SCPR "ELECTION 2009 SERIES" (VOL 19): MARLBORO TWP - HAS INCUMBENT TIM WISE "WISED UP" OR IS HE STILL A "WISE OFF?"

Not long ago the SCPR received a telephone call from a Marlboro Township Tim Wise supporter telling yours truly "how much smarter" Tim is over and above his rivals for one of two "up for election" slots come next week.

Smarter?

How about more articulate and urbane?  Candidate Ken Eddelman runs a close second to Wise on these two factors.

For all his years in Columbus, John Hagan ranks third on these counts whereas Tim Cognata is sparse with his words and a "what you see is what you get" type of guy.

But none of those factors should be important to Marlboro voters.

The SCPR has already endorsed Cognata and Eddelman.  And nothing happened at candidates night on October 22nd to cause The Report to change mind on the matter.

What did come through is how "unrepentant" Trustee Tim Wise is on the nightmare he brought to this bucolic community when he decided to take on the well-thought-of Devies family (i.e. Police Chief Ron Devies) with the assistance of fellow trustee Dave Wolf (who is not seeking re-election) and replace Ron as police chief.

Wise persistently denies that removing the Chief was his prime agenda during his first, and perhaps, only term as trustee.  The SCPR is not buying his protestations.  And his attitude at candidates night reinforces indications that more troubled times are ahead if Marlboro voters are "unwise" enough to re-elect Tim Wise.

Eddelman seems to has the best grasp on what is need to return Marlboro to stability and to get on with the important business of repairing a $4 million infrastructure problem (i.e. a broken sewer system) without burdening Marlboro taxpayers who are not hooked up to the system as it exists.

Wise told residents that his "political" (the SCPR's term, not Wise's) connections at the county, state and federal level puts him in the best position to get the needed $4 million to do the sewer repair.

Perhaps Wise's connections are alluring to Marlboro voters, but in the opinion of the SCPR the whole mess Wise created on the Devies matter was owing to his perceptions that he had the political power and connections to move Devies out.

It would be a huge mistake for Marlboro voters to bite on this "carrot."

Eddelman and Cognata can and will get the job done for Marlboro in an unspectacular but effective manner.

Republican John Hagan also talked about his "political" connections in Columbus to help solve the sewer problem.

Hmm?

Last time the SCPR checked, the Ohio House (Hagan's former haunting grounds) is controlled by the Democrats and Ohio's governor is a Democrat.

Doesn't seem likely that Hagan can deliver in this political environment.

Moreover, despite his talking about being a hard worker (when in office), the fact of the matter is he wasn't and, what's more, he "cherry-picked" who he would talk to in terms of constituents.

Hagan would not be the unmitigated disaster that Tim Wise has been, but the SCPR is firm:  Eddelman and Cognata are the best chance the Marlboro community has to return to civility and stability that the community has enjoyed for many, many years before Tim Wise and Dave Wolf arrived on the scene.

Here is a video that should give viewers some insight into the qualities of the candidates: