DISCUSSION: HEALY, GONZALES & HARMON "PUSHING FOR CANTON SAFETY DIRECTOR - TOM NESBITT ON 9-1-1 PROJECT MGR JOB?

While the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) believes that Canton Mayor Jamey Healy is trying to squeeze Safety Director Tom Nesbitt out as safety director, it is obvious that Randy Gonzales (the man with a powerless title - Jackson Township Fiscal Officer - but seemingly "all powerful") is pushing Nesbitt into the 9-1-1 tube.

The Report has reason to believe that Canton Mayor Healy in his singular ("you don't know this is happening to you - because I am much smarter than you") mode, "but I just want to know what Tom Nesbitt's chances are to become 9-1-1 Project Manager because I need to plan" This is a phone call The Report believes Healy made to all 9-1-1 Project Manager interviewers over the weekend.

Get it?

Healy is not directly lobbying for Nesbitt for appearances sake, but "really" he is. The Report believes there is a concerted effort on the part of Mayor Healy, Jackson Township Fiscal Officer Randy Gonzales (the de facto head of the Stark County Democratic Party) and Stark County Commissioner Tom Harmon to relocate Nesbitt to the 9-1-1 Project Manager position.

Why Healy?

Because Nesbitt humiliated him about a month ago when he let it be known that he was applying for the 9-1-1 Project Manager job. Nesbitt's application was confirmation to The Report of what was already known; all was not well within the Healy administration. What's more, Nesbitt has been unable to get Canton Police Chief Dean L. McKimm fired as The Report has reported is at the top of Healy's "to do" list.

The Report was the first Stark County media to speculate that the Healy administration was a "sinking ship."

Was The Report correct in your truly's analysis?

You be the judge?

After the Nesbitt incident, you have the Bernabei (Services Director and Chief of Staff) firing, you have the campaign contributions to Healy from figures being investigated by the FBI in what has come to be known as the "Cuyahoga County corruption; you have the campaign contributions from folks associated with 1-888-Workers'Comp (whom Healy awarded Canton's workers' compensation processing contract to - largely on his own); you have Stark Countian Jack DeSario (who has had records of his D&R Consulting subpeoned by the FBI in its Cuyahoga County investigation) and who has former connections with Gary C. Johnson who was recently given a labor negotiation contract by Healy and from whom Healy initially received $1400 in campaign contributions.

The Report is still looking into other campaign contributions that Healy received and The Report is beginning to connect more dots. Of course, the TeamHealy and Mayor Healy himself is refusing to answer the telling questions of The Report.

Stay tuned on the campaign contributions thing.

Mind you, The Report has largely stayed away from the allegations that Healy has had an "inappropriate" relationship with an area 16 year old.

If The Report is so correct, when will the "Ship Healy" finally sink?

Who knows. These things seem to take forever to resolve one way or another. Effective investigators are extremely careful to dot each and every - i - and cross each and every - t -, and doubly so when the subject of the inquiry is a powerful public figure.

Back to the 9-1-1 hiring.

Why Gonzales?

Gonzales started months ago when he was making the rounds of the villages, townships and cities of Stark County lobbying for support of a countywide 9-1-1 system. Only recently The Report learned that Tom Nesbitt was with Gonzales on many, if not all, of the stops that 9-1-1 circuit rider Gonzales made.

Why Harmon?

The Report suspects that Gonzales teamed up with County Commissioner Tom Harmon and Nesbitt several months ago and forged an agreement that if and when the money became available to take a re-worked 9-1-1 countywide, Nesbitt would be the candidate of choice.

The Report believes that Harmon is politically jealous of fellow commissioner Todd Bosley because of the many Bosley attention-getting activities as commissioner and is fomenting troubles for Bosley; unbeknown to Bosley. For appearance sakes, Harmon seems to be working harmoniously (no pun intended) with Bosley.

Does Bosley have difficulties in pressing his support for Peterson?

It is common knowledge that Bosleys man for the 9-1-1 Project Manager job is Nimishillen Township Fire Chief Rich Peterson. However, in the inter circles of 9-1-1 turf struggles, Peterson has created avowed enemies. An expression of the animosity towards Bosley and Peterson was evident in an e-mail recently published in The Report's blog of several days ago. CLICK HERE to see the blog containing the e-mail.

The Report believes that the e-mail may have come from Gonzales or one of his Stark Democratic Party loyalists.

So how will all this work out?

The Report believes that Gonzales will win the day and get Nesbitt appointed.

However, it could devolve into "a battle royal" between Gonzales and Bosley and a compromise candidate will surface.

The Stark County political scene is rich in political intrigue these days!

Only the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT brings you Stark County political developments from the bowels of political infighting.

DISCUSSION: SCPR READER EVALUATES STARK COUNTY COMMISSIONER TODD BOSLEY - AGREE OR DISAGREE?

Stark County Commissioner Todd Bosley generates a lot of passion either pro or con in the Stark County political scene.

Witness this e-mail sent to yours truly in response to the blog: JACKSON TWP FISCAL OFFICER RANDY GONZALES "THE QUINTESSENTIAL - BACKROOM POLITICIAN?" PUSHING FOR HEALY "OUT-OF-TOWNER" NESBITT?

Now the e-mail: (from a person who identifies him/herself as "Stark Citizen")

while there certainly are politics going on behind the scenes, its much less about who they DO want than who they DON'T want. they do not want anyone tied to Bosley. Bosley is disliked (more by D's than Rs) and not trusted. He's not one of the D insiders. And frankly, he is seen as a hot head with poor judgment by just about everyone who knows him, has worked with him, or observed him as commissioner. CenComm is a disaster....huge debt, few communities it services...Bosley wants HIS guy in there, and that aint gonna happen.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) understands the passion that Commissioner Bosley generates in Stark County politics. So that is why The Report set up this discussion on Bosley with the graphic "Hothead or Fire in the Belly.)

The Report take on Bosley is that he is a "fire in the belly" guy who is on quest to bring Stark County back to life after years of a string of mediocre at best commissioners.

But The Report understands the different perspective (hothead with a personal agenda who is bent on having his own way) and will, from time-to-time revisit this discussion.

Democrat Bosley started out his political career being elected trustee in Nimishillen Township over incumbent and fellow Democrat Arthur Lynch. This was a signal that Bosley was not going to be a party loyalist. And if there was any doubt, it was eradicated when Bosley took on fellow Democrat Russ Goffus in a dispute in which Bosley questioned Goffus' ethics in his circuitous purchase of a township vehicle.

From the perspective of The Report, Bosley's challenge of Goffus took someone with a lot of political nerve. Mind you, Bosley sat next to this guy in Nimishillen Township meeting after meeting after meeting and conducted township business until Goffus was defeated in November, 2005. Was the Goffus defeat a vindication of Bosley?

In 2006, Bosley decided to take on the son of the then Congressman Ralph Regula, Richard Regula. No other Democrat in Stark County was ready to take on this fight. Bosley was little known in Stark County outside of Nimishillen Township.

No one, including yours truly, thought Bosley could win. But Bosley did and he ran a superlative campaign focusing on incumbent Regula's failure with fellow Republican Jane Vignos to fix 9-1-1.

Here is a graphic of Bosley's Nimishillen/Stark County electoral prowess:
Bosley defeats Regula who had the notorious Stark County political consultant (D&R Consulting) and Mount Union political science professor Jack DeSario managing his campaign.

Shortly after being elected, Bosley, feeling full of himself, announced to astounded Stark County Democrats that he was ready to take on Congressman Ralph Regula two years down the road.

Yours truly's take on this political egoism was to say in print (via the comments section of The Repository) to Bosley: "do a job as Stark County commissioner first, then think of other offices to seek."

That in the judgment of The Report is exactly what Bosley had done.

Let's just tick off some the things Bosley has generated and/or worked upon since he became commissioner (not in any particular order and not intended to be an exhaustive list).

* for taxpayer efficiencies:

• pushed to have the health departments of Canton and Stark County merge.
• pushed to have the Stark County sanitary engineering/county engineer functions merge.
• pushed to sell Molly Stark
  

* for fixing 9-1-1:

• introduced and gained passage of the imposition of the county sales/use tax to provide funds to create a true countywide, state-of-the-art, 9-1-1; all to the astonishment of the likes of Randy Gonzales and at great political risk to his chances for re-election
  

* for bringing 5,000 jobs to Stark County as promised in is 2006 campaign:
(which The Report thinks is the least impressive part of the Bosley track record to date; the question - has Stark County realized any net gain in new jobs due to a Bosley/county commissioner initiative?):

• worked to get VW to Stark County and now is working to get Fiat to come here.
• is setting up a program with Chevron to replacing "on their last legs" Stark County jail heating boilers with alternative energy "wood fired" boilers.
• is working with Stark State College of Technology solar energy folks to devise a solar energy collection system on the expansive roof of the jail.

* efforts at conciliation among Stark County political subdivisions and
departments:

• worked out a deal with the Stark County Veterans Commission to provide more of county budget monies as required Ohio law even in the face of a very tight county budget.
• worked with Lawrence Township officials and Summit County's city of New Franklin to solve an roadway access dispute.

* efforts to solve county's budgetary problems:

• voted, in the face of countervailing pressure from then fellow Commissioner and fellow Democrat Gayle Jackson (now with the Lottery Commission) to approve an increase in the Stark County license plate fee which provides the County Engineer Mike Rehfus with the resources to maintain Stark's highway system.
• as part of the imposed 1/4 of 1 percent (net) sales/use taxes took Stark County off the brink of financial insolvency.

Now it comes to what you think of Bosley.

Make your view known by participating the the following vote and/or make a comment on this blog.

DISCUSSION: JACKSON TWP FISCAL OFFICER RANDY GONZALES "THE QUINTESSENTIAL - BACKROOM POLITICIAN?" PUSHING FOR HEALY "OUT-OF-TOWNER" NESBITT?

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) showed up at the interviews that the Governance Committee of the Stark County Council of Governments (SCOG) had scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at the Stark County 9-1-1 Center for candidates of the Project Manager position of the "new" Stark County 9-1-1 countywide system.

The Report learned long ago that politicians with an agenda abhor the light of day. Who was the first to object to The Report sitting in on these interviews for a "public" position. You've got it. None other than Randy Gonzales.

The conversations posed in this blog are paraphrases of the actual conversation.

Gonzales: (to The Report) You don't think your going to sit in on these interviews, do you?

THE REPORT: Yes, I do. These interviews are to fill a public position.

Gonzales: We may be asking questions the answers to which could prove embarrassing to the interviewees. The answer could cause an applicant to lose a currently held job. (this answer is actually a combination of reasons for the exclusion given by Gonzales, Stark 9-1-1 Director Tim Warsler and Massillon Fire Chief Tom Burgasser)

THE REPORT: That's part of the territory, when people apply for public jobs. If I am need access, I will be looking into whether or not there has been a violation of Ohio's Sunshine law, and if so, filing litigation for remedies provided for in law).

Gonzales: We are going to call the prosecutor's office to find out whether or not we have to let you sit in.

============================================================

The assembled interviewers asked The Report to vacate the interview room while they check with Stark County Prosecutor John Ferrero's office.

============================================================

Predictably, Ferrero's people (remember John Fererro was formerly the head of the Stark County Democratic Party) (also, Ferrero is a member of SCOG at large: a conflict-in-interest?) - being part of Stark County's political network - sided with Gonzales, et al.

All of the foregoing raises the question: Why The Report thought it important to cover the interviews?

Answer: The Report believes that Randy Gonzales had a pre-interview agenda to push for Canton Safety Director Tom Nesbitt to become the selected Project Manager. He wouldn't want the public-at-large to know about the credentials of the candidates before the decision of whom to hire was a done deal. The "privacy" thing is phony-baloney. It's like an attorney who asserts the attorney-client privilege to protect the attorney; not the client.

Busto, Kerstetter and Tenan had no chance at all from the get-go because they are not politically involved and connected. The Report did talk with Mark Busto before his interview and it is clear to The Report that Busto is as qualified, if not more, on "9-1-1 credentials" as Rich Peterson (the fire chief of Nimishillen Township). But he is apolitical. Peterson, in addition to Nesbitt and Concatto, are very much politically connected.

Back to Jackson Township Fiscal Officer Gonzales (who also works for another Stark Democratic Party kingpin Phil Giavasis - Canton Municipal Court clerk of courts).

The Report has written before that Gonzales is the de facto chairman of the Stark County Democratic Party. All one has to do is go to a Democratic candidate fundraiser to see Gonzales huddled up with one or another of his political confidants.

The Report believes that all important Stark County open public positions are filtered through Gonzales more than titular party head Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.

Does a party stalwart or a stalwart's relative need a public job? Check with Randy. He has the political clout in Stark County. Gonzales' own son (who ran against Scott Oelslager - the 51st - two elections ago) works for Stark County Recorder Rick Campbell. Best qualified of 300,000 plus Stark Countians for the job? Could be. But it also could be that his father is a jauggernaut Stark County politico.

The Report has not figured out why Gonzales is fronting for Nesbitt. A newcomer to Stark County, who is an out-of-towner that Mayor Healy brought into Stark to be Canton's safety director and who already wants to leave? In time, as the recently deceased Paul Harvey used to say, we will get "the rest of the story."

Had The Report been allowed into the interview, non politically connected folks like Busto, Kerstetter and Tenan would have fared much better. Because the interviewers would have known that The Report would share the credentials of the non politically connected with the Stark County community.

In the opinion of The Report, Randy Gonzales is a backroom political deal maker of the first degree. But he is not the only one in Stark County: Phil Giavasis, Kim Perez, Gary Zeigler, Janet Creighton-Weir, Jane Vignos (especially in their days as county auditor), et cetera.

The Report's objection?

These are public jobs. They are not Gonzales' or for any of the other Stark County politicos' (Democrat or Republican) to hand out.

The Report predicts that either Tom Nesbitt or Rich Peterson (sponsored by Stark County Commissioner Todd Bosley) will be the choice presented to the full SCOG assembly.

Peterson is a Stark Countian who has vast experience in 9-1-1 operations (reference: CenCom of Nimishillen Township) is a no-brainer choice over Nesbitt.

The Report ends this discussion with the following question: Mark Busto with all of his experience and "time-in-grade," doesn't even get a smell?

Doesn't this whole process smell to high heavens?

DISCUSSION: ARE STARK COUNTY'S CITY, VILLAGE & TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS OUT TO DESTROY STARK COUNTY'S ECONOMIC FUTURE?

Stark County is indeed a mess.

There are a lot of family fights going on (i.e. the annexation fights).

But is it a zoo?

No.

Stark County is in the midst of a "fits and starts" modality in which the county moves one step forward and two steps backward; then two steps forward and one step backward.

The problem with this "fits and starts" reality is that Stark County is kind of walking in place, at best.

What Stark County lacks is a visionary leader. The best the county currently has is Commissioner Todd Bosley. But our county needs more than one person.

Who could, if they would - first, cleaning up their act in terms of shedding their ties to parochial interests - to step-up-to-the-plate to help Commissioner Bosley.

Here is the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) list of possibilities:

Randy Gonzales could perhaps be a visionary witness:

* his work-in-progress making 9-1-1 a first-class countywide emergency services unit,

* his overall work in the Stark County Council of Governments [SCOG]

* his work in putting together the Stark County Criminal Justice System (SC-CJIS).

From his overall "what is good for Stark County" perspective he (as Jackson Township fiscal officer) steps back into the world of provincial, parochial interests and actually feeds a mindset counterproductive to his Stark countywide work. By wearing "conflict-in-interest" hats, Gonzales has undermined his ability to be that additional piece to complement Bosley's effort.

Daryl Revoldt of North Canton. Daryl probably is the best government finances and economic development mind in Stark County.

Daryl served has a top aide to former Congressman Ralph Regula. From this perspective, he not only gained a countywide perspective, but also a regional appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of our area.

Little wonder why Bob Taft selected Revoldt to be Regional Director of the Ohio Department of Development office located in Akron.

The Report in particular believes this Revoldt quote to " jumpstart news" (2005) shows that he understands the elements that need to be brought together to make economic development work, to wit:

"What is driving companies to open ... here is a skilled workforce and the lower cost of living," ... "Because of our good transportation grid it's easier for companies to draw employees from several counties, and the lower cost of living in this area means there is less pressure on wages."

With all due respect North Canton, The Report believes Revoldt is a potential countywide asset that is wasting away in North Canton city government (he is county council president).

Perhaps the Stark County commissioners should entertain the idea to appoint one of these as Stark County Economic Development Czar?

Or, do you have somebody else in mind?

DISCUSSION: STARK COUNTY HAS THE WORSE POLITICIANS IN THE USA? TALK A GOOD GAME; BUT THEY CAN'T PRODUCE!

Mayor William J. Healy and his Stark County Mayors Association (supposedly a unifying force which includes Canton's competitor Mayor David Held of North Canton), Randy Gonzales and his pet project of 9-1-1 consolidation (designed to bring all the emergency services of Stark County together), and the Stark County Council on Governments (SCOG) (an umbrella group of Stark County governments working together for the common good of Stark County?

Really?

All the efforts described above - are they only window dressing?

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) believe yes - window dressing; that's what the unifying efforts boil down to.

What Stark County politician bound to a political subdivision (except, perhaps, for the Stark County commissioners) is going to "truly" advance the interest of Stark County as a whole and thereby derivatively help their individual communities?

Some months ago Stark United Way effort COMPASS (Community Objectives Met through a Partnership of All Segments of Society) Project Coordinator, Merele Kinsey made a speech express his frustration with the rampant "turfism" in Stark County.

And The Report believes that Kinsey is "right on the mark" no matter the protestations Healy, Held, Gonzales and the like to the contrary.

The proof is in the pudding. And, the Stark County pudding is not a smooth, blended mix. It is, in fact, a collection of lumps. A Canton lump, a North Canton lump, a Jackson Township lump, a Plain Township lump, a Massillon lump, a Tuscarawas Township lump, an East Canton lump, an Osnaburg Township lump and on and on goes the list.

Witness the piece appearing in The Repository yesterday about the Canton, Jackson and North Canton battle over annexation (now you can add Plain Township to the mix) which summarizes the fragmentation in Stark over the annexation issue, to wit:

CANTON
Hopes to extend its borders to the Summit County line by annexing railroad property and an acre of land in Jackson Township. It hopes to generate additional tax dollars through economic agreements with Jackson.

NORTH CANTON
Wants to block Canton by annexing land that includes the railroad property. But now says it’s willing to deal with Canton and Jackson, or swap water lines with Canton.

JACKSON TOWNSHIP
Agreed to work with Canton on the railroad annexation, but says that deal is exclusive. Plans to block North Canton’s annexation. Joined with Canton after nearly three years of talks with North Canton failed to produce a deal.

PLAIN TOWNSHIP
Ready to block North Canton’s annexation bid. Unhappy to hear reports of Canton and North Canton trading water lines to pave way for annexation in Plain.

Add on to this annexation fight (and its 99 year protection for Jackson Township) the 9-1-1 fuss, the - who pays for the cost of housing prisoners argument - and non9-1-1 consolidation resistance, among a myriad of issues; doesn't this amount as a sort of political leukemia that courses through the bloodstreams of Stark's local elected politicians?

Will Stark County communities ever get on Stark County Standard Time (SCST) or is going from Minerva to Uniontown going to continue to be like going from New York to Loa Angeles?