding.

But he did want to review the video that would appear on a SCPR blog.

What arrogance, no?

Nobody but nobody edits the content of the SCPR!

So though Stinson appears mild-mannered and laid back, such apparently is just that: "appears."

He needs to have a little sit down with Johnnie, Shane and Eddie.

To think of it, he probably did.  And "the conditions thing" likely came from them.  For they, the SCPR counts, as being some of the most cowardly politicians in all of Stark County who cannot abide direct questioning. 

The Report salivates on getting them and/or members 0f their claque in a position in which they have to answer incisive questions.

Stinson might on occasion, where it makes no difference to the outcome of the vote, actually vote contra the Catazaro-Perry druthers on a given issue.  

Unless and until a consistent "independent of the administration" stance develops, the SCPR will continue to think that Councilman Stinson takes his orders from the MMPM.

WARD 3

Incumbent Democrat Andrea Scassa is a thoughtful councilwoman who satisfies the SCPR that she carefully weighs each and every issue before voting.

She and Ward 5 Councilwoman Starrett appear to The Report to be similar in approach.

Scassa understands that she is a legislator and functions accordingly. 

Count her as among the "check and balance" members that will remain on Massillon City Council for a new term in 2016/2017.

WARD 2

This is a ward that the MMPM has pursued "hot and heavy." for the last two election cycles.

Reason?

It is the seat of "the heart and soul" of the Massillon Republican Party; namely, Nancy Halter.

The SCPR gives Halter the credit for short circuiting the elation that the MMPM experienced when it proved to be the instrumental factor in making Catazaro-Perry mayor.

One thing that the MMPM forgot on the way to the celebration of Cicchinelli's ouster was the make up of Massillon City Council.

In heavily Democratic Massillon, believe or not, in 2011 Republicans took majority control of Massillon City Council.

The political geniuses Maier, Jr., Jackson and Elum forgot that that in America, the executive function of government is but one of three functions.

And, of course, their executive, the SCPR believes, is not a true executive.  She is a ceremonial, window dressing mayor who appears to take each and every issue of Massillon government to the triumvirate (Maier, Jr., Jackson and Elum; most Maier, Jr.) which de facto seems to The Report to be calling the executive shots in Massillon.

So that they were "asleep at the switch" in November, 2011 (with only Brunckhart to contend with in the mayor's race), more or less, makes them the laughing stock of Stark County political junkies.

And they have been trying to recover their credibility on council races ever since.

But Halter has tended the political store and been a major impediment in the MMPM quest to get a loyalist majority of council to rubber stamp whatever the Catazaro-Perry administration wants.

Though council did change to majority Democratic in the 2013 elections; it is not a Catazaro-Perry loyalists majority.

One can count on "a mix and match" of Democrats (except for Stinson and Council President Tony Townsend [voting only in the case of a tie] and Republicans to effectively function as a "check and balance" on the administration.

The Report's take on the MMPM is that it does not take kindly to "mix and match" and "check and balance" approach to Massillon City government.

So the MMPM folks have to be totally frustrated and Nancy Halter deserves credit for being a major factor in the healthy functioning of council.

And it could be that this election cycle MMPM will power Halter out.

David Irwin is an employee of MMPM loyalist and Stark County recorder Rick Campbell who is married to Shane Jackson's sister Lisa who is the chief administrator for Plain Township.

Irwin has run competitive races against Halter because of the strong support he has received from the MMPM.

It would not surprise the SCPR were Irwin to win this time around even if Halter decides to run.

But she may not.

There has been some talk about her running for council president.

If she does, it is going to be "sayonara" for Tony, there is no way fore the MMPM folks to protect him this time around.

In 2013, the MMPM operatives, it appears, managed to co-opt former Massillon schools superintendent in having Catazaro-Perry offer him the Massillon service directorship so late in the election season that Republicans were not allowed as a matter of law to replace Hennon on the ballot.

WARD 1

Look for incumbent Republican Sarita Cunningham-Hedderly to return for a new legislative session.

She, too, can be counted upon to be a "check and balance" council person.

COUNCIL AT LARGE

LIKELY CANDIDATES 

ED LEWIS, IV  (also see Ward 6 discussion)

Republican Ed Lewis will be running at large come November.

It appears to the SCPR that there is a "wink and a nod" relationship between Lewis and present Democratic Councilwoman Michelle Del Rio to exchange venues in serving on council.

Before the Del Rio-Keller seeming trade off, Lewis is said to have been encouraging incumbent at-large Councilman Paul Manson to run for council president.

And Paul would be a good one.

He definitely would put MMPM favorite Tony Townsend on the political sidelines.

But the word is that Manson is going to stick with being councilman-at-large.

The shift will provide Lewis with a citywide political base to cultivate a relationship with voters across Massillon and thereby be in a better position to run for mayor in four years.

Short of running for mayor, the politically wise thing for Lewis to do is to change venues. 

He should be a lock for one of the three council-at-large seats which of course means another proven "check and balance" councilman remaining on council.

 MILAN CHOVAN

This incumbent Republican is as solid as "the Rock of Gibraltar" as a Massillon councilman.

He was as "cool as a cucumber" as Mayor Catazaro-Perry looked him in the eye at a 2014 council session and called him and other "not seeing my way" councilpersons racists.

There is at least one Massillon politico thinks that Chovan is too close to the MMPM because of his involvement in a band in which Maier, Jr. is a participant.

The SCPR sees no evidence of Chovan in any way shape or form of being in thrall or even sympathetic to the MMPM.

To The Report, he is a hard working councilman who works hard to represent the public interest and demonstrates no reluctance whatsoever in functioning as a "check and balance" councilperson. 

PAUL MANSON

Democrat Paul Manson is the dean of Massillon City Council and is about as sure as one can get in terms being reelected.

Accordingly, it was surreal that Lewis would suggest to him to run for council president.

Were he to take up Lewis' suggestion, Tony Townsend would be toast.

But it would be political overkill for Manson to run against Townsend.

As the dean of council and thereby having great institutional knowledge, he is ideally suited to a model of how one does it in operating as a "check and balance" legislator in relation to the "my way or the highway" Kathy Catazaro-Perry who is merely the face of the MMPM smash-mouth politics.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT

The only question here is:  Can Massillon Republicans find a living body to take on Tony Townsend.

Townsend should have been history in 2013.  

But his pals who constitute the core of the MMPM appear to have rescued him from certain defeat when Republican Al Hennon quit the 2013 council president race to take a job in the Catazaro-Perry administration.

It would not surprise the SCPR if Townsend were to get another free ride back into the council presidency.

So there you have it.

The Stark County Political Report analysis of the May/November shapes up on January 9, 2015.

(VIDEO) A GAME OF ROULETTE IN MASSILLON IN RESTRUCTURING PARKS & RECREATION?

Lame duck Councilman Larry Slagle (D, at-large; his term ends December 31st) is demonstrating the patience of Job as chairman of Massillon City Council's Parks and Recreation Committee.

It has been and continues to be a long, drawn out process. And nobody knows what the end product will be.

The process is sort of like a roulette wheel that goes "around and around and nobody knows where the marker will stop" when the roulette stops.

Several weeks ago, Slagle initiated an effort to resolve a seemingly endless controversy of who is doing what in the management of Tigerland's parks and recreation complex.

In Monday evening's work session, Slagle showed by way of his patient leadership that he is moving the city along towards creating a structure that may help end the interminable political back of forth between and among Massillon's warring factions on the parks and recreation issue.

While the SCPR thinks that Massillon has a solid core of councilpersons, a number of them seem to be somewhat timid about going public with viewpoints that might be taken exception to.  Accordingly, Slagle has had to coax them into sharing their viewpoints about his working document on the restructuring.

Monday night's session was one of the more candid but noncombative exchanges on the parks and recreation issue that The Report has witnessed.

At one point in the discussion, Chairman Slagle mused that a solution may not be forthcoming even by the end of his term.

Council should make it a point to come to a resolution before Slagle leaves.

For, in the opinion of yours truly,  he offers a unique set of skills and a depth of knowledge of the parks and recreation issues that make him the ideal broker of getting a deal done that should empower this department of Massillon city government to move forward meeting the needs of Massillonians.

Last week in a telephone discussion Councilman Paul Manson (D, at-large), he indicated to The Report that Slagle will be sorely missed when his term has been completed.

Another important ingredient in Monday's meeting was "born again" Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry's attitude.

Her outlook was conciliatory in terms of sharing power with council on the matter of who is to hire a new director notwithstanding that the chairman had stated in very clear terms ("absolute, 100%") that the ultimate decision on hiring a director should be with council.

In Monday's council's examination of Slagle's proposed legislation, items mulled over include:

• the powers and dues of the parks and recreation board,
• Note:  Manson cited Ohio Revised Code Section 755 in setting up board commissioners and the legislation as being a framework that Massillon adopts,
• whether or not to continue having the Massillon City Schools Board of Education appoint two of the five members,
• Note:  Lewis favors keeping the school board appointees but he did raise the question of whether or not appointees (mayor or school board) who were not working out could be removed, 
• Note:  Scassa brought up the "slippery slope" of removing volunteer, unpaid board members in the sense of what standard would one use,
• Note:  [Law Director Perry Stergios answered in the negative as to the ability under current legislation to remove]
• the question of the authority to hire/fire a director,
• Note:  Scassa indicated that she would not necessarily want to be involved as a councilperson picking a parks director and that perhaps such should be done by the parks and recreation board,
• Note:  Halter questioned why council should have control over who the parks director is but question the quality of present park and recreation board members and in that light, favored the administration picking a director,
• Note:  Slagle seemed amenable to have the parks and recreation board select a director subject to the approval of the mayor and "final" approval of Massillon council,
• Note:  Chovan question whether or not in a parks and recreation, the mayor and council scheme of appointing a director, the members of the parks and recreation board are qualified to evaluate a candidate,
• the credentialing (i.e. setting the qualifications) of a director and providing for the oversight of a director,
• Note:  Scassa expressed concern that the legislation proposed doesn't have adequate measures to ensure that a director is accountable to a specific person,
• Note:  Slagle pointed out that the quality standards of the proposed legislation may be such that current interim Director Nist cannot qualify and asked for suggestions to change them so that Nist could be considered as permanent director,
• Note:  Mayor Catazaro-Perry:
• cited the "failed" (her term) tenure of Bob Straughn as director which she said was done in haste and that therefore the lesson learned is that hiring a director should be done with caution, 
• agreed with Councilwoman Scassa's point about administrative accountability, and
• emphasized that the hiring process needs to fair and not pre-determined,
• Note:  Lewis joined the mayor in cautioning against tailoring the qualifications biased in favor of a preferred person,
• Note:  Chovan asked whether or not raising standards for a director would not also entail paying more money,
• the right of a [future] director to state his/her case to council in the face of a contemplated firing,
• Note:  Hampton raised questions of who disciplines of a director, if needed.

One particularly notable comment by Chairman Slagle as to his mission as chairman was: "I am just trying to set forth some kind of structure so they (parks and recreation board), we know, the administration knows and the public knows what is going on."

All-in-all the SCPR was impressed with Monday night's session and believes that hope is on the horizon that within six months or so Massillon will have put together a structure of governance of its parks and recreation function that should work reasonably well.

A SCPR "hats off" to Councilman/Chairman Larry Slagle for excellent work in bringing this matter to a slow but sure conclusion.

Indeed it is an "around, around it goes and where it stops nobody knows" process.

But Slagle's persistent patience seems certain to produce results which will bode well for the future of Massillon's parks and recreation system.

For those who want to see the entire video of Monday night's work session on the parks and recreation issue, here goes:

VIDEOS: CATAZARO-PERRY LOSES ANOTHER VOTE WITH MASSILLON CITY COUNCIL. WHAT IS HER PROBLEM?

VIDEOS

Councilwoman Andrea Scassa On Her Vote

Councilwoman Nancy Halter On Her Vote

Councilman Ed Lewis, IV On His Vote

Councilman Donnie Peters, Jr.

 On the Dire Consequences Massillon

Council Paul Manson On His Vote

The Entire Debate/Vote on Ordinance 35

While the final vote last night at a special session of Massillon City Council went 6 to 3 against the Catazaro-Perry administration negotiated deal with the Hampton Inn located in downtown Massillon whereby the city would cancel its second mortgage ($2.25 million) and liens in exchange for a payment of $1.2 million, the SCPR believes that the dynamics of getting to that final vote was a lot more fluid and "touch and go" than the final number indicates.

The Report had the 6th sense that if the mayor had the requisite persuasion skills one must have to be an effective government executive especially in relation to legislative body, she could have won the vote - perhaps even reversing the 6 to 3 vote to being in favor of the ordinance.

Democratic Councilwoman Andrea Scassa (Ward 3 - the mayor's old ward), said she did not make up her mind until the last moment.



Last week, before the regular city council meeting, Republican Ward 2 Councilwoman Nancy Halter was telling The Report that she did not know how she would vote on the measure.  But by last night, she definitely had decided.



It could be that in the end, her historical opposition to the deal in the first place (back in 1999) was a critical factor.  As show in the video above, she also articulated a council fear that were it to agree to the deal and the hotel was subsequently sold for a handsome profit that council would look - in hindsight - like it had been duped.

And Ed Lewis, IV (Republican - Ward 6) said at the special session that he had been leaning towards voting for Ordinance 35.  Here he explains why he decided to vote "no."



In the end, the mayor and her administration was not persuasive with him and a majority of the Massillon City Council.

One has to wonder whether or not the administration's failure to get the hotel to agree to $10,000 a year downtown Massillon beautification as opposed to $5,000 was a key to the Lewis vote?

Last night's vote against her seems to be a confirmation that the mayor has very little, if any, sway with council members.

It could be that she is having an effect on Councilwoman Quenessa Hampton (Democratic Party appointee - Ward 4) who was one of the three yes votes along with Councilman Donnie Peters, Jr. (Republican - Ward 5) and Democratic Councilman Paul Manson (at -large).

Peters was the most dire in his prediction of the long term consequences to Massillon.



Paul Manson, while he voted "yes" was obviously tentative about that vote.



He was more measured and reflective of the consequences of the "no" vote than Peters, and, interesting enough, he suggests that the mayor may bring negative reaction from some members of council upon herself.  

Most intriguing of all is his suggestion that the issue may still be alive. He did note that the hotel has been doing relatively well of late which could explain why he thinks that there could be ongoing discussions with the hotel's developer (John Helline) to coming to a solution more palatable to a majority of council.

Apparently, the mayor sees herself as a persuasive person.

She shared last night how she was able to convince five Ward 4 residents, brought to her attention by Councilwoman Hampton, of the wisdom of her hotel financing mitigation effort.

Implicit in the mayor's recital is that Councilwoman Hampton was soft on the hotel finance deal, if not adverse to it, prior to the administrations' successful turnaround of some of her constituents.

So why is Mayor Kathy apparently ineffective with many other, if not most, members of council?

There are several possible reasons to ruminate upon:

One being that a number of the councilpersons feel she has not been transparent with them as promised when she first took office.

A second could be a feeling that she is only a figurehead mayor and that folks calling the shots in the executive suites of Massillon City Hall are named Maier and Jackson from their clerk of courts perch.

Thirdly, how about a perceived obstinance?

Witness her go-around with council on her adamant insistence that Massillon raise sorely needed revenues via reducing the tax credit that Massillonians get on out-of-town income taxes they pay coupled with things like having residents pay street lighting fees.

The Report is told that she is meeting on a more or less a weekly basis with fellow Democratic Mayor William J. Healy, II.

There is no doubt about him.  He clearly is a "my way or the highway" type guy.

Question:  Is he rubbing off on Catazaro-Perry?

The mayor, Catazaro-Perry, appears to turn heads and get things going her way out in the Massillon and Stark County social circles.  However, such does not seem to be the case in Massillon's internal political milieu.

In short and in summation, for whatever reason it appears to the SCPR that Mayor Kathy does not have the trust and confidence of much of Masillion's legislative body.

And the prospects of that changing with 2014 - 2015 council to be elected in November are virtually non-existent.

Perhaps it would be helpful to the mayor were she to reconsider her ways (attitude) with council.

If she were to do so, could it be that she might win some of the controversial votes that come before council?

Here is the SCPR video on the entire Ordinance 35 debate.

REPUBLICANS TO CONTROL MASSILLON COUNCIL AFTER 11/08/2011?

Recently, the SCPR spent time talking with a number of the candidates for Massillon City Council (both Rs & Ds) as well as an official in the Cicchinelli administration about their take on the upcoming election.

The read that The Report is getting is that this will be a very close election across all the contested races for council (ie. Wards 1, 2, 3, 6 and the last spot for council at large).

Control of council will likely be 5 to 4 either way.  But for Republicans to win control, nearly everything - in terms of the highly contested races - will have to fall their way.  They will have to win four of the five contested seats, assuming that Councilman Donnie Peters holds his seat in Ward 5.

Either way the citizens of Massillon win in the event of a one vote margin by the prevailing party.  Both parties will have to pay closer attention to the will of the people of Massillon looking forward to the 2115 election.  Overwhelming Democratic control has not served Massillon well.

THE ANALYSIS

COUNCIL AT LARGE

The SCPR believes that Republican Milan Chovan, Jr. may be able to salvage one of the three council-at-large seats for the GOP.  Democrats Paul Manson and maverick Democrat Larry Slagle should win two of the three seats for the Dems merely because overall Massillon is solidly Democratic.

Had the Republicans not run two candidates in 2007, it is likely that Democrat Hersher would not have won one of the three seats then and would not be an incumbent this time around.

Republicans have learned that lesson.  They are only running Choven this time around.  But it could be too late.  Now that Hersher is an incumbent, he will be more difficult to defeat.

However, the  Maier faction of the Massillon Democratic Party appears to dislike Hersher because they view him as a loyal foot soldier for Mayor Cicchinelli.  If the Maier faction let it be known that Republican Chovan is preferred over Hersher,  the Republicans' faux pas of 2007 may not come back to haunt them.

WARD 6

It could be that Councilman David McCune's absentee problem, a family parking ticket flap and equivocation on an annexation issue may come back to haunt him in this election.

McCune is another councilperson who is not a favorite of the Maier faction.

This ward is one that the Republicans are counting on.

Ward 2 Republican council candidate Nancy Halter (a former Massillon councilwoman) rounded up GOP candidates (including Lewis, but not Chovan) so that the Republicans could have a nearly full slate (4th Ward excepted) and thereby enhance their chances of gaining control of council.

If he loses, it will be quite a fall for McCune.  Last time out, he ran unopposed.

The Report believes Lewis has a chance to unseat McCune.  And if the Republicans are going to control council, he will have to.

WARD 5

Seems solid for incumbent Councilman Donnie Peters.   Though it appears to him that Democrat Vaughn Mohler is not running much of a campaign, he is not taking his reelection for granted, as he tells The Report that Ward 5 is a Democratic predominate registration area of Massillon.

Peters was unopposed last time out.  In 2003 he lost by a handful of votes to Council President Glenn Gamber (a Democrat).

If Republicans win five seats, Peters says he will be president pro-tem. 

WARD 4 - Democrat Tony Townsend (uncontested).

WARD 3

This is Kathy Catazaro-Perry's ward.

However, before she was elected in 2003, this was a Republican-leaning ward.

With Catazaro-Perry vacating the seat in her run for mayor of Massillon, two political newcomers are vying for the right to represent the 3rd.

Who wins in the 3rd, is anybody's guess.

Scassa tells The Report that while Catazaro-Perry has provided her guidance on how to win in the ward, she is running her own campaign with the help of relatives, and that as a councilperson, she will be her own person.

In terms of the outcome of this race, a big question remains:

Were the Catazaro-Perry victories in 2003/2007 an indication of a shift to Democratic leaning?  Or can Republican Hayden depend on it returning to the Republican fold?

WARD 2

If anyone deserves to win a seat, it might be Nancy Halter.  She is the driving force behind getting Republicans to run in all the wards except for the fourth.  Moreover, she is at least as experienced in the ways of council as Anderson.

She was an at-large councilperson from the mid-nineties through 2003.

Anderson has been an avowed "anti-all-things Cicchinelli" councilperson.  Is this enough of an agenda for the voters of the 2nd Ward to want to return him to office; especially in light of the fact he will not have Frank Cicchinelli to kick around any more?

Halter may be able to take this one for the Republicans.

WARD 1

Another key to which party controls Massillon City Council is Ward 1.

If the Republicans are to take control of council, they will have to overcome the entry of Marc Sober into the race.  He describes himself as a Libertarian-leaning candidate which indicates to The Report that he is likely to siphon off votes from Republican Sarita Cunningham.

Cunningham should be the favorite because she narrowly lost (47 votes) to Ronald Mang (who is not running for reelection) in 2007.  Accordingly, she will have a voter name ID advantage over Sober.

If she can find a way to convince the Republican part of the electorate to stay with her rather than drift in significant numbers to Sober, she might still win despite his presence.

However, that will be a tall order for her.

Democrat Majcan (who The Report understands in connected to Johnnie A. Maier, Jr in that his wife works for Maier) undoubtedly will be looking to the Maier factor to play to his advantage.

But will it be?  Or, in the first, could it be a disadvantage?