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.