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.
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.
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