CANTON LAW DIRECTOR JOE MARTUCCIO TO RETIRE AT END OF 2017?

Undoubtedly, there are a number of Stark County attorneys who would love to be Canton law director.

And it appears that sooner than later they will have their chance.

The Stark County Political Report (SCPR) has learned that it is highly likely that they will get their chance in early 2018.

For the SCPR has it on solid sourcing information that Canton Law Director Joseph Martuccio will very, very, very likely be retiring at the end of this year.

Martuccio, who is 64, has been law director since 2000 when he was appointed by the Canton Municipal Court District precinct committeepersons of the Stark County Democratic Party to succeed Thomas M. Bernabei (the current mayor of Canton) to replace Bernabei when he retired.

Before becoming director, he was Canton assistant prosecutor, a Stark County public defender and assistant public defender.  Martuccio had various other public service positions outside of Stark County prior to beginning his work in Stark County (he public defender's office) in 1981.  Counting all his public service, he has racked up some 40 years in public life.

Martuccio has never had an election opponent during his 17 years as law director.

It all began with the 2003 election.

The Report hears that he has a non-life threatening health issue which he is dealing with and that resolving the matter has prompted his consideration of retiring.

From what the SCPR has learned, it appears that the inside track for succeeding Martuccio is his deputy chief counsel Kristen Bates Aylward.

It would not be surprising if there is some "testing of the waters" by others even if it is widely known that Bates-Aylward is Martuccio's preference to be his successor which the SCPR has reason to believe that she is.

When she ran for Stark County Domestic Relations judge in 2012, she received the highest recommendation by her peer members of the Stark County Bar Association.