FOCUS (VOL #1): NORTH CANTON CITY ELECTIONS—BIG CHANGES COMING ON NOV. 7TH?

UPDATED:  5:30 PM

It appears that there is a lot of political unrest in the city of North Canton these days.

Less than a week out from the filing deadline for filing (August 9, 2017) to run for elective office in what used to be officially known as "The Dogwood City," there are candidates galore seeking to unseat incumbents sitting on city council and even a seemingly strong candidate challenging 12 year incumbent mayor David Held

The Stark County Political Report  (SCPR) has an ear to the ground on North Canton politics and government and is and will continue to be the place for residents planning on voting in the general election of November 7th to connect online with so that they can be fully informed on the issues presented by challenging candidates in their proposing changes in how North Canton government functions.

One of the more intriguing candidates for council will be B.J. Boyajian.

A native of North Canton schooled in the "art of politics" by her highly respected grandfather John Boyajian when the family lived in Ward 3.   John served on North Canton council many years ago.

B.J. vowed that she one day would take her place in North Canton government by the time she reached 40 years of age.

That time is now and B.J. is on the March.

A number of politically active North Cantonians think that B.J., in the final analysis, will decide to take on incumbent Ward 4 councilman Dominic Fonte.

But in a conversation today with Boyajian, she says that she has not made a final determination.

No doubt that Councilman Fonte is anxiously awaiting her decision which must be made not later than next Wednesday.

However, should she decide to run for council-at-large, then the odds are likely that two of the three incumbents will be defeated in November.

Number one likelihood to finish out-of-the-running is incumbent councilman Dan Griffith. There are reports that Griffith is building connections to Jackson Township, which, if true, might mean he will not be filing petitions by next Wedneday's filing dead line.

Beyond Griffith, another incumbent losing out in the face of Revoldt and Boyajian candidacies will be likely boil down to incumbents Mark Cerreta and council's second longest serving member (Ward 1 councilman Doug Foltz being the longest) Marcia Kiesling.

Another candidate might be Matthew Stroia.

Feedback that the SCPR is getting from North Canton political cognoscenti is that Stria is not seen as a serious challenge should he enter the council-at-large fray nor, should he decide instead to run in Ward 1 to incumbent Doug Foltz.  Foltz is the only Democrat serving on council.

It was somewhat of a surprise that former mayor, councilman, and president of council Daryl Revoldt (who worked in the congressional office of recently deceased Ralph Regula) decided that North Canton council is in need of a rework and has filed to run for an at-large seat.

The SCPR sees Revoldt as a "shoe-in."

Boyajian's "learning 'politics' at the knees of grandfather" is likely to put her good position to finish at a minimum of third should she seek a council-at-large.  While the younger set of North Canton voters will not remember Grandfather Boyajian, grandaughter B.J. says she is focusing on younger generations of North Cantonians in working her aggressive "door-to-door" campaign.

Grandfather John who formerly worked for Diebold (located in North Canton) served a number of years as North Canton's chief administrator including Revoldt's stint as mayor of the city.

Revoldt tells the SCPR that he has fond memories of the high quality work that John Boyajian dispensed to the citizens of North Canton.

Another veteran of North Canton government who seeks to re-enter political life in North Canton is former Ward 4 councilman Jon Snyder who has served as president of city council.

He has moved into Ward 3 and he works at tuxedo business on Main Street (he formerly owned a men's clothing retail outlet on Main Street) and believes that a deterioration in the quality of representation for Ward 3 residents on the part incumbent councilwoman Stephanie Werren needs remediation and sees himself as having the political pedigree and experience to improve matters in Ward 3 and, indeed, citywide.


Finally, there is the mayor's race.

David Held has been mayor for twelve years.  He started out as city administrator but was fired by then-mayor Tom Rice.

Held got his revenge on Rice in unseating him in the 2005 election.

In 2017, it seems that Held is on the hot seat in terms of it getting so "hot" in negatives in his performance as mayor that challenger Scott Kelly may be in a position to force him out.

In a conversation with Kelly today, the SCPR talked extensively with Kelly as to the reasons why he decided to take Held on and the level of support he is receiving from those North Cantonians who want to see Held retired from office.

This blog is the first of focus blogs on the North Canton city elections that will run between today and November 7th.

The SCPR, the online source for North Canton voters to be fully informed on the issues that will play into who gets elected in November.