"HEAR JOE MARTUCCIO" IN HIS OWN WORDS: HIS PLAN TO RETIRE AS CANTON LAW DIRECTOR

VIDEO

CANTON LAW DIRECTOR

JOSEPH MARTUCCIO

IN HIS OWN WORDS

ON HIS PLAN TO RETIRE

On September 22nd, The Stark County Political Report (SCPR) published a blog to the effect that a source at a Republican political event was overheard saying that Canton Law Director for 17 years Joseph Martuccio would likely be retiring somewhere near the end of 2017.

Of course, using the two source rule, the SCPR talked with an "off-the-record" source who confirmed the Republican's account in its essentials.

But there is never anything better than going to the subject of the blog for actual confirmation.

At last Monday's Canton City Council meeting, the SCPR interviewed (1:42) Martuccio and he indeed confirmed that he has retirement plans in the works:

An amazing thing about Martuccio's tenure as law director is that in the four elections for Canton law director since he was originally appointed in 2000 by Stark County Democratic precinct committeepeersons (Canton Municipal Court district) to succeed current mayor of Canton Thomas Bernabei, he did not have an opponent in any of his election candidacies.

The Report offered to Martuccio that having had no opposition was a testament to his have the highest respect of his peers.

In typical humble Martuccio fashion, he replied "or nobody wanted the job."

For those of us who know Matuccio, it is the former and not the latter.

The Report has learned that Kristen Bates-Alyward is his choice to succeed him.

It may be that somebody will present a challenge when Stark's "organized" Democrats meeting sometime in early 2018 to choose his successor.

Bates-Alyward could have no better political ally than Joe Martuccio in her corner of such a challenge materializes.