STARK COUNTY'S "ANTI-DEMOCRACY" FACTOR ARGUES HIS CASE IN FRONT OF 5TH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS

VIDEO

5TH DISTRICT

COURT OF APPEALS

ARGUMENT

NORTH CANTON V. OSBORNE

Due to the influence of nearby Lake Erie, most of northeast of Ohio has less sunshiny days that many areas of the nation.

When one overlays the anti-democrat-republican darkness that emanates from North Canton City Hall, it might appear to some that sun never shines in The Dogwood City and therefore it is truly amazing that anything grows.

In November, 2012 through the legislative initiative referendum of North Canton civic activist Chuck Osborne:

North Cantonians were afforded the opportunity to decide for themselves - the taxpaying public - whether or not part-time elected officias (meaning city council members) were to have as an expression of "the will of the people" (which is to rule in our democratic-republican form of government) taxpayer paid for health care insurance benefits.

The Result?

Damn the people! seems to be the attitude of at least a majority of the member of North Canton City Council and council's handpicked law director Tim Fox:

• a cameo appearance of a councilman [Ward 3] from December, 2011 (elected November, 2011) through his appointment as law director in September, 2012

Issue 5 should have gone into effect in December, 2012 but on the interpretation of Law Director Fox, council dilly-dallied around until March, 2014 until in a face-saving move passed mirror legislation of Issue 5 and, four members of council:

• Daniel "Jeff" Peters, (LINK) now president of council,
• Marcia Kiesling, (LINK)
• Stephanie Werren, and
• now former Councilman Jon Snyder,

paid back to the North Canton treasury amounts paid by North Canton taxpayers from December, 2013 through March, 2014 for their heath care insurance.

The four councilpersons continuing to take benefits was apparently based on an "confidential to council opinion" on the invalidity of Issue 5 by Director Fox issued in November, 2013.

Only on public pressure being brought to bear, did Mayor David Held release the opinion to the public at the end of March, 2014.

The SCPR thinks at least a majority of North Canton City Council loathe activist Osborne:

• a one time councilman himself,

• who has held their collective feet to the fire over a good part of the last two decades, and
• who has filed to replace Stephanie Werren as Ward 3 council person,

In an seeming play to face savings, North Canton government directed Director Fox to file a declaratory judgment action whereby North Canton sought to have an judicial determination that the November, 2015 Issue 5 vote was invalid.

And Stark County Court of Common Pleas judge John Haas did agree with North Canton officials in issuing the following judgement in December, 2014.



Osborne filed an appeal of the Haas decision and oral argument on that appeal was heard on June 16th.

THE BRIEFS

NORTH CANTON



OSBORNE




The Stark County Political Report had the camera rolling on the 16th and the entire video appears at the end of this blog.

But first some SCPR observations about a stream of what The Report thinks has been a stream of anti-democratic-republican actions by North Canton Council and its law director Tim Fox.

Fox, your truly believes, acting on the expectations of council from the get-go of his hire in September, 2012 has endeavored to give North Canton citizens "a tough way to go" in getting their rights as citizens (e.g. public records, proper council procedures and the like) respected.

And that "belligerent to the peoples' overwhelming vote attitude" seemed to The Report to be present in spades as Fox made his argument.

Take a look.