DISCUSSION: WILLIAM HEALY, II ON HIS WAY OUT-OF-TOWN?

Safety Director Thomas Nesbitt's application to become 9-1-1 project manager has set off a swirl of speculation that Mayor William Healy, II could be next.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has learned that The Repository is furiously pursing this story.

The question being asked?

Why is the mayor making inquiries about alternative job opportunities far and flung?

Some reports have Healy getting an Obama administration job. Others having him asking about various university positions. And, of course, being the paragon of knowing the business community inside and out and being an entrepreneur himself, it wouldn't surprise The Report to learn he is looking to make his mark with a Fortune 500 company.

Apparently, Healy doesn't want to be the last one to exit. The Report has learned that Services Direct Tom Bernabei has told the mayor he will not be staying on beyond 2009.

Who else, The Report wonders, in the Healy administration is looking for alternatives.

But the big question is this.

All this uncertainty that the Nesbitt application triggered. Is this bode well for the future of Canton?

DISCUSSION: SCOTT OELSLAGER - JACKSON SCHOOLS ON THE VERGE OF BANKRUPTCY AND HE IS WRITING "PR-ESQUE" LETTERS TO PUCO?

Scott Oelslager (Republican - 51st). What to make of this teflon politician? Not much - is the answer.

Oelslager is the quintessential "ruffle no feathers" politician who has gotten next to nothing done as a member of the majority/supermajority Republican-controlled Ohio legislature (until January, 2009 when the Democrats took control of the House).

Someone needs to examine this guy to see whether or not he has a backbone.

If there ever has a no brainer for a politician who represents a significant part of Stark County, it would be to adamantly oppose AEP/Ohio Power's request for a gigantic increase in electric power rates over the next three years.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) applauds state Senator Kirk Schuring (Republican) and newly elect Todd Snitchler (Republlcan) for standing front and center with the people and businesses of Stark County opposing Ohio Power's request.

All Scott ("I don't want to offend AEP/Ohio Power") Oelslager can do is write a "cover letter" passing on the comments of citizen-activist Kevin Ellis of Louisville who Oelslager incorrectly identifies as a constituent.

Actually Ellis is a constituent of Todd Snitchler (R/51st - Lake). Undoubedly, Ellis is glad of it.

Oelslager ranks only above term-limited-out and bottom-ender John Hagan (Republican - Marlboro who enabled the Ohio Power request while chair of the House public utilities committee) in the The Report's rankings of the legislators who have represented Stark County in the Legislature.

Oelslager has made a career of:

1. Sending out congratulatory letters to Stark Countians of achievement,

2. Photo oping with national and statewide politicians who come to Stark andglad-handing voters,

3. Sending out cover letters like the one in the accompanying graphic,

4. Sending out letters of inquiry BUT does not follow through. He sent one out onThe Report's complaint about the lack of currency and quality of the Ohio ElectionCommissions' website - but to be sure no substantive correctives have beendone -any follow up by Oelslager? No!

5. Speaking on public issues in a highly evasive and vague manner.

Oelslager has made a career of being the former aide to retired congressman Ralph Regula who glad hands to the nth degree while getting nothing done for Stark County.

Meanwhile, his core constituents (Jackson Township citizens) are about to have their school system sink into mediocrity because he has been a non-starter (notwithstanding all his years and experience in the Lelgislature) on the issue of solving public school funding.

Teflon may be good for frying pans, but not for politicians.

They need to be held accountable!

DISCUSSION: IS STARK COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIR JOHNNIE A. MAIER, JR SUPPORTING REPUBLICAN ROSEMARY DIAMOND OVER DEMOCRAT INCUMBENT "BUTCH" KRAUS?

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has learned from a Republican source that Stark County Democratic Party chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr may be supporting Republican 8th Ward Canton City Council in her bid to re-take the seat from Democrat Karl "Butch" Kraus.

The Report's source did not know what to make of the Maier/Diamond political alliance scuttlebutt going around in the Stark County Republican Political Party, but was furious at the prospect of Diamond carrying the Republican banner on seeing the adjacent graphic showing that Diamond has a record of supporting Democrats - especially the liberal, left-wingish Democrat Dennis Kucinich who is impossible for most Republicans to swallow.

If the information on Maier is correct, you can bet his support of Diamond will not be front and center. Rather, it will be through surrogates while maintaining the perfunctory political pokerface consistent with being the county party chairman.

Apparently, Maier and Kraus are not getting along very wall. That is one thing. But it is quite another that the relationship is such as to generate talk in political circles that the "not getting along" has devolved into opposition: obvious or not.

A Canton Democrat has told The Report that he is not surprised that that there would be difficulty between Kraus and Maier as both are strong-minded individuals. The Democrat source considers himself to be a friend of both Kraus and Maier.

Results from the 2005 race between Kraus and Diamond:

ROSEMARY DIAMOND		1,283	47.41%
KARL A. KRAUS, JR.		1,423	52.59%

Results from the 2003 race:

ROSEMARY DIAMOND                            1,795         55.15%
KARL A. KRAUS, JR.                              1,460         44.85%

This rematch could prove the be the most exciting political contest in all of Stark County. No?

DISCUSSION: WHAT SHOULD CANTONIANS MAKE OF SAFETY DIRECTOR THOMAS NESBITT APPLYING FOR 9-1-1 PROJECT MANAGER POST?

Wow! Ya just never know what stunner is going to happen next.

The Repository reported yesterday that Canton Safety Director Thomas Nesbitt wants to leave the Healy administration after only one year on the job.

Are thingss really that bad in Canton government that he wants out?

Perhaps that's not it at all. Maybe it this. When a good opportunity comes along "a guy has to do what a guy has to do."

Whatever the reason, this development is not good for the Healy administration which is still trying to get its legs.

Let's say Nesbitt does not get the 9-1-1 program director job. Chances have to be reasonably good that he won't because among 100 applicants one would think that there will be several who are just as qualified if not more qualified than he is.

And, if one of them is a long time Stark Countian, who is likely to get the job. Someone who came from Nebraska a year ago and wants to change jobs already or some one who has been here all along and who has a current job that he/she has filled for a number of years.

By making this application, hasn't he shaken the confidence of Cantonians and Canton's safety forces on his commitment to be here for the long haul (Healy could be mayor of Canton for 8 years). If Nesbitt does not get the 9-1-1 job, how can he remain as Safety Director?

What do you think?

DISCUSSION: HEAR REASONS WHY AEP SHOULD NOT GET 52% RATE INCREASE OVER 3 YEARS (RESIDENTIAL) 62% (BUSINESS) FROM OHIO OFFICE OF CONSUMERS' COUNSEL

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has just learned that Canton talk show host Ron Ponder will discuss AEP's (locally Ohio Power)rate increase request with utility expert Janine L.
Migden-Ostrander of the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel.

Date: January 14, 2009.

Time: 10:00 A.M.

Location: Ron Ponder Show

WHBC-AM (1480 on the radio dial)

CLICK HERE to link to WHBC-AM live streaming.

Be sure to listen in and then come to The Report and comment on what you heard.

DISCUSSION: SALES/USE TAX IMPOSED BY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS - WILL IT FACE A BALLOT TEST?

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has learned that Stark County Citizen-Activist Bill Daugherty is circulating petitions to get the recently Stark County Commissioners imposed 1/4% sales/use tax on the November, 2009 ballot.

The question is: Will Daugherty and his fellow circulators succeed?

If they do, the 9-1-1 reform will be in serious jeopardy and Stark County finances will be rolled back to 2007 levels.

Do you wish Daugherty et al well?

How will you vote if the repeal effort makes it onto the ballot?

DISCUSSION: IS IT "ONE FOR ALL," "ALL FOR ONE" ON SWANSON COMMENTS AT COMMISSIONER MEETING OF 12/29/2008?

A Charles Snyder of Bethlehem Township wrote a letter to the editor of The Repository (published today) which races an interesting question.

Snyder condemned Sheriff Swanson for his intemperate remarks and for his braggadocio attitude. (STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT characterization - not Mr. Snyder's)

Readers can see a full transcript of the sheriff's remarks by clicking here.

There is a political affinity between these commissioners (Ferguson had not yet been sworn in on the date the sheriff''s statement was made) and the sheriff. They are all Democrats. Undoubtedly, they supported each other when they ran for office (i.e. most likely attended each other's fundraiser, endorsed one another, et cetera).

Snyder's observations were as follows:

I don’t know our sheriff — maybe he didn’t know that the commissioners had already made their decision, perhaps he was issued his new political “muscles” with his re-election, or maybe he’s just not a sophisticated man.

I now understand the problems last year at the county jail, considering the tough-guy culture he has created.

I’m left to wonder if many of our elected officials don’t hold the citizens they serve in the same regard. If the commissioners don’t admonish him publicly for his comments,

I can only assume they agree with his commentary.

Given the "political closeness" of these three commissioners to Swanson,

Should the commissioners issue a statement making it clear that they do not agree with Sheriff Swanson's comments at the 12/29/2008 meeting?

What do you think?