IS STARK COUNTY CLERK OF COURTS LOU GIAVASIS "POLITICAL CRONYISM" PERSONIFIED?

UPDATED 11:27 P.M .

VOLUME 2

LINK TO VOLUME 1

Only The Stark County Political Report (SCPR, The Report) has raised much of the fuss about suspicions of what appears to be, in essence, political hirings in much of Stark County political subdivision government.

From a November 8, 2010, SCPR blog this:

During the recent campaign in which Coons Restoration & Sealants ... chief of financial operations ran against Stark County Auditor Kim  Perez, one of the themes of the Harold campaign was that a number of the Perez's employees were political appointees who, when hired, had little or no qualifications other than being registered Democrats who, impliedly, would be primarily about politically servicing Perez in his quest remain auditor.

Singled out in the buzz among Republican partisans were David Maley, Jimmy Babcock, Gary Zeigler II (*) and Kevin Fisher and the like.

* NOTE:  Zeigler remains on the auditor's office payroll under Republican Harold who tells the SCPR that Zeigler has been an exemplary employee. 

Hmm?

Jimmy Babcock (the son of a former Canton mayor [Charles, 1958 to 1961], a long time Canton councilwoman [Mary, 1979 to 2005]) , surfaces again in recently being hired by Stark County Clerk of Courts Louis P. Giavasis in what some Stark Countians think is a repeat of the Perez situation.

By Giavasis' own words, Babcock (who has been a Canton city-councilman-at-large since January 1, 2012)  got a clerk of court office job with the job not having been posted and consequently, the general run of Stark County taxpayers did not have the opportunity to apply for it.

Giavasis and his fellow Democrats might be saying that this blogger is picking on the Dems.

For the SCPR has not only cited the foregoing as possibly getting their jobs because of political connections to Louis Giavasis, The Report has previously blogged about:

• Kody Gonzalez being first employed by Stark County recorder Rick Campbell and consequently by Canton clerk of courts Phil Giavasis (where Kody holds the job of his father (Jackson Township fiscal officer Randy Gonzalez) all of which occurred without the jobs having been posted to the general public,
• Note: Randy Gonzalez (a former chairman of the Stark County Democratic Party) denies that he had anything whatsoever to do with his son getting the recorder's office job or the Canton clerk of courts job.
• the politically connected Lisa Campbell (daughter of former Stark County commissioner Gayle Jackson)
• the following from the above-cited 2010 blog:
• The SCPR [was in 2010} critical of the hiring of ... Lisa Jackson Campbell as Plain Township administrator because:
• The Report is highly skeptical of two phone calls that were made relative to her hiring
• .One by then Stark County Democratic Party chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. to Plain Township trustee Louis Giavasis (according to Lawrence Township trustee Mike Stevens - who was also vying for the job) to ensure that Lisa got "a fair chance" at the vacant Plain Township administrator's job.  Remember from previous blogs how the SCPR has spoken of the "family" atmosphere that exists between Maier and the Jackson (e.g. Shane Jackson is Maier'e chief deputy [Massillon clerk of courts]
• A second one (the order may be reversed) by Campbell himself to Giavasis (this is a Giavasis account of the conversation)  to ask whether or not it was permissible for ... Lisa to apply for the Plain Township job.
• Louis Giavasis himself gaining employment at the Stark County clerk of court office under the hand-picked successor to his brother (who had moved on to become Canton Municipal Court clerk of courts when Tom Harmon retired)

For those who propagate the notion that the SCPR is singling out Democrats out as offenders in seeming cronyism to the exclusion of Republicans, take a look at these blogs:

• March 18, 2013,
• July 21, 2014

Dan Fonte, the former business manager of Local 94, Pipefitters and Plumbers Union said this about Martin Olson:

"Martin is an equal opportunity critic"

And so it is.

Much work needs to be done on ensuring the Stark County taxpaying public that "public jobs" are just that:  "available to the general "taxpaying" public.

The Stark County commissions have made a move in opening the hiring process to transparency in hiring  Michael Kimble as the county's Human Resources (HR) director on October 14, 2014.

But the move will only be as good as his/the county commissioners' ability to persuade independently elected county officials to use the county hiring resource.

Giavasis says he has used the county's HR services once in his nearly four years as county clerk of courts. That was in the hiring of a collections enforcer in February 2016.

Since he took office on August 1, 2015 (as the appointee of the Stark County Democratic Party on the retirement of Nancy Reinbold) and having been elected in his own right in November 2016, Giavasis has made 29 hires, to wit:

On the surface, it appears that about 1/3rd of Giavasis' hires were not "after being posted" hires.

But digging deeper, it further appears that most of the top jobs went to "unposted" (including rehires) positions.

Other than Babcock, the most conspicuous of suspected primarily "political" hires are the chief deputy (Flex) and former Stark County sheriff office employee Tim George title manager.

Flex is a defeated for re-election fiscal officer for Plain Township.

See a letter to the editor of The Canton Repository pre-election.

Al Leno (hired November 19, 2012, a Plain Township trustee who served alongside Giavasis when Giavasis was a township trustee) has the suspected earmarks of a Giavasis involvement.

At least one other name has been suggested to the SCPR as having an inside political connection to getting hired for a position that was posted.

The Stark County Political Report is not satisfied with the number of what appear to be politically connected hirings throughout Stark County elective office hirings.

Giavasis might be okay when it comes to second level positions at the county clerk's office, but to The Report the hirings of Babcock, Flex and George seem to smack of having a political crony aspect to them.

Readers should be putting pressure on all of Stark's countywide elected officials to avail themselves of the services of Stark County commissioners' appointed Michael Kimble NO MATTER WHAT LEVEL THE POSITION.

Finally, by the direct order (err demand) of Stark County Clerk of Courts Louis P. Giavasis (sarcasm folks! sarcasm) two pdf files are attached in the APPENDIX to this blog.

As regular readers know, it is a very rare occurrence that the SCPR does not publish "unredacted" the response(s) of "the other side of the story."

Louis Giavasis nor any other persons dictates to the SCPR the content and timing of this blog.

What Giavasis has not done is to answer the allegations of Claude "Skip" Shriver, his opponent in the 2016 election (see volume one for a Stark Co video of Shriver's allegations).

Giavasis has done what many other politicians do when the SCPR asked him about the Shriver allegations.

He tried to turn the question into an examination of Giavasis allegations of Shriver's conduct as a public official rather than deal directly with the question posed by the SCPR.

The fact of the matter is that Claude "Skip" Shriver is not the Stark County clerk of courts.

APPENDIX

DOCUMENT OF EMAIL EXCHANGES BETWEEN SCPR/GIAVASIS



SUPPLEMENT DOCUMENT SENT BY GIAVASIS

LORI LIGHTFOOT FORMERLY OF MASSILLON (MAYOR-ELECT OF CHICAGO) & CONGRESSMAN RALPH REGULA'S OFFICE

UPDATE April 10, 2019

Lightfoot was not the only Lesbian elected as mayor earlier this month (LINK)

SEE SCPR VIDEO

COMMISSIONER RICHARD REGULA

REFLECTS UPON LORI LIGHTFOOT'S

REGULA CONNECTION

 2

Upon graduating from Massillon Washington High School in 1980, Lori Lightfoot set out on an adventure that led to her being elected as the mayor of Chicago.

Chicago, indeed, a city of nearly 3 million residents and America's 3rd largest city with loads of problems.

What a smashing victory for Lightfoot.

Lightfoot's personal story is uplifting in that she has overcome much adversity in life much of it as the child of financially struggling parents.

Unfortunately for Stark County and Massillon in terms of her obvious leadership skills, Lightfoot left Massillon (having excelled as a student there) for the University of Michigan from which she graduated in 1984 with a degree in political science.

From there, it was off to Washington, D.C. where she was to connect with longtime Congressman Ralph Regula.

This particular blog is focused on her stint with Regula's D.C. office.

Here is Stark County Commissioner Richard Regula and his recollection of Lori.

Other Stark Countians who have weighed with The Stark County Political Report has been former Regula staffer Daryl Revoldt (currently a councilman-at-large in North Canton; also a former mayor) and Nancy Halter (a former Massillon councilperson who is currently running for council at large).



Other than Revoldt Stark Countians who were on the Regula staff at the time that Lightfoot includes Rob Mullen (currently vice president for the Aultman Foundation) and Lori Rowley nee Groves who hails from the Louisville area.

Rowley is currently the director of the Global Food Security and Aid Effectiveness.

Given the foregoing, one would have to say that Ralph Regula had "one hell of a staff" with sterling achievements ahead of them.

Lightfoot is a Democrat.

The SCPR asked Revoldt how was it that a Democrat could land in Regula's office.

Answer:  "Ralph Regula was never interested in nor checked the political affiliation of persons who wanted to serve on his staff."

Nancy Halter's says her son "Marty" graduated from Massillon Washington High School the same class that Lightfoot was a member of.

Moreover, Halter says the Lightfoot family was an outstanding family which emphasized education and community activism (Ann Lightfoot, who served on the Massillon School Board) and says that Lightfoot served as class president of the Class of 2000.

No doubt Stark Countians and Massillonians, in particular, are pleased to have been a part of Lori Lightfoot's life.

Lightfoot does have a daunting task in dealing with Chicago's massive, mostly social factors, problems.

It appears to the SCPR that no-one is better prepared for the task that in Lori Lightfoot.

VOL 2 - IN A SERIES: A RIFT BREAKS OUT AMONG STARK COUNTY LEADERS ON HOF-VP CENTENNIAL PLAZA DEVELOPMENT?

UPDATED:  12:43 P.M
UPDATED:  MONDAY, APRIL 1ST

SEE JULY, 2018 THE "ENTIRE" PRESENTATION 

PUT ON BY THE STARK COUNTY FOUNDATION FEATURING CANTON MAYOR THOMAS BERNABEI

RE: MARKET SQUARE PROJECT

IN THE APPENDIX SECTION OF THIS BLOG, ITEM# 3

Phase 3 of the Market Square (3rd St NW & Market Ave, North) has become a controversy brought on, surprisingly, by an e-mail (see copy in appendix section of this blog) sent out by core Stark County Foundations which were supportive of Phases 1 and 2 of the project which has been in the works for some two years announcing that the foundations under the umbrella Stark County Foundation would not be supporting Phase 3 because of major deficiencies in the planning and design of the entire project by those local private sector (thought to be Professional Football Hall of Fame officials) and government sector officials the principal of which the SCPR thinks is Canton mayor Thomas Bernabei.

Apparently, the foundations are not trying to "fan the fires" of acrimony as evidenced by its executive director's ignoring of a SCPR request for an "in depth" interview.

This blogger is disappointed in the non-response, however, the foundations are to be applauded for going public with the deficiencies in the downtown Canton Market Square project which is a normal approach for the foundations.

How the west side of 3rd NW & Market looks, more or less, today.

On July 24th, the projected "finished" look of the project (which the SCPR is told has changed from a $6 million project into being a $12 million project) was this.

The SCPR has asked Canton mayor Tom Bernabei for a current projected design (among a number of questions) should the $12 million materialize, to wit:

Tom,

In the foundations' letter, reference was made to that fact that Canton by virtue of recent voter approved income tax increase would be going into the CP project.

What portion of the tax increase is going into and/or is projected to go into the CP?

Moreover, what amount is the state of Ohio putting into the project?

Credible sources tell me that the project which is said to have started at $6 million is now projected to be $12 million.  Is this report accurate?

Are there any drawings of the project as presently planned?

If so, please send me a copy.

Thanks,

Martin Olson/SCPR

Bernabei has, in the experience of the SCPR, been one of, if not the very best, of transparent politicians/government officials in all of Stark County.

This blogger thinks he is without parallel within Stark County political/government leadership circles.

Undoubtedly, he is under pressure by HOF enthusiasts to minimize the foundations' decision not to participate in Phase 3 of Market Square.

Bernabei is known throughout Stark County political/government leadership circles as a very exacting, demanding and thorough manager who brooks no sloppiness and insists that his support staff dig deeper with questions than most government officials do.

Despite his doggedness, most of his retinue of staffers enjoy working for him.

This blogger will be surprised if Mayor Bernabei does not live up to his reputation for transparency and subject himself to the thoroughness standards he applies to others on this inquiry sooner or later, hopefully sooner.

The major Stark County foundations, as mentioned in the first paragraph of this blog, have stirred up things regarding the financing/funding of the projected Pro Football Hall of Fame Village (HOF-VP) connection to downtown Canton.

For these foundations under the auspicious of The Stark County Foundation to send out such an email to the main players/government officials in leadership positions is unprecedented.

That the likes of Jack Timken, Chuck Hoover, Steve Deuble and Mark Samolcyzk to do such the means, the SCPR believes, at a deeper level of analysis, that there are a great deal unanswered questions that it has dawned on the foundation folks that the Hall of Fame leadership folks have not been forthcoming upon which likely has prompted the foundations to say to themselves:  its time to back off our involvement in thing HOF-VP connected.

If the HOF-VP ends up going "belly-up" with having done very little other than build a "way over the top" $139 million (a conservative estimate; likely somewhere in the neighborhood of $175 million) stadium and athletic complex which HOF CEO C. David Baker himself once told Canton City Council that no private investor wants to invest in a stadium because there is no chance that there would be a return on investment for the investors.

Sounds roughly analogous to a project in Geneva, Ohio (called which (look at this Plain Dealer exposè (LINK) and this video description  of the Spire Institute, which like the HOF-VP, is an athletics-centered project which appears to have difficulty generating a revenue stream beyond the complex itself because of who wants to go to Geneva, Ohio other than to see/use the complex facilities.

Like it or not, there is very little to see in Canton, Ohio and it appears to this blogger that the HOF-VP folks (chiefly CEO C. David Baker), Repository publisher Jim Porter and Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce chairman Denny Saunier are trying to force the Market Square project in a desperate attempt to make downtown Canton a draw to visitors the HOF which also close to an interstate roadway (i.e. I77).

We will know that real progress in downtown Canton becoming a tourist/visitor to the HOF destination, when we start seeing things like this in the local media.

Readers need to remember that David Baker generated what the SCPR believes he must have known that was "never, ever, going to happen," a spin about the  NFL draft might be coming to Canton in 2020; the 100th anniversary of the founding of professional football with Canton being one of the charter members.

Even teaming up with Cleveland (where there is always something to do downtown) with the Browns, the Cavs, the Indians, the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Science Center, a number of theatrical productions and the like was not enough to attract the NFL to come to Cleveland/Canton.

But the NFL did consider the Cleveland/Canton proposal.  If the Cleveland/Canton were to be successful, Canton was only in line to get the third day of the draft which practically nobody attends.

Is it any surprise that Las Vegas (perhaps, the entertainment capital of the world) bested Cleveland/Canton bid?

Getting back to the foundations' letter.

Here are some key excerpts from the March 14, 2019 letter emailed (obviously) to key players in Stark County leadership circles.  (see appendix to this blog, item 1; also be sure to see (item 2 in the appendix) the entire presentation that the SCF/Bernabei made on Phases 1 and 2 on July 24, 2018)

WHAT PROMPTED THE LETTER? (telling excerpts which, in the opinion of the SCPR, appear to be directed at HOF officials)

The Timken, Hoover, Deuble and Stark Community Foundations have all received inquiries related to support of the Market Square/Centennial Plaza project in downtown Canton and those inquiries prompt us to share our position with you.

Various project concepts have been developed for Phase 3 over the years but all have been plagued by questions of 

• appropriate scale, 
• lack of community process and 
• sustainability.

It is our hope, and the purpose for this letter, that ongoing private fundraising for Phase 3 does not impact:

• the willingness and generosity of individuals and companies to support 
• existing and important community development programs and 
• capital campaigns and fundraising efforts.

Note:  SCPR restructured excerpts from the Foundations' emailed letter of March 14, 2019 for emphasis sake.

APPENDIX TO THIS BLOG

ITEM 1

Mark Scheffler
Executive Director
Timken Foundation

March 14, 2019

Subject:  A message from Stark County foundations:  Centennial Plaza

Greetings!

The Timken, Hoover, Deuble and Stark Community Foundations have all received inquiries related to support of the Market Square/Centennial Plaza project in downtown Canton and those inquiries prompt us to share our position with you.

Those of us who lead the largest community foundations see real value in the ongoing transformation of the Kresage lot into Centenial Plaza that potentially draws people downtown and allows us to showcase ongoing downtown development.  At the same time, it will celebrate the 100 year anniversary of professional football born a few blocks away.  A vibrant downtown Canton is critical to regional development which is why our foundations have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Canton throughout our existence.

Canton Centenial Plaza project has received foundation support for the design and planning for Phases 1 and 2.  These first phases are being funded by the increased city income tax as well as funding from the State of Ohio.  Phase 3 of the project, however, will not involve our financial support.  Various project concepts have been developed for Phase 3 over the years but all have been plagued by questions of appropriate scale, lack of community process and sustainability.  The current plan as presented has nearly doubled the original cost of the project and lacks the detail related to financial structure, project management and accountability that would traditionally be required for funding of community projects of this scale.

More than 40 years ago, community leaders with a vision for Canton/Stark County created a process by which large capital drives were evaluated to determine how best to allocate foundation and community resources.  The Capital Campaign Committee structure, through the guidance of the Stark Community Foundation, was adopted for this purpose.  In the case ofhe Centennial Plaza project, the failure to address the aforementioned issues in a timely fashion, and the avoidance of the vetting process that has served the community well for many years, may have an adverse impact on funding for other proposed projects.

We find ourselves in an unusual situation as for many years we have supported community projects of this scale.  Those initiatives, however, have succeeded through collaboration, consensus, and respect for process and have had a lasting impact locally in areas of education, health care, housing and the arts.  They have advanced because of a broad cross-section of individuals within the community who are passionate, reasoned, well-intended and are able to accept dissent just as well as consent.  Community development comes in a variety of forms but never reaches it potential when a single purpose is served at the expense of others.

It is our hope, and the purpose for this letter, that ongoing private fundraising for Phase 3 does not impact the willingness and generosity of individuals and companies to support existing and important community development programs and capital campaigns and fundraising efforts.

Jack Timken, President
The Timken Foundation of Canton

Chuck Hoover, Chairman
The Hoover Foundation

Steve Deuble, Chairman
George H. Deuble Foundation

Mark Samolczyk, President & CEO
Stark Community Foundation

Mark Scheffler
Executive Director
Timken Foundation

ITEM 2

ITEM 3

Mayor Bernabei's initial response to SCPR's seeking of comments about the Foundations' email, to wit:

Thomas Bernabei <thomas.bernabei@cantonohio.gov>
To:  Martin Olson

Mar 18 at 3:04 PM

Hi Martin,

I am in receipt of the letter/email from the Foundations referenced in your email to me.  The Foundations have been supportive in providing grants for design development for the Centennial Plaza/Market square project and I thank them for that. 

I have met with the leadership of the Foundations to keep them apprised of the status of the project.  

I am very appreciative of the extraordinary work which the Foundations do in Canton and Greater Stark County in helping so many important projects and needs. I well recognize the many demands on their resources;  in view of that, we have not intended nor have we asked the Foundations for capital funding for Centennial Plaza. 

The City has a close working relationship with the Foundations which is continuing.

PART 3: ONCE AGAIN NORTH CANTON SHOWS ITS ANTAGONISM TOWARDS "EVERYDAY" CITIZENS!

UPDATE:  TUESDAY, 12/11/2018 

FOX & TOP NC OFFICIALS BY PAY

PAYMENTS TO OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL DURING FOX TERM AS LAW DIRECTOR

A BLOG CORRECTION IN ORDER?
(December 11, 2018 1:15 p.m.)

This blogger just learned that a mistake was made by me in today's blog with respect to Council President Daniel "Jeff" Peters in terms of not answering an e-mail that asked him a question.

The fact of the matter is that this blogger sent the inquiry to the "wrong" Peters and hereby publicly apologizes to President Peters of North Canton government for incorrectly attributing to him a failure to respond when he didn't get the e-mailed question in the first place.

In bringing the matter to this blogger's attention, Peters stated that he never failed to respond to a SCPR inquiry.

Such is not the recollection of this blogger.  

While generally Peters has been responsive to The Report's inquiries (a few of the members of council have not been); there have been a few occasions over which Peters has been a member of Council in which there has been no response which undoubtedly was a factor in this blogger presuming that such was the case in this instance and prompted the admonition which has been retracted because of the inadvertent failure of this blogger to get the e-mail to the correct party from whom a response is desired.

Of course, Peters knows about the inquiry now by virtue of having read this blog as evidenced by his e-mail to the SCPR alerting this blogger to the fact that he had not received the inquiry.

The Report immediately generated this correction and renewed the request for an answer to the question posed in the erroneously directed e-mail.

To date, the SCPR has not received an answer to the question posed.

In the "alerting" e-mail (he did not respond to the question posed in the e-mail), Peters said going forward he would rethink whether or not to respond to SCPR questions.

So the question becomes, has Peters decided to punish the North Canton citizens right to know through media (i.e. specifically the SCPR) questioning because of the errantly directed original e-mail?

If so, is it not appropriate for the reading public and this blogger to surmise that a correction/retraction was a but too quickly published in the sense of  presuming that President Peters would accept the fact of the misdirected e-mail.

Please answer the question President Peters!

Otherwise, the original chastisement is readopted.

And the SCPR will be submitting additional questions over time so that the North Canton public gets answers to council's handing of the public's business.

Answer to question:  Peters says he did not direct Law Director Tim Fox to apologize to Citizen Osborne.  He says Fox did it on his own.

From Wikipedia:

The right to petition government for redress of grievances is the right to make a complaint to, or seek the assistance of, one's government, without fear of punishment or reprisals, ensured by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution (1791). 

Article 44 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union ensures the right to petition to the European Parliament.[1] 

The right can be traced back to the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany,[2] the Bill of Rights 1689, the Petition of Right (1628), and Magna Carta (1215).  (emphasis added)

Yes, "redress of grievances" is traceable back to the year 1215, but it appears to The Stark County Political Report that North Canton City Council members "grind their 'collective' teeth" as North Canton citizens dare to tell them and the North Canton administration and a glaring  Law Director Tim Fox that all is not right with North Canton government.

LINKS

PART 1, OF THIS SERIES

PART 11, OF THIS SERIES

Law Director Fox, the SCPR thinks, was hired (after, by the way, serving ever so briefly as Ward 3 councilperson; a post now held by Stephanie Werren) by council to, as his top priority mandate from Council, to "handle" those "pesky" citizens who meeting after meeting after meeting are wont to clutch the "Recognition of Visitors" (which the SCPR prefers to call "Public Speaks") designated lecture to deliver stinging indictments on how North Canton government governs the city.

While the SCPR believes that most members are so, so, so insecure that it shakes their self-confidence and generates ego threatening  "insecurity" in the core of their innermost being to be critiqued.

The solution for "it comes with the territory" disagreed with local legislators who cannot hand the heat,  is for them to get off Council.

Political dissent, is, of course, enshrined in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution with a parallel in the Ohio Constitution.

It seems that a particular target of Fox's has been for North Canton city council member Chuck Osborne.  It appears that Osborne responds in kind.

Let it be said that the SCPR does think that Chuck Osborne on occasion does get "out-of-hand" on occasion when he addresses Council, Mayor David Held and the rest of the North Canton administration.

And, on several occasions, he has been removed at the direction of multiple Council presidents.

Osborne tells the SCPR that he was apologized to by Fox after the meeting on November 26th.  Moreover, Osborne says that Fox was directed to do so by President Peters.

The Report has e-mailed Peters to determine whether or not he asked Fox to apologize.  (Correction:  email to the wrong Peters)

To give readers some insight to what appears to be the pettiness of Peters (likely bristling from past SCPR of his performance as president of Council) in answering the simplest of questions, here is the SCPR's email to him, to wit:

The text of the incorrectly address e-mail:

Martin Olson <tramols@att.net>
To:  Jeff Peters

Dec 9 at 9:28 AM

McCleaster says he did not contact you as reported to me by Mr. Osborne re:  the Planning Commission meeting.

A corollary question:

Did you direct LD Fox to apologize to Osborne on 11/26?

... .

In view the mistake in addressing the question, this blogger hereby retracts the following commentary.

Not surprisingly, Peters has not responded.  Some council president, no? A man who doesn't think he has to answer questions from the likes of the SCPR in this blogger's looking out for the public interest.

As simple "yes" or "no" would suffice, no?

But of course Peters has no qualms at all about taking taxpayer dollars (some of which, undoubtedly, are state of Ohio and federal tax dollars which is to say they go beyond the city of North Canton) as as compensation for his being a councilman.

Peters appears to mirror the majority of North Canton's council members in disrespecting/disregarding any who raise questions of North Canton government.

If Osborne's account is accurate, the apology should not have been a one-on-one apology to Osborne but rather a "on-the-record" during Council meeting apology to the North Canton public.

If Fox did in fact apologize to Osborne on the 26th, his contriteness appears to not have lasted long.

A source independent of Osborne has confirmed to the SCPR that during a break of a Planning Commission meeting, Fox, apparently uncomfortable of Osborne's proximity to a discussion that Fox was having with three Planning Commission members lashed out at Oborne on the issue of proximity by calling him a "jackass."

A case can be made that Fox more fits the billing of being a "jackass" rather than Osborne.

For Law Director Fox to have used such language in relation to a North Canton citizen is certainly "conduct unbecoming of an 'appointed' officer" who earns $91,354 annually courtesy of North Canton's taxpayers

Calling a citizen a "jackass" should not be abided by North Canton Council, the part of North Canton government that hired him back in 2012.

The person in North Canton government that the Council president and the at-large and ward council members ought to be modeling is Mayor David Held.

Held has been the target over his years in North Canton government in public in a manner, to say the least, has been vitriolic.

Nevertheless, Held persists in recognizing the value of likes of Osborne even in the face of vitriol in bringing to the attention of government his grievances which he (Osborne) thinks needs "fixin."

Held himself has told the SCPR about his first-hand experience in being handled brusquely (former mayor Tom Rice) without recourse when he was the North Canton city administrator.  Ultimately, he was vindicated in running for and being elected mayor of North Canton.

Moreover, earlier his year Held himself stood front and center at a meeting of Strengthening Stark and upbraided Professional Football Hall of Fame officialdom with suspicions for their (actually Stu Lichter of IRG and HOF Village LLC) handling of federal government financing (i.e. EB 5 Visa funding) that he had reason to believe had migrated from the North Canton Hoover rehab project into monies being used to fund the estimated $1 billion Hall of Fame Village (expansion) Project.

Here is the video of Held in action.



Indeed, Held is a model for Council to follow in the sense of valuing a "the King has not clothes on" approach to holding government at all levels accountable.

The citizen-activist contenders with Council and Law Director Fox are apparently taking a new tact in trying to rein Fox in.

They have been making the case to the SCPR that Fox has been shed by North Canton government of a number of activities/duties and therefore a "full-time" law director is not needed.

The question that this blogger has is this:

What will making Tim Fox part-time accomplish?

Yes, such a change could drive him back into the private sector for full-time employment BUT isn't it likely he remains as North Canton's law director and will thereby continue a presence at Council meetings to be Council's enforcer in "chilling" citizens seeking "redress of grievances" vis-a-vis North Canton government.

Along these lines, the only "effective" remedy to making the law director position part-time is to farm out the position to the private bar with a proviso that nobody with connections to North Canton government in any way, shape or form would be considered for hire.

Moreover, a part of the contract language should be included that forbids legal counsel from directly engaging citizens using "Public Speaks" and only being a part of North Canton government process in answering the questions of the Council president or members of Council with regard to the law that pertains to Council/citizen dialogue.

Nowhere in the "official duties" list for the North Canton law director, does "shut down public dissent" on aspects of North Canton governance appear, to wit:

Director of Law.

 A Director of Law shall be appointed by Council as legal counsel for all divisions of the municipality in connection with municipal affairs and may be removed at any time by an affirmative vote of four (4) Council members.

The Director of Law shall be an attorney-at-law admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio, and shall have engaged in active practice in excess of five (5) years prior to appointment.

Assistants may be provided by Council.

Essential Duties:

Represents the City Council, Mayor and all Department Heads in all administrative and legal proceedings ranging from federal to municipal matters.

Manages claims on behalf of, and against the City.

Participates in all City Council meetings, CIC, Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeal’s meetings.

Provides legal advice to City department heads and other City employees in regard to their official duties and responsibilities.

Inspects and approves contracts, bonds and policies in which the City is involved.

Drafts and reviews ordinances, resolutions, deeds, easements, agreements and other legal documents for the City Council, Mayor, Administrator and other City officials.

Investigates and makes recommendations to the City Council on cases for and against the City.
Renders verbal and written opinions to City Officials.

Communicates legal policies, procedures and decisions to the City Council, City and officials, and the general public.

Assists Department Heads to see that all laws and ordinances are faithfully performed.

Performs other duties as directed by a majority of Council or provided for under the City Charter.

Works closely with outside hired attorneys, the Clerk of Council, the City Administrator and the Finance Director to gather information to provide to Council.

Activist citizens have identified the following as being legal job functions which are no longer being done by Fox.

North Canton Law Director is no longer responsible for --

1. collection of delinquent income taxes 

2. unresolved nuisance violations (now forwarded to Municipal Court)

3. North Canton no longer has a Mayors Court 

4. recent lawsuits (North Ridge & water board) have been outsourced to private law firms

5. labor negotiation

Of course, the immediate question is whether or not Fox's salary has been reduced to account for the lighter workload he has?

Moreover, how much more is North Canton government paying for others to do what Fox formerly did (reference the list above) at his September, 2018 hire.

And there is this from a commenter on what work Fox continues to do, to wit:

It is strongly recommended the Law Director follow the Charter and provide legal counsel upon request, and not insert himself into daily functions and decision making of the divisions of the municipality.

CONGRATS! CANTON REPOSITORY EDITORIAL BOARD

UPDATE:   CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER ENDORSES HARBAUGH

10>10 AM

ON

KEN HARBAUGH ENDORSEMENT

(7TH U.S. HOUSE SEAT)

[WHICH INCLUDES "MOST" OF STARK COUNTY

As regular readers of The Stark County Political Report (SCPR, The Report) know, this blogger covers the Board of Stark County Commissioners meetings which are held nearly every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the commissioners' meeting room on the second floor of the Stark County Office Building.

Before the meeting begins, there is often "before going-the-record" banter which is exchanged between one or more of the commissioners, the media, other Stark County political subdivision officials and, sometimes, even a Stark County citizen or two.

Knowing that this blogger has been impressed with the Ken Harbaugh for Congress (the 7th Congressional District, which includes most of Stark County, Commissioner Richard Regula (a Republican) asked the SCPR if The Report had seen The Canton Repository endorsement of Democrat Harbaugh of Lorain County over incumbent Republican congressman Bob Gibbs of  Holmes County on the October 23rd edition of the paper.

(Note:  Gibbs/Harbaugh will debate at Ashland University on Monday evening)

(See a SCPR planned blog featuring a video of the debate on Tuesday, next week)

"No!" this astonished blogger replied.

What's more interesting about this endorsement is that the board likely knows that Gibbs' campaign staffers appear to be strategically placing out "internal" polling indicating that Harbaugh has a 15 point polling lead over Harbaugh.

The SCPR thinks that this "plant" is just that for several reasons.

First, why would Gibbs "all-of-a-sudden" agree to a one-on-one debate with Harbaugh on Monday evening at Ashland University if he has a statistically safe lead?

Secondly, the Harbaugh campaign intensity level, as noted by the editors, is about as striking to local media as we experience.  It is hard to believe that the impressive effort is not having an effect to Harbaugh's advantage.

Thirdly, local "organized" Republicans do not mock the suggestion that Ken Harbaugh might be on the brink of pulling one of the biggest political upsets that Ohio has seen in modern times.

They seem confident that Gibbs will win, but dismissively so.

Not long ago Repository publisher let it be known in his weekly Sunday column that he is a registered Republican.

To boot, The Rep endorsed Gibbs in the 2016 7th Congressional District race.

Finally, this editorial endorsed far more Republicans in this election cycle season than Democrats.

Putting the foregoing multiple points together,  it was hard to imagine that Democrat Harbaugh would be getting The Rep's endorsement.

To their credit, the editorial board members thought long and hard about whom the board would endorse.

Of all the candidates in all the races affecting the Stark County area, we’ve found no candidate who matches Harbaugh’s drive, passion and ability to connect with voters the way Harbaugh does. He calls the process “listening, learning, understanding and acting.” 

We call it effective and believe it can translate to Washington. For that reason, we endorse Harbaugh for the 7th District seat.

The SCPR does not do endorsements.

However, it is easy for readers to figure out whom among Stark County connected candidates for political office impresses this blogger.

Unfortunately, very few candidates do.

Usually, the SCPR's take on candidates for most races is a mixed bag.

For instance, let's take Ohio General Assembly (OGA) Stark County delegation members Scott Oelslager (currently a member of the state Senate, running for the 48th Ohio House seat) and Kirk Schuring (currently a member of the state House, running for the seat Oelslager is vacating because of term limits).

There is no doubt about it.

Over the combined 60 years in the back and forth between the House and Senate to overcome the term limits factor, this duo certainly done some "good' things for Ohio and Stark County.

Oelslager's work on open government and Schuring's on economic development enabling legislature are noteworthy and deserving of "atta boys."

And the SCPR can cite a number of other examples wherein both have stepped up and done democratic-republican system enhancing and civic (not necessarily political party benefiting) actions.

However, there have been some things that have not been "good" for Stark County localities such has joining with Republican governor John Kasich beginning in 2011 to pretty much gut state of Ohio "local government" funding.

Also, they have done nothing to curb and over time eliminate the Ohio General Assembly's:

•  penchant for laying "unfunded" state mandates on local governments,
•  which in addition to the local government fund cuts, 
• combined with the ending of Ohio's Estate Tax and a few other revenue enhancing local government funding sources

to undermine the fiscal viability of  the level of government  (i.e. cities, villages, townships and boards of education) to which Stark County citizens have the most "influential" connection.

Moreover, both have participated in the Ohio Republican legislative caucuses drive to subvert the financial viability of the public school system (while accepting substantial campaign financial contributions from the "for profit" charter school [including the ECOT online school] movement in supporting legislation that has cost Stark County school districts million upon millions of state of Ohio education K-12 funding.

The Rep has endorsed both.  

And based on some of the work they have done over their  combined 60 years, the endorsements make sense.  

Especially in light of the fact that the Stark County Democratic Party has utterly failed at the hand of the last three or four chairpersons to come up with promising, viable candidates to challenge the duo.

However, in endorsing Oelslager and Schuring,  The Rep editorial board fails to mention their respective shortcomings as amply cited in this blog and thereby fail to send the message that they need to do better and Stark County's only countywide newspaper will be holding them accountable (chapter and verse) on the specifics of various matters they act upon.

Just as The Rep and the SCPR and 7th District constituents need to hold Ken Harbaugh accountable for his "Country Over Party" promise to 7th District voters should he be elected.

The "crown-jewel: of Schuring and Oelslager's work in the OGA supported the undermining of "one-person, one-vote" in their support for Republican gerrymandering of Ohio federal (i.e. the U.S. House of Representatives) and state legislative districts.

Stark County and Ohio voters have moved to correct this distortion of legislative districts in recent year referendum elections therefore sending a message to Stark Countian and Ohio GOP chairperson Jane Timken that the primary criterion of formulating legislative districts is not her "elections have consequences" standard but rather a "fairness" that enables the possibility of  "out-of-power" registered political party members to have a voice in state and federal government.

One of the reasons that Ken Harbaugh faces an uphill battle to win congressional office lies with the Jane Timkens of the world.

She and the likes of Oeslager, Schuring and Christina Hagan (the 50th) have worked to "stack the deck" for a Republican in federal legislative districts.

Not only the 7th.  But also the 16th (which Christina Hagan herself tried to benefit from personally in running in 2018 to be the Republican nominee in the 16th  And, the 13th which was gerrymandered by Statehouse Republicans to fit as many Democrats as possible in that district and thereby deprive Alliance area registered Republicans and independence an opportunity to hear their voices heard.

Believe me, the SCPR is well aware that there are Stark County "organized" Democratic Party

leaders (e.g. former Stark Dems chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.) who subscribe to the Timken standard.

The great rejoinder has always been:  "the other party does it."

And such has been historically true.

The rebuttal to the rejoinder is:  "Both parties have been 'wrong' in that thereby the severely damage the public confidence in the fairness of our system of government as perverted by political parties.

Folks like Timken and Maier, Jr. in perpetuating gerrymandering as a good thing are eroding public confidence in the integrity and fairness of fundamental institutions of government (i.e. legislatures) and thereby do great damage to our democratic-republican way of life.

The SCPR applauds The Canton Repository Editorial Board for supporting the notion of "the interests of Americans, Ohioans and Stark Countians" in support of the Harbaugh candidacy.

Republicans, Democrats and independents should take The Rep's endorsement of Democrat Ken Harbaugh to heart in light of The Report's belief that the editorial board would have preferred to be in a position to re-endorse Bob Gibbs for another term.

The Repository Editorial Board put it best with this endorsement language:

Congress needs more representatives who will roll up their sleeves, like Harbaugh did here all those months ago. It needs an infusion of accountability — pick the political party; it doesn’t matter — and more people who are willing to get their nose bloodied. (If you haven’t seen the Harbaugh TV ad, you probably will in the final weeks before Nov. 6.) 

“I think the choice is clear,” Harbaugh said. “And voters are remarking about that choice. They don’t want someone who votes with his party 99 percent of the time in a district that’s largely independent.”

GIBBS' CAMPAIGN SAYS IT IS REPULSED BY CONTRIBUTOR MARSHALL B. BELDEN JR'S CONDUCT

REDIRECTS 
MARSHALL B. BELDEN, JR'S
GIBBS CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION

TO

CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH OF STARK COUNTY!

One never knows what one will discover when doing research for a political blog such as The Stark County Political Report (SCPR, The Report).

As regular readers of the SCPR know, this blogger goes over campaign finance reports with a "fine-tooth-comb" in order to be able to report to the Stark County public whom is contributing to candidates for state and federal office.

On October 15th, the latest Federal Election Commision reports were published.

And here is what The Report found on the matter of Stark Countians listed as contributing to Republican incumbent Bob Gibbs' 7th Congressional District campaign since January 1, 2017.

This blogger thought nothing of the list including Marshall B. Belden's appearance on Gibbs' contributor list except that compared to challenging Democrat Ken Harbaugh's listing, Gibbs' CFR is a "Who's Who" listing of some of Stark County's richest and powerful.

Because most of the Stark County Gibbs' contributors have considerable wealth, Gibbs outraised Harbaugh in Stark County though Harbaugh has outraised Gibbs' over the range of  the entire 7th District.

With the publication of the forgoing list, the SCPR received this e-mail:

Accused Kiddie Porn Watcher Donated to Gibbs

... @aol.com  Oct 17 at 12:34 AM

To:  tramols@att.net

On you list of contributors to Congressman Gibbs is Marshall B. Belden, Jr. who was arrested and is awaiting trial on allegations of viewing child pornography.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/marshall-belden-canton-indicted-child-pornography-charges

For the SCPR, the e-mail was an "Aha!" moment.

Connection made.

One of the reasons the SCPR is so well read by Stark Countians who want to know "the inside story" of Stark County government and politics, is that The Report is fearless in bringing to the light of day the transgressions of Stark County connected political/governmental personages no matter how powerful and no matter that a given person may be a highly "successful" person in terms of winning elections, in government power status and in personal wealth.

Other Stark County media outlets to appear to be very much "respecters of persons" and accordingly much goes on within the bowels of Stark County politics and government.

The Report is always grateful to citizens who step forward with information that the public ought to know in deciding whether or not to support this candidate or that candidate.

Though appreciated, the SCPR works very hard to confirm and verify all "tips" sent to this blogger before one word is written.  If a given tip does not stand up to scrutiny, it is quickly jettisoned.

And the Belden, Jr. matter is no exception on the thoroughness score.

Of course, among candidates' worst fear is that someone with Marshall B. Belden Jr's history will show up on the candidates' campaign finance report.

One might sympathize with campaigns have to deal with such vulnerabilities.

However, political campaign staffs at the congressional level have persons on payroll to detect the Belden, Jr. situations and not have to be made aware of same by the likes of the SCPR.

In this case, Marshall B. Belden, Jr. was indicted on March 1, 2017.

The date of the Marshall Belden, Jr contribution to the Gibbs' campaign?

About, as the SCPR can determine, August 30, 2017.

Well after the March 1, 2017 indictment.

Apparently, those who staff the Gibbs' campaign do not read The Canton Repository and thereafter vigilantly comb campaign contributions to ascertain whether or not to keep the contributions.

Soon Stark County philanthropist Marshall B. Belden, Jr.  (philanthropist, according to one Stark County elected official as Belden, Jr was described to the SCPR by that official) will be sentenced by U.S. District Court (Northern District of Ohio) Judge Donald C. Nugent will (if he accepts a plea bargain recommended by his magistrate).

As the SCPR calculates Belden Jr's age, he must be 70 years of age, more or less.

The Stark County elected official cited by the SCPR above observed that given his age the official thinks Belden, Jr's sentence will be such that he will never make it out of prison.

We shall see soon.  No sentencing date has been set but it appears that Judge Nugent will be coming to a conclusion on the fate of Marshall B. Belden, Jr within the very near future.

In writing this blog, this blogger waited in publishing this blog until an opportunity was provided to the Gibbs' campaign and the Harbaugh campaign to weigh-in on the matter.

To date, the Harbaugh campaign has not responded to a SCPR request for a comment.

But it was quite a different story for the Gibbs' Campaign, to wit:

The SCPR e-mail to the Gibbs' campaign.

(NOTE:  HERETOFORE THE GIBBS' CAMPAIGN HAS IGNORED THE SCPR'S QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS TO COVER WITH VIDEO CAMERA GIBBS' CAMPAIGN EVENTS WHICH THE SCPR TAKES AS HIGH DISRESPECT FOR THE EVEN HANDEDNESS OF THE SCPR BLOG.  NEVERTHELESS, THIS BLOGGER DID NOT JUST GO OFF "WILLY-NILLY" AND WRITE A BLOG.  READERS CAN BE SURE THAT THE REPORT WOULD HAVE, IF PERMITTED, PUT THE GIBBS THROUGH THE SCPR ACID TEST THAT THIS BLOG PUTS ALL CANDIDATES THROUGH.  IT APPEARS THAT THE GIBBS FOLKS DO NOT THINK THEIR CANDIDATE CAN HANDLE 'UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL" SCRUTINY OF THIS BLOGGER)

Campaign Finance Report showing Marshall Belden Jr as donor to Gibbs campaign

Martin Olson <tramols@att.net>  Today at 8:31 AM

To:  info@bobgibbsforcongress.com

Attn:  Gibbs for Congress Campaign Manager, Campaign  Finance Director and Candidate Gibbs

Recently received this e-mail from a citizen.

On you list of contributors to Congressman Gibbs is Marshall B. Belden, Jr. who was arrested and is awaiting trial on allegations of viewing child pornography.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/marshall-belden-canton-indicted-child-pornography-charges

See attachments  for verification of donation to Gibbs campaign on or about 08/30/2017 allegedly the same person as listed donor to Gibbs' FEC campaign finance report.

Question:  Has the Gibbs' campaign taken measures to identify whether or not the Marshall B. Belden, Jr. isted on the Gibbs' FEC campaign finance report is the same person as listed in the criminal indictment/recommended acceptance of guilty plea regarding Count 1 of the charges recited in United States Department of Justice communique of March 1, 2017 (LINK).

If the Gibbs' campaign has verified the allegation of Marshall B. Belden being one and the same person as contributed on or about 08/30/2017 to the Gibbs for Congress campaign, what if any steps has the campaign taken to return the donation or divert to a charitable cause to an organization dedicated to protecting children from persons indicted/pleading guilty to child pornography charges.

If verification has not been done, does the Gibbs' campaign plan to check into the aforementioned matter.?  If so, will the Gibbs campaign when will the checking take place? 

If verified, will the Gibbs' campaign be acting to return to Marshall B. Belden his donation to the campaign or redirecting to an organization as generally described above.

The SCPR will wait 24 hours for a Gibbs' campaign response.

If not forthcoming with said 24 hours, then the SCPR will take the silence as being a refusal to comment.

Of course, if the Gibbs' campaign neglects to respond prior to the 24 hour window, the SCPR nonetheless, plans to publish said response in full.

Thank you,

Martin Olson

Stark County Political Report

tramols@att.net

330 499 0465i

It was no time at all (a little over four hours) after the SCPR e-mail was sent for the heretofore pretty much inaccessible to the SCPR Gibbs' campaign to respond.

Jake Altman <jake@bobgibbsforcongress.com>  Today at 12:41 PM

To:  tramols@att.net

Mr. Olson,

Regarding your inquiry: obviously, the campaign was completely unaware of this individual’s disgusting criminal history. 
Thank you for bringing this abhorrent and inexcusable behavior to our attention. 

The campaign is making a donation to the Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health in Stark County. (emphasis added)

-Jake Altman

Gibbs for Congress

The relative quick Gibbs' campaign response is strong evidence that when campaigns think it is in the campaign's and the candidate's political interest in terms of continued viability, then, the likes of the SCPR can get a response.

Voters ought to note what it takes to get Bob Gibbs' and his campaign to respond.  He is not generally accessible to to the general public and even more so to the media especially the likes of the SCPR which is known for its incisive questioning.  Earlier this year, the SCPR was denied access to what was called a Town Hall meeting in Shelby, Ohio (some 80 miles from this blogger's home) though local media was allowed in and covered the event.

In contrast to Gibbs, his Democratic opponent Ken Harbaugh has been highly accessible.  However, to be fair, a couple of SCPR inquiries on sensitive topics have gone unresponded to.  One must never forget that a person running for office is a "politician"

The Report thinks well of Harbaugh's "Country Over Party" campaign theme but the "proof will be in the pudding" if he gets elected.  And, of course, the SCPR will be scrutinizing Ken Harbaugh in office to ascertain whether or not his work as a congressman matches the political rhetoric.

Last Friday, Harbaugh held an event outside the Stark County Office Building (the home of many if not most countywide agencies of government) but also the home of Gibbs' Canton office.

The video of the Harbaugh Friday event in front of Gibbs' office located at the Stark County Office Building:

It is interesting that it takes something like the "undetected" by the Gibbs campaign regarding Belden, Jr. to get the campaign to respond to SCRP'S inquiries over the course of the campaign. 

To repeat, the Belden, Jr matter changed that in a hurry!

If voters of the 7th Congressional District re-elect Bob Gibbs, then one would not want to hear:  "my congressman will not return my call, answer my letter, et cetera."

7th Congressional District voters now "are on notice" that Bob Gibbs seems contemptuous to all except to the well connected like those on his Stark County contributors' list as set forth above.

Only about 17%  of voters nationally approve of the way Congresspersons handle themselves.

And we in Stark County have a prime example in Bob Gibbs that he fits very neatly into 83% who merit a disapproval rating.

Bob Gibbs makes it abundantly clear to everyday folk and scrutinizing media that they can take a hike!