BREAKING NEWS: ANDREA PERRY SWORN-IN AS WARREN PRICE REPLACEMENT AS SAFETY DIRECTOR

UPDATE:  6:00 PM

The Stark County Political Report has learned that at a gathering today at Canton City Hall, that was supposed to be a "going away party" for departing Canton Safety Director Warren Price, additionally, as reported by yours truly in an August 9th blog that she would be,  Andrea Perry was sworn-in by Mayor William J. Healy, II as Price's replacement.

Here is the text of an e-mail sent out announcing today's get together:

We would like to invite you to a goodbye lunch for Warren Price on Thursday, August 29th at 11:30am on the 8th floor. There will be plenty of food and beverages for all.  Please feel free to stop by to mingle, eat, drink and be merry and wish Warren well as he enters into a new adventure.

Hmm?

At 11:30 a.m. on the taxpayer's dime?

And The Report is told that nearly all, if not all, department heads were there to "mingle, eat, drink and be merry ... "

As an interesting sidelight, it is said that Price was a "no show" for his own party.

However, yours truly understands that another "going away" event is scheduled for Friday at the Conestoga Grill which the SCPR is told Price will be attending.

Healy is said to have sung the praises of Price at today's fete.  As well he should.  He now joins the list of very able administrators who could no longer abide the mayor.

As to Perry, The Report's original source indicated that the plan was for Perry to serve as safety director until such time as former Healy administration manager Corey Minor-Smith might become available.

Such seems to be no longer the case.  Perry, apparently, is in for the long haul.

It will be interesting to see whether or not, as inexperienced as she is, she can deal with the complex and difficult issues in relation to the police and fire unions.