CORRECTION: STARK COUNTY COMMISSIONER TOM HARMON - PROTECTING THE TAXPAYERS!

A STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) thank you to Commissioner Tom Harmon.

Commissioner Harmon emailed The Report pointing out that his initiative to raise Held’s salary from $72,800 to $90,000 per annum did not come from taxpayer money.

The Report stands corrected.

The money, in fact, comes from consumers who patronize trash haulers.

This is the first correction issued by The Report. But undoubtedly it will not be the last. The Report above all else endeavors to have the facts right. From time-to-time there will be inadvertent errors. And, The Report will issue front and center corrections.

The Report will not bury corrections in an obscure location as The Repository does.

Again, thank you Commissioner for pointing out The Report’s mistake.

The Report goes one step further and republishes the email in its entirety in the interest of providing space to Commissioner Harmon to explain the total circumstances of how the pay increase unfolded and amplify on the reporting or lack of reporting by The Rep as well on whether or not Held had threatened to leave.

(A note: The Report does have reliable information to the effect that Held did request more money but accepts Harmon’s word that Held did not threaten to leave. Moreover, The Report does not accept the notion that The Rep is somehow exonerated by the New Philadelphia Times Reporter not getting the job done with incisive questioning. The Rep should have been present since the pay increase issue involved a number of Stark Countians and The Rep did not disclaim by crediting the report to the Times-Reporter)

Hi Martin.

Just wanted to set the record straight about your recent posting concerning Mr. Helds (sic) increase in compensation.

1) No tax dollars are involved. The District receives funding from tipping fees paid by solid waste providers.

2) The average Director's salary of $94,000 is the state wide average. However, our solid waste district by any measure is the largest in Ohio and the average of the largest five districts is $108,000.

3) There was no press release issued. The Ray and Barney report was debated in an open and public meeting and the Repository did not have a reporter present. GateHouse Media owns the New Philly Times Reporter and they picked the story up from their report.
4) David Held has never informed me he was thinking of taking another job. However, I know if we had to replace him with someone experienced in solid waste management the salary demands would have been in line with the survey.

I hope you are well and I enjoy reading the report even when it is sometimes at my expense. ....

Tom