PART 2: "NEW" SCPR FEATURE - QUARTERLY REVIEW OF STARK'S "TOP 10" ELECTED OFFICIALS

Yesterday, the The Stark County Political Report started a new feature.

On a quarterly basis, The Report plans on ranking Stark County's political subdivision (villages, cities, township and boards of education) leadership in terms of the "Top 10."

See previous blogs in this series for the particulars of how the quarterly "Top 10" blogs will be constituted, revised and what the timetable is for publication.  (reference:  the Tom Bernabei blog)

And, of course, to see the SCPR's presentation on:

• Stark County's #1 leader; namely, Stark County Commissioner Thomas M. Bernabei

Today, Councilwoman Nancy Halter (of Massillon) is presented as the SCPR's #2 ranked leader within Stark County Political Subdivision government.

Born March 28, 1940.

Married Ronald Halter June 17, 1961.

Two sons, Martin and Ted. 

Church affliation: St. Joseph Catholic

Church Education:  St. Marys Elementary School.        

Central Catholic High School, Class of 1958.

Occupations: 

Manager - The Massillon Club - Nov. 1999 - July, 2005 

Events Director: Massillon Area Chamber of commerce -April-1992---Nov. 1999 

Stark Cooling & Heating, Inc. - April-1985 -- April 1992

Demmer Hardware, Inc - Aug. 1980 -- April, 1985 

Halter's Party Line - Halter's Bridal Studio - Sept. - 1969 - 1980 

ORGANIZATIONS & ACTIVITIES 

While at the Chamber - I scheduled & organized all Chamber Breakfasts with's, Let's Do Lunches & business After Hours.  Worked very close with Massillon Alive, Pride In Appearance. 4th of July, & Tourism committees, the Business Education/Advisory Council & the Massillon Main Street. I was the Events Director for the Ohio All Star Football Classic, directing all of the events associated with the 10 day Classic.  In that capacity I worked very closely with the Ohio High School Coaches Association.  

After  I left the Chamber, the Coaches asked me to stay on & in 2001, in Columbus - they presented me with an award that read "Nancy Halter - the first lady of the Ohio All Star Classic"  In sincere appreciation for your tireless efforts in working with Ohio's All-Star High School Football players. Presented June 30, 2001.   I AM MOST PROUD OF THIS AWARD. 

Served as co-chairman & chairman of Massillon Relay for Life. 

Served on Massillon City Council Council-at-Large for 5 years. 

Westark Republican woman President for 2 terms. 

Stark County Republican of the Year 1999.

Massillon Republican Volunteer of the year 1999.

Woman of the year Award from the YWCA Academy of Women for Business/Law/Government 1997.

(SCPR Note:  Above biographical material extracted from larger body of information provided by Councilwoman Halter).

Going back to her election in November, 2011 for a second stint as a Massillon councilperson (the first being in the late 1990s), The Report recognizes that she put together a group of Republican candidates for Massillon City Council that surprised Stark County's political pundits in that she thereby engineered a Republican takeover of council all to the betterment of Massillon's government.

Political competition is the lifeblood of check and balance government.

Canton City Council suffers because there is no political competition from the GOP in the Hall of Fame city.  The general public has to rely on Democrats fighting among themselves.  And some of that does happen, but not nearly enough.

Registration wise, Massillon is predominantly Democratic.

But you would not know that from the make up of council.

Especially so in 2011 as a consequence of Halter's work:

• Ward 1 - Republican Sarita Cunningham-Hedderly,
• Ward 2 - Republican Nancy Halter,
• Ward 3 - Democrat Andrea Scassa,
• Ward 4 - Democrat Tony Townsend,
• Ward 5 - Republican Donnie Peters,
• Ward 6 - Ed Lewis, IV,
• Council-at-Large:  Republican Milan Chovan,
• Council-at-Large:  Democrat Larry Slagle, and
• Council-at-Large:  Paul Manson

In 2011, Massillon Maier Political Machine mayoralty candidate Kathy Catazaro-Perry ran against long time incumbent mayor (28 years) Frank Cicchinelli and defeated him in the 2011 Democratic primary.

One thing that Maier and sidekick Shane Jackson (political director of the Stark County Dems) lost sight of in their zeal to elect Catazaro-Perry was the make up of Massillon City Council.

It appears that it never occurred to them that former council member Halter was catch them napping.  And, indeed, she did.

Halter went out and recruited the likes of Milan Chovan, Ed Lewis, IV, Sarita Cunningham-Hedderly and of course herself to run in 2011 and the results were stunning.

Massillon's Republicans with very little if any help from the "organized" Stark County Republican Party administered one of the most embarrassing political defeats ever suffered by Maier et al.

So "in the making of the 'political' pudding" you have an interesting set up.

A formidable political machine supported mayor who has to deal with a Republican controlled city council.

The SCPR was really excited about the conflict that was sure to develop given the partisan divide, no?

Well, think again.

The first overture from the Republican controlled council to the new mayor was let's not have political warfare, let's work together for the betterment of Massillon.

But Catazaro-Perry, a disciple of former Stark County Democratic Party chairman and political power politician Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. (also Massillon clerk of courts), was having none of it.

From the get-go, the mayor made it clear; "its my way or the highway."  Taking a page out of the political playbook of Maier himself.

Consequently, since January 1, 2012 through today, Mayor Kathy and Massillon City Council have agreed on little on key substantive issues and therefore Massillon is stagnating if not declining notwithstanding the cheerleading mode that the mayor is in.

The SCPR thinks that Catazaro-Perry humiliated and embarrassed this once proud city in insisting even before she took office that the State of Ohio declare that the city be designated as being in fiscal emergency.

Nancy Halter for one had to be totally put off by the new mayor's action.

For as Halter's biography shows, she has put many, many, many hours in over many years (as part of a Massillon community effort) to build Massillon up only to have it ripped asunder "in one fell swoop by an outsider (she came from Perry Township).

As it turns out, the State uses six criteria to determine whether or not a city is in fiscal crisis.  And Massillon barely fit into one of the six on State of Ohio Auditor Steve Yost acceding to the Catazaro-Perry wish.

SCPR blog of October 9, 2013.

Isn't that bizarre?

The placement of Massillon in fiscal emergency is one of the key battlegrounds in which the mayor and council have battled.

Because Massillon is in fiscal emergency, the mayor and council need to agree on a "restoration" plan or face 15% across-the-board cuts to all departments of Massillon government.

Catazaro-Perry (grudgingly) and council recently formulated a second restoration plan after the first (also agreed to after much acrimony between the mayor and council) failed in November, 2014 with the overwhelming defeat of an income tax increase among other measures.

While the obvious leader of Massillon's council Republicans is Councilman Ed Lewis, IV (Ward 6; running at-large in this year's election), the SCPR's read is that Councilwoman Nancy Halter - though largely behind the scenes - is the equal of if not the superior to Lewis in terms of influencing the stances of council on various key issues.

The SCPR sees Lewis as the public face of the Republican side of council whereas Paul Manson appears to be the Democratic councilmantic spokesperson.

It appears that there is very little if any political difference between the Republicans and Democrats on council (SCPR note:  non-Maier Democrats regained control of council in the 2013 elections) and, except for the likes of Shaddrick Stinson (Ward 4 Democrat), most votes garner across-the-aisle support on key substantive issues that council has vis-a-vis the mayor.

Though the SCPR sees Halter as a behind-the-scenes de facto council leader, she has taken on one substantive issue very publicly:  that being strengthening of and enforcement of Massillon's housing code.

One bane of many of an American city is that political and government leadership has allowed citizens to ignore keeping a obligation under city housing codes to keep their properties in repair.

Well, not in Massillon if Councilwoman Nancy Halter can do anything about it!

Nancy's sterling housing code legislation, if properly implemented, will help lessen the neighborhood blight that Massillon incurs as compared to other cities, one, of course, being Canton which has about 4,000 residential units decayed to the point that demolishing them is the only recourse left.

Here is a YouTube LINK featuring a number of Massillon political and government officials including Councilwoman Halter.

In reaching out "across-the-aisle" to Catazaro-Perry on her initially becoming mayor, Councilwoman Halter (who was once a Democrat herself) demonstrated responsible and exemplary leadership.

Moreover, while the mayor pretty much sat on her duff during two prior levy attempts (the latter of which was part of the first restoration plan), Halter joined with her fellow council members in trying the persuade Massillonians to raise taxes (except for a parks and recreation levy) since the late 1970s.

There is no doubt about it, Halter is a committed Republican.

However, she does not allow her political preference to interfere with working with the mayor and her fellows on council to bring better times to the citizens of Massillon.

Regretfully, Councilwoman has sustained some health issues recently and therefore has decided not to seek another term on council.

However, the SCPR believes that there are councilpersons who will be continuing on beyond December 31st who will carry the Nancy Halter "responsible" and "mature" style of leadership going forward.

The mayor who is a few years younger than Councilwoman Halter would do herself a lot of good in following the Halter model of leadership.

Though she leaves council on December 31st, one has to believe that Nancy will continue working behind the scenes in her unofficial capacity to ensure that Massillon continues on its path to restoration of a semblance of Massillon of yore.

For the foregoing reasons, Councilwoman Nancy Halter is named #2 on the SCPR first quarterly leadership honor roll.

Coming up tomorrow.  SCPR Top 10 list leader #3.

Hint:  From the plethora of young leadership on Canton City Council.

PART 1: "NEW" SCPR FEATURE - QUARTERLY REVIEW OF STARK'S "TOP 10" ELECTED OFFICIALS

Tomorrow: #2 on the SCPR "Top 10" List

With the recent coming and going of March 12th, The Stark County Political Report is now into its 8th year.

On reflecting over the past seven years, it dawned on yours truly that there is now enough familiarity with "elected" Stark County elected officials that The Report is in a position the meaningfully evaluate who is doing an exemplary job, who is mediocre and who the dregs of Stark County political subdivision are.

Today, the SCPR states with the initial Top 10 listing.

Quarterly, The Report will reevaluate the listings to determine whether or not the ten listed in the-then current list merit continuing on the list and, if so, whether or not the list has that official in the appropriate ranking slot.

All of which means that it is possible for future quarterly assessments to drop down/move up the various listed persons and finally whether a given official should be on the new list at all.

A corollary is that an official heretofore not on the list could catapult to a place on the list on the basis of new actions which the SCPR thinks is a major move for the improvement of one level or another of Stark County Political Subdivision (i.e. villages, cities, townships and boards of education).

The next edition will appear beginning on July 1st and then continuing on the first day of each ensuing new quarter thereafter.

The first list of course is the brainchild of yours truly.

However, The Report is open to nominations from the SCPR reading public.  Nominators should send nominations to tramols@att.net with a convincing argument why the nominee deserves a place of honor on list.

No anonymous nomination will be considered.

While the SCPR is pleased to point out those officials who have provided exemplary leadership; The Stark County Political Report would not be The Stark County Political Report if the derelicts of Stark County political and government leadership did not also get their quarterly "day in the sun."

Accordingly and soon, the SCPR will initiate a Bottom Ten of Stark County leadership.

After all "fair is fair," no?

THE FIRST QUARTERLY "TOP 10" LIST

#1:  STARK CO. COMMISSIONER THOMAS BERNABEI

Tom Bernabei is a lifelong resident of Stark County and lives in Jackson Township. He graduated from Canton Lehman High School in 1964, Brown University in 1968 and The Ohio State University School College of Law in 1975. Between college and law school, Tom served four years in the United States Army, including one tour of duty in Vietnam.

Tom's first public service job out of law school was as Assistant Prosecutor in Massillon Municipal Court. He later served as an Assistant Law Director in Canton. In 1998, he was elected Canton Law Director. Tom retired in 2000 and subsequently -- after his wife tired of having him around the house - served one term as Councilman at-Large in Canton. Tom then worked as Director of Public Service in Canton from 2008 to 2009, and as SARTA's interim Executive Director in 2009. In 2010, Tom was elected Stark County Commissioner.

Tom proudly practiced law with his father, Joseph, from 1975 to 1989. He equally is proud to be married to his wife, Bebe.

Source: Stark County commissioners website

To the SCPR, Bernabei is "the best of the best" of Stark County political subdivision leadership.

Not perfect, to be sure.

But The Report thinks he is "head and shoulders" above the rest.

Stark County is really, really, really deficient in leadership that is forward looking in its planning and developing a vision of a future that captures the imagination of Stark Countians.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Village concept is an example of what Stark needs more of.

While Greater Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce (GCRCC) CEO and president Denny Saunier himself has demonstrated some of the leadership qualities the SCPR has in mind, The Report sees the Chamber's leadership training and development component as being "a credential gathering" watering hole for those who want to get leadership positions on the basis of polished résumés and not upon real leadership skills and ability.

The GCRCC needs to completely overhaul its leadership development mechanism and thereby convert it from "a spit and polish" operation into "a boot camp-esque" (figuratively speaking) regime that produces fewer but more highly prized leaders-in-the-making (as contrasted to the merely "credentialed") and thereby provide a resource that over time will provide all sectors of the Stark County community with visionary direction and accomplishment.

Returning to Tom Bernabei.

He is long-time Canton law director and short-time service director in the first William J. Healy, II administration, he appears to be to the SCPR pretty much "his own man" who by and large (but not always) "calls them as he sees them" which of course are characteristic that the SCPR likes the most in public officials.

In January, 2009 (having been hired in January, 2008) he got fired as Canton's service director/chief-of-staff because Mayor Healy could not handle his incisive critiques of the fumbling and bumbling going on under the neophyte mayor.

Seven years down the road it seems to The Report that things have improved with Healy's leadership style but a casualty of his slow and grudging improvement has left a number of sacrificial lambs (Bernabei being the foremost example of) strewn along the pathway.

Healy learned early on that there are those in government and politics who will not bullied nor can they be finessed.

Healy may not admit it, but Bernabei's time on his staff was a blessing in terms of his modeling what "real" leadership looks like.

The major mark that Thomas Bernabei has made on Stark County government has been as Stark County commissioner.

With the onset of Stark County government troubles with the charges in early 2009 that Stark County Deputy Treasurer Vince Frustaci had stolen perhaps as much as nearly $3 million of Stark County taxpayer money (to which he plead guilty stealing about $2.46 million and was sentenced to federal prison for ten years), Stark County government was reeling in public distrust of "who was minding the store."

It took Democrat Bernabei and former Stark County recorder, auditor and Canton mayor Janet Creighton (a Republican) to put together a plan of action to restore public confidence in the integrity of Stark County government to the point that the commissioners were able to convince Stark voters to approve an increase in the county sales tax of 1/2 cent in November, 2012.

It was truly remarkable to see a turnaround in the public attitude in the brief time span of some eleven of Bernabei and Creighton taking office.

While the SCPR thinks Creighton has been an above-average commissioner; she is not - in The Report's judgment - at Bernabei's level.  She and the third commissioner (Richard Regula) make a good supporting cast, but Bernabei appears to be the decider-in-chief.

She has not let their different political perspectives be much of a factor in doing what's best for Stark County.  But from time-to-time she will team up with fellow Republican Regula to advance what seems to the SCPR as being a partisan interest.

It is clear to the SCPR that it has been Commissioner Bernabei who has been the driving force behind structuring and implementing core democratic-republican values of accountability, accessibility, openness, communicativeness and transparency into Stark County government.

Moreover, he been the "due diligence" commissioner who vets each and every commissioner action in coming to position on the many various issues that the commissioners had had to deal with over the past four plus years.

The Report has disagreed with a number of his positions (e.g. to hire the commissioners' very own legal counsel and the awarding of the Computer Aided Dispatch contract process among a number), but there is no doubt that he was convinced of his take on his interpretation of his due diligence.

The SCPR shutters to think what the county would have been in for had Jackson Township trustee Jamie Walters been elected in 2010 (as the The Report thinks he would have been had it not been for an "independent" candidate being in the race).

But for Thomas Bernabei being a Stark County commissioner, the SCPR thinks Stark County would be stuck in a quagmire of bickering and infighting and fiscal chlaos and therefore in a mode of governance that nurtures public cyncism.

Another quality that Bernabei brings to the commissioners' office is "a wry sense of humor."  He is apt "at the drop of a hat" to make some pretty bizarre associations that provoke hearers to laughter.

Here is a SCPR videotaped example:



All the foregoing is why the SCPR thinks Commissioner Thomas M. Bernabei is "the best of the best" in Stark County Political Subdivision governance.

Tomorrow, #2 on the SCPR "Top 10" list.

Hint.  From Massillon.  And not Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry!

IS CANTON OVER THE LONGER TERM TO BE RENAMED THE "HALL OF FAME CITY?

UPDATED FINAL:  12:35 PM

VIDEOS

MAYOR HEALY'S PERSPECTIVE

Beginnings of the HOF Village Project

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

MAYOR HEALY PRESENTS 
$5 MILLION CHECK

TO

HOF CEO C. DAVID BAKER

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

BAKER'S PERSPECTIVE 

ON UNFOLDING OF

HALL OF FAME VILLAGE CONCEPT

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

MAYOR HEALY

"Can you Imagine" 
==========================

 POST-EVENT INTERVIEW
HOF CEO C. DAVID BAKER
==========================

HALL OF FAME AFL-CIO PRESIDENT

DANIEL SCUIRY 
==========================
REACTION TO STATE OF CITY
Councilman Thomas West
==========================
REACTION TO STATE OF CITY
Councilman Richard Hart
=========================
REACTION TO STATE OF CITY
Councilman Edmond Mack
==========================
REACTION TO STATE OF CITY
Councilman Frank Morris
=========================
REACTION TO STATE OF CITY
Councilman John Mariol
=========================
REACTION TO STATE OF CITY
Deputy Mayor Fonda Williams

=========================
POST-EVENT INTERVIEW
MAYOR WILLIAM J. HEALY, II

Back on March 1, 2012, Canton mayor William J. Healy, II delivered his 5th Annual State of the City address.

In that address Healy dubbed Canton as being "The Utica Capital."

Here is how the SCPR in a March 2, 2012 blog described the unveiling:

At the time, Healy and a number of Canton councilpersons and representatives of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and others were exuding euphoria at the prospect that Canton was on the cusp of a huge financial/economic turnaround from the doldrums to bliss without seeming end.

Canton to this day maintains the trademark of being The Utica Capital.

However, the projected financial/economic boom has not materialized.

There is no doubt that the horizontal fracking of shale for oil and gas products has had financial and economic benefits for Canton and Stark County, but not on the scale that the March 1, 2012 euphoria projected.

Ironically, the company which had located in Canton (Chesapeake Energy), a mere four months later purchased 291 acres of land in nearby Louisville, Ohio and moved its local office out of Canton to "The Constitution City" in July, 2014.

At last night's 8th Annual State of the City address, euphoria was once again the order of the evening as Healy put on a fireworks display at the end featuring C. David Baker who became executive director of Pro Football Hall of Fame on January 2, 2014.

Mayor Healy's address went on for about 45 minutes before a crowd of a few hundred at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Complex that straddles Interstate 77 near the Fulton Road NW exit.

Much of it was a rehash of the history of William J. Healy's administration of the government of Canton.

The "really big thing" (a la Ed Sullivan of the 1950's TV variety show) which deserves the most media attention is the appearance of Baker with a "promo-esque" video clip touting the potential of what has been dubbed The Hall of Fame Village Project (HOF-V-P).

Yours truly recalls Canton Councilman Greg Hawk (Finance Committee chair, who was not present last night) at a Canton City Council work session boldly predicting that hundreds of millions of dollars in Hall of Fame Village development expenditures would enormously benefit Canton as a reason why Canton City Council should allocate $5 million in city financial resources to the initial phase of the multi-dimensional the HOF-V-P).

For those readers who are unfamiliar with the unveiling of the project and who is contributing what (so far) to the project, here is a SCPR LINK to a prior blog (December 14, 2014) which provides more details.

Last night in a grandiose style that shows a quintessential "think big" William J. Healy, II, the mayor (surrounded by Councilpersons Tom West [Ward 2], Chris Smith [Ward 4], Kevin Fisher [Ward 5], David Dougherty [Ward 6], John Mariol [Ward 7], Edmond Mack [Ward 8] and Frank Morris [Ward 9], Richard Hart [At-Large] and Jimmy Babock [At-Large] presented Baker with a gigantic (for show) 5 million dollar check.

What Healy did not do last night was to change the name of Canton to Hall of Fame City.

It could be because he missed his cue as shown in the graphic that was part of the video mentioned above.

Now that the SCPR has brought this representative to the attention of the mayor, will his wheels be turning to come up with a way to convince Canton City Council and Canton's citizens to buy into a name change?

The Utical Capital thing seems to suggest that the thought of changing Canton, Ohio to Hall of Fame City is roaming around in the mayor's mind.

But how could he sell a renaming?

Answer:  He probably can't but the question is this:  Is the SCPR onto something here?  Renaming a centuries old city certainly would be a big PR coup, no?

When the SCPR covers an event like last night's, The Report generally posts the entire video.

But in this instance the SCPR narrows the video coverage to the Hall of Fame segment of the address.

In a nutshell, the rest of the address:

• got into the particulars of Canton's financially distressed history pretty much from the time Healy became mayor and how his leadership is slowly but surely pulling the city out of its financial stress, and
• focused on his four pillars (Link to prior SCPR blog) upon which to revitalize Canton on a stable and sustainable pathway to recovering some semblance of Canton's former glory,  to wit: (i.e. the four pillars)
• SCPR Note: many of the slides used last night by Mayor Healy were merely updates of those used in prior State of City addresses and which are contained in the above-linked blog of April, 2014.

In today's blog, yours truly picks up with Healy turning to the HOF-V-P at the very end of his presentation.

VIDEO 1

Mayor Healy

How the HOF Village Project Got Started



VIDEO 2

Mayor Healy Presents $5 Million Check to HOF CEO C. David Baker



VIDEO 3

HOF CEO C. David Baker's Perception of the Development of HOF Village Concept



VIDEO 4

Mayor Healy:  Can You Imagine?

As far as the SCPR is concerned this part of the mayor's presentation was the most inspiring.

And the mayor, being the accomplished politician he is, hammed it up big-time (i.e. the crescendoing music).

Yours truly is not much into politicians and their typical political hype.

But one thing that the SCPR thinks is lacking in Stark County government and political leadership is the lack of the ability to motivate the citizenry to action.

Of course, this can be overdone to point that one gets suspicious of whether a leader's use of emotion is sheer hype or a desire to get "boots on the ground" to achieve "the seemingly impossible."

The Report for now will take Healy's finale as being a case of the latter rather than the former.

Authentic inspiring, motivating leadership is sorely lacking among Stark's leadership.

Hopefully, Healy over time will prove to be "the real deal."

And if he delivers, then the SCPR's admonition to the rest of Stark County's leadership is to go and do likewise!

Here is the Healy "Can You Imagine" video.



VIDEO 5

HOF CEO David Baker

Impressions of Canton



VIDEO 6

AFL-CIO President Dan Scuiry

Regarding "Organized Labor's" State in HOF Village



VIDEO 7

Ward 2 Councilman Thomas West

Likes HOF Village Project

Likes What He Heard on Ward 2 Projects



VIDEO 8

Councilman-at-Large Richard Hart

Canton Has Many Unresolved Problems

Likes HOF Project



VIDEO 9

Ward 8 Councilman Edmond Mack

Likes Mayor/Council Partnership Talk



VIDEO 10

WARD 9 COUNCILMAN FRANK MORRIS

A Wait and See Attitude



VIDEO 11

Ward 7 Councilman John Mariol

Likes Talk of Market Square and HOF Village



VIDEO 12

DEPUTY MAYOR & CHIEF OF STAFF FONDA WILLIAMS

Likes Working With "Team Healy"



VIDEO 13

Mayor William J. Healy, II

On Feedback from Audience Members after Speech



Ward 5 Councilman Kevin Fisher got away last night before the SCPR could get around to interview him.

But he did provide The Report with the following comments regarding the mayor's presentation.

I think the Mayor did an excellent job of laying out where the city was a few years ago and where it is today, as well as where he wants to take it.  

He also did a particularly good job of showing the size and scope of the Kasich Tax on local governments. I don't feel many in the public know the correlation between the state budget and local services.

I was also very happy that we got to hear from David Baker on the Hall of Fame Village. 
The more people get to see the impact that the Village will have on Canton, the more excited and optimistic they will become about Canton's future. 

As Charita Goshay [a Repository columnist] pointed out her latest column, there is a tendency to be pessimistic among some in Canton...and after the decades of neglect communities like ours have suffered at the hands of the state and federal government,  I can't blame them.  

I wish everyone had the opportunity to hear David Baker speak, because he really makes you want to strap on the chinstrap and get on the field (please note my football themed metaphor, for extra credit).

While I was happy to hear the Mayor talk about increases in safety forces, I would have liked to hear about the needs we have in other departments as well.

The Streets Department has  been understaffed to handle the fallout from two horrible winters...
Code Enforcement does not have nearly enough manpower to handle the workload our residents expect from us....and the same holds true throughout nearly every department. 

While I applaud the commitment both Council and the Mayor have had in recent years to getting safety forces back to near full strength,  we must recognize that important work needs done in many other areas, and that will require collaboration from both Council and the Administration to accomplish. 

All and all, I think the evening went very well. I compliment the Mayor and his staff for putting together a great presentation... 

Kevin 

ARE THE "GOOD 'OLE' TIMES" BACK TO STARK CO. GOVERNMENT?

VIDEOS

THE COMPLETE 

STARK COUNTY BUDGET PRESENTATION

BY

TOPIC

To repeat the headline on this blog.

Are the "good ole times" back in full swing in Stark County government finances?

Days in which the-then sitting commissioners (Bosley, Harmon, Meeks and early on Vignos [2008]) seemed to be sitting around wringing their hands about the impending doom about to descend on Stark County government finances.

Undoubtedly, an action that he came to regret in terms of sabotaging his own political future, it appears to the SCPR that Commissioner Bosley convinced Tom Harmon and Jane Vignos to "impose" a 1/2 cent county sales tax on Stark Countians.

Well, the people rejected the imposition in repealing the tax in November, 2009.

With the election of Tom Bernabei and Janet Creighton in November, 2010; county finances have gotten much better.

But to return to the question of the "good ole times" returning.

The answer is a resounding No!

There are many unmet needs (especially along capital items) that are not among the appropriations that Stark County commissioners Thomas Bernabei, Janet Creighton and Richard Regula will be in effect making when they approve the budget next Wednesday at the regular weekly commissioners' meeting.

While in prior blogs the SCPR has criticized various county officials (e.g. Sheriff George T. Maier, the commissioners themselves and others) for not being judicious in their spending of taxpayer money.

Maier in particular leaves much to be desired in the choices he makes in spending Stark County taxpayer dollars of which there are many given that Stark Countians passed in November, 2011 a 1/2 cent sales tax. 

There are those who think he rewarded several sheriff department employees with promotions (in some cases "leap frog" promotions [i.e. lieutenant to major]) as a consequence of their having been key campaign supporters in his race for sheriff last November.

The tax which runs for eight years has been termed the Justice System Sales Tax (JSST) and is dedicated to funding justice system entities of Stark County government.

The commissioners themselves have made up for the diminishing of the numbers of employees during "the lean years" (2012 being the low point) in spades in creating new, well-paid positions and thereby pumping up the annual payroll of employees in the direct hire of the commissioners considerably.

Now looking at the chart below (provided by the county), it appears that the county is on a trajectory to have nearly a 50% increase of overall revenues by the end of 2015 fiscal year (red arrow lines and shading added by the SCPR)

One of those hires (June, 2013) however may be paying for itself in terms of overall fiscal integrity and stability of county finances.

That being Chris Nichols who is the county's budget guru.

Nichols is instituting a discipline in the budget process that clearly is having the effect being sustainable in years going forward.

On Monday of this week, Nichols presented the budget which is to be adopted by commissioners a week from today at their regular weekly meeting.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PRESENTATION

"Stark County is in a good spot financially."(a Nichols quote)



"Maintaining conservative assumptions allows for absorbing some forecast surprises and misses through the years."

 "Just as an example, looking at that 2.5% increase that we forecast in sales tax [collections], next year is an election year for the president. In 2016, if Tom Bernabei were to be election, the economy tanks ... [lol]"

"The directions I was given by the Board [of Stark County Commissioners], the county must live within our means are that we must live within our means."

Which means:

• Stark County will be holding the line on new hires, and

• that Stark County under Nichols' directorship intends to stick to his conservatively-based assumptions including the need in terms of millions of dollars for capital outlays, for example:
• drainage ditch management to alleviate flooding throughout Stark County,
• county emergency forces radio replacement expenditures, and 
• county building roof repairs

"We need to come down [in the 2015 department appropriations] at least 2.3%.  At least this is better than last year.  You will remember that last year when we went through this process we needed to come down about 5% from the budget requests."



DEPARTMENT 35 EXPENDITURES

Mostly mandatory but some discretionary obligations of Stark County government.



DEPARTMENT 43 CAPITAL REQUESTS GOING FORWARD

COMPARING JUSTICE SYSTEM PERCENT OF BUDGET TO ENTIRE BUDGET

Even though Stark Countians put financial oomph into Stark County justice system needs, at 70% of the entire Stark government budget it, the 28 million, more or less, that the JSST raises does not do the complete job of financing Stark County justice system.



FUNDING RETIREMENT NEEDS

Many governments (for that matter private enterprises) dramatically underfund retirement plans.

So if there is a "run on retirements," the underfunder can get itself in a real financial bind.

That Director Nichols has a plan to put Stark County in a better position to fund retirement is "so impressive" to the SCPR.

Governments expect citizens to be responsible.

Well, that cuts both ways.

Government employees work years to build up a retirement nest egg.

Way too many times (e.g. Detroit, Michigan) these folks retire and get their benefits ripped asunder because of irresponsible levels of funding year to year.

Again, kudos to Nichols for bringing the commissioners on board in this regard.



THE FINAL BUDGET PROCESS/Q&A

The SCPR's take on the Stark County commissioners as presently constituted is that they listen.

They may not agree with those who make requests of them, but they DO listen.

As a conclusion to this blog, here is a video of Nichols wrapping up Monday's session.



The wrap up includes an entreaty for any and all county department heads to get back to him by Noon on Friday with any comments, objections and the like inasmuch as it contemplated that the commissioners will be adopting Nichols' recommendations at the Wednesday, March 23, 2015 regular weekly commissioners' meeting held in the commissioners' meeting room located on the second floor of the Stark County Office Building at 1:30 p.m.

MAYOR KATHY CATAZARO-PERRY DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO ADD?

MASSILLON CITY COUNCIL 

SET TO REJECT MAYOR'S PROPERTY TAX

VIDEOS

COUNCILMAN ED LEWIS, IV
QUESTIONS
"THE NUMBERS NOT ADDING UP"
  =========================
BUDGET DIRECTOR/TAX ADMINISTRATOR
KEN KOHER
ON
NUMBER OF NON-RESIDENT TAXPAYERS
=========================
COUNCILMAN PAUL MANSON
ON
RESTORATION PLAN
=========================
COUNCILMAN ED LEWIS, IV
ON
RESTORATION PLAN
=========================
COUNCILMAN MILAN CHOVAN
ON
RESTORATION PLAN   

As matters stand as of the date of this blog, it seems likely that Massillon City Council will on Wednesday arrive at a consensus to reject Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry's real property based tax increase proposal (1.5 mills) in favor of council's plan to:

• ask voters to approve a hike in the city's income tax by two tenths of a percent,
• for five years,
• in exchange for council dropping the city's $25 per property owner street lighting assessment, and
• conditioned on council restoring Massillon income tax credit to 100%

Councilman Ed Lewis, IV (Republican - Ward 6) sounded the underlying reason ("the numbers don't add up) as to why council is likely to reject the mayor's plan:

• as council met again (LINK to blog on first meeting) last night in a bifurcated session 
• about 1-1/2 hours before a regularly scheduled council meeting and approximately 1/2 hour on the tail end of the regular meeting

To summarize on Lewis' notion that "the numbers do not add up:" to wit:

• that most (except those who own rental/business property in the city) of the 73% (2012 numbers) of "within city limits based business non-resident employees"  would not pay Catazaro-Perry's proposed property tax,
• Note:  As far as Massillon government employees are concerned, about 60% are resident Massillonians

• that one projection of city finances presented to council indicates that the city will be carrying a surplus five years down the road at about $1.3 million, having done nothing

• as compared to another projection indicates a deficit at about $1.4 million five years hence, 

So the thinking on council appears to be: why approve a plan that adds more burden to those who own residences and business buildings in Massillon in the light of contradictory estimates as to where the city ends up five years henceforth?

Here is video of the Koher/Lewis exchange:



Where did the 73% figure come from?

Budget Director/Income Tax Administrator Ken Koher, that's where, to wit:

As far as those persons who are employed in the City, the information available takes int d account the number of W-2s filed by employers. Employers includes resident employers and non-resident employers that file withholding taxes with the City. Keep in mind, the number of W-2s will be on the high side of the actual number of workers since employees come and go during a year's time and some work multiple jobs within the city limits. However, the proportion resident versus non-resident W-2s should give us an idea of the makeup of workforce.

For year 2012 the reconciled totals indicate 7,008 W-2s for Massillon residents and 19,372 for non-residents. This translates into the workforce being 27% Massillon resident workers and 73% non-residerft workers. W-2 earnings reflect that 28% of the reported wages are paid to resident employees while 72% are paid to non-resident workers. The income tax withheld mirrors those percentages. It is interesting to note that the average earnings for resident workers is $21,197.66, or 7.5% higher than the $19,710.41 for non-resident wage earners.

And at the work session last night:



Ever since council met last week, council has been struggling to understand the numbers.

They have repeatedly asked Koher to clarify the numbers in last week's and last night's work sessions.

And Koher has valiantly endeavored to provide numbers that make sense.

One gets the sense that Koher, a first-rate finance man, doesn't have much wiggle room in what he shares with council and what he feels would not meet with Mayor Kathy's approval if he were to share it.

Consequently, he is going back and presumably discussing with the mayor what she is willing to have him provide council.

All of which means that council feels that it cannot make a final decision on what its restoration plan will be until Wednesday at its planned 5:30 p.m. meeting.

What council needs to know is how much "net" (after deducting the elimination of the street lighting assessment and returning the income tax credit to 100% of the Massillon tax rate) the city will realize in added revenue.

Once council knows those numbers, it can then determine how much of a .2 (1.8 to 2.0) income tax increase will go towards repair of  the city's streets as compared to how much is set aside for streets vehicle/equipment replacement.

So what council is trying to do is very simple.

Make "the numbers add up!"

As far as the SCPR can tell, it seems that council members think that Koher is being straight with them and accommodating to their requests for key financial information.

But it seems that it is "a process of pulling teeth" and the SCPR thinks it is not Koher who is the problem.

Of course, Koher is not going to finger the mayor.

Another administration figure that council has been well taken is Safety Director Al Hennon (a former Massillon City Schools superintendent.

During last night's council meeting a buzz enveloped council chambers when it came to light that Hennon resigned earlier in the day for personal and health reasons.

A common comment among council members was that they were surprised how long Hennon lasted. 

He was appointed September 17, 2013 and lasted until March 16, 2015; some 18 months.

One has to wonder how much longer Koher will last, no?

With Hennon now gone, a Koher departure would likely be devastating to the embattled Catazaro-Perry administration.

There remains an unanswered question.

Will the mayor allow council to substitute income tax based restoration for her proposed real property tax?

The SCPR for one would not be surprised if the mayor rejects the change and consequently it could be that 15% "across-the-board" cuts are coming in April.

If that happens, the further question is what impact will it have on the Catazaro-Perry/J. David Ress match up in the Democratic primary come May 5th.

One thing seems to be sure.

A Ress victory (Ress says he will work with council) has prospects of ushering in an era of the administration and council working together in contrast to the pitched battles that plagued the Catazaro-Perry administration relationship with council pretty much from the onset of Catazaro-Perry as mayor.

Ress says that, if elected, he plans on retaining Koher whom he considers to be a terrific finance guy.

Same man, different mayor all of a sudden "the numbers start adding up?"

Here are videos of Councilmen Paul Manson, Ed Lewis, IV and Milan Chovan with their views of the night's proceedings.

PAUL MANSON, DEMOCRAT, COUNCIL-AT-LARGE



ED LEWIS, IV, REPUBLICAN, WARD 6



MILAN CHOVAN, REPUBLICAN, COUNCIL-AT-LARGE

ANGELA ALEXANDER'S BIGGEST HURDLE: BEING AN "OUTSIDER," AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN OR A COMBO OF THE TWO?

(Maps from Google Maps)

VIDEOS

FROM 
SCPR CONTRIBUTION TO 
"YouTube"
MARIOL ENDORSES ALEXANDER
=====================
FROM
THE GENERAL POPULATION OF
"YouTube"
Trials to Triumph
A Tribute to Judge Ira G. Turpin

includes Ralph Regula interview
when he was still a congressman

Everyone that The Stark County Political Report has talked to say that "There is no doubt about it," both Angela Alexander and Kristen Guardado are highly qualified to be Canton's newest municipal court judge.

The opening came about when Stephen Belden stepped down (resigned/retired as of December 1, 2014) in a swirl of controversy about how he handled certain cases during his time as a Canton Municipal Court judge.

On or about January 9, 2015, Governor Kasich appointed Republican Curtis Werren to replace Belden.

This is Werren's "second bite at the apple" inasmuch as he was appointed Kasich to replace a retired judge on the Stark County Court of Common Pleas in June, 2013.  However, he failed to hold the office as he was defeated by Democrat Chryssa Hartnett in a very close November, 2014 election.

Though a SCPR analysis of the vote in the Hartnett/Werren race showed that Werren bested her by about 1,000 votes in the Canton Municipal Court district, The Report thinks that Werren is vulnerable notwithstanding his impressive showing as cited above.

Werren has a very large stake in who wins the Democratic primary as between Guardado and Alexander.

His chance to retain his appointed seat is for Alexander to come out on top in the Democratic primary.

However, the SCPR doubts that an Alexander win is in the offing.

A Guardado win likely makes Werren "a two-time-loser" in being unable to retain for Republicans an appointed judgeship.

Alexander will make Guardado work hard to win the Democratic primary.  And that will benefit her in what will be a "political life or death" struggle in this fall's general election inasmuch this election has to be "the end of the 'political' road" for Werren, if he loses.

With the bulk of Alexander's stellar (LINK to prior blog detailing her Summit County work) professional legal work having been done in Summit County; whereas Guardado's has been done with the Canton Law Department, such is likely prove to be an Alexander fatal political flaw that provides Guardado a comfortable margin of victory come May 5, 2015.

Both Guardado and Alexander live in Plain Township.

But other than the Summit/Stark thing, there is another significant political difference.

Guadado has been on the Plain Local Board of Education for more than a decade, and, in the course of things, has been on the ballot for three elections achieving "top vote getter" status in two of the three elections.  Such only adds to the SCPR's belief that at the end of the day Guardado will prevail against both Alexander and Werren.

Alexander is making a valiant effort as evidenced by her impressive website.

The most interesting and significant thing about Alexander's website is the listing of some high profile Canton City Council members endorsing her for judge, to wit:

Surprising, no?

The SCPR surmises from a conversation with one of Alexander's endorsers is that her being African-American is a key component difference maker for some of them in choosing between the two well qualified candidates.

Of course, Chris Smith (Ward 4) and Thomas West (Ward 2) are themselves African-Americans.

The Report's source thinks Alexander is a "win-win" for Democrats if she were to get the nod to go up against Republican Werren in November.

The SCPR's source thinks that Alexander can win such a match up because of her far superior to Werren's legal profession credentials as compared to Werren's being president of the Stark County Red Cross for several years before Kasich first-appointed by to the Stark County Court of Common Pleas bench.

Moreover, it is thought by the source-person that being a minority will be a positive in that voters will see the need for an African-American to be on the bench inasmuch as Canton has a Black population of 24%.

The source said he believes that the Canton Municipal Court has never had an African-American judge and Stark County only one.  That being Stark County Court of Common Pleas Judge Ira G. Turpin.

However, a Stark County Political Report research reveals that in 1962 Ohio's 60th governor and Democrat Michael V. DiSalle appointed African-American Clay Hunter (1895 - 1976) as a Canton Municipal Court judge.  Hunter is referred to in a reverential vein in the video below of Stark County' only ever Stark County Court of Common Pleas and 5th District Court of Appeals (the only Black at the Court of Appeals in all of Ohio, at the time); namely, Judge Ira G. Turpin.

It appears that Hunter was unsuccessful in his effort to get elected in his own right in that The Report's next research shows that Hunter is listed as a magistrate in Stark County's family court in a 1975 The Evening Independent article.

There is no doubt about it.  Canton and Stark County seems to always been a tough venue for Blacks.

Here is a snippet from a publication of yore (2005) which provides anecdotal evidence that such has been the case.

The SCPR always endeavors for each and every blog to thoroughly search on the Internet for material germane to a given blog.

In yesterday's search for this blog, yours truly found "a gold nugget:"  A video entitled "Trials to Triumph - A Tribute to Judge Ira G. Turpin."

Turpin's interviewer is former Timken executive Stephen Perry.  Perry's daughter, Andrea, is Canton's safety director.

The SCPR implores The Report's readers to take about 22 minutes and view this YouTube video.  It is awesomely inspiring!

While Angela Alexander suffers the same fate as Turpin when he in 1969 failed to win election as a Canton Municipal Court judge, there is no doubt that she is a high quality lawyer and, in time, if she persists become a member of the Stark County bench at some level.

Were Alexander to be the Dems' nominee, it seems to the SCPR that Werren has a huge advantage in Plain Township (22% of the vote in the November, 2014 election) inasmuch he bested Hartnett by 668 votes which was nearly 67% of the 913 votes that he won by this past November election; only calculating the votes in the Canton Municipal Court district.

The Report thinks that if the Dems are to capture this judgeship, their political strength lies with Guardado as pointed out above.

But there is more.

On March 3rd of this year, Kristen Guardado held a fundraiser at Skyland Pines.

This event perhaps more than other advantages that she holds in the mind of the SCPR is indicative of the political strength of Kristen Guardado.

The Report talked with Guardado last week about the event.  She was humbled as about 300 people showed up at her fundraising event.

Included in the assembly were former Canton law directors:

• Harry E. Klide, (1970s; went on to become a judge a various levels),
• W. Scott Gwin (1985 - 1988; now a 5th District Court of Appeals judge) and
• Thomas Bernabei (1988 through 2000; now a Stark County commissioner), serves as Guardado's campaign treasurer,
• Joseph Martuccio,  current law director (appointed by Stark Dems Central Committee members to replace Bernabei who retired mid-term; elected in his own right in November, 2001) 
• Note:  Kristen Guardado works for Martuccio

Republican Canton Municipal Court Judge Richard Kubilus was also in attendance.

The SCPR did attempt to contact Alexander to learn more about her level of support (beyond the four councilpersons identified above), but she as not returned The Report's call as of the writing of this blog.

But The Report has on yours truly's initiative been in touch with three of the five listed Canton City Councilpersons listed on Alexander's website as being endorsers/supporters.

First, Councilman John Mariol.



Second, Councilman Frank Morris, III (council vice president and majority leader).   Morris had this to say:

Frank Morris
Mar 10 at 3:10 PM

To: tramols@att.net

I feel that Angela Alexander is an outstanding individual with an impressive background as an attorney. 

After meeting with her just once I knew she was the candidate I would be endorsing in the primary election. 

Her go against the grain, aggressive attitude and strong work ethic is exactly what we need in our court system.

Thirdly, Canton City Council president Allen Schulman.

Schulman made the point that both Alexander and Guardado are clearly and highly qualified to be Belden's replacement.

Without making it sound like he was in favor of some sort of quota for Black aspiring officeholders, Schulman said that it is high time for a richly qualified African-America to attain a judgeship in Stark County.

Since Ira Turpin retired from the bench on January 31, 1982; no Stark County Black aspirant above the Ward level has gotten very close to achieving elective office.

And who can quarrel with Schulman that electing an eminently qualified African-American such as Alexander is long overdue.

Having said that, the SCPR thinks that the political dynamics (i.e. her having a Summit County legal work base and Guardado firmly entrenched in Stark County politics and legal community) are such that were Alexander to defeat Guardado in some 50 days; her success would be billed by most political analysts as being a stunning upset.

To repeat, if the SCPR is correct and election on May 5th is not in the cards for Alexander; she needs to try and try again.  She is clearly first-rate.

Like it or not, Alexander needs to square up with the political realities of her being an "outsider" at least as perceived by many leading Stark County-based elected Democrats and work after the election to establish herself with the core leadership of the Stark County "organized" Democratic Party.

In 2015, one likes to think that Alexander being an African-American is not a barrier in Stark County. For in 2008 and 2012 Barrack Obama carried Stark County.

Nevertheless, there are those who think that it is virtually impossible for a Black to get elected above the Ward level in Stark.

The SCPR disagrees.  However, it will take hard work and persistence like that demonstrated by Ira G. Turpin.  Angela Alexander appears to have Turpin-esque qualities in her make up.

This time around, it is apparent to the SCPR that Stark County "political insider" Kristen Guardado is the odds on favorite to become the Democratic nominee to challenge Republican appointee Curtis Werren.

While she may lose on May 5th, the SCPR encourages her to cement her professional ties to Stark County and thereby overcome the "outsider" label in future tries for public office.

Who knows what the future brings.

A vacancy can develop in a heartbeat (e.g. Belden's sudden resignation) in the Canton Municipal Court or the Stark County Court of Common Pleas.

Should Alexander lose in the Democratic primary to Guardado, hopefully Alexander will have by the time another judicial vacancy occurs be in a position to become Stark County's "only ever" Black female judge.

List of elected officials who attended Guardado March 3, 2015 fundraiser: