CANTON LOOKING TO LEVERAGE WATER INTO A MERGER WITH CANTON TOWNSHIP?

VIDEOS

Canton Councilman Bill Smuckler

"Whatever Happened to Annexation for Those Wanting Canton Water?"

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Canton Council Ponders/Passes Ordinance to Provide Canton Twp Water

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Canton Township Trustee Chris Nichols

No Canton Township/Canton Merger

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Canton + Canton Township = "New Canton, Ohio?"

After all, Canton Township virtually encircles Canton.

"Not in my lifetime, but perhaps decades down the road," says Canton director of annexation Sam Sliman who appeared at a Stark County commissioners meeting about five years ago or so and proudly attributed to himself as being the "Darth Vader of Annexation."

Probably a couple of decades ago, Canton water for Canton Township became a hot topic as a lone wolf township activist approached Canton officials about the prospect of Canton constructing a pipeline into the township and selling water to its residents.

At that time, there was a great push in Canton that water came at a price.

Price?

Indeed:  "ANNEXATION!!!"

Eventually, the whole notion of a Canton/Canton Township nexus on the leverage of "water for all" fell apart.

So what brings the issue of Canton water for Canton Township into view again?

Here's what.  An ordinance on the agenda of Canton City Council:

What's more is this Councilman-at-Large William Smuckler observation during Canton City Council's work session preceding its July 17th council meeting at which the matter was debated and passed by a 9 to 2 margin.  Councilman Smuckler and Ward 5 councilman Fisher voted "no."

Here is Smuckler's work session comments:



During council's regular meeting of the 17th, Canton water superintendent Tyler Converse explained why it was in Canton's interest to take advantage of the economies of doing the design work now so as to be prepared for Canton and its abundant water supplies to work out an agreement with Canton Township residents (short of annexation) to provide water to them.

Note: (regular meeting video picks up after Smuckler "work session" query)



Over the years since Canton Township water acquisition discussion first began under the Dick Watkins administration (1992-2003), the township has edged itself into getting Canton water for about 50% of its residences/businesses all without falling into the clutches of Sam Sliman—the self-described Darth Vader of Annexation vis-a-vis surrounding townships.

But make no mistake about it.

Canton Township has no interest whatsoever in merging into Canton.

Watch this Stark County Political Report interview of township trustee Chris Nichols as he says that while he and former fellow Canton Township trustee Bill Smith (a Stark County commissioner as of January 1, 2017) ran, in part, campaigns for township trustee on a model of inter-governmental cooperation, the answer to Canton Township merging into Canton is absolutely a "no!"



The SCPR does think that Sam Sliman may turn out to have been a seer of  geography of Stark County "decades down the road."

Just think.

There are cooperative agreements all over and among Stark County political subdivisions.

To name a few:

• Joint Economic Development Districts (JEDD) involving Canton and Jackson Township,
• JEDD consisting of Canton, Jackson Township and Plain Township,
• Note:  Landlocked North Canton bowed out in joining this JEDD on the insistence of North Canton mayor David Held,
• Collaborations among Stark County's 17 school districts, 
• Canton's recent decision (May, 2017) to join in with the countywide 9-1-1 emergency call receiving and dispatching service,

It is somewhat ironic that Councilman Smuckler raised the spectre of  "annexation as the price for getting Canton water" inasmuch as on other issues he is one of Stark County's foremost advocates for efficiency in government collaboration, cooperation and consolidation among Stark County's cities, villages and townships.

Smuckler now says that he has a somewhat different view on the Canton Township and Canton water.

But, to repeat, he did vote against the design ordinance.

Smuckler excitedly shared with me on this past Monday night that he led the way for Canton to pass an ordinance designed to bring Canton's 9-1-1 into being a full-fledged partner with the existing countywide 9-1-1 effort.

Why the excitement?

Because he has been criticized by some Stark County officials as being "all mouth and no accomplishments" on his "let's come together" advocacy.

Part of his problem, he says, in getting Canton on board before now was former Canton mayor William J. Healy, II insistence that working with the countywide effort was not in the interest of Canton.

Smuckler told me that he has received a call from Randy Gonzalez, the prime architect of Stark County's revamped and highly improved 9-1-1 (modernization began post-2008 and a report that Stark's system was broken) estatically congratulating him on being the lead in bringing Canton onboard.

Moreover, Sheriff George T. Maier contacted him and praised him for his successful effort.

The SCPR agrees with the implication of Director Sliman's forward looking projection.

In 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years, Stark County's political subdivision operating model if not the county geographical map is likely to be quite a bit different than it is now.

And, in the making, the likes of Smuckler, Nichols, Smith and Gonzalez will be remembered as pioneers in bringing Stark County together!

DISCUSSION: THE REPOSITORY CONTINUES ITS MISERABLE JOB IN REPORTING & EDITORIALIZING ON "THE HEALY FIASCO!"

One consistent thing about The Repository on the what the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) now dubs for the first time "the Healy fiasco," is how tardy The Rep has been in reporting on or editorializing on with respect each issue surfacing in "the Healy fiasco."

Only one year into 15 months into his administration, The Report is now ready to say that the Healy administration is a complete failure in terms of losing the confidence of most Cantonians in pulling Canton out of its economic and political stupor.

What is amazing is the degree to which TeamHealy has bamboozled The Canton Repository "powers that be."

Why is this so?

The Report believes that Executive Editor Jeff Gauger and his fellows at The Rep are unsure as to whether or not the Healy administration is going to survive. Moreover, The Rep folks know full-well how punitive Healy is of those who do not do his bidding. So, if he does limp through his remaining 33 months, they likely surmise that getting news out of city hall will be worse that pulling teeth.

Another issue The Report has with The Rep is summed up in the next two sentences.

The Report uses material of The Repository frequently. And which yours truly does, proper attribution is accorded The Rep.

The reverse does not appear to be true.

Ed Balint's article, dated at about midnight yesterday, miserably fails to credit the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT for being an agent of the "stirring." The only journalistic effort to tie campaign contributions to Mayor Healy awarding contracts has been from The Report and WHBC's "Points to Ponder" (Ron Ponder - talk show host). But curiously miss from Balint's piece is a reference to either The Report or "Points to Ponder."

The Report has had several confirmations that the folks at The Rep follow what The Report's blog. A person from its editorial department e-mailed The Report to correct an incorrect (The Rep having made the initial error) attribution to a Repository editorial The Report was commenting on. And reporter Malcolm Hall of The Rep called The Rep about material The Report has published on the current Marlboro Township turmoil about efforts of township trustees to fire its police chief.

As The Report told Hall, he and The Rep is free to use The Report's material as long as The Rep attributes the source.

The Report has learned that Canton City Council leader Bill Smuckler has commented that the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT is the only Stark County journalistic effort that has gotten it right on the Healy administration machinations.

Now the Balint story itself.

Notice that Canton Law Director Martuccio couches his analysis in the expression "legally speaking." What this means to The Report is that Martuccio believes that the Healy administration has "the spirit of the law"l problems in the quid pro quo appearing arrangement on Healy's award of the Johnson contract. What's more, Martuccio skillfully qualifies his "legally speaking" with "this is the first time I have looked at the law." The qualification leaves Martuccio with wiggle room for later on. Perhaps, as the Healy administration is on its way out the door?

Healy (in The Rep's article): 'wanted to avoid even the appearance of impropriety in this situation.' What is this Mayor, a joke?

The mere utterance of the expression is that the Mayor understands that the impression is clearly out there in the public square. This tactic is what lawyers call a "confession and avoidance."

Every rhetorical device that Jamey Healy uses bespeaks a man who thinks he can outsmart the whole world with his glib tongue.

And it is working with at least one Stark County entity: THE CANTON REPOSITORY!

It should tell readers volumes that Healy is willing to talk with The Rep's people WHEREAS he will not nor permit his Communications Direct Adam Herman to talk to the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT.

The Report trusts that the highly respected Canton Law Director Joe Martuccio will not let Healy hoodwink him. He needs to remember that Healy has undermined the public's confidence in his law department by saying, in effect, that his labor negotiating assistant law directors and staff are not ethical enough or expert enough to negotiate an "arms-length" contract with the Canton police unions.

Healy underscored his lack of confidence in the Canton Law Department by reiterating in the Balint piece: "Johnson’s 'experience ... was something that was critical in this process.'

The Report knows Healy well. The Report, at one time, held out hope that Healy could turnaround Canton.

The Report no longer believes Healy can be effective for Canton. Healy needs to move on!!!

DISCUSSION: CANTON CITY COUNCIL RACES - 9TH WARD

Will the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) cover ward races in the city of Canton. Of course. Candidates who wish to get their points-of-view out to the voters (ward or council-at-large) contact The Report at tramols@att.net or 330-699-5002.

Today, The Report feature Frank Morris who is running against the venerable Joe Carbenia.

Party officials (Democratic and Republican, but especially Republicans) do not like party primary fights. Plus in the city of Canton there aren't enough Republicans to have a contest.

But no so with Canton's Democrats. Look at the council-at-large field. Ten candidates for one seat.

One seat, aren't there three?

Yes, but does anyone really think Smuckler and Cirelli are going to lose?

Back to the 9th and Frank Morris versus organized labor friend Joe Carbenia (a long time member of and official of the Canton fire fighters union).What else does Morris have to say about Carbenia and his fellows on Canton City Council. Here is his statement to The Report:

Their attitude of business as usual needs to stop because it is not business as usual. this country is in serious trouble and local government needs to tighten their belts like so many of us.

There is no honesty in city government either, council raise the parking meters fee and increased ticket prices to " Increase the amount of shoppers in downtown" what are we stupid!!!

RedFlex is for our safety not revenue, but the first two minutes of the presentation showed a traffic accident that was caught on tape???
Guess the system does prevent accidents does it.

City council can no longer operate as they have in the past, it's time to think outside of the box.

Mr. Carbenia is not letting the voice of ward 9 be heard in council, he has become business as usual.

To find out more about Morris here is a link (CLICK HERE) to his website.

Is Morris a threat to defeat Carbenia?

DISCUSSION: WILL CANTON'S COUNCIL-AT-LARGE TAKE ON A DIFFERENT LOOK AFTER MAY'S PRIMARY?

If the Canton Council-at-Large faces are to change, it will only mean Democrats with a different face and different name.

No Republican has even taken out a petition for the three at-large position. Only goes to show how moribund the Canton part of the Stark County Republican Party is. And the county side is about the same; maybe a tad better - on life support?

Right now there are sure to be at least six candidates for the three slots (Smuckler hasn't filed yet, but does anyone doubt that he will).

The results are likely to be that Smuckler and Cirelli retain their seats.

Who does the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) think will win the "open" seat assuming all the outstanding petitions are filed?

The winner probably will be between Babcock and Vignos on the basis of "the name game" in a large field of candidates.

Odds are that Babcock is likely to make the final cut because the Babcock name still resonates with many Cantonians (Jimmy's father and mother having been mainstays in Canton Democratic politics). The Vignos name is recognized in Canton as being a Republican name. Nevertheless, it should stand out enough to bring Cynthia in right below Babcock for the third spot.

If Babcock gets elected, then will Stark County Auditor Kim Perez have a de facto seat on council?

Babcock works for and is politically close to Perez. The Report's assessment of Jimmy is that he is a nice guy who is probably the best dressed Stark County politician day-in and day-out, but he has very little policy making/political substance to him. He would need Perez to give him gravitas.

DISCUSSION: RESISTER-IN-CHIEF - BILL SMUCKLER?

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has learned that the brouhaha going on in Canton politics has a strong Smuckler versus Healy tint to it.

When you look at the historical political relationship between the two men, it certainly makes sense that the "real" fight is: Who is going to control the city of Canton - Smuckler or Healy.

In 2008 Democrat Bill Smuckler was "entitled" to take on Republican Janet Creighton-Weir for the mayoralty of Canton. But the "having paid his political dues" factor flew out the window when political newcomer (from an established Stark County political family) decided he needed a job.

Healy's father had lost in a mayoralty race to Republican Richard Watkins in 1999. Looking around the political landscape, Healy decided to run against the "entitled one" for two reasons. First, Smuckler only appeals to Democrats and not to all of them. Smuckler in particular is not a favorite in the African-American community. Therefore, the "Team Healy" forces decided Smuckler was vulnerable. Second, there was the "redeeming the family honor" factor. Healy's father had served in various elected political offices (most notably as state representative) covering the city of Canton. To Healy, the senior Healy's defeat did not set well. Becoming mayor of Canton became a consuming passion for the junior Healy.

As it turns out, Jamey (as his close friends call him) made a huge political miscalculation that haunts him to this day. He loses to Smuckler in the primary and then, in the minds of Smuckler supporters, "sat on his hands" while watching Smuckler lose to Creighton in a heavily Democratic city. The Report believes that Smuckler to this day nurses a political grudge against Healy.

Another political mistake was his running against popular Canton and Stark County Democrat Mary Cirelli while she was the incumbent in the 52nd House District seeking re-election.

Mary is a "homespun" type who is absolutely loved by many Canton voters. Her major strength is servicing her constituents; not thinking up and seeing enacted into law policy initiatives. The Report believes that Cirelli severely underestimated the drive, the determination and the polish of Healy and his "Team Healy" campaign force.

So Healy wins this one. Subsequently, Cirelli runs for city council at large and has no problems whatsoever getting elected.

Healy doesn't enjoy being a "little fish in a big pond" and so he decides to run for mayor once again. He has a relatively easy time against Creighton as any Democrat ought to and wins with a significant margin.

Well, who sits on city council as Healy takes the oath of office as mayor of Canton? Indeed, Smuckler and Cirelli.

In probably one the worst moves that he could have possibly made, Healy chose another Canton political mainstay as his service director and chief-of-state: Tom Bernabei.

Really? The worst?

Yes, the worst from the Healy interest standpoint.

Tom Bernabei is, perhaps, the most respected and skilled politician and elected official to ever serve the people of Canton. You have to give Healy credit. He knows a gem when he sees one.

What he didn't see was that Tom Bernbei is a man of his own mind. His loyalty and devotion to Canton clearly trumps political loyalty to his boss. In this case, Mayor William J. Healy, II.

Bernabei tries to talk sense to Healy but (as The Report has written before) Healy is arrogant and cannot take counsel from anyone for more that in an episodic fashion. Who knows better than William J. Healy, II, Healy muses to himself.

Bernabei has a solid relationship with Canton City Council, having been a key member of that body. While Healy was denying to The Report that he had troubles with council, Bernabei in a deflected sort of way admitted such to be the case but clearly felt he used his relationship to smooth things out for the Healy administration. Smuckler, in particular, has almost reverential respect for Benerbei.

So it should be no surprise that Bill Smuckler - especially in the light of the Bernbei firing - is the resister-in-chief to Mayor Healy.

Being a resister is one thing. But, to imply, as Healy has; that anyone who is a resister to Healy's self-assumed role as "changer-in-chief" is somehow a suspect in the "anonymous letters" matter - is way over the line of propriety.

It is more than a bit ironic that the mayor gets very indignant at malicious rumors being spread by someone who is not willing to be "front and center" about the allegation(s) and to provide the proof - and, indignant he should be. Then, on the other side of things Healy suggests, implord and aspersesd that mere political opposition is grounds in and of itself to merit inference that the opponents are behind the anonymous letters.

The Report knows that Healy is well-taken with his own intelligence. And smart he is.

What the mayor hasn't realized is that there are people in and about Canton city government that are every bit as sharp as he is - if not sharper!

A final point.

Playing his own game, one might ask: Why is Mayor Healy - as a matter of a full court press - engaging in these diversionary tactics anyway?