Has the Canton City Council REALLY considered an Animial Control Policy Change to Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)?

What follows is a "real life" Stark County Politics 101 lesson on how political/governmental factors come together in public policy decision making (in this instance Canton City Council) and who impacts those decisions and why or why not. 

The SCPR is not taking a position for or against a Canton policy change on its animal control policy.

Only and only when a YouTube video surfaced purportedly showing animal abuse by Canton Animal Control Officer Phil Sedlacko (in the context of his Stark County Dog Pound employment) did Canton City Council seemingly take a look at Canton's animal control policies which at the end of the day appear to be "trap and have euthanized."

The supposed examination of policy was in response to a "hue and cry" coming from the great body of animal lovers who inhabit Stark County (not necessarily Canton) and beyond.

From what the SCPR can see, the look-see was just that - a glance - and there was never any real intent on the part of Canton officials and most council members that the complaints from a few Cantonians and a large group of out-of-towners of council and the Healy administration seriously reviewing its policies on animal control.

Now word comes down that council is going to move forward at tonight's meeting (7:30 PM) to extend Sedlacko's contract for nearly two years (until December 31, 2013).

Moral of the story?

• Canton's lawmakers (in the majority sense) have predetermined that they are not going to allow out-of-towners to affect its policies, and
• Canton's governmental procedures, processes and resources will be brought to bear to ensure the predetermined outcome

And that is the message most councilpersons are sending out in a number of ways.

It is a truism that those who own and/or work with animals in a public service context (i.e. dog pound volunteers, trap-neuter-return, et cetera) are passionate about animals.

But to many members of Canton City Council,  animal control within Canton's boundaries is not a matter or liking or disliking animals.  It is a matter of the political business of responding to the complaints of their constituents.  Non-constituents can take a hike!

The focus of broadly defined animal control in Canton as the underlying hot topic is with feral (wild) cats.  Residents (who, of course, are councilmember constituents) have been complaining to council for years that these animals are a nuisance at best, a health threat and/or property destroying at worst and need to be controlled by elimination.  Most Cantonians who have an opinion on feral cats and who are communicating with councilpersons, do not want feral cat trapped, neutered (and, perhaps, inoculated) and RETURNED to their neighborhoods.

And out-of-towners are not constituents.

While council (except maybe perhaps Councilman David Dougherty - when he subs for President Alan Schulman as president) will listen respectfully and in a courteous manner at Public Speaks to the pleas from those who come to Canton council from out-of-town, it appears that their cry for a change in Canton's animal control policy has always fallen on deaf ears as far as a majority of Canton's councilmembers are concerned.

Only Councilwoman Mary Cirelli (at-large) seems interested in the out-of-towners mission to effect a policy change as well as terminating Phil Sedlacko's job with Canton.  The SCPR's take on Councilman Frank Morris III is that he does not necessarily object to current policy but that he does favor the ending of Canton's contractual relationship with Sedlacko.  However, Councilpersons Smith, Hawk and West speak glowing of Sedlacko.

A soon as the YouTube generated controversy surfaced, one can see the wheels of Personnel Committee Chairman Patrick Barton (7th Ward) turning.  A burgeoning crisis to be contained, no?  Undoubtedly, he had conversations with Safety Director Thomas Ream as to how to handle the outpouring of animal lover outrage that they were beginning to receive as a consequence of the video surfacing.

Answer?

Renew the Sedlacko contract for 90 days to cool things down in the immediate time frame and schedule a meeting in the context of a council work session for Canton Health Director James M. Adams who, Councilman Barton certainly knew beforehand, would come in a say that having feral cats - neutered or not - running at large in Canton are a health risk to Cantonians.

At best Adams arguments were "a matter of opinion," no better, no worse than those of the TNR crowd, and the truth of the matter is that there is no definitive study that established the fact of the matter either way.

However, the work session context was the perfect setting to protect Adams from any critically bent questions from the TNRers in attendance.  Only councilmembers are allowed to question/speak at work sessions unless outsiders are given special dispensation by a committee chair and Patrick Barton was having none of that.

In fact, after Adams left the work session chamber he was sort of cornered by TNR advocates peppering him with questions which prompted Chairman Barton to get a bit unnerved.  He pounced on the scene and asked Adams whether or not he felt bothered.  To which Adams responded in the negative.

It is interesting that shortly after Barton expressed his concerns about Adams, a Canton policeman could be seen to be posted nearby.

A TNR advocate Tobin Franks of Louisville, Ohio has gone to the trouble of putting together a Town Hall Meeting put on by Ally Cats Allies mainly for the benefit of Canton city councilpersons on the merits of TNR for this coming Wednesday.

It is interesting that a vote on Sedlacko has been scheduled two days prior to councilmembers having the opportunity "to be educated."  Coincidence?  Hmm?

The SCPR believes that the extending of Sedlacko's contract is a clear indication that council's majority has no interest whatsoever in changing its feral cat policy.  Moreover, if council acts tonight, as many expect, to extend Sedlacko, then - pardon the pun - "the cat is out of the bag."

Who thinks many, if any, Canton councilpersons or Healy administration members will be attending Wednesday?

Apparently, not Franks. 

It seems to the SCPR that "the achilles heel" of the TNR folks' position is not so much the weakness of their argument but that they are by-and-large from out-of-town.

Here is a copy of a plea Franks' has issued for Cantonians (evidence that the out-of-towners factor is not lost on him) to show up in numbers to stop council's contemplated action on the Sedlacko contract.

"BLAME CNN" - STARK BD OF ELECTIONS DIRECTOR JEFF MATTHEWS RESPONSE TO CRITICISM OF STARK BOE BEING "SECOND TO LAST" TO CUYAHOGA CO. IN REPORTING TUESDAY'S ELECTION RESULTS. HMM?

Stark County Board of Elections Director and Stark County Republican Party Chairman Jeff Matthews appears to be taking a cue from Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.

By now most folks know that when Gingrich is asked an embarrassing question by the press, Gingrich "jumps for joy" because it is a prime opportunity for him to lambaste the media which plays well with the American public.

Gingrich loves to make himself the victim when asked uncomfortable questions by the national media.

One of Gingrich's most famous blasts at the press occurred in a presidential debate of January 19, 2012 with CNN's John King as moderator asking Gingrich an embarrassing (to Gingrich) question about one of his three marriages.

On Tuesday night (err Wednesday morning at 2:12 AM), the Stark County Board of Elections eked out Cuyahoga County (notorious for leading Ohio boards of elections in snafus and delays) in not gaining the top spot for being the last to report results.

Stark's embarrassing delay was brought to light by CNN's King in covering SuperTuesday election results in an on-air exchange with Wolf Blitzer.

The Rep's Robert Wang in reporting CNN's holding of Stark County up as in the same league with Cleveland and Cuyahoga in terms of inordinate election results reporting delays (Stark second-to-last reporting election results) brought the embarrassment up close and personal to Stark Countians.

Well, Stark County's Matthews had an "indirect" and delayed exchange with King.  As reported by Wang, Matthews said in response to the embarrassment hurled his way:

We’re not here to appease CNN.  We’re here to try to get it right, keeping in mind it is an unofficial count on election night. ... the system is just not conducive to early returns as punch cards were.

While Matthews is correct that he is not on the job to please CNN, he and his deputy and chief Democrat honcho at the BOE, Jeanette Mullane, are in place to please Stark Countians.

However, Matthews, in his response, decided to take a page out of the Gingrich playbook, and deflect the poor performance of the Stark BOE on Tuesday by focusing on defending against the CNN implicit criticism how he managed getting out the election results in a more timely fashion.

Less than 30 days ago, the Stark County commissioners approved a budgetary appropriation hike of some $500,000 so that the Stark BOE who have adequate resources to handle the 2012 presidential year election

Collectively (including benefits), this duo gets paid about $200,000 to conduct thorough, complete, effective and as speedy as possible - consistent with accuracy - elections.

The SCPR believes they can do better on the "speed combined with accuracy" factor.

Board of Election members William Cline (Republican), Curt Braden (Republican), Sam Ferruccio (Democrat) and Phil Giavasis (Democrat) need to examine the processes employed at the Stark BOE and order measures to be taken to improve the Stark timeline.

Moreover, the Ohio Secretary of State (who is charged with overseeing elections across Ohio) Jon Husted needs to take a look from his vantage point and do an apples to apples comparison of Stark with other similarly situated Ohio counties and implement "best practices" already employed in other counties which put them well ahead of Stark in the "report of results timeline."

The Report understands that anomalies will crop up from time-to-time which will cause an undue (from the consumer's perspective) delay because of an unexpected unique problem that materializes.

The disturbing factor about Stark's 2:12 AM Wednesday morning completion time is that there were no anomalies.

At this rate with about 15% of registered Stark Countians voting on Tuesday, come November 6th Stark County will be back in the horse 'n' buggy days of recording and reporting election results.

The prospect of such is unacceptable!

Director Matthews' one upping of  CNN is one thing, but his disregard of Stark Countians and their right to have timely election results is quite another.

It appears to the SCPR that the lack of due diligence and the lack of effective follow up on the part of the Stark BOE management (along with the Lake Township trustees) is a main causative factor as to why the fate of the Lake Township-wide police levy question of last November remains to be resolved by the Ohio Supreme Court.

The likes of the Stark BOE members, the Ohio secretary of state, and other Stark County elected officials should be putting official and peer group pressure on Matthews and Mullane to improve their management and leadership skills.

Perhaps they are in over their collective heads and need to hire an elections expert consultant to help them solve their problem?


For $200,000 a year in top echelon pay and getting a budget bump of $500,000 plus at the expense of other needy Stark County department of government, the SCPR believes that Matthews and Mullane as the Stark County Board of elections leadership are to deliver top notch elections services.

Rather than buck up and admit the obvious and vow to make significant improvement, Matthews chose to sort of blame/castigate in a sarcastic way the messenger for even mentioning it.

Another case in point as a chapter and verse example of many such incidents that fuel everyday citizens harboring increasing cynicism about the commitment and dedication of public officials.

A really helpful contribution towards the cause of facilitating governance, no?

(VIDEOS) MASSILLON KATHY CATAZARO-PERRY: HER OWN WORST ENEMY WHO IS DIGGING A DEEPER HOLE FOR HERSELF?

UPDATE:  03/08/2012 - 1:20 PM

COUNCILMAN ED LEWIS, IV ON BUDGET CUTS



UPDATE:  03/08/2012 - 1:00 PM

COUNCILWOMAN NANCY HALTER ON BUDGET CUTS



UPDATE:  03/08/2012 - 10:15 AM

PUBLIC SPEAKS VIDEO ON INCOME TAX CREDIT REDUCTION ORDINANCE (#13)



ORIGINAL BLOG

There is a saying:  "we know you are working hard, but who are you working hard for?"

And usually one is savvy enough to work hard for one's self interest.

But is that the case for neophyte Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry who just took office in Massillon a couple months ago?

Matt Rink of The Independent reported not long ago that the mayor did not have the votes to get her proposal that Massillon reduce its income tax credit for taxes paid by Massillon residents to out-of-town tax jurisdictions by 50%.

But she persisted anyway.

In getting voted down 8 to 1 (only Councilman Larry Slagle voting for her position) on her quest to raise "short term" revenue for Massillon ($600,000 for 2012, had Ordinance 13 passed), the mayor is showing early signs that she has a problem building common solutions in a consensus building fashion for Massillon's financial difficulties.



She continues to hang onto "blame the Frank Cicchinelli regime" line as if "the blame game" somehow solves Massillon's current financial fix.

Add this to a budget cut proposal that Clerk of Council Mary Beth Bailey's salary be cut by 42% (link to that story), and a disturbing picture of Catazaro-Perry's inability to create win/win remedies for Massillon's woes seems to be developing.

 The loggerheads in Massillon city government is taking on a "short-term" solution versus "longer-term" solution tone. 

Moreover, some councilmembers are not into having about one-third of taxpaying Massillonians bearing a burden owned by all Massillonians.

Approved Monday night by council were administration proposed measures to have city non-union employees pay 15% of their healthcare coverage premiums and to take pay freezes.

The approval is indication that council will work with the mayor.

Councilwoman Nancy Halter told the SCPR that council's rejection of Ordinance 13 does not mean that personnel cuts are in the offing.  Rather that other cuts that can be made, must be made.

One hopeful sign that Catazaro-Perry has the capacity for change in attitude is that she has Ken Koher (former Stark County treasurer) as her finance man.  During the short time he served as county treasurer, he devised and implemented a plan to enhance the security of county taxpayer money in light of the theft of taxpayer funds by former Chief Deputy Treasurer Vince Frustaci.

While the needs of the Massillon financial picture are different than what Koher devised a fix for at the county treasurer's office, he has the qualities to be "bridge over troubled waters" asset and the mayor would do well by herself and the city's residents to take full advantage of his skills.

It appears to The Report that she may be using Koher as a financial technician rather than taking full advantage of his reputation as a high quality, non-political financial strategist who has the potential to understand the perspective of council and blending it with the administration's most pressing needs and bring the two together.

A building block of a longer-term (which Councilwoman Haler defines to be possibly more than two years down the road) is Councilman Paul Manson's long held view that Massillon's income tax needs to be raised to a full 2% (up from the current 1.8%).   Comments by councilmembers on Monday indicate that a majority of council favors enacting Manson's proposal.

The Report believes that Massillonians should visualize Catazaro-Perry as having advisers on either side of her whispering into her ears:  the Ken Koher perspective in the ear on the left, the "power politics" proponents in the ear on the right.

The question:  which whisper will prevail?

If it is the one on the right, then the mayor is indeed working hard to dig a deeper hole for herself.

Let's hope that she will focus on Koher's whispers and reverse course and quit working hard to dig a deeper hole for herself and the city of Massillon.

CANTON MAYOR HEALY DEFEATS STARK COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY ESTABLISHMENT. GONZALEZ ON HIS LAST TERM AS PARTY CHAIRMAN? SEE STORY OF HOW A SCPR SOURCE SAYS HEALY FACED OFF AGAINST GOV. KASICH AT A OML EVENT.

UPDATED:  03/07/2012 AT 11:00 AM

The Stark County Political Report has long maintained that there is no more accomplished politician in the county than William J. Healy, II.

And last night he took a huge step towards realizing what appears to the SCPR is his longer term quest to achieve control of the Stark County Democratic Party in defeating the party establishment candidate for  29th District State Central Committeeman.

In defeating Slesnick, Healy showed that he can attract Stark Dem votes across Stark County better than a person (i.e. Slesnick) who holds office over a broader area than just the city of Canton.

In fact, Healy reached into Jackson Township and Massillon where Slesnick supporter Jackson Fiscal Officer Gonzalez and Massillon Clerk of Courts Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. were unable to deliver enough of the vote for their candidate to stave off the Healy challenge.

More than making a loser out of state Rep. Stephen Slesnick, The Report believes Healy severely damaged the Stark County political standing and credibility of Chairman Randy Gonzalez and former Chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. with the incoming class of precinct committee persons elected yesterday.

Why does Healy seem bent on taking over the organized Stark Dems, anyway?

Answer:  He is not content with "merely" being mayor of Canton.  He has bigger political fish to fry.  And to be in a position to convince the Ohio Democratic bigs in Columbus that he should be considered for higher statewide office, he must show his political might and muscle in his home area.

A story surfaced yesterday as related by a SCPR source regarding Healy has the mayor describing himself in a "heroic" role at a Ohio Municipal League of Cities event at which Republican Governor John Kasich made an appearance.

As Healy told it to locals, he got up and challenged the governor on his local government fund cuts to date which have severely hurt most Stark County local government.

The governor response, according Healy, the source says:

"You haven't seen nothing yet, you might be looking at a complete dry up of local government funding come the next Ohio fiscal year [2014 - 2015]."

While defeating Slesnick in and of itself is not nearly enough catapult the mayor into big time Democratic politics, it certainly raises his value to Ohio Democratic Party Chair Chris Redfern in his drive to remain as chairman.

Redfern recruited Healy to run because the likes of Gonzalez, Maier and other Democrat across Ohio are questioning the quality of Redfern's leadership given the Democratic loses of all statewide offices in the bloodbath elections of November, 2010.

A demand has been made that Redfern step down as chairman and a showdown on the matter will be taking place within the next several weeks now that a newly elected state central committee is set to take office.

Healy could be in a position to help Redfern save his job.

Whether or not Redfern retains the chairmanship, Healy for his own personal political ambition needs to increase his political base in Stark, if he is to develop the resources in terms of manpower, material and money to move to the next political level.

In order to complete his conquest in Stark, Healy will have to work hard to elect precinct committeepersons favorable to him and/or convert current Gonzalez/Maier supporters to come over to his side.

A key post-election analysis will be on the make up of the new class of precinct committee persons as both Healy and the Gonzalez/Maier forces appeared to have locked horns in a number of contested races in precincts across Stark County.

Moreover, each side undoubtedly recruited loyalists to run in uncontested areas of the county.

But there still will be a block of those elected that will be fair game to side with Healy or Gonzalez/Maier as issues requiring votes of the central committee come up over the next two years.

It is widely believed that Canton Treasurer Robert Schirack will be retiring soon and a battle could be on the horizon as to who replaces him.

Think that city of Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II doesn't have a great deal of interest as to who that might be and just might want to dictate who it will be?

Having his man/woman in place in Canton City Hall at the treasurer's office would probably be a very good thing for the consummately politically ambitious William J. Healy, II!

ELECTION DAY BLOG (UPDATED THROUGHOUT DAY) - STARK COUNTY/OHIO KEY TO MAKING ROMNEY GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE? OTHER TOPICS: GOP SHERIFF RACE, GOP STATE COMMITTEEWOMAN FACE OFF, DEMOCRAT STATE COMMITTEEMAN CONTEST

UPDATED AT 1:00 PM

1. Analysis of GOP presidential primary (a Stark County/Ohio perspective),
2. Local Republicans:  Who will win the Sarah Brown/Beth Williams face-off for 29th District for Republican State Committeewoman?,
3. For sheriff:  Who will be the GOP standard-bearer in a three man race?
4. Local Democrats:  Political heavyweights Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II and Stephen Slesnick (and, parenthetically William Smith) vie for 29th District Democratic State Committeeman, who comes out on top?
5. The Stark Democratic precinct committee flap:  the Healy/Gonazalez battleground for ultimate control over the Stark County Democratic Party.

NATIONAL LEVEL

Stark County could well be a key as to whether or not former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney surfaces after today's SuperTuesday (10 primary states, 1 caucus state) Republican primary as the de facto nominee for president.

Ohio is in the "too close to call" category for most political pundits as Ohioans go to the polls beginning at 6:30 this morning.

Ohio is classic in terms of political topography as to whom among Romney and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (PA) will ultimately as the nominee.  Newt Gingrich and Libertarian-esque Republican Ron Paul are "also rans" in Ohio.

The Buckeye state as well as Stark County has urban, suburban and rural political constituencies which make the Romney/Santorum race intriguing.  Romney does well among Republican urban/suburban voters whereas Santorum appeals to rural voters and, where they have a strong presence, Tea Partiers and strong social conservatives.

It appears that most of the Stark County Republican political establishment is lining up in the Romney camp (e.g. Stark County commissioner Janet Weir Creighton, Stark Board of Elections member and former Stark GOP chairman Curt Braden and Jane Timken of the highly regarded Stark County-based Timken family).

The SCPR projects that it is likely that Romney wins Stark and that such indicates, perhaps, a statewide victory.

STATE/LOCAL LEVEL

REPUBLICAN 

BROWN V. WILLIAMS - 29TH DISTRICT STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEEWOMAN 

Both the Democratic and Republican state political party organizations have big political fights going on as to who will be the party chairman going forward.

On the Republican side, Governor John Kasich has let it be known that he wants Kevin DeWine replaced as party chair.  Normally, when the word is dropped that the governor wants a change in the leadership in the state party, the non-anointed existing chair gracefully steps aside.

But not state GOP Chair Kevin DeWine.

He wants to stay notwithstanding Kasich's wishes on the matter.

DeWine wants to stay so badly that he recently pushed through a state central committee rule that even if elected in today's primary, candidates who had not voted in two consecutive GOP primaries will not be seated on the committee.

Stark County, The Report, is told by an area Tea Party official, has the potential with one of its candidates, to collide head on with the DeWine orchestrated rule.

The Ohio Tea Party sides with Governor Kasich on his desire that DeWine step aside and has recruited candidates across the state to challenge for GOP state central candidate.  Included in the recruitment list is a Stark Countian.

As the SCPR sees The Tea Party might as well as saved itself the effort in putting up a candidate to challenge prominent Stark GOPer Sarah Brown.

It would be quite a political coup were Tea Party candidate Beth A. Williams to defeat Brown.

Sarah Brown is in the judgment of The Report is the penultimate (i.e. next to Stark County Commissioner Janet Weir Creighton) Stark GOP woman.

Brown, the wife of Stark County Court of Common Pleas Judge Charles E. Brown, Jr., has been a member of the Alliance City Schools Board of Education, Alliance City Council, the Ohio Ethics Commission and state central committeewoman for the 33rd District.

With the constitutionally required decentenial redistricting of Ohio House and Senate districts, Alliance (where Brown lives) has been shifted from the 33rd to the 29th District.

Her Ohio Tea Party endorsed Opponent Beth A. Williams who works at VXI Global Solutions of Canton (a customer call center recently lured to Canton by Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II's administration) is not in the same league with Brown.

The Report believes that there is not a significant difference between Brown and Williams on their support of Governor Kasich's preference that Kevin DeWine step down as party chairman.

Moreover, Brown does not face a challenge to her right to take her "duly elected to" seat in the highly likelihood of her winning election today.

DORDEA VERSUS GROGAN VERSUS WOOD - STARK COUNTY SHERIFF

Former Alliance Chief of Police Larry Dordea will handily win the Stark County Republican Party nomination for the right to run against Democrat and Chief Stark County Deputy Sheriff (Jail Division) Mike McDonald.

Dordea is currently the Hartville police chief and an at-large Republican member of Alliance City Council.

Dordea was the GOP's nominee in 2008.  He ran a spirited and competitive campaign against Sheriff Tim Swanson back then.

All the more politically wiser and experienced for having run in 2008, Dordea faces Republican opponents who lack voter I.D.

Dordea who is generally recognized in the policing community as a proven law enforcement officer who is up to taking over the administration of Stark's countywide policing unit.

John Grogan, former mayor of Canal Fulton (who was involved in a controversy or two during his term) and a lieutenant in the Summit County Sheriff's Department (also marked by at least one controversy), likely will come in third in this race.

If he had a higher political profile and a more populous political base, Beach City Police Chief Jim Wood might seriously challenge Dordea for the right to be the Republican nominee to run in the November general election .

But he doesn't and consequently The Report sees him as no better than second in this three man race.


DEMOCRATS

HEALY V. SLENICK V. SMITH - 29TH DISTRICT STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEEMAN


In all due respect to candidate William Smith, the SCPR does not see him as being in play to become the elected Democratic representative on the Ohio Democratic Party State Central Committee.

Stark County "voting" Democrats could send a powerful message to the Stark County "organized" Democrats that the likes of Healy and Slesnick will not be abided in a political family fight that appears to be taking place between the two by voting for the alternative:  William Smith.

But don't bank on that happening.

Rather this election (together with a number of precinct committee races - see commentary later on in this blog) may determine for the time being whether Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II  (who the SCPR believes has designs of becoming the political boss of the official Stark County Democratic Party) or  state Representative Stephen Slesnick (who The Report sees as a stand-in candidate beholden to Stark County Democratic Party Chairman Randy Gonzalez and his political lieutenant Johnnie A. Maier, Jr., Massillon clerk of courts and former Stark County Democratic Party chairman) is winning what appears to yours truly to be a battle for control of the Stark County Democratic Party.

Healy was beseeched to run for state central committeeman by current Chairman Chris Redfern.

Though Slesnick says he will remain "open-minded" on whether or not Redfern should remain chairman, The Report and many other Ohio-based political analysts including the SCPR believes (and, apparently, Redfern himself a evidenced in getting Healy to run) that there is little chance that Slesnick would ever support Redfern in his attempt to remain party chairman.

Healy is avowedly a Redfern man, through and through.

This race is very difficult to call.

The Report talked to a Canton-based elected official yesterday evening and the official says he is totally freaked out in having to choose between Healy and Slesnick.  He considers both as very capable politicians.

The SCPR, believing Healy to be a much more accomplished politician,  tends to think that he is the the odds-on-favorite to win.  However, Healy's polish as a politician may actually work against him; especially with those rank-and-file voters living out in the townships and villages of Stark County.

Accordingly, the SCPR is unable to call this race.

Post-election The Report will be looking at William Smith's share of the vote in an endeavor to determine whether or not he played "spoiler" for either Healy or Slesnick in the outcome of the race.

THE STARK COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRECINCT COMMITTEEPERSON FLAP

By the hour, the plot seemingly thickens.

Minutes ago yours truly got a telephone call from C. David Morgan regarding the SCPR blogs on an apparently bogus letter that is being generated and sent out across Stark County by someone other than the person him or herself who is running for a Stark County Democratic Party precinct committeeperson slot.

His is another tale of a letter that is being sent out which is obviously the clone of a letter sent out in the name of former Perry Township trustee James (Jim) P. Holmes.

Pastor Morgan, a long time foe of Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II, has been precinct committeeman in Canton's precinct 9H.  However, with precinct cost saving consolidation initiated by the Stark County Board of Elections, Morgan decided not to seek the office in his redesignated precinct 9G. 

Not knowing this, Morgan says, Mayor Healy prevailed upon his management assistant Derek Gordan to run in 9G.  

What's more is that long term Stark County Democrat George Mullane (who Morgan says is the uncle of Stark County Board of Elections Director Jeanette Mullane) because of the consolidation also found himself switched from precinct 8B to a reconfigured 9G.

About 10 days ago, Morgan says, he got a letter purportedly (though unsigned) from George Mullane asking for Morgan's support in a format that Morgan says is the same as the Holmes letter (see below) EXCEPT FOR the precinct designation and, of course, the typed, unsigned name of the candidate, to wit:

Holmes denies that the letter was in fact generated by and sent by him.  He says he only came to know about the letter because whoever fabricated it made the mistake of sending a copy to his wife.

Holmes is matched up in Perry precinct 13 against J. Fred Stergios.  Holmes told The Report that Stergios describes himself has being a political enemy of the Maier political machine.

Morgan says that about two days ago he got a letter which sounds very much to him as actually being George Mullane and that it is totally different than the purported Mullane letter of ten days ago.

Massillon political gadfly Scott Graber emailed the SCPR this morning with a copy of a letter he received purportedly from Grace A. McGraner, (his opponent via BOE precinct consolidation) to wit:

This is what Graber had to say in an e-mail to the SCPR yesterday:

they did the same to me.   no notice of pending election sent to Scott Graber, public enemy number one of Johnnie Maier Jr.

The SCPR has other reports of letters going out under the name of precinct committee candidates which fit the description of the Holmes and McGraner letters.

So you have several persons who have received the form letter speculating to the SCPR that they think the letter may have been generated by the Massillon-based Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. political machine.

The SCPR has written going back to last fall that yours truly believes that there is a political war going on between Stark County Party Chair Randy Gonzalez (Maier being a key supporter of him) and Healy as to who, out into the future, will be controlling the Stark County Democratic Party.

Inasmuch as it takes a number of precinct committee elections to change the balance of power within either the Republican or Democratic Party, the seeming political jockeying is no surprise to the SCPR.

It appears that Healy may be trying to change that balance whereas the Gonzalez/Maier forces may be putting up the fight of their political lives right under our noses.

Unlike the Republican presidential election, the Brown/Williams face off and the Healy/Slesnick/Smith contest which will be decided later today; the ramifications of  Stark County Democratic Party precinct contests may not be known or understood in terms of their import for two to four years.

Very interesting political stuff, no?

WHO IS MESSING WITH THE STARK DEMOCRATIC PRECINCT COMMITTEE PERSON ELECTION IN PERRY TOWNSHIP, PRECINCT 13?

UPDATE: 03/05/2012 AT 5:37 PM

(Hear Healy "robocall" in his support in his head-to-head against state Representative Stephen Slesnick - recording is at the end of this update).

Since the SCPR published this blog earlier today, yours truly has gotten a number of contacts indicated that the letter published in Jim Holmes name in far from being limited to just his campaign against J. Fred Stergios in Perry's 13th precinct.

To The Report, that the practice is much more widespread than just the Holmes/Stergios situation is indication that the writer of the bogus "stock" letter of support is looking forward to future skirmishes in what the SCPR believes to be a battle for control of the Stark County Democratic Party (i.e. Healy and his core supporters versus Gonzalez and the Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. loyalists) in terms of how central committee members are likely to line up.

Healy's big effort right now is to defeat Slesnick in their "locking horns" battle for Democratic State Committeeman (29th District).  The Olson household received a robocall minutes ago from a Healy supporter (intended for wife Mary, a registered Democrat - yours truly is a non-partisan voter).

Yours truly's impression is that Mary is going to vote for Slesnick, apparently the robocall did not sway her.  Maybe robocalls are not all that effective?

Here is the recording of the call:



ORIGINAL BLOG

Former long time Perry Township Trustee Jim Holmes is hopping mad about a letter sent out under his name which he says he never wrote asking for voter support in his quest to be 13th precinct committee person.

Holmes says that the only way he knew about the letter was that the person who wrote it made the mistake of sending it to his wife Sonia.

Holmes has been the committee person for Perry's 26th precinct but due to the fact that the Stark County Board of Elections has consolidated numerous precincts across Stark County in a cost savings move he and 15th precinct committee person J. Fred Stergios find themselves in the same precinct (the 13th) and pitted against one another in tomorrow's primary election.

Holmes tells the SCPR that he and Stergios have discussed the matter and that he has learned that Stergios in disliked by the Massillon based political machine of Johnnie A. Maier, Jr and there is speculation that Maier and/or one of his political lieutenants is behind the letter in an effort to defeat Stergios.

As far as Holmes can determine, Stergios was not accorded the "privilege" of having a letter written and sent out on his behalf, which, of course makes sense since the letter writer has "apparently" sided up with Holmes.

Another interesting fact that Holmes shared with The Report is that he received notice from Democratic Party officials that his term as precinct committeeman was expiring and that he needed to refile if he wished to continue to serve.  However, he says that he learned from Stergios that he had not received such a notice.

A possible alternative scenario is that the Holmes/Stergios face off is somehow perceived by either a William J. Healy, II political operative or Stark County Party Chair Randy Gonzalez political operative as favoring one or the other in terms of future votes by precinct committee persons on who serves as chair when it comes up again in two years (or earlier, if for some reason Gonzalez were to resign the chairmanship) or on voting for who gets appointed to a political office should an official resign, dies or is otherwise removed.

The SCPR doubts that it is the latter.  More likely it is the former.

The Report continues to believe, despite denials by Healy and those close to Gonzalez, that over the longer term Healy is doing spade work in getting his political allies to run for precinct committee person so that Healy can maneuver into a position of being in control of the Stark Dems.

Anyone who knows Mayor Healy knows full well that anything that is in his path if not under his control is not something he can live with and he embarks on a mission to bring whatever the matter may be under his control.

It could be that the motivation is a combination of the two.  If the conjecture that the Maier political machine is behind the letter, it might be designed to get at Stergios and the thinking might also be that there is no way Stergios would vote for the tightly linked Gonzalez/Maier political alliance if and when there is a contest with Healy and his friends down the road.

In any event, Holmes tells the SCPR that he intends to file a complaint (presumably with the Stark County Board of Elections - BOE and/or law enforcement authorities) with the expectation that the matter will be thoroughly investigated.

In generating the faux Holmes letter, did someone open up a political pandora box that might come back and bite?

Stay tuned!

OUTSIDE THE GOP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY (ROMNEY COMING TO STARK CO: MONDAY AT 8:00 A.M.), HEALY V. SLESNICK IS THE MOST COMPELLING STARK COUNTY POLITICAL FACE OFF! CAN SLESNICK DERAIL THE HEALY EXPRESS TO THE TOP OF STARK CO. DEM POLITICS?

UPDATE:  MONDAY MORNING AT 1:00 AM

UPDATE:  SUNDAY AT 2:00 PM

Today the Akron Beacon Journal is reporting (Three local mayors sign resolution supporting same-sex marriage) that Mayor Healy (along with Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic and Stow Mayor Sarah Drew) has signed onto a resolution being pushed by a group which calls it self Freedom to Marry.

The article goes onto state that Healy and his fellow mayors signed onto the following statement:

“As mayors of great American cities, we proudly stand together in support of the freedom of same-sex couples to marry,” the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry resolution states. “We personally know many gay and lesbian people living in our cities who are in committed, loving relationships, who are active participants in the civic life of our communities and who deserve to be able to marry the person with whom they share their life.”

Back on April 21, 2009 the SCPR did a blog (CLICK HERE FOR A LINK) on Healy campaign reports showing that Healy had received $15,070 from a Tony Dane of Las Vegas, NV known as "an utterly anti-gay basher."

Also, in that April blog, Cantonian Eric Resnick, who was formerly a member of the Canton City Board of Education reference was made by The Report to an email from Resnick, to wit:

The Healy administration has lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender support, and a gay cabinet member. There will be, as time goes on, some administration-led legislation very favorable to LGBT Cantonians. I doubt that contributions from Tony Dane will inoculate the mayor from local nut ball gay haters when that time comes.

In light of the Beacon Journal report, one has to wonder whether or not Healy is now considering introducing legislation "very favorable to the LGBT Cantonians?" as predicted by Resnick.

ORIGINAL BLOG

THE REPUBLICANS:  MARCH 06, 2012 PRIMARY

Among Stark County Republicans, the most interesting March 6 primary race is between Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, and Paul for the presidential nomination.

In this back and forth race, Romney, in winning Arizona and Michigan on Tuesday, might be building momentum to snare Ohio on Super Tuesday.  Week old and older polls gave Rick Santorum the lead.  However, recent polls show the the two in virtual dead heat with the momentum on Romney's side.

Ohio in terms of importance seems to be right at the top of the ten (10) states who are having either a primary or a caucus this coming Tuesday.

A national political blog, Politico, reports that Romney and a superpac supporting him has spent $3.39 million dollars on Ohio whereas his chief rival and current front runner Santorum has spent only $527,000.

A key Stark County Republican Stark County Commissioner Janet Creighton tells the SCPR that she had decided to support Mitt Romney for the nomination.  With the announcement yesterday that former Stark County Republican Party Chairman Curt Braden and party headquarters stalwart Jane Timken will co-chair a Romney for President committee should he win on Tuesday, it appears that the Stark County Republican Party establishment is squarely behind the former Massachusetts governor.

To the SCPR, Romney's support comes mostly from urban/suburban areas whereas Santorum's strength is rural America.  With Canton being Ohio eighth largest city, and Stark County being one of Ohio's more populous counties, it appears that Romney has a good chance to carry Stark.

And if he can get out the vote in the urban/suburban areas in Ohio, he may pull off a Michigan and overtake Santorum in the waning days leading up to March 6th.

Romney must feel that Stark County is a fertile field for him inasmuch as he has a rally set for 8:00 a.m. tomorrow at Gregory Industries located at 4100 13th St SW, Canton, Ohio.

THE DEMOCRATS:  MARCH 06, 2012 PRIMARY

Among Stark County Democrats, the really big race Tuesday is one that most folks wouldn't believe, even political junkies.

It is the question of who is going to be the 29th District (which parallels the Ohio Senate district currently held by Republican Scott Oelslager), Democratic State Committeeman.

A lower profile race is at the Stark County Democratic Party precinct committee person level at which level it appears to the SCPR that Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II has begun a long range campaign to take over the Stark County Democratic Party

AT THE STATE LEVEL

Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern is in the fight of his life to retain the chairmanship.  Since the Democrats got "their clocks cleaned" last November, there has been a hue and cry for him to step down.  But Redfern is going nowhere and is, in fact, running for re-election which is to be held shortly after the March 6th primary which selects the committeemen and committeewomen who will be voting on the chairmanship.

The anti-Redfern is sort of a political payback to Redfern who was part of a move to oust Harry Meshel as Democratic chairman after Ohio statewide Democrats suffered a political bloodbath in the 1994 elections.  Of course, we all remember who was perhaps the prime force behind the massive Republican nationwide victory:  none other than current GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.

Redfern has apparently concluded he cannot expect support from Stark County's Democratic political leadership and therefore has reached out to Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II to be his man from Stark.  Healy was only too glad to accommodate Redfern who was a big help to Healy in his drive to be re-elected mayor in November, 2011.

Who are the Stark Democrats who, apparently, are abandoning Redfern?

Well you can start with the endorsers of state Rep. Stephen Slesnick listed below and add the Jackson clan (i.e. former Stark County Commissioner Gayle Jackson, her son Shane, and Stark County Recorder Rick Campbell, who is married to Gayle's daughter Lisa who is Plain Township chief administrator and who works for Trustee Louis Giavasis [and, of course, the other two trustees] who works for Stark County Clerk of Courts Nancy Reinbold).

A politically tight group, no?

A little bit confusing to the SCPR is the inclusion of Commissioner Pete Ferguson and perhaps Tom Bernabei on the list.  They don't seem to belong.

Ferguson frequently tells yours truly that he does not include himself in the Stark Dems "good ole boy" network and, in yours truly's experience, Bernabei is a bit too much of a independent-minded person to fit very comfortably in a "good ole boy" network.

Moreover, both Republicans and Democrats have high regard for Canton's former long term law director, except maybe for Mayor Healy.

AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

The SCPR believes and has written that Healy is, along with Stark County's union leadership, dissatisfied with Gonzalez's Stark County leadership (the SCPR broke the story of Healy's effort on October 13, 2011 - CLICK HERE FOR LINK) and are waiting for an opportunity to pounce on the chairman and wrestle control of the Stark County Democratic Party away from him. 

One source does a good old fashion belly laugh to yours truly at the thought that Healy thinks for one New York Stern School of Business nanosecond that he has what it takes to take out the Stark County Dem "good ole boys"

But The Report's take on Healy is that he thinks big and don't tell him he can't do something when he sets his mind to it. For example, it is has been clear to the SCPR that Healy is out to take over control of the Stark County Democratic Party over the longer term.

Right now he is denying that such is the case because he understands the political realities that it will take successive party precinct elections to slowly but surely get the numbers he needs to name his choice for party chairman and his choice for party nominees for party appointed public official posts as they come up for filling when an Democratic official holder resigns, dies or otherwise removed from office.

With Tuesday's election he has started his project of party takeover and in due course The Report believes he intends to achieve his objective.

Should any of the countywide running Democrats lose this November (e.g. Bernabei, Smuckler, Ferrero, Campbell, Reinbold, Murthy et cetera), Healy's effort will pick up steam within the rank-and-file of the existing organized party.  Healy will use any such losses (even of avowed Healy political enemies:  e.g. Bernabei and Smuckler) to make his case to those who currently support Gonzalez.

If all the countywide running Democrats win, he will merely continue the long term approach.

For those of us who know Healy well, know there is no quit in Healy and that he is a man of the mind that it is Healy's way, or the highway, pure and simple!

THE HEALY/SLESNICK DYNAMIC: A MEASURE OF HEALY'S STRENGTH WITHIN THE STARK COUNTY DEMOCRATIC ELECTORATE

On the Healy persistence point, one just has to go back two or three years when his administration resembled a shipwreck and nobody thought he could win a Democratic primary race, let alone get re-elected as he did by a comfortable margin; however, not the landslide he likes to claim when in light of  the total vote against him.

No one should underestimate William J. Healy, II.  He has proven he is a political survivor and he will take on anyone, anytime that is in the way of his political aspirations and if he happens to lose (he lost to Smuckler in the Dem primary of 2003) he just redoubles his effort and comes back all the politically wiser for his losing experience.

He is about as slick and manipulative politician that ever has come down the pike. 

Healy, who touts himself as a big union supporter, pulled off having the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and AultCare sponsor a reception for him just prior to his State of the City address last night.

Unions, Chamber of Commerce, AultCare:  strange bedfellows that Healy has cobbled together, no? 

Slesnick, on the other hand, relies on his family name and being propped up by the likes of the Stark Dems "good ole boy" network.  His innate communication and political skills are virtually non-existent. 

Since he does have the support of the Stark County organized Democratic Party establishment, one would expect him to win next Tuesday.

But will he?

You can bet that Maier et al will be holding their collective breaths as the votes are counted in the evening hours of March 6th.

A Healy win (both personally and in the precinct races) will likely be taken by the mayor as some sort of mandate to go all out to reform the Stark County Democratic Party and to fight to keep his man in Columbus in control of the Ohio Democratic Party.