DISCUSSION: CANTON CITY COUNCIL- AT- LARGE SERIES - REV. DR. DEBORAH A. WATKINS SPEAKS ON CANTON POST OFFICE ISSUE AT CITY COUNCIL - 1/26/09

The photo of the Rev. Dr. Deborah A. Watkins (council-at-large candidate for Canton City Council) was taken at a Canton celebration of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Recently, Dr. Watkins appeared at Canton City Council (January 26, 2009) to speak on the issue of moving of certain Canton U.S. Postal jobs to Akron.

Here are Dr. Watkins' remarks:

Dr. Deborah A. Watkins as he just mentioned is my name. My address is 9204 St NE. I am in the 2nd Ward.

I would like to address this information to the entire body, to the Mayor, to his cabinet members, to the acting President taking President Schulman’s place and to all the Council Members or Persons.

As of April the 1 , the Post Office service will be re-routing Canton’s mail to Akron. I am sure that some of you might be aware of that. The Post Office that will be effected are several to my understanding and one is the New Market downtown on 4 Street, 220 SW.

The second one is our main Post Office which is on Cleveland Avenue. That would be Cleveland Avenue NW, 26, in the 2600 block.

The Post Office workers and the community, we’re again upset about this issue and this situation.

And you see, I want to mention again and emphasize it and preface that statement with saying again we’re upset because, last year in 2008, the community, the Postal Worker s, and some of you Council people were there at a meeting which we held. Our problem with the meetings that we held, we really didn’t get the full turn out of the entire Council and we should have.

It was the concerns and problems that we had with, one the wanted to take especially Ward 2, take it and change it and put cluster mailboxes. Now along with the cluster mailboxes, they also had wanted to take and re-route or route the mailing at that point in 2008, they wanted to start it.

But there such, let me say, strong support or opposition against it that we were able to and as I see it this time to only delay the situation.

I have to say to the Council, to the President, to the Mayor, what are we doing about this problem or this situation?

Do you agree with candidate Watkins? Should stopping the removal of postal workers jobs from Canton to Akron be a top priority with Canton council members?

DISCUSSION: HOW BAD OF SHAPE IS CANTON IN, ANYWAY?

Doug Piero Carey wrote an opinion piece for The Repository which was published on February 10th (CLICK HERE TO READ).

Mr. Carey's family lived at 14th St NW and Louisiana. The pity of this story is that they did try to be part of a solution rather than sit back and gripe about their neighborhood's problem

The former Carey neighborhood did not deteriorate overnight.

What has happened in Canton is what happens in any community when derelict politicians are left unaccountable. While it is fine for The Rep's editors to urge folks from the neighborhoods to run for city council, there are a limited number of seats. The Careys did what citizens should be doing, but to no avail.

Why no results?

Because city council members and mayors over many years have had no "fire in their bellies." They have become "lording it over them" public officials rather than " public servant leaders."

For too many years Canton's elected officials have luxuriated in holding public office. Consequently, they have lost touch with day-in, day-out Cantonians. Now the city is falling down around them.

It is desperation time in The Hall of Fame City. A once proud city which President William McKinley called home.

A besieged mayor. The mayor and council fighting with one another. Far more houses to be demolished than money to do with.

Why is Canton is this place?

A lack of leadership, that's it. Not just Healy and current council members. But going back at least to Creighton, Watkins and Purses and the folks who staffed council during those mayoralty administrations.

Good politicians, all. But miserably inept leaders!

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.