NORTH CANTON WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN!

SCHOOLS/CITY

REVENUE RIFT THREATENS COMMUNITY COHESION?

COMMENT ON BLOG

As The Stark County Political Report sees it, North Canton government in being "asleep at the switch" on the administration of its Community Investment Area ordinance gave birth to what The Report thinks is a full blown rift between that government and North Canton City Schools (NCCS).

Ohio law and the failure of North Canton government to limit the use of a Community Reinvestment Area tax credits (i.e. limiting to four units or less) resulted in the planting of a seed in 2012 that has matured into a horrific (in terms of community cohesion) rupture in schools/community relations that threatens the ability of the North Canton's overall ability to work together in the best interests of its citizens.

In 2012, an unelected Housing Officer (as provided for by Ohio law supposedly as a way to keep "politics" out of tax abatement decisions) decided on his own, and, if you believe it—unbeknownst to any elected city official—to award a 100% tax abatement to North Ridge Place, LLC for the building of an apartment complex near the intersection of North Main Street and Applegrove.

When the decision came to light (March, 2016), city officials scrambled to mitigate its effect on all property tax recipients (including to a small degree North Canton government itself) but mainly North Canton's schools.

Ultimately, an agreement was worked out whereby the abatement was reduced to 50% over 12 years.

It is not unheard of for rifts to erupt in communities across America in the context of public education teacher strikes.

A year ago, Louisville in east central Stark County experienced a teacher work stoppage that has the community in an uproar as manifested by a November 7, 2017 hot and heavy board of education election with the "for the teachers" side and "for the board of education" side pointing fingers at each other blaming one another for the draconian disruption of community unity that the bungled handling of teacher/BOE differences resulted in.

Back in the early 1980s, the Lake Local School District (from whence current North Canton superintendent Jeff Wendorf comes) experienced a teacher/BOE impasse that resulted in a work stoppage which poisoned community relations for years to come.

Ironically, in the 1980s the local-lead Ohio Education Association employed legal counsel for the Lake teachers was none other than Mary Jo Shannon Slick who, as legal counsel currently for the Stark County Educational Service Center, is in the thick of it as legal adviser to the NCCS on the abatement issue.  (Note:  Wife, Mary Olson, is an elected member of the SCESC)

In recent years Slick has been in the midst of many a battle on behalf of maintaining Stark County school systems' tax base when that base gets threatened by valuation disputes and/or Ohio's multiplicity of tax abatement/redirection legislative schemes. 

State Representative Kirk Schuring (Republican Jackson; the 48th District) boasts about his being a legislative force in formulating legislation designed to foster economic development projects on the backs of schools via taking from property tax revenues through abatements to entrepreneurs such as North Ridge Place or through re-directing funds to be used for infrastructure projects as in of $2.5 million in NCCS property taxes redirected to enhance the commercial complex at Whipple and Everhard knows as The Venue.

The SCRP sees the Schuring et al approach as a "rob Peter to pay Paul" (with Peter being local communities across Ohio; Paul being the budget of the state of Ohio) scenario.

Since Republican John Kasich took office in 2010, local communities in Ohio have lost about $1.2 billion in Ohio's funding of local government.

Ohio's schools, at best, have had to tread water on their finances in an uneven system of funding where some school systems get increases while others get decreases in a given biennial Ohio budget.

So it appears that it is Ohio's state government which has via inadequately thought out legislation created an environment in which financial warfare is likely to break out in Ohio's local communities in increasing numbers.

Consequences of devastated local community cohesion is likely to be manifested in Louisville, Lake and North Canton-esque community disputes.

The point is that no matter what the context of a community rift, a fracturing of relationship between schools (the heart and soul of most communities) and its political/community leadership is a stumbling block to developing growing and prosperous communities.

There is a lot of political/governance ineptness all the way from Columbus down to local communities throughout Ohio.

It appears that both North Canton government and NCCS BOE governance is infected.

Students, job growth and the quality of neighborhoods are likely to be casualties of these local government units being unable to get their acts together.

North Canton is one of Stark County's premier communities.

In 2007, what used to be called "The Dogwood City," (until changed by a recent city council action), it was announced that North Canton mainstay "The Hoover Company" would be no more and its over 2,000 family living wage jobs would be lost to say nothing of the millions in city tax revenues.

North Canton has struggled but it has shown signs of rebounding principally taking a $5 million Ohio Jobs Ready grant to bring in Brownfields reclamation contractor Stu Lichter (IRG and Maple Street Commerce) to make something of the vacated Hoover facility complex that graces North Main Street directly across from North Canton City Hall.

The project has been moderately successful in producing some 1,200 (likely much lower paying jobs) in various enterprises which have occupied the East Maple Street side of the complex.

In a recent interview with the SCPR, Mayor David held says that in another five years there will be 2,400 jobs at the complex being redeveloped by Maple Street Commerce.

What he does not focus on is how the 2,400 jobs (if they are realized) measure up pay-grade-wise to the lost Hoover jobs.

North Canton is more or less a geographically "boxed-in" community which the SCPR thinks is a huge threat to its continued viability as an independent community because of questions of whether or not it can sustain itself financially.

The threat to North Canton continuing to be North Canton is not talked about publicly by community leaders but one has to think they worry about the long term sustainability of the city with real rather than nostalgic existence.

Accordingly, the schools/city government rift over finances in a 2017 manifestation, in the view of the SCPR, of a fear that city officials harbor as thoughts of a "worse case scenario" must certainly plague them.

North Canton mayor David Held tells the SCPR that in all his years as a North Canton government official he has never seen a division pitting community members against community members.

While some North Canton city officials have clearly come out as "Vote 'No' on 44" (Held himself and Councilman at Large Mark Cerreta), The Report is led to believe that North Canton Council members are united that passage of Issue 44 will be a negative factor in North Canton financial viability going forward.

Within the past week, local candidate/issue campaign finance reports have filed.

Leading the way with $13,455 raised is a trio of  self-advertised "team players" in former North Canton superintendent of schools Robert Rhoden, incumbent board member Bruce Hunt and Andrea Ziarko.

If elected, Rhoden and Ziarko would be new to the board inasmuch as two current board members are not running for re-election.

Running as an "independent-minded" candidate is Jessica Stroia.

Strioia's chances will depend on whether NCCS voting district voters want to have board members who advertise themselves as "team players"  or a candidate who is running solo and therefore impliedly a person of her own mind.

Here is what one North Canton school district voter has to say about this line up of candidates:

... It is concerning to me that a “team” of three candidates have decided to run together rather than on their own efforts?  Are they evening campaigning beyond yard signs and the occasional mailer? Two candidates riding the coattails of an incumbent seems easy. They are all closely tied into Issue 44 with two of them on the levy committee.  The appearance is that both committees are closely tied together and a vote for one should equal a vote for the other.  If these candidates cannot act alone in a campaign, how will they find the ability to make decisions in good conscious on their own as school board members? 

 Here is a list of Hunt et al top contributors.

Here is Stroia's CFR.



Of course, in North Canton the really, really, really big issue is the fate of Issue 44.

This is the "community divider issue" that if it fails will likely have reverberations for years going forward in terms of the ability of North Canton's schools and North Canton government to work together for the well being of both.

A number of folks who contributed to the Issue 44 cause, also contributed to "Team Hunt," (Hunt, Rhoden and Ziarko), to wit:

Some 200 contributed to the Issue 44 alone.

Here is the CFR for "No" on Issue 44.

It appears that no matter who wins or looses on the board of education race and on Issue 44 that North Canton will have to abide a lingering, festering divided community.

SCPR 2017 ELECTION SERIES: CAN ANOTHER "INDEPENDENT" BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER IN CANTON GOV'T?

UPDATED:  MONDAY 3:00 PM

ADDED

SCPR VIDEOTAPED INTERVIEW WITH PATRICK WYATT
IN EIGHT SEGMENTS

UPDATED:  MONDAY (Correction on  identity of John Mariol contribution)

Ward 7 Councilman John Mariol's father; not the councilman

PATRICK WYATT

RUNNING 

FOR

CANTON CITY COUNCIL-AT-LARGE

(WYATT PHOTO FROM HIS CAMPAIGN WEBSITE)

One never knows what one might find buried deep in campaign finance reports.

Thursday, October 26th was the date for candidates/issues statewide to file their pre-general election campaign finance reports (CFRs).

As readers of The Stark County Political Report (SCPR) know, this blogger digs, deep, deep, deep down into the reports to find nuggets of information that might reveal a lot about the quality of a given campaign and offer a clue as to who might surprise Stark County political pundits come election day.

On Wednesday of this week the SCPR was discussing Stark County political subdivision politics with

Stark County Commissioner Janet Creighton when the candidacy of Patrick Wyatt for a Canton council-at-large seat came up in the conversation.

Of course, this conversation was one day before Wyatt along with other Stark County office seekers/issue proponents/opponents filed their respective CFRs.

Creighton expressed the hope that Wyatt will be among the victors on the November 7th general election.

On Thursday (and, by the way, a big SCPR thank you to Travis Secrest of the Stark County Board of Elections for promptly providing as a matter of a "public records request" pdf versions of the respective reports), on looking at Wyatt's report, the SCPR's observation:  "Wow, he may actually have a chance to win!"

The amount of money raised was in and of itself impressive.

However, what was equally or more impressive is the list of politically and civically prominent Cantonians who are by virtue of contributing to Wyatt's campaign are declaring their belief in Patrick Wyatt.

Wyatt is the son of highly respected former Canton police chief Thomas Wyatt.

Through October 18th, "independent" Patrick Wyatt had attracted some 150 contributors.

In addition to the biographical information set forth above and, of course, the impressive list of contributor/supporters for Wyatt, uniquely, on the SCPR what follows is a video of Wyatt articulating (in running for a Canton charter commissioner [which Cantonians rejected]) some of his vision for Canton.



In the morning of Monday, October 30th, the SCPR sat down with candidate Wyatt for a videotaped interview.

SEGMENT ONE - WHY RUN AS AN INDEPENDENT? (2:33)



SEGMENT TWO - ON HIS FATHER THOMAS, A  FORMER CANTON POLICE CHIEF (1:20)



SEGMENT THREE - LIVING THE CANTON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN (1:19)



SEGMENT FOUR - WHERE IS CANTON'S FUTURE LEADERSHIP COMING FROM? (1:34)



SEGMENT FIVE - ON ENDORSEMENTS (3:58)



SEGMENT SIX  - ON PUBLIC SAFETY & CANTON'S NEIGHBORHOODS (3:41)



SEGMENT SEVEN - WYATT'S "CORE" MESSAGE TO VOTERS (1:43)



SEGMENT EIGHT - WRAP UP OF THE INTERVIEW (1:04)



The SCPR sees Wyatt primary opponent for who takes the third seat of "three to be elected" Canton council-at-large seats being long time councilman Jimmy Baback, the son of a long time Canton council councilwoman (Mary) and a long-ago mayor of Canton (Charles).

Nothing personal (he takes it that way), but the SCPR has always seen Jimmy as a lightweight legislator who add very little if anything to the quality of Canton government.  The SCPR thinks that BUT FOR his family political pedigree James Babcock would not have seen "the light of day" as a Canton elected official.

Jimmy "dresses to the nines" and therefore might be thought of as "an empty suit" when it comes to making significant contributions to solving the many problems that Canton government is facing these days.

Jimmy's campaign finance report shows that he is a captive of  the Canton/Stark County organized labor movement.

Take a look at his CFR.



Although union support does not show up on Wyatt's CFR, the SCPR is told by two highly credible sources (one being Councilman Edmond Mack) that Wyatt has been endorsed by the Hall of Fame AFL-CIO.

Moreover,  The Report is told that the union has never endorsed an "independent" candidate for Canton council.   However, the union has been known to endorse a few Republican candidates.

Speaking of Edmond Mack (Democrat, Canton Ward 8), his name is among the contributors to Wyatt but he tells the SCPR that he also likes fellow councilman Babcock for one of the three spots.

If Mack votes for Wyatt and Babcock, that leaves out likely other Mack preferences long term councilman Bill Smuckler and Corey Minor Smith.

It appears that the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce (CRCC; Saunier/Kaminski [see lead-graphic in this blog]) is all-in with Wyatt.

Wyatt is part of the CRCC Stark County leadership development program which, as readers of the SCPR know, has not impressed The Report in the number and quality of graduates from its academies.

The SCPR sees the CRCC sponsored leadership effort (under the unspectacular directorship of Republican North Canton Ward 3 councilperson Stephanie Werren) as mostly a credential gathering exercise with its graduates gaining very little in actual leadership skills.

Wyatt may be an exception to the SCPR take on the CRCC effort.

We will not know for sure unless he is elected to council and once he develops a record on which to assess whether or not he is a council asset in Canton's effort to dig itself out of a deep, deep, deep hole created by eight years of the William J. Healy, II administration.

Of course, it was not only Healy who helped dig Canton's hole.

In fairness, one needs to go back through a number of city administrations (mostly Republican) to truly understand why Canton is in such dire financial straits today.

Canton is now digging itself out of its hole by virtue of  politically "independent" mayor Thomas Bernabei.

One thing Bernabei needs is a bevy of creative, intelligent, energetic and productive councilpersons.

It appears that Patrick Wyatt might well fill the bill.

But in being a political "independent," he has a steep hill to climb.

Even Bernabei had to fight 'tooth and nail" to get through the "everything Democratic" to be elected over Healy in 2015 notwithstanding that he had been elected law director and councilperson in his many years as a leading Canton Democrat.

Councilman Mack now says he sees Bernabei as doing an effective job in leading Canton out of its morass.  However, had it been up to Mack, Bernabei would never have become mayor of Canton.  For he and most Canton council members stood by William J. Healy, II in his quest for a third term.

In a prior version of this blog the SCPR referenced Councilman John Mariol being a contributor erroneously.  The contributor was in fact Councilman Mariol's father.

Realistically, one should be prepared to see the non-descript, ineffective Babcock re-elected.

If that happens, it means that Cantonians are more interested in partisan politics and therefore electing labeled Democrats than getting "potential" quality legislators on board.

Wyatt may not pan out.

But doesn't it make sense to elect him over Babcock who has been a part of Canton's decline?

CANDIDATES NIGHT IN ALLIANCE

BRAVO!  UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT UNION

PROFESSOR LAURA KUMLER

&

STUDENTS

ALLIANCE CANDIDATES NIGHT

The Stark County Political Report (SCPR) has been covering candidates nights/forums/debates for all of The Report's nearly 10 years as a political blog providing Stark County voters with the most in-depth and thoroughgoing information about Stark County political subdivision candidates and issues on which to base their votes.

Last nights candidates' night in Alliance organized and managed by University of Mount Union professor Laura Kumler and four students studying political science and other academic endeavors at the university was among the very best that the SCPR has covered since March 12, 2008, the date the SCPR started publication.

The primary objective of this blog is to feature the candidates running for three council at large seats in the upcoming November 7th general election.

Alliance voters in viewing the videos of the candidates responses to the questions posed have a valuable resource to use in determining whom to vote for.

Unfortunately, Republican incumbent Roger Rhome was not present at last night's event.  Moreover, "non-partisan" candidate Donald W. Bartolet, II was not able to get to the event to be seated at the candidates' table and therefore missed out on an important opportunity to get his message out to Alliance voters.

First up is a video of a post-event interview with Professor Kumler and the students who introduce themselves and provide a brief synopsis of their backgrounds including their field of study at the University of Mount Union.



NEXT UP - THE OPENING OF ALLIANCE CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE CANDIDATES' NIGHT



Note:  In the following videos, the SCPR inadvertently left the title of Abby Honaker in place.

The Report did interview Abby Honaker-Schroeder individually and here is that video in which she explains the University of Mount Union's commitment to Stark County community education through the Ralph/Mary Regula Center for Public Service and Civic Engagement which Ms Honaker-Schroeder is the director of.

The video:



CANDIDATES INTRODUCE THEMSELVES



Only one of the three Alliance council-at-large seats seems to be up-for-grabs between:

• Donald Bartolet, II (a non-partisan),
• Brian Simeone, (a Democrat),
• David Smith, (a Democrat), and
• Brandi Douthitt, (a Republican)

Veteran incumbent councilpersons Julie Jakmides and Roger Rhome (a former Ward 1 councilman and a "no-show" at the University of Mount Union sponsored Candidates Night event last night), both of whom are Republicans,  appear likely to be elected to new terms.

One veteran Alliance political observer says that a person to watch in the hunt for that "newcomer-going-to-be-elected" third seat is former Alliance policeman Donald Bartolet, II.

Bartolet showed up late to last night's candidate forum.

Nonetheless, the SCPR caught up with him before the evening ended for this interview:

Getting back to the Q&A session between specially selected University of Mount Union students and the in-the-neighborhood of Alliance residents who attend the candidates forum, first up is a question presented to Councilwoman Jakimides on her position on the medical marijuana industry locating in Alliance.

The question and her response.



NEXT UP

A question for candidate David Smith having to do with his proposal to work to create an alliance between the University of Mount Union and Alliance Community Hospital to create new jobs with a proviso as to his plan to work to create new jobs throughout the city:

The question and his response:

NEXT UP



A question to candidates Brian Simeone and Brandi Douthitt as to what they can do with their respective experience as small business owners in bringing new businesses to Alliance.

The question and their responses.



NEXT UP

A question to Brian Simeone to explain his claim that he can bring fiscal responsibility to Alliance government.

The question and his response.



NEXT UP

A question to all the candidates on whether they favor a tax increase or prefer to get Alliance finances in order by engaging more cost cutting.

The question and their responses.



NEXT UP

A question to all the candidates on their respective plans for getting Alliance government's legal expenses in line as well as plans to solve the problems of Alliance's safety forces.

The questions and their answers:



NEXT UP

A question of the candidates being against increasing Alliance's taxes:  Do the candidates think that there can be "something for nothing?"



A question with no answers from the candidates as to what Alliance is to do about the opioid crisis.

The question and answer:



The SCPR's assessment is that Julie Jakmides far and away was the most prepared of the candidates to:

• handle the questions asked, 
• have concrete and specific plans of action to solve Alliance's problems, and
• focus upon improving the process parts of a well functioning city council.

Brian Simeone kept insisting all night that he, if elected, will be working to bring manufacturing jobs back to Alliance.

The SCPR thinks his focus should have been on bringing family living wage and above jobs whatever classification they might fit into.

Regrettably, it appears to The Report and many others that manufacturing jobs however desirable are not going to make a big comeback in communities that dot the American landscape.

A highlight of the evening when David Smith attacked Jakmides for having left an Alliance council meeting some time back in that she was more than equal to the task of justifying her action.  (LINK to blog going into detail about the council episode Smith was referring to)

None of the candidates including Jakmides seemed to have a clue about how Alliance might go about solving its opioid crisis.

In watching the foregoing videos, the Alliance public will have a good grasp on what is working and what is not working in The Carnation City in terms of effective governance.

And they have the University of Mount Union, Professor Kumler, the participating students and a healthy public turnout to thank for a highly successful evening of civic engagement.

SCPR 2018 ELECTION SERIES: CAN DEMOCRAT HARBAUGH WIN IN +12 REPUBLICAN FAVORABLE INDEX IN THE 7TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT (INCLUDES MOST OF STARK COUNTY)?

It seems that Democrat Kenneth Harbaugh (Biography LINK) of Avon, Ohio is making a serious effort to unseat Republican Bob Gibbs (Biography LINK) in the U.S. House of Representative 7th congressional district which includes most of Stark County.

The latest data from the Federal Election Commission show that challenger Harbaugh is neck-and-neck with incumbent Gibbs.

But Gibbs has nearly $1 million in "cash-on-hand" than Harbaugh.

Being behind by $1 million in campaign cash resources combined with being handicapped minus 12 in terms of voters historically preferring/electing Republicans is one huge hurdle for Harbaugh to overcome.

For this former Navy pilot he is going to have to ramp up his fundraising to at least match Gibb's cash-on-hand warchest to have a fighting chance.

In the 2016 elections, Gibbs (a 35% voter margin of victory) than Donald Trump (30%).

One thing that might play well for Harbaugh is that campaign finance data suggests that Bob Gibbs is part of "the swamp" that Trump campaigned against in 2016.

Seventy (70.2%) of Gibbs campaign fundraising comes from political actions committees (PACs) which is ten times Harbaugh's 7.3%.

In Stark County Gibbs has a big lead on Harbaugh, to wit:

GIBBS LIST

HARBAUGH'S LIST

Time will tell as to whether or not this race can become "truly" competitive.

SCPR ELECTION SERIES: MAYORALTY RACE—DAVID HELD

UPDATE:  THURSDAY—6:30 AM

David Held has been mayor of North Canton for 12 years.

Some North Cantonians think he is a shoe-in for another two years.  Others say:  "not so quick!"

What is the truth of the matter?

The Stark County Political Report (SCPR) for one cannot say.

It will be interesting to see what kind of numbers this blog generates in traffic in drawing North Canton voters to see/hear/read about Held in detail on virtually every current/recent issue of North Canton government.

• Among North Canton candidates interviewed and blogged about by The Report, the Kelly blog numbers are running second only to:
•  B.J. Boyajian:
•  who is outdistancing her Ward 4 opponent and incumbent Dominic Fonte by a 18 to 1 ratio in "hits" on their respective SCPR candidacy blogs. 

Held opponent, Scott Kelly, has an advantage in that Held has a record to defend.

Kelly, a former North Canton employee who lost his job as a firefighter in a North Canton belt tightening of few years ago is clearly on the attack on what he perceives to be a deficient David Held record as North Canton's chief executive.

As a relative political unknown, Kelly should, by conventional political analysis, have "a steep hill to climb" in his quest to unseat Held.

And yet there seems to be a feeling on the part of some North Cantonians that Kelly may be in the hunt to become mayor.

Perhaps councilperson-at-large candidate Daryl Revoldt put his finger on why Kelly might have a chance of unseating Held.

Revoldt in his SCPR interview referenced detecting a "disquiet" among North Canton's voters as he canvassed them in furtherance of his campaign.

Revoldt's take could have special significance on the basis of his having run in quite a few elections in his 25 year career as a North Canton government official.

If so, Held could be in trouble.

On the other hand, the SCPR would not be surprised to see Held win easily because, given his ceremonial role as mayor, he is the most visible representative of North Canton government and therefore has a high voter i.d. familiarity.

"Elephants in the room" in terms of not knowing what, if any, effect they may play in the outcome in this particular race include:

• Held's opposition to North Canton schools' Issue 44, and
• The "eyesore" in the heart of North Canton; namely, the former Hoover complex which sit directly across from North Canton City Hall
• FOR A DETAILED LOOK AT A SCPR ANALYSIS OF THIS HISTORY OF AND THE PROGRESSION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOOVER COMPLEX, GO TO THIS "LINK" TO A SCPR BLOG OF AUGUST 26, 2014.

Held's opposition to Issue 44 may actually help Held.  The Report's take is that the issue is likely to fail.

The "eyesore" issue appears to be so prominent in the minds of North Cantonians that it in and of itself might cause Held and several councilpersons in competitive races to be left sitting on the North Canton political sidelines come November 8th.

Councilpersons Kiesling and/or Griffith (at-large) and Ward 3 councilwoman Stephanie Werren appear to be the most vulnerable.

Dominic Fonte (Ward 4 incumbent) has made a major effort to get beautification of the front of the Hoover complex up and running in a recent confrontation he had with developer Stu Lichter.

Nobody in North Canton government other than David Held is more closely tied to the re-development of the Hoover complex both: 

• in terms of keeping tabs on the progress of the Maple Street Commerce, LLC, and
• having being "front and center" in his ceremonial role as mayor as the project:
• got started, and
• added milestone developments along the way since it started

Here is what the former Hoover complex was touted to look like when completed as artist rendition shows when the was presented nearly 10 years ago.

Politically unfortunate for Held is the likelihood that his front and center public relations-esque ceremonial ties with the project place him, in the public mind, as the focal point of "all things" former Hoover complex."

Accordingly, he might have to bear the brunt of the "eyesore" come election day.

In the SCPR video clips presented over the remainder of this blog, Held gets a full opportunity to deal with key North Canton issues which may determine whether or not he continues as mayor.

DAVID HELD INTRODUCES HIMSELF

THE "POSITIVE" AS DAVID HELD SEES THINGS IN HIS YEARS AS MAYOR (2:49)

One of David Held's best qualities as a human being is ability to take negative situations and turn them into positives.

Held began in North Canton administration as chief administrator under then-mayor Tom Rice in 2000.  Over the next four years he and Rice's relationship disintegrated to the point that Rice fired him as administrator over policy differences.

Held could have felt sorry for himself and said to himself "who needs this!" and walked away from the North Canton political/government scene.

Being a championship level wrestler in his youth, such is not in the make up of David Held.

In 2005, he turned tables on the incumbent mayor Rice by running for the office and winning over over Rice by a rather decisive majority.

And its been "Easy Street" for him ever since.

In his final years as chief administrator and in his beginning years as mayor of North Canton, it dawned on him and undoubtedly all "aware" North Cantonians that the community financial/economic bulwark—The Hoover Company—was in a speeding downward spiral that would see the company—as it existed in its developing and heydey—"to be no more" in North Canton.

Who would have believed that such would be the end of a company whose payroll at one time enabled North Canton government to build up a $9 million budget surplus?

In the video segment below, Held details how he in collaboration with others picked up the empty, out-of-existence-in-North Canton Hoover Company as of 2007 factory and began the process of making "a silk purse out of a sow's ear."

Well, perhaps, not silk but, rather, a faux leather one?

Listen/watch Held (1:50) describe how he once again picked himself (this time as recently elected mayor of North Canton) and made what he nominates as his greatest positive in his 12 years as mayor.



A "TIME TO TRY MEN'S SOULS," INCLUDING DAVID HELD'S

If readers view no other video in the collection of videos in this blog, THIS ONE IS A MUST.

For in it Held tells the gut-wrenching, agonizing unfolding of The Hoover Company exiting North Canton.

This singular event tells tale of the worst of times for David Held as mayor.

As if the folding of The Hoover Company was not in and of itself financially devastating, North Canton, like political subdivision across Ohio has experienced draconian cuts in local government funding (beginning in 2011 to the tune of about $350,000; loss of estate tax revenues of about $400,000 to $1.3 million [see "More Footage" ... video below].

In what could turn into an ironical twist to this story is that in downsizing over several years North Canton government from 116 employees to 91, which included 2017 mayoral opponent Scott Kelly, Held may prove out to have been part of generating his own demise as mayor of North Canton.  (see "Cost Cutting" video below)

Of course, we will not know the answer to that possibility until the evening hours of November 7th.

The video: (3:59)



MORE FOOTAGE ON HELD TALKING ABOUT NORTH CANTON FINANCIAL HARD TIMES IN CONTEXT OF EMPHASIZING WITH SCHOOLS' FINANCES




Another video segment (1:36) that likely will be intriguing to North Cantonians is a short history of North Canton government and its dependence on The Hoover Company as the mainstay of the city's financial good times, to wit:



PERFORMANCE AUDITS:  A DAVID HELD/NC COUNCIL CONTRIBUTION TO EFFICIENCY IN STARK COUNTY POLITICAL SUBDIVISION GOVERNMENT

North Canton's use of a "performance audit" shows it to be a useful tool in the drive of governments to become more effective and efficient.

All financial distressed local units of Stark County (listen up Canton, Alliance, et cetera) ought to follow North Canton's example.

The video: (4:37)



IMPACT OF COST CUTTING ON MAYOR DAVID HELD & CITY OPERATIONS (6:40)



HELD'S PERCEPTION OF THE ROLE OF THE MAYOR IN NC GOVT (7:30)




IS NORTH CANTON'S EMS FOOTPRINT GETTING "UNWIELDY? (3:02)




ON HELD OPPOSITION TO CEDA (2014) & MORE ON STRENGTH OF HIS ADMINISTRATION (4:42)




DOING COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AREA IN THE RIGHT WAY AND THE NORTH RIDGE PLACE EFFECT ON NORTH CANTON SCHOOLS (8:56)



VOTE "NO" (SAYS HELD) ON SCHOOLS' ISSUE 44, SCHOOLS NEED TO FOLLOW NC GOV'T FINANCIAL MODEL (3:56)

• Topics addressed: (paraphrased summary of points)
• A mistake for schools to present Issue 44 to voters because:
• 0.75 "earned" income tax proposal is a "permanent" tax,
• increases some North Cantonians municipal/school tax burden to 2.75% (if they work in Canton); 3% (if they work in Akron); 2.25% (if they work in North Canton),
• For North Cantonians who work in city, they pay not only 2.25% but also for servicing the interest on the proposed bond issue,
• Schools need to slow down the replacement of districts older school buildings

Held in his own words:



ON THE FIELDCREST RE-ZONE ISSUE



HELD'S VISION OF NORTH CANTON TWO, FIVE YEARS OUT (16:16)

• Points made:
• Maple Street Commerce Hoover Project,
• is a "eyesore,"
• has addressed Lichter directly to fix up the aesthetics that the condition "as is" is not good PR for Maple Street,
• project is a "go,"
• $12 already million invested in doing 130 apartments in the facility,
• by 2018, new retail, and
• new parking,
• additional jobs (1,200 now) will be 2,400 jobs within five years,
• Quality is better than quantity (i.e. expanding North Canton borders) in North Canton development,
• want 
• top notch city services,
• best available technology,
• best available talent,
• North Canton's priorities,
• safety of residents and employees,
• high quality city services,
• good communication with residents,
• By 2018, North Canton will be a "state of the art" technology city,
• for example, a more interactive website,
• By 2018, improve Dogwood Park and Price Park to tune of at least $2 million perhaps as much as $5 million,

Held in his own words:



WRAP UP (1:15)

SCPR ELECTION SERIES: DARYL REVOLDT, A SURE BET IN NORTH CANTON COUNCIL-AT-LARGE RACE?

HEADLINERS

LAW DIRECTOR IS "OUT-OF-ORDER"

HOOVER COMPLEX IS A "SEMI-FAILURE"

The Stark County Political Report thinks that former North Canton mayor, councilman-at-large, council president and ward councilman Daryl Revoldt is pretty much a shoe-in to capture one of three up-for-election slots for councilperson-at-large in the upcoming November 7th election.

But as my mother frequently said to us Olson kids, "there is many a slip between the cup and the lip."

All one has to do is to recall loss in the 2014 elections of U.S. House of Representatives leader Republican Eric Cantor in what most political pundits deemed to be one of the most stunning losses in U.S. political history.

Daryl Revoldt is keenly aware that he should not be taking anything for granted in his comeback bid (primarily from a time in Columbus as an Ohio economic development official) to, for a third stint, be a part of North Canton government.

Revoldt could be a victim of the times passing him by (also Ward 3 candidate Jon Snyder).   If elected, Revoldt, age 66, and Jon Snyder (70) would certainly bring a wealth of experience to North Canton government but are vulnerable to a point-of-view that they have had their day and it is time to move on to/stay with a younger set of councilpersons.

Some believe that some, perhaps a majority of sitting North Canton council members, are part of a "below-the-radar/mouth-to-mouth" anti-Daryl Revoldt movement."

Revoldt, even out-of-office, has been in continuing contact with some in North Canton officialdom only to be largely shunted aside.

The Report sees Revoldt's candidacy as a "Ok, folks, largely ignore me, let me see whether or not there is anything left in the political tank.  And if there is, guess what?  I'm back!"

If this year's election shows North Cantonians remember him fondly and put him back into center of North Canton government, there will be a dramatic shift in the direction in which North Canton government.  Especially so, if Marcia Kiesling is the political victim of Revoldt's return to the North Canton political scene.

NOTE:  Here is a LINK to a blog done on incumbent councilman-at-large Dan Griffith, one of Revoldt's three opponents.  Remaining incumbents Mark Cerreta and Marcia Kiesling in effect refused to do a SCPR interview in not responding to The Report 's invitation.  Kiesling not only ignored the SCPR, she also failed to return a Canton League of Women Voters questionnaire.

As the SCPR sees this election for North Canton council positions this time around, the "experienced," "politically savvy" and "sensitive to the public pulse" Revoldt (along, perhaps, with Ward 3 candidate Jon Snyder) represent the best chance that North Canton has to get back to be one of the very best governments in all of Stark County.

Pre-2000, North Canton was seen by many as being "the cat's meow" as far as local governments go in all of Stark County's political subdivision.

Those were the days that The Hoover Company was still in its heyday producing budget surpluses for North Canton government upwards of $10 million.

Revoldt, more than Snyder, was an effective steward of those surpluses which enabled North Canton government to "weather the storm" of the demise of The Hoover Company beginning in 2007.

Nowadays, North Canton seems to be "on a even keel" financially, but its growth opportunities are limited because it is geographically hemmed in and it will take the experience of a Daryl Revoldt over the next several years for the city to find a niche that fits its geographics that enables it to survive as a viable political entity going forward.

Getting to the videotaped interview that the SCPR did with candidate Revoldt on October 4th.

DARYL REVOLDT GOV'T SERVICE/POLITICAL BACKGROUND (02:51)



REVOLDT ON NORTH CANTON'S "KEY" ISSUES

Revoldt gets to the "heart of the matter" in opening up the interview discussion about the issues he will face if elected to a term on North Canton City Council (NCCC).

They are:

• avoiding self-inflicted errors like the North Ridge Place abatement fiasco,
• getting North Canton's organizational house in order by developing a full proof check and balance on making "timely" decisions (e.g. the failure to get an EMS revenue on the ballot in time to avoid the expense [some $13,000] of a "special" election), and
• reordering council's relationship with North Canton's activist citizens

The video: (02:50)

CURRENT COUNCIL:  "GO AWAY DARYL REVOLDT?"

Revoldt:  "Not for council to decide."  His return or not is up to North Canton voters.

The video: (00:56)



RE:  COUNCIL DEALING WITH CITIZEN ACTIVISTS MATURELY (00:59)



As a long time observer of North Canton City Council, the SCPR agrees with Revoldt's assessment that current council members (embodied in council president Daniel "Jeff" Peters) does not collectively have the skills to deal with passionate civic activists.

The Report thinks that a Daryl Revoldt election to council will go a long ways towards getting "civility" back into exchanges between council members and North Canton's "engaged with our government" citizens.

REVOLDT ON LAW DIRECTOR TIM FOX'S ROLE IN RELATION TO COUNCIL

A major factor in the breakdown in North Canton government having a civil relationship with its constituents has been, in the opinion of the SCPR, the license council has given to Law Director Tim Fox to weigh-in on matters (i.e. substantive decisions of North Canton government) that are "beyond the pale" of a properly ordered law director.

Fox has picked up on the implies license and the SCPR thinks has irresponsibly taken on "a larger than life role" in council's work even to the point of doing battle from his station on the dais at regular North Canton council meetings.

Fox (clearly, as a matter of being unprofessional, in the view of the SCPR) has taunted certain North Canton citizens during a given meeting.

Unless and until North Canton council effectively "counsels" Fox (candidate Revoldt's proposal) to assume an appropriate role vis-a-vis council/the administration, the turmoil will surely continue, no?

North Canton government needs the support and participation of all its citizens as these times are particularly financially trying for all of political subdivision governments in Ohio.

The video: (02:16)



FIELDCREST RE-ZONING & THE QUALITY OF NORTH CANTON NEIGHBORHOODS

In a phrase "common sense consensus [including resident input] solutions" is the model that Revoldt presents as his route going forward on maintaining and improving North Canton neighborhoods.

The video (04:32):



THE HOOVER COMPLEX REDEVELOPMENT & OTHER AVENUES FOR THE CITY

In this video segment Revoldt calls the "unfinished" Hoover complex development project as being a "semi-failure."

And he forthrightly tabs the asethetics on the Main Street side as being "unacceptable."

One has to believe that Revoldt as councilman will put his years of work in Ohio's economic development effort which will be an asset to the city going forward in getting this project up and moving to completion.

The video (05:16)



SAFETY FORCE QUALITY:  SHOULD NORTH CANTON CONSIDER COLLABORATING WITH COUNTYWIDE 9-1-1?

Revoldt's videotaped response. (01:26)



WORKFORCE NUMBERS:  CAN NORTH CANTON GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO INCREASE ITS WORKFORCE IF THE SCHOOL TAX MEASURES PASS?

Mayoral candidate Scott Kelly said in his SCPR interview is that one of his prime objective if elected mayor will be to find ways and means to increase the city's workforce.

Candidate Revoldt (as the SCPR reads his response) is skeptical that getting the necessary revenue is doable.  He agrees with Kelly that more workers perhaps to as many as 130 workers is desirable.  But it all comes down to "Show Me The Money!"

The video:



ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, WHAT DOES REVOLDT  TAKEAWAY AS THE VOTERS' KEY ISSUES?

Once again the "Mogadishu" (Revoldt's description) of the area in front of the Hoover complex on Main Street comes up.

Want to bet that with the new council, getting all over Lichter (as Councilman Dominic Fonte says he has already done) will not be matter number #1?

Interesting is Revoldt reference of coming away with an inference from general discussions he is having with voters of them having a general disquiet about the direction North Canton is heading in.

Hmm?

The video (02:41):



REVOLDT WRAP UP



An add-on in Revoldt's summation of why he thinks he is a good choice for council-at-large was a SCPR insertion of a question about attendance at council meetings.

This question came to mind on account of attendance problems on the part of Councilpersons Marcia Kiesling (council meetings) and Stephanie Werren (Zoning Board of Appeals).

To the SCPR it would indeed be a shock if Revoldt were not elected on November 7th.

And, if he isn't, the likelihood that North Canton City Council will remain without effective leadership looms large.

SCPR ELECTION SERIES: WARD 4 NORTH CANTON—B.J. BOYAJIAN

UPDATED:  5:40 PM  (added duration of videos)

UPDATED:  6:10 PM  (added  inadvertently omitted video Q&A on law director)

North Canton's Ward 4 council race is an opportunity for a younger generation North Cantonians to have their perspective grace the meetings of council going forward.

As presently constituted, the youngest member of council is in his/her upper forties.

Challenging for a place on council at age 40 is—"she learned politics/governance at the knee of" her grandfather—B.J. Boyajian.

Her grandfather John Boyajian (a former employee of Diebold) served as a councilman (Ward 3) and for a number of years as a chief administrator for North Canton.

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 in Ward 4.

In B.J.'s resume (see above), the most appealing thing to North Canton's voters should be her statement:  "I am a independent thinker and I will both challenge & support ... citizens."

The Stark County Political Report (SCPR) assesses her opponent (incumbent Dominic Fonte) to be solidly aligned with those on the presently constituted council who seem to be antagonististic (as a knee-jerk default position) to North Canton citizens who differ with their policies, practices and programs.

B.J. has it right in focusing on a promise of independence of thought and action whether it be in relationship to the administration, fellow council members or citizens themselves.

A truly independent minded public official is a rarity in 2017 America, Ohio and Stark County.

Yesterday, the SCPR wrote about the candidacy of Fonte (LINK).

Today, the SCPR videotaped interview focus is on B.J. Boyajian.

BOYAJIAN INTRODUCES HERSELF (8:33)



POINTS OF EMPHASIS WITH BOYAJIAN (4:56)

Getting Ward 4/Citizens Citywide to Participate More in North Canton Civic Matters

Her Strengths as a Accomplished Financial Services Person



POSITIVES/NEGATIVES IN WARD 4 (8:46)



FIXING UP AESTHETICS/COMPLETING DEVELOPMENT OF HOOVER COMPLEX (4:56)



TO SUPPORT OR NOT SUPPORT SCHOOLS TAX ISSUES? (7:16)



CITIZEN TO COUNCIL  INPUT:  EXPAND, STAY THE SAME OR REDUCE?  (2:31)



As far as the SCPR is concerned, that Boyajian favors an expansion of everyday citizen input to work sessions is encouraging and definitely a positive over her opponent and his clear stance against expansion.

Beyond expansion, the proof of whether or not council/citizen interaction is improved will come with whether or not Boyajian (if elected) and other council members respond to citizen input "on-the-public-record" either at the meeting in which a given matter is addressed or at the next subsequent meeting.

THE APPROPRIATE ROLE OF THE LAW DIRECTOR IN NC GOV'T (3:43)





Perhaps it is The Report's background, but the SCPR is not nearly as well taken with Law Director Tim Fox as Boyajian and her opponent Dominic Fonte are.

This blogger passed on critiquing from a legal background perspective Fox's handling of the Revoldt, Roll and Osborne appeals of North Canton's North Ridge Place abatement (LINK), but in a phrase:  the SCPR was totally unimpressed with him in that instance to the point of casting the process as being a "Dog and Pony Show.

A critical analysis of particular errors he made on the North Ridge Place matter could have run much deeper.

And, of course, nobody on North Canton council is equipped by legal background (except perhaps, Dan Griffith) to challenge the law director's work product.

Accordingly, Fox makes the most of council's unpreparedness to challenge council.

So no matter who is elected as between Boyajian or Fonte, those who hope for somebody to get the law director in a proper role vis-a-vis North Canton government will come up wanting.

If there is to be a check and balance on the law director, it will have to come from the likes of a Daryl Revoldt or Jon Snyder.

RE-ZONING FIELDCREST (3:49)



WRAP UP (2:31)



Overall, Candidate Boyajian appears to have the credentials to be, with seasoning, a first rate councilperson over time.

To summarize:

• She has the political pedigree in being tuned in to her grandfather's years in North Canton government to have a solid take on the lay of the land notwithstanding her actual inexperience,
l
• Her devotion to "bringing them in;" the "they" being more and more North Cantonians perhaps incorporating younger generations willing to heed Boyajian's call for North Canton citizens to be more in tune/participative with their government,
• Zeal and enthusiasm seems to be Boyajian's "cup of tea" to bring to North Canton government perhaps because at age 40 she has not been jaded by the seeming apathy marks a number of North Canton's council members, and
• Her commitment to thinking long terms and staying the course in seeking policy, practice and program improvement.

One thing that bothered the SCPR about Boyajian opponent Dominic Fonte was his repeated reference to The Report "and this job only pays $7,200."

Boyajian did not get anywhere near that kind of calculus.

She communicated a spark in personality and committed action that is refreshing especially in view of the phenomenon that several incumbent councilpersons (Kiesling and Werren) project that attending council meetings is a burden to bear.

There is one word of caution on candidate Boyajian.

She may be so enamored with the likes of Held (the mayor), Revoldt (mayor when her grandfather was city administrator), Snyder (a 16 year council veteran that yearns to return to council); if they get elected, and Fox (in merely being law director) that she gets totally intimidated by the environment.

The Report does not think given her having leadership positions in the private sector that she will in fact stand aside for the foregoing veterans of government.

But that possibility is reason enough for Ward 4 voters to "pause for thought" if they are otherwise inclined to vote for B.J. Boyajian as their next councilperson.

Considering everything written above, the SCPR thinks candidate Boyajian deserves serious consideration by Ward 4 voters as the person that the Ward sends to the next term of North Canton City Council.

SCPR ELECTION SERIES: DOMINIC FONTE, INCUMBENT. NCCC—WARD 4

UPDATED:  SUNDAY, 08:00 AM

HEADLINER

FONTE CONFRONTS LICHTER

ON HOOVER MAIN STREET CLEAN UP

It not very often that The Stark County Political Report (SCPR) focuses on a Stark County political subdvision Ward race.

However, in North Canton this election cycle, it is possible that through the ultimate American government accountability device (an "election") that there will be a dramatic shift in the manner in which North Canton government is run.

There may be as many as three "new" (in the sense of "different," meaning perhaps only one "new-new" councilperson) councilpersons-elect on November 8th.

The SCPR thinks it is pretty certain that combined 25 years of service former mayor, councilman and council president Daryl Revoldt will be one of the "three to be elected" council-at-large positions—to be elected— thereby leaving either incumbent Mark Cerreta, Marcia Kiesling or Dan Griffith on the outside, looking in.

Another vulnerable incumbent is Stephanie Werren of Ward 3.

She is being contested by former councilman Jon Snyder.

He has 16 years of service as councilperson (Ward 4, interesting enough) having also served as council president.

The SCPR thinks that it more likely than not that Snyder will take Ward 3.

In Ward 4, it appears to The Report that Dominic Fonte is likely to retain his seat as councilman.

However, if he does, he will have to fend off a household name in North Canton government and politics in his opponent B.J. Boyjian.

B.J. is a political newcomer in her own presence; however, her grandfather served years ago as a North Canton councilman and as a North Canton chief administrator most notably during the mayoralty of Daryl Revoldt.

Today's blog focus is on a SCPR video interview of Ward 4 councilman Dominic Fonte recorded on October 18th.

Tomorrow, The Report shifts to Fonte's opponent (Boyajian) who also was interviewed on the 18th.

FONTE INTRODUCTION

Fonte introduces himself via video (1:38)



GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT AS A COUNCILMAN

Fonte says that his most outstanding achievement in his 3-1/2 years as a councilman has been making the input (adopted by council as a whole) in improving communications with the North Canton public (3:47).



Here are links to technology centered improvements that Fonte cites as a consequence of his work as a city councilman in improving communications between the city and North Cantonians:

• North Canton's newsletter
• North Canton's YouTube channel, and
• North Canton's Facebook page

As he points out, North Canton council chamber acoustics are horrible and it is hard to believe that during his term and before, council has not rectified this critical problem in the sense of one attending being able to understand what went on at the meeting.

It can be virutally useless to attend a North Canton City Council (NCCC) meeting because it is a trying, frustrating experience for one to fully make out what is said among the city's councilpersons, between council members and administration members and any dialogue from the dais of council chambers to/from attendees.

To be charitable to Fonte, one might take his word that he, too, is disappointed that North Canton government acts slowly in remedying its audio problems.

But the question remains:  3-1/2 years? What has taken so long for Fonte to prevail upon his fellow council members dealing a highly fixable (i.e. acoustics) problem?

The SCPR suspects (not necssarily including Fonte) that a number of NCCC council members, in general, are not enthusiastic, as a matter of it being a high priority, that the council chamber sound system get fixed.

Hopefully, Fonte, if re-elected, will persist in holding council as a whole feet to the fire and see to it that anyone attending a NCCC meeting can readily hear what is being considered.

In general, Fonte's greatest disappointment with North Canton government is how long it can take to solve basic city service problems which leads to charges of incompetence (et cetera) allegations being levied against the existing council membership.

Here is Fonte in his own words (1:15):



In the Fonte interview, the SCPR turned the above generalized achievement/disappointment question specific to Ward 4.

Fonte addresses:  (in Part 1 [7:15] of this segment of his videotaped interview)

• getting more bang for North Canton government's buck in street and road resurfacing/repairs (also infusing more capital budget monies), and
• the aesthetics of allowing cell towers in his ward

Fonte's answers (in the form of proposals he has made to all of council) shows that he does his homework as one would expect of a sitting councilperson.  It is apparent that some of North Canton's sitting councilpersons do not work as creatively and effectively as Fonte.



In Part 2 of the video (6:56), watch/listen as Fonte shares his work (note: the SCPR thinks Fonte's response qualifies as being breaking news) in connecting with Hoover Project developer Stu Lichter pressing him to get on with fixing the "eyesore" that many North Cantonians think exists in the Main Street side (directly across from city hall) of the facility.



DOMINIC FONTE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

"Flexibility" that is what Fonte's objective is as he pushes to get North Cantons "Main Street Busness District" (MSBD) up and running.

Fonte points out specific problems North Canton has had with regard to economic development which problems he is leading the charge on changing.

Watch/listen to Fonte has he talks about his wanting the MSBD to focus on attracting Millenials to downtown North Canton.

FIELDCREST:  DOES NORTH CANTON NEED A PROFESSIONAL CITY PLANNER ON PROJECTS SUCH AS FIELDCREST?  (5:02) 

Fonte's answer?  No!



ON COUNCIL/CITIZEN INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION (11:01)



The SCPR as a matter of interview technique does not much get into challenging the points that a interviewee wants to make in answering questions.

As readers of The Report know, if the SCPR pushes hard for anything; it is public officials answering citizens questions "on-the-public-record" on a timely timetable.

The Report's interpretation of this blogger's exchange with Fonte is that he mirrors an obvious overall North Canton City Council antagonism towards "on-the-record" citizen inquiry/opinion on the part of council members and administration officials.

He apparently thinks that public relations-esque newsletters and YouTube videos and the like are—in accord with democratic-republican values —substitutes for on-the-record, quickly responded to Q&As.

Fonte's articulated opposition to expanded, responsive (at the moment of the question/opinion or soon thereafter on-the-public-record)

• make no mistake about it, the SCPR does not support "yelling out" [as sometimes Citizen Chuck Osborne does at council meetings] 

councilperson/citizen exchanges should be disturbing to North Canton voters to the point that his opposition to any change going forward might be a key reason why a Ward 4 voter might not vote for him.

The SCPR grades him as deserving a failing grade in this category notwithstanding his YouTube and out-of-public-view constituent contacts; which, by the way, the SCPR thinks is a plus about him.

ON LAW DIRECTOR TIM FOX'S RELATIONSHIP WITH COUNCIL (3:41)



Another minus about Fonte as far as the SCPR is concerned is his take on Law Director Tim Fox.

Fox clearly overreaches into the substantive decisions of North Canton council.

Fonte's evaluation of Fox is indication that he and most of council have abdicated their oversight role of how the law director behaves during North Canton government meetings.

ON THE MAYOR'S ROLE VIS-A-VIS COUNCIL (3:46)

Overall, it appears to the SCPR that Dominic Fonte has his:

• pluses 
• getting answers from Lichter on the Hoover Complex aesthetics problem,
• being creative in finding ways to expand North Canton's ability to do more street/roadway repair, and
• his YouTube, newsletter and other inform the public effort
• so-sos (his sound system work to-date), and 
• several minuses
• thinking that there is adequate council member/citizen direct dialogue on the public record,
• his not dealing well with council being critiqued, and
• his pollyanish take on the law director and mayor

FONTE WRAP UP (2:01)

In his wrap up, Fonte lays down the criteria up which North Cantonians should consider voting for him.