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
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:
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)
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.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
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]
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)
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)
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