A SCPR MULTIPART SERIES: BIRTHING THE CANTON PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AS PAINFUL AS CHILD BIRTH?

PART ONE

The SCPR first became aware of that the then in the works merger of the Canton Park Commission and the Canton Joint Recreation District (CJRD) in August, 2014.

An attorney doing work on CJRD matters at the direction of CJRD legal counsel Sally Henning contacted The Report, to wit: (an excerpt from the e-mail)

Of course, the SCPR has many sources throughout Canton and Stark County and after contacting a number of those sources published this blog (LINK):

To fully appreciate this series, readers ought to go back and read the August 28, 2014  blog.

As this series unfolds, the SCPR will tie together what has appeared to be loose ends into an intriguing tale of connectedness that promises to be spellbinding in terms of a number of political agendas that appear to be at play as contractions as the boards of the was formerly known as the Canton Park Commision (now the Canton Parks & Recreation Department) merges with the CJRD.

The intrigue became more apparent as the CJRD met last night for some two hours to consider the agenda posted below (an item or two were added during the course of the meeting).

Also in attendance were Canton Parks & Recreation Commission members Andy Black, Mike Hanke and Sam Sliman.

In this series The Report will publish the video taken of the meeting by yours truly.

Along the way, segments of video highlighting animated discussion of the various discussions will be focused upon.

Publication of the uncut entire version of the video will likely come in the second blog in this series.

Recently the Canton Parks & Recreation Commission hired a director.  (LINK to SCPR blog on the selection including a video of the actual vote of selection)

Healy administration holdover Derek Gordon has been director for several years but was required to reapply as the position was opened up with the change mayor as of January 1, 2016 as political independent (a former lifelong Democrat) defeated two term incumbent Democratic mayor William J. Healy, II in November, 2015.

One of Gordon's competitors was Canton City Schools Board of Education member J.R. Rinaldi who is also the president of the CJRD and presided at last night's meeting.

Gordon was selected to continue on as director but was not the unanimous choice of the three member board (Andy Black, Mike Hanke and Sam Sliman) of the Canton Parks and Recreation Commission (CPRC).

Sliman voted "no" on Gordon saying that Gordon did not demonstrate to him by virtue of his Healy administration service (which Sliman was also part of) and his presentation to the commission as one of five candidates to be finalists for directorship going forward that he had a vision that met Sliman's expectation in terms of the direction that Canton parks and recreations programs ought to be moving.

The SCPR believes that Sliman favored Rinaldi for the post.

And the matter of the directorship may not be over in terms of the selection of Gordon being a final decision.

At the end of six months Gordon's performance will be reassessed.

The SCPR thinks that Gordon might not survive that assessment in which case it is likely that Rinaldi will be tapped to take over.

Rinaldi is close to the new mayor and it could be that the closeness hurt him to land the position for it it could be that Black and/or Hanke (a Bernabei appointee to the commission) did not want to appear to taking marching orders from the mayor.

A Canton councilperson who favored the selection of Gordon told The Report that there was no indication whatsoever that Mayor Bernabei meddled into the selection process.

Commissioner Black at the meeting in which Gordon's selection was made, though joining with Hanke to select Gordon, emphasized in explaining his vote that he like Sliman had expectation that Gordon needed to manage differently with that difference being management with a vision.

Moreover, it was clear that most members of Canton City Council wanted Gordon to stay on as CPRC director.

The SCPR believes that council support for Gordon was his pathway to stay on for at least six more months.

Interesting enough, Gordon's reassessment will come about the same time that it is likely that the new fully merged entity will be up and running.

The SCPR doesn't necessarily expect Gordon to have failed to meet the expectations going forward.

But it would not be a shock for a change to Rinaldi to take place on or about January 1, 2017 which is likely the date that the merger will have been completed.

Among the topics (including video) that will be presented in upcoming parts of this series include:

• a discussion of the transition to a merged entity,
• a desire expressed by member Don Peterson, III that the CJRD use some of if not most of its $800,000 in unspent/unbudgeted monies to attempt to purchase the former Canton Jewish Center for its land in order to develop playing fields on the north side of Canton as a counterbalance to Canton Parks money going to the J. Babe Center and the Southeast Community Center,
• Canton schools continuing to have input with the surviving merged entity,
• the disposition of property of the CJRD 50/50 to the CPRC and the Canton City Schools,
• information on CPRC relationship with the Hall of Fame Village Project, and
• planned capital expenditures from the $800,000 in unspent/unbudgeted CJRD monies should the board as a whole not be in favor of the Canton Jewish Center

While everybody was properly civil at last night's meeting, it was clear to the SCPR that there are some issues to be resolved over the next six months or so.

The CPRC has a meeting on the Parks'  Master Plan scheduled for June 28th at the Canton Garden Center.

Moreover, on July 19th both the CJRD and the CPRC will meet to discuss additional steps in the transition to the merged unit.

The CJRD will meet in the hour preceding the CPRC meeting.

If last night's meeting was any indication of some touchy matters of transition yet to be resolved, the July 19th meetings are ones which Cantonians will definitely want to attend in large numbers.

It seems to the SCPR that the birthing of the Canton Parks & Recreation Department will prove to be painful indeed!

COMMISSIONER CANDIDATE STEPHEN SLESNICK: "IF THE SCPR IS GOING TO COVER THE NEXT CHAPTER BOOKSTORE SPONSORED 'SMITH/SLESNICK' DEBATE, COUNT ME OUT!"

One of the biggest compliments I receive in writing The Stark County Political Report occurs when local government/political figures hide from me and my blog.

Such is clearly as case of not be able to handle thoroughgoing media scrutiny.

I have learned that Stark County commissioner candidate Stephen D. Slesnick has let it be known that he is on mission to thwart SCPR coverage of his campaign's "in the public view" face.

On Monday, Donald Trump announced that he was revoking the credentials of the Washington Post to cover his campaign.

While the Slesnick campaign does not have the clout to be credentialing media, the effect of his effort is in the same spirit.

Mark down Slesnick as being among Stark County's leading  "anti-democratic-republican values politicos"—in the sense that they refuse to abide anything other than fawning media coverage.  They clam up or become inaccessible the moment they are asked tough questions or subjected to critical assessment.  In addition to Slesnick, other examples are:

• the Maier brothers (Sheriff George T. and  Massillon clerk Johnnie A. Jr., and the syncophantic to Johnnie:   R. Shane Jackson, his chief deputy and their proxy Massillon mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry,
• Dave Kirven (business agent for the Plumbers and Pipefitters), who as president of the Dems' Jefferson/Jackson banned the SCPR from covering the organization,
• Be sure to read this blog (LINK) on that tells a funny political story involving Kirven
• Board of Elections chief Jeff Matthews (also chair of the Stark Republican Party) who banned the SCPR from videotaping Republican Party events after the Phil Davison film when Internet viral,

The SCPR sees the foregoing as highly insecure people who try to bully others into doing their will in the political arena.

Try as they may, public figures of the ilk identified above cannot avoid The Report's incisive coverage of their public sector engagement.

As day-in, day-out readers of the SCPR know, The Report—for subjects covered—is the fairest media outlet in all of Stark County even to the likes listed above.

If Stark's politicos care about the fundamental values of our democratic-republican system of government, they will stand front and center and subject themselves to public scrutiny by stating their public policy positions, answering the media's questions and otherwise be open to public examination of whether or not they are fit to serve or in the case of incumbents fit to continue to serve.

And most do just that.

Slesnick as of December 31, 2016 will be out of a public job inasmuch as he will be term-limited out of the Ohio House of Representatives having served eight consecutive years.

As the political realities set in, he must have asked himself:  what to do in order to perpetuate himself in public office.

For all too many, once they have partaken of the public sector, they become addicted and cannot fathom having to forage the private sector for a livelihood.

It is interesting that Slesnick does not simply slip back into the private sector.  For he makes a big deal about his business acumen and being a vice president  in the Slesnick family business complex.

Like Republican John Hagan, term limited out of the Ohio House on December 31, 2007 and who ran for Stark commissioner against Democrat Pete Ferguson in November, 2008, Slesnick is in this November's general election endeavoring to extend his stay in the public sector in running for county commissioner.

Hagan had to settle for going back to whence he came (being a Marlboro Township trustee) but has managed to bequeath his former 50th Ohio House seat (after a brief stint in the hands of Republican Todd Snitchler) to his daughter Christina.

Having survived a Democratic primary election, Slesnick has been invited by Next Chapter Bookstore (located on 4th Street in the Canton Arts District) to debate Republican nominee for Stark County commissioner Bill Smith on June 25th in one of two contests for Stark County commissioner that will become final on election day, November, 2016.

Next Chapter deserves kudos galore for presenting local candidates in a debate format as a medium for Stark County voters to become informed about countywide candidates.

In April, Next Chapter had Commissioner Richard Regula (a Republican) and Canton Ward 7 Councilman John Mariol (a Democrat) in for a debate (LINK).

In May, Prosecutor John Ferrero (a Democrat) and his opponent Republican Jeff Jakmides.

Not knowing about the Regula/Mariol debate, The Report picked up with coverage of the Next Chapter endeavor with the Ferrero/Jakmides debate.  (LINK)

The Slesnick/Smith face off over the right to replace place-holding commissioner David Bridenstine.

Bridenstine was appointed as provided in Ohio law for replacing commissioner political independents by statutorily designated public officials.

In this case, the appointing persons were Stark County Prosecutor John Ferrero (a Democrat), Stark County Commissioner Janet Creighton (a Republican) and Stark County Commissioner Richard Regula (a Republican, who, by the way, is running as an incumbent commissioner in the other commissioner race in which his opponent is Canton City Council Ward 7 councilman John Mariol.

On December 31, 2015 political independent Thomas Bernabei resigned his commissionership to take office as the newly elected mayor of Canton.

Bernabei's shift has been a huge loss to the overall quality of the Board of Stark County Commissioners operation.

Slesnick and Smith seized the day when Bernabei segued over to being mayor in filing to fill the vacancy created.

While the board is still more qualitative than when it was staffed with Bosley, Ferguson and Meeks and before Meeks:  Tom Harmon; Bridenstine's replacement is important on the matter of whether or not going forward the board will drift into mediocrity if not substandard as it was before Creighton and Bernabei were elected in November, 2010.

Stephen Slesnick as an addition would drag the board down into Bosley, Ferguson and Meeks (Harmon) territory.

Bill Smith certainly is no Tom Bernabei but he, Creighton and Regula (a likely winner over Democratic challenger John Mario) would be the equal of the present board if not a tad or two better.

Conventional wisdom was that former commissioner Pete Ferguson would win the March 15, 2016 Democratic primary.

It could be that political neophyte candidate Baylock outpolled Ferguson (a former elected official), Fisher (a sitting Canton Ward 5 councilman) in coming in second to Slesnick means that collectively they were an uninspiring group of candidates.

But nonetheless Slesnick came out on top in the four person race.

It is noteworthy that he was the choice of only 35% of voting Democrats.

Spectacularly low for a Democrat of the stature of being a state of Ohio elected official for eight consecutive years, no?

The SCPR sees this Canton Democrat being on a track for near certain defeat in November.  Only a collapse of the Republican Party headed by a Donald Trump can save him.

Smith is a sitting Canton Township trustee of some 14 years.

He graciously sat for a thoroughgoing interview with his Republican opponent David Mungo before the SCPR camera and thereby participated in giving Stark County Republicans a medium in which to assess which of the two they preferred to be the Republican candidate to oppose the Democratic primary winner (who turned out to be Slesnick).

With Slesnick trying to get the SCPR excluded from a public event (i.e. Next Chapter's June 25th event), it appears that The Report will have no choice but to do a follow up Mungo/Smith-esque interview for the general election without Slesnick.

Were Slesnick too have a change of heart and agree to a SCPR in depth, substantive interview alongside Bill Smith, one question he can be sure to be asked would be for him to give an accounting of the millions of dollars he  claimed he has brought to Stark County.  (See the insert below from the SCPR blog on the March 10, 2015 Canton League of Women Voters Forum for March 15 primary election candidates running in contested races)

Slesnick may think that he visting retribution on The Report for the publication of unflattering blogs throughout his tenure as state representative.  But the real effect is an "in your face" to the Stark County voting public.

For in covering the Next Chapter event, the SCPR asks no questions of the candidates and merely records candidate answers to  questions posed by questioners selected by the Next Chapter folks.

But, of course, SCPR interviews are "no holds barred" questions the Slesnick answers to which would likely show how utterly unprepared he is to be a Stark County commissioner.

It was a shock to county political observers when Slesnick threw his hat in the ring when the man who Bernabei defeated in November, 2015 (two term incumbent Democratic mayor William J. Healy, II (then state Representative) back in 2007 when he defeated then incumbent mayor Janet Creighton to become mayor of Canton.

Virtually nobody gave Slesnick a chance because he was a political novice running against some Canton Democratic political heavyweights.

That his family surname is a prominent name in Canton business community and was apparently enough to bring into the public limelight in winning the 2008 Democratic primary election to replace Healy.

Again, note that he only received 29% of the vote.

A pretty low threshold, no?

For more information on the Slesnick family name factor,  see the SCPR February 8, 2016 SCPR blog on the then impending 2016 Democratic primary election.

As state representative in a district

• now the 49th
• which is now somewhat changed from the 52nd to which he was originally elected in November, 2008
• (having been appointed by the Ohio House Democratic Caucus in March, 2008 right after his primary election victory),

the SCPR thinks that Stephen D. Slesnick has been woefully inadequate.

Over the past eight years the SCPR has hammered away at Slesnick as not having a clue of how to be an effective member of the Democratic minority in the Republican supermajority controlled legislative body.  Moreover, he has never responded to any SCPR e-mailed questions put to him in his eight years as a representative.

See Slesnick's Ohio House record on Ballotpedia to get the gist of what I am talking about in terms of his ineffectiveness.

Accordingly, it somewhat understandable why Slesnick is trying to avoid SCPR coverage of his quest to stay in government.

But as the Maiers, Jackson, Catazaro-Perry, Kerwin and Matthews can tell Slesnick, his foolhardy attempt to manage SCPR coverage of the Slesnick/Smith race is just that:  foolhardy!

For the SCPR effectively and incisively provides Stark Countians with first rate insight into the qualities of various candidates for office with or without their participation.

In some instances, the SCPR does want to talk with candidate (e.g. William J. Healy, II) for all one gets ins spin, spin and more spin.

In further defense of Slesnick, his ridiculous attempt to try to control the SCPR is understandable in light of what the SCPR thinks of his not having articulation skills to make even a basic presentation on behalf of his own candidacy.  His communication skills, The Report believes, are minimal.

But to play the role of —with Next Chapter of —"if , you do not ban the SCPR, I will take my ball and go home" shows how utterly politically immature Slesnick is in the context of thinking he can seek public office on his own terms.

Moreover, and more disturbingly, it shows that he apparently thinks he in his capacity of being a public official is unaccountable for his political past.

The SCPR in covering the Ferrero/Jakmides Next Chapter debate asked no questions of either candidate and merely videotaped the event.  Of course, post-debate, the SCPR did assess which of the candidate triumphed.

What Slesnick undoubtedly fears is a forthcoming SCPR opinion piece as to whom won the Next Chapter sponsored debate given the SCPR panning he got in his Canton League of Women Voters performance of March 10, 2015 just days before the March 15th primary.

Here is what The Report had to say about Slesnick:

Jeff Jakmides tells me that several thousand folks have viewed the SCPR's video breakdown of the Next Chapter debate in the context of The Report presenting the entire debate in digestible (timewise, on average 7 minute clips per Q&A) segments.

Apparently, Slesnick has very little self-confidence when he gets out of his family cocoon given his lack of significance as a state representative and seeming unqualifiedness (as compared to opponent Smith being a long term township trustee) to be a county commissioner.

And, if, as in the case of Jakmides, several thousand Stark Countians via a SCPR produced video and analytical commentary see Slesnick in action, he has reason to be concerned.  While Jakmides the rendition was highly positive for he acquitted himself well, it is unlikely that Slesnick can do so.

But maybe he can surprise all of us as he did in winning the 2007 Democratic primary election by finding something in his own public record to crow about that The Report does not presently see.

And maybe he can get up to speed on Stark County governance issues, programs and policies and thereby develop the ability to respond meaningful to questions posed.

What is the saying?

"Hope springs eternal."

For most, perhaps, except for Stephen D. Slesnick?

In October, 2015 Massillon Republican mayoral candidate Lee Brunckhart shocked everybody in far and away besting incumbent Democratic mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry and independent and former mayor Frank Cicchinelli in a debate.

The SCPR would be even more stunned to see Slesnick turn in a "so-so" let alone  spellbinding performance on June 25th at Next Chapter.

But in this day and age of politics,  we all now know with Donald Trump emerging as the Republican candidate for president of the United States of America:  anything is possible!

NORTH CANTON SERIES: REVOLDT INSPIRES A REVOLT TO GOVERNMENT POST-REVOLDT NORTH CANTON ON COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AREAS ORDINANCE PROPOSAL?

THIRD IN A SERIES:  DEMOCRACY TAKES A HIT IN NORTH CANTON

WILL NORTH CANTON'S POOL OPEN ON WEDNESDAY?

VIDEO

Former North Canton Elected Official

(Mayor, president of council and member of council)

Daryl Revoldt

on

Implementation of Community Reinvestment Area Ordinance

As Stark County Political Report readers know, North Canton City Council (NCCS) has the distinction, in The Report's view, of being Stark County's worst legislative body.

Two of its members, President Daniel Jeff" Peters and the longest serving council person Marcia Kiesling, occupy two of ten spots on the SCPR's "Worst 10 Stark County Political Subdivision Elected Officials.

Were it not just a bit over-the-top, it seems that Councilwoman Stephanie Werren deserves to be on the list too.

Werren is the director of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce's (CRCC) Leadership Stark County which has the mission to develop quality leadership for the county.

Leadership Stark County has a unit devoted to enhancing the leadership qualities of those who already serve in Stark County political subdivision government or who have aspirations to be a part of Stark County government.

From what the SCPR has seen in her work as a councilperson and The Report's opinion of that work, it is hard to believe that the folks at the CRCC thinks she is a good example to lead Leadership Stark County.

The Report sees the CRCC as the political counterweight to organized labor.  Yours truly sees the CRCC as basically being a Republican Party support group whereas unions appear to be the captive of Democratic Party candidates and officials.

Werren is the wife of Canton Municipal Court judge Curtis Werren and both she and Curtis (both Republicans) have been the beneficiaries of political appointments.  Judge Werren received two Governor John Kasich appointments because he was unable to retain office when appointed a judge to the Stark County Court of Common Pleas in the face of a challenge by political neophyte Chryssa Hartnett.

The Report's singling out of Peters and Kiesling on being among Stark County's worst political/governmental leaders is based on a determination that they in a representative sort of way demonstrate hostility to "democratic/republican" values of:

• accountability, 
• accessibility, 
• communicativeness, 
• openness, 
• transparency, and the like 

in the conduct of council proceedings and the manner in which they appear to direct the likes of Law Director Tim Fox to interact with any North Cantonian who wants information from North Canton government or who questions the quality of services offered by North Canton government.

And last Monday night's council meeting provides more evidence that the assessment is well-founded.

Former "elected" North Canton official (councilman, president of council and mayor) Daryl Revoldt made an appearance at the meeting  and during the "public speaks" portion of the meeting castigated council for its handling of the Community Reinvestment Areas legislation in what he alleges has been in an illegal fashion.

The Report is told (not by Revoldt) that after meeting Councilwoman Kiesling upbraided Revoldt for his comments.

Kiesling who admits to having received campaign contributions from two of the commercial beneficiaries of North Canton CRA "years ago" but nonetheless sees no "conflict in interest" in pressing hard, along with Ward 3 councilwoman Stephanie Werren, for an expansion of the CRA to include properties eligible for property tax abatement city wide (including properties planned by the commercial developers) which of course likely would mean a major revenue loss to North Canton City Schools and may force the schools to ask North Cantonians for a property tax increase sooner than later.

On Monday, after Revoldt spoke, council tabled the CRA expansion legislation.

In theory, the legislation promoting councilpersons (Peters, Kiesling, Griffith and Werren) say that the expansion will encourage owners of housing in North Canton neighborhoods built in the World War II era to make substantial capital improvement which on Stark County auditor periodic reassessments cause the taxable value to increase and therefore on the expiration of the abatement term (for whatever number of years council decides on, which term is not yet been agreed upon) will, long term, benefit the the NCCS.

As a practical matter, the parts of North Canton's housing stock that needs improvement and upgrade are such the ownership most likely lacks the capital resources to do things like add garages, bathrooms and other basic amenities that prospective buyers would require to consider purchasing for use as owner-occupied housing.

Moreover, many of these units are rental properties. What motive would landlords of these properties inspire them to make such improvements?

Most of us see landlords as folks who want to put minimal upkeep into their properties so as to keep the units rentable and income producing.

Are they going to make major capital improvements in the tens of thousands of dollars for perhaps a thousand dollars a year for 12 years of tax abatements?

Financially savvy people see such thinking, as the SCPR thinks is apparently being what's going on with many of North Canton's councilpersons, as being unadulterated fantasy.

Now, getting back to Revoldt.

Its been about six years since Revoldt was on council as council president and in the assessment of the SCPR NCCS has been in a downward spiral ever since.

Since August 2014, Revoldt has been a top official at Stark State College, to wit:

And look at the rest of this Stark County leader's resume.

The SCPR cannot not resist "a play on words," hence the blog headline:  Revoldt inspires a Revolt in Government "Post-Revoldt" North Canton.

It is obvious that Daryl Revoldt is no political revolutionary.

He is about as establishment as one can get.

An outside of North Canton former Stark County education official tells the SCPR that he holds Revoldt in high esteem and predicts that the tabled legislation will never see the light of day again.

Revoldt apparently he cannot abide the deterioration of North Canton government and council processes since he left in 2010.

There have been a number of council actions since Revoldt departed that boggle the mind.

For those readers who regularly take in SCPR blogs, the litany is well known.

And they continue to accumulate.

The Report thinks that Law Director Tim Fox in one fashion or another may well be "the man behind the curtain" calling the shots as legal guidance for Kiesling, Warren to March on in their quest.  While they appear to be the primary proponents of the CRA expansion, President Peters and Councilman Dan Griffith talk as if they are pretty much in concord with them.

If Revoldt is correct in asserting that NCCC has acted illegally in administering the CRA program, it is hard to imagine that Fox has not had a look at the legislation and the manner in which it is administered and made it be known internally that he thinks the legislation is legal in substance and as implemented.

Revoldt says that for council to leave to one unelected administrative person (Housing Director and Economical Development Eric Bowles) the right to decide which property owners get abatements and which do not is unbelievable.  He says that hundreds of thousands of dollars in abatements are granted without North City Council having a say in the matter.

Take a look at the following video of his comments at last Monday's meeting on the CRA (the video is an excerpt from the video of the entire meeting taken by North Canton civic activist Chuck Osborne which can be seen in its entire it at this LINK)



Osborne, of course, an out and out nemesis to most if not all North Canton's councilpersons, has sent a letter to Stark County prosecutor John Ferrero challenging the implementation of North Canton's CRA legislation, to wit:



Recently, the SCPR reported on a Ward 2 (Peters) and Ward 3 (Warren) sponsored at Dogwood Shelter community meeting (LINK).

The Report thinks that there were about 90 folks (including North Canton "public" officials) at the meeting.

Citizen Osborne asked Director Fox (who himself was at the meeting in sort of a background mode) for a copy of the "sign-in" sheet of those who attended the meeting.

Here is Fox's response:



Fox may or may not be correct in his interpretation of the law.

Even if Fox were to be validated court ruling(s), it is downright silly for him to refuse to authorize the release the list.

For Mayor David Held to abide such silliness is inexcusable and he and council should direct Fox to send Osborne and any other citizen who want a copy of the listing to send it yesterday!

This is exactly the kind of ticky tacky administration of government that turns citizens off.

North Canton elected officials (mostly city council and the council enabled law director) should collectively hold their heads down in shame for the manner (i.e. anti-democratic-republican consistent principles of conduct)in which they do the peoples' business!

Here we are at the end of the blog and no mention has been made of the debacle that is underway in the rehabbing prof city's pool (built in 1973) located at Dogwood Park.

Last week the SCPR stopped by the pool and snapped this picture.

Yes, indeed the pool was empty. Earlier in the week last week the pool had developed a leak and had to be drained.

The Report is told that it takes a full day to refill the pool.

In addition to electrical problems that has being instrumental in the pool rehab not passing Stark County and State of Ohio inspection.o

The Report is told that North Canton did not get required city permits nor have inspections conducted over the months of the rebuild of the pool at a cost of upwards of $1 million (in the total sense of costs; not just the pool liner itself which cost $850,000) which, if true, is an outrage in terms of government setting the example for citizens who are required to comply with legal requirements for their construction projects.

In addition to the liner costs, there will be welding costs, electrical system repair costs and who knows what else.  When asked last night what the final bill might be, Mayor David Held refused to speculate.

A source does tell the SCPR that the pool has been (about 500,000 gallons per filling) refilled "sort of."

Sort of?

Yes, sort of!

The source says that after refilling the pool it has to be lowered a foot or so to create space for some welding that needs to be done.

The Report also has information to the effect that the Stark County and State of Ohio inspections are to take place either today or Tuesday.

Mayor Held says that he has high hopes that the pool originally scheduled to open on Memorial Day (May 30th) will open this coming Wednesday, June 15, 2016.

A silver lining is the delay in the pool opening, Held says, is that the pool is much safer than it has ever been that the liner and other equipment is "state of the art."

Held was candid with the SCPR is saying that he is dissatisfied with the management of the pool project by North Canton city employee Jim Davis who has been North Canton's Utilities and Service Director since May/June, 2012.  (LINK)

 Held in his conversation last evening with The Report also was highly critical of the pool rehab contractor performance.

However, he praised Don Walker (North Canton electrical inspector, LINK) and the city's chief building official (Rito Alvarez) for holding their ground and not allowing the pool to open until they deemed it to be safe.

At the Ward 2 and 3 Community Meeting,  Peters, Warren and Kiesling were defensive and combative with many of the citizens asking provocative, probing questions.

Clearly, North Canton's council is increasingly a council under siege at the hand of its constituency.

Council members have nobody to blame but themselves.

They have fostered the development of North Canton government culture which communicates a "us versus them" for any citizen who dares question the actions of  themselves and leading city administrators.

BREAKING NEWS! CANTON PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSIONERS CHOOSE "NEW" DIRECTOR

UPDATED:  THURSDAY AT 06:00 AM

VIDEO OF ENTIRE SELECTION PROCESS 
AT
END
OF
BLOG

No wonder current Canton Parks & Recreation director Derek Gordon did not accept a resolution by the board of commissioners to offer Gordon the directorship going forward for at least six more months.

At the end of six months, Gordon have to undergo an evaluation on his performance to retain his position.

Quite a humiliation for a guy who has been director for a number of years now, no?

Gordon told Commissioners Andy Black (chairman), Sam Sliman and Mike Hanke that he would let them know tomorrow whether or not he was going to accept the offer at a $75,000 annualized salary.

Gordon does not have the unanimous selection support inasmuch as Commissioner Sam Sliman voted "no" saying that Gordon does not have the vision to take the Canton's parks and recreation facilities in a direction that Sliman thinks best.

The selection was made after about a 15 minute executive session held by the commissioners some 30 minutes into today's regular Canton Parks and Recreation Board meeting.

Also, a resident (Ruth Golub) from the area of St. Marks Espiscopal Church located in Canton's Ward 8 appeared and spoke against Gordon's selection.

Her unhappiness had to with allegations she made that Gordon along with Councilman Edmond Mack tried to force an unwanted park adjacent to St. Marks on the surrounding neighborhood and sprang it on area residents without preparing them sufficiently in advance.

Gordon's selection was no surprise to the SCPR because The Report had learned that Gordon had the support of most of Canton's sitting councilpersons.

But J.R. Rinaldi who is close to Canton mayor Thomas M. Bernabei put the question of Gordon's continuance in question.

The Report did not consider the remaining finalists (three other than Gordon and Rinaldi) to have much of  a chance to land the position.

The only likelihood that one of the other three could in the estimate of the SCPR gain the selection was for two of the commissioners to be at loggerheads—one for Gordon, one for Rinaldi—and one of the other three candidates win out as a compromise candidate.

Sliman did not mention whom he favored over Gordon.

Sliman did however pledge to work with and support Gordon should he choose to accept the directorship.

Ward 8 Councilman Edmond Mack told the SCPR in a telephone interview minutes ago said that he is pleased that Gordon was offered the directorship going forward.

And he is hopeful that Gordon will see fit to accept the offer.

Mack opined that he thinks Mayor Bernabei did not weigh in on the selection and that he has come to have a very high degree of respect for the man he opposed in  former Democrat Bernabei's successful quest to run against incumbent Democratic  mayor William J. Healy, II as a political independent.

His opposition was never about the person Thomas Beranbei but out of a concern for stability of political party processes.

Ward 4 Councilwoman Chris Smith was at the meeting and spoke on behalf of the Gordon candidacy.

Ward 7 Councilman John Mariol was present as was former Ward 3 Councilman Jim Griffin neither of whom spoke on the directorship question.

And now the video of the selection process.

PART 4 OF A SCPR SERIES: POLICE COVER UPS HAPPEN ELSEWHERE? NOT STARK COUNTY? RIGHT?

On May 23rd (LINK), The Stark County Political Report began a series designed to delve in to an alleged cover up of the shooting and killing of Shane Ryan at Great Clips/Massillon on Sunday, July 28, 2012.

The latest wrinkle in the controversy (in the minds of some Stark Countians) involving the Stark County Strategic Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T. [SWAT]) Team surfaced last night on the continuing investigative series initiated by Cleveland television station WKYC Channel 3 in mid-May of this year.

Officially,  the "Canton" SWAT but also involves police departments throughout the county (mostly western Stark County and the Stark County sheriff so the SCPR thinks a more accurate description is Stark Co. SWAT and therefore refers to the team as being the Stark County SWAT.

In last night's segment, Investigator Tom Meyer spends most of his time questioning whether or not top Stark SWAT commander Charles Saler who over his 26 years as a SWAT member, Meyer says, has been involved in three "line of duty" killings in the context of SWAT responses to calls for police assistance.

A principal person featured along with others in the Meyer presentation is local attorney and civic activist Craig T. Conley.

SWAT legal advisor and Canton's chief legal counsel Kevin L,'Hommedieu tells the SCPR that he believes that Saler can only be attributed as firing fatal shots in two of the three incidents he was present which includes most

L'Hommedieu, as do many area police officials, rates Saler as a top-notch police officer, says that in one case Saler fired what would have been a fatal shot but that it has been determined that in timing it came after the fatal shot had been fired by another officer.

Recently, L'Hommedieu, told the SCPR that Canton is negotiating with Cleveland and federal law enforcement officials as to whether or not the Stark County SWAT will be participating in policing the Republican National Convention event.

Among prominent Stark County Republicans who will be attending the convention as a Ohio governor John Kasich delegate in Stark County commissioner Janet Creighton.

Meyer's report focused on the vetting of out-of-town (i.e. Cleveland) police officers composing any out-of-town law enforcement contingent participating in the policing of the convention which could turn violent should the pattern of some anti-Donald Trump protests occurring across the nation at Trump campaign appearances be repeated in Cleveland the week of July 11 through 15.

One Cleveland councilman says outright that given Saler's history of having been involved in SWAT ruled justifiable homicides makes him as far as the councilman is concerned persona non grata at the RNC in Cleveland.

According to Meyer, the Cleveland Police Department (CPD) agreement with out-of-town policing units coming to Cleveland gives Cleveland officials the right to exclude officers who have a history of:

• Excessive force, and/or (whether or not there has been a resulting civil judgement)
• Saler is one of a number of area police officers who are named defendants in a civil rights violation lawsuit filed by the heirs of Shane Ryan as a consequence of his killing in a July 28,2012 hostage situation whereby Ryan was holding a Massillon Great Clips employee at the company's business located in Massillon
• Massillonian and former policeman William Walker is the estate's attorney
• First Amendment,

violations.

Meyer cites the City of Canton as having sustained a $44,000 judgement in as a consequence of a SWAT ruled justified homicide in which Saler was involved.

Stark Countians Conley said in the Meyer piece that a person with Saler's history:  "I would say that person in persona non-grata.  I don't want want him here (Cleveland).  I don't the liability."

Conley has written letters to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio demanding that an outside investigation of the the 2012 Ryan killing being conducted.

The demand is based on the testimony of Massillon policeman Kervin Brown to wit:

In his "official" interview (The Report understands he was the eight person to be interviewed), Brown testimony (as recorded on the transcription) was:  "Um, at that point they hit the door. You know, we followed them in, um, as soon as they got in they shield the, the, um victim from the suspect, passed her out, they grabbed her, I grabbed her by the arm, another officer grabbed her by the arm, we’re taking her out of the building. At that point, I heard two shots."

On May 26th (LINK), the SCPR turned the spotlight on Stark County Prosecutor John Ferrero and how his office handled the matter of presenting the results of the Darrow (assisted by former Stark County Deputy Sheriff Ron Perdue) led investigation.

The Report's overall focus is whether or not local police/prosecutor officials have covered up or at the very least tamped down a version of an nearby to the incident witness (Massillon policeman Kervin Brown, a long time Massillon police officer) so as to induce the grand jury in the context of either not knowing or Brown's account being greatly minimized if not poo-pooed.

Why are their allegations of a cover up by area police officials?

Because of this excerpt of the Darrow/Perdue interview of Brown:

Ferrero tenure as prosecutor is being challenged by Jeff Jakmides who is a highly regarded and respected criminal defense and domestic relations attorney.

WKYC narrative in this color. 

Speakers narrative in this color.

Using a shield, Saler tried to separate Ryan from his hostage.

(Saler)  “Shane Ryan was yelling that he was going to both kill the hostage, pull the gas line and blow up the building,” 

 “The situation changed and it’s lethal.”

After entering the utility room and charging Ryan, Saler said he was not immediately able to separate the hostage. 

He said Ryan was holding the woman with one hand and the lighter with the other.

He said he did not know if Ryan had other weapons besides the lighter. For the safety of the hostage, Saler said he had to fire the two shots.

“He had the lighter that I knew of and options that I didn’t know of,” Saler said during the deposition.

That’s not the account recalled by Massillon police Officer Kervin Brown, who was at the doorway when SWAT entered.

Sheriff’s Lt. Lou Darrow and Sgt. Ron Perdue were assigned to conduct the independent investigation for presentation to a grand jury. They recorded the interview with Brown.

“None of you guys, nobody is in any trouble, because what happened was a fine thing as far as from a legal standpoint,”

 Darrow said to Brown before the interview. 

“We’re building a package for grand jury to go in there and go look, Massillon had this call, they did everything they could to get the guy out.”

In the audio recording, Brown said he was stationed inside the Great Clips just feet away from where Ryan was holed up. He watched as SWAT passed him.

Seconds later, he recalled: “I kind of turned my back, grabbed (the hostage) and was getting her out, they were dealing with her and I heard two shots.”

Brown was asked where the hostage was when the shots were fired.

“She was just at the door, on her way out, when the shots went off, so, I don’t know if she saw any of that. We basically had her headed out the door. I don’t think she saw any of that. But she knew what happened.”

A moment later, Darrow and Perdue ask Brown to step out of the interview room. They do not stop the tape recording.

“Well, this is the first guy we talked to, that I talked to, that said that they shot him,” Perdue said in a whisper. “Saler told me that the suspect still had a hold of her, around the neck. [Brown] said she was out the door, so we have a conflict here.”

Darrow tells his partner they will wait to see what other witnesses say.

“What I’m asking,” Perdue adds, “is what kind of line of questioning do we want to do here because I don’t want to open up a Pandora’s box if we don’t have to.”

Darrow replies, “We’ll gloss over that part first.”

Brown returns and continues his interview. He then repeats his account that the female hostage was freed before Ryan is shot.

“We’re taking her out of the building. At that point, I heard two shots,” Brown said.

Jakmides told the SCPR that as prosecutor he would in such cases in his capacity of being prosecutor as the United States Department of Justice to come to Stark County to investigate.

Ferrero, when confronted by WKYC had this to say:

Again, this is an extract from the WKYC report:

In an interview this month, Stark County Prosecutor John D. Ferrero said he was unaware of Brown’s statements or the statements of the detectives. 

He later spoke to an assistant prosecutor who presented the case to the grand jury.

The assistant downplayed Brown’s recollection. Ferrero said he believes Brown was nervous about the shooting and mistaken about the timeline.

Nonetheless, Brown’s statement were not told to a grand jury, which declined to charge Saler.

So it appears that the matter will not be pursued by Ferrero along the lines that a Prosecutor Jakmides would invoke.

By the way, Craig Conley tells the SCPR that it appears to him that Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine  (AG) will not be taking the matter on as his office cites that unless invited in by local officials the AG has no authority to intervene.

Moreover, Conley says that the federal officials have not responded so far to his insistence that a federal probe into the Ryan killing should be done.

NORTH CANTON WARD 2 & 3 COMMUNITY MEETING: NOT AN EXAMPLE OF "DEMOCRACY IN ACTION" FOR OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO FOLLOW

SECOND IN A SERIES:  DEMOCRACY TAKES A HIT IN NORTH CANTON

VIDEO

NORTH CANTON COUNCIL PRESIDENT
DAN "JEFF" PETERS
DALE CARNEGIE STYLE
OF
CITIZEN INTERACTION

It looks as if North Canton may be looking at a repeat of  the November, 2012 vote on Issue 5 which pertained to the fundamental rights of North Cantonians to determine the jots and tittles of government in what once The Dogwood City.

One of the "hot button issues" 'at last Wednesday evening's meeting (the brainchild of Ward 3 councilwoman Stephanie Werren was —pending in North Canton City Council presently—legislation of the expansion of Community Reinvestment Areas (CRA) in the city.

In 2012, more than seven of ten North Canton voters in a presidential election year voted to curtail the right of part-time elected officials (referendum aimed at councilmembers) to have North Canton taxpayers pay for their healthcare.

As we all know, all too often in the United States of America, presidents  (e.g. Obama's prolific use of "executive orders," down through city council members and even to the most local of American government—boards of education—"all power in our democratic-republican form of government residing 'in the people' through elections" is nullified by the actions by elected officials.

In Stark County, a prime example of—in your face votes—is North Canton City Council (in a majority sense) led by council president Daniel "Jeff" Peters.

At Wednesday's meeting, this video clip tells it all—in his own words—about Peters' attitude towards the  people having a say in what is and what is not part of the mix of the programs, policies and practices of North Canton government.



As seen, Peters appears to be combative with his questioner and his "I still like you" seems more than a bit disingenuous.  A comment is used a number of times in the session in the testy back and forth with Ward 2 and Ward 3 residents.

On the ethics point, Peters cites the Ohio Ethics Commission (OEC) and the "be all" of ethical determinations on campaign finance contribution.  The Report believes that OEC rulings are "minimum" standards and not anywhere near the highest "avoid the appearance of impropriety" standard that many of us would like to see in the conduct of public officials.

On the vote, Peters, interesting enough, presumes that council will pass the CRA pending legislation and that there will be a repeat of the 2012 Health Care vote which indicates a "closed" Peters and majority of council mind on the CRA matter.

And he never gets around to addressing the citizen's concerned about be burdened by greater taxes because of the impending implementation of the CRA.

Does anybody think that North Canton schools are going to forego new levy initiatives within the next few years  in the light of lost revenues at the hand of North Canton City Council.

While officials at the meeting made "it something to crow about" that North Canton has the lowest income tax rate of all municipalities/villages located in Stark County (1.5%),  the SCPR predicts that sooner than later this council will be acting the hike that rate.

As Mayor Held pointed out, North Canton is landlocked by other communities and therefore cannot attract large new business and commercial interests.

That's why it probably a mistake for North Canton (David Held led) to have rejected a cooperative economical development agreement about a year or Canton, Jackson Township and Plain Township.

Moreover, this Peters' led council is clearly in a beseiged mentality notwithstanding Wednesday's "informal" give and take, "come let of reason together"session.

It appears to the SCPR it was mostly a "give form on High" and very little take the people seriously and reconsider the wisdom of continuing down the CRA track that Councilwomen Werren and Marcia Kiesling are bound and determined to push through on.

Accordingly, Peters' and most of council (with Doug Foltz [Democrat-Ward 1] and Mark Cerreta [Non-partisan-at large] perhaps being exceptions because they are asking questions and advocating modifications of the CRA legislation) should be viewed as unsympathetic to the people weighing in on the substance of North Canton government as exemplied by the CRA legislative processes.

As one North Cantonian said at a February, 2014 meeting:

Such conduct is part and parcel—grain by grain—of the phenomenon where less and less Americans participate in the forums of U.S. government.

"We have met the enemy of people having a choice/voice and it is us!"  Elected officials throughout the land should be saying to themselves.

And President Peters' performance last Wednesday has him selected  today by the SCPR as deserving of a SCPR Person of the Year designation for negation of the power of the people to decide the sum and substance of "We the People" government.

Congratulations President Peters!

OSBORNE SPOILS WERREN'S PARTY? NORTH CANTON GOV'T FAILS TO PROVIDE ANSWERS IN CITIZENS FORUM?

FIRST IN A SERIES:  NORTH CANTON'S FAILED COMMUNITY CONNECTION

VIDEOS

COUNCILWOMAN STEPHANIE WERREN

REPUBLICAN-WARD 3

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

PRESIDENT DAN "JEFF" PETERS

REMOVES

CIVIC ACTIVIST CHUCK OSBORNE

FROM MEETING

PETERS ENGAGES CITIZEN

SPEAKING UP ON

OSBORNE EJECTION

If the above collage from Wednesday night's North Canton government sponsored meeting with Ward 2 and Ward 3 residents suggests a "raucous" meeting to readers of The Stark County Political Report, such would be an accurate take on the tone of the meeting.

Republican Ward 3 Councilwoman Stephanie Werren told those assembled that the idea to hold such a meeting was hers.



After the turmoil she experienced in the course of the meeting, it will be interesting to see whether or not she has the stomach for encore meetings.

The meeting was held at North Canton's prized Dogwood Park located on 7th Street NE close by North Canton Hoover High School.

Recently and ironically in the context of the meeting, North Canton Council passed legislation decommissioning North Canton being The Dogwood City.

However, Council has designated the Dogwood tree as the "official" tree of North Canton.

Stephanie Werren (also director of Leadership Stark County [a project of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce] which includes a course of study designed to train Stark Countians to be effective local government leaders), at the outset said to the 90 or so assembled that she got the idea of having a Ward meeting while campaigning last year in her successful bid to retain her post as councilwoman.

Werren's tone was that she and Ward 2 Republican councilman and council president Dan "Jeff" Peters coming together to host the meeting was an effort to connect better to the North Canton citizenry.

By the end of the meeting, it was arguable whether the meeting created more connection or sewn seeds of greater discord going forward.

As readers of this blog know, the SCPR has tabbed North Canton City Council as Stark's absolutely worst in terms of demonstrating in the councilpersons' collective relationship with North Cantonians on democratic-republican values of accessibility, accountability, transparency, communicativeness and trust.

The Report's assessment is that Wednesday's meeting was pretty much a failure in terms of creating greater cohesiveness between North Canton officialdom and everyday North Cantonians.

And a big reason for the failure is the inability of President Peters to deal effectively with North Canton's foremost community activist:  Chuck Osborne.

Peters was way to quick to have the police called on Wednesday night.  Osborne in his conduct got nowhere near needing police intervention.  

To The Report, Peters asking for the police to be called was exercise in "political theater" pure and simple and moreover conduct unbecoming of a democratic-republican system of government leader.

Osborne is a former councilperson (one two year term at the beginning of the 21st century has run for mayor and a seat on council several times including a 2015 unsuccessful run against Werren in November, 2015 as graphically shown above.

But mind you Osborne did get 470 votes out of Ward 3 less than a year ago.  And the total of 711 "no confidence" votes on incumbent Werren.

Nobody is as knowledgeable about North Canton government as is Osborne.

Nobody is as dogged in pursuing North Canton governance issues that he takes an interest in as is Osborne.

However, he is not the Dale Carnegie of civic activism.

His wife Rita Palmer pretty much is.

And Chuck could be far more effective than he is if he were to take lessons in a balance a fashion as Rita.

For instance, with a large crowd gathered to hear and to engage North Canton officials, Osborne, who is in almost daily contact with one North Canton elected or appointed official or another, should have pretty much stood down and let the those who do not have the inclination to dog government officials have a maximum space to dialogue with North Canton officialdom.

That he didn't, to the SCPR, indicates that his mission was not so much to get answers to his questions but rather to gain a perceived political advantage in holding them in a bad light before the large crowd, many of whom do not attend regular North Canton City Council meetings.

For those of us who appreciate civic activism, Osborne presents a problem.

We treasure the energy, spunk, drive, persistence, thoroughness with which he hounds public officials into serving their constituencies authentically and with results for the public good.

We lament that he seems to be his own worst enemy in his approach to public officials and thereby dramatically lessens his ability to convince them of the merit of his cause, whatever it may be.

There was another incident in which Osborne was ordered to leave the meeting by President Peters.

Here is the video of the incident.

The SCPR has written before that Peters is not an ideal personality to serve as council president in that he appears to have a very thin skin and quick to land on any citizen, not just Osborne, who questions his or his fellow council persons actions.

The Report's impression of President Peters' in relation to Osborne is that he looks for opportunities to land on Chuck.

Take a look as this video exchange between Peters and a citizen discussing Osborne's public modus operandi.

Case made?

There were quite a few issues discussed at the June 1st meeting.

It was advertised as focusing on pending North Canton Council Community Reinvestment legislation and troubles on rehabbing the city's Dogwood Park swimming facility which is managed by the North Canton YMCA.

Subsequent blogs in this series will deal with those issues and others that were discussed in detail and in some instances with pointed if not vitriolic exchanges.