END OF THE HAGAN ERA IN MARLBORO TOWNSHIP?

AND, PERHAPS, STARK COUNTY?

Earlier this year state Representative Christina Hagan was talking to anyone who listen about the dawning of a new political era in Stark County politics and governance whereby the John P. Hagan family was on the cusp of becoming a political dynasty in Stark County.

But as the Hagan family approaches the November 7th election, it appears that family political patriarch John P. Hagan is fighting the fight of his political life to stay on as Marlboro Township trustee.

In the 2013 Marlboro Township trustee election, Hagan ran unopposed in a two person running, two persons to be selected race.

Perhaps John should have seen the "handwriting on the wall" in that he came in second (see graphic above) to Ken Eddleman that perhaps someone in Marlboro would see the second place finish as being a sign of vulnerability come the 2017 elections.

Well, that somebody is not just anybody but former long time serving Marlboro trustee John Battershell.

As the SCPR sees it, "the gig could be up for John in Marlboro" and, as The Report has written, for Christina too in her run for the Republican nomination for Ohio's 16th Congressional District seat being vacated by Wadsworth resident Jim Renacci as he has decided to run for the Republican nomination for governor.

ON JOHN HAGAN

It appears to the SCPR that John Hagan's arrogance is increasingly making him "persona non grata" in Marlboro Township politics and governance.

Interesting in view of the fact that he has served as township trustee from 1989—2000 and again from 2009—the present (December 31, 2017).

Battershell, who describes himself as being "friends" with Hagan, says he has decided to run because Hagan "as a public official" (emphasizing:  "nothing personal") has left a lot to be desired.

Battershell is said to be telling Marlboro voters that he thinks that Ken Eddleman is doing a terrific job as trustee as is Wayne Schilig who is not running in this election cycle and, of course, when it comes down to choosing a second person to vote for, it ought to be John Battershell.

Hagan, Battershell claims, is into micromanaging township operations and consequently is doing his best to muck things up in Marlboro.

Moreover, he offered the SCPR some examples of why he thinks Hagan needs to be replaced.

One example he provided does seem to have a personal tinge to it despite Battershell proclaiming that he and Hagan are friends who continue to converse with one another.

About four years ago Trustees Eddleman and Schilig decided that Marlboro needed a change in who serves as the township's zoning inspector.

Because of his long service in Marlboro Township government as trustee (1985 through 2005) and thereby being the most knowledgeable person in the township about the particular zoning priorities for the township, Schilig and Eddleman suggested to Battershell that he ought to apply.

And he did.

Guess who—sort of—did object?

You have it!  None other than Trustee John P. Hagan.

Hagan abstained from the trustee votes on the Battershell hire and renewal thereof.

Abstain?  Isn't that for when one might:

• have a conflict-in-interest,
• doesn't know enough to vote based on a lack of having full information, or
• has not been present at a trustee meeting for which minutes are adopted, and
• THEREFORE "not" in a position to vote?

It is obvious to the SCPR that Hagan would not endorse Battershell because he likely was worrying at the time that Battershell as zoning inspector might be the first step to his wanting to return as trustee.

The Report does not think John Hagan is the "brightest bulb" in Stark County political subdivision politics and government, but he is savvy enough to know when his own longevity might be threatened.

The SCPR sees Trustee Hagan as a political hanger-oner.  In 2008, as he came to his end (because of term limits) of his time as Ohio House District 50 state representative, he looked around for a Stark County political opportunity.

And, lo and behold! he found one.

Republican Jane Vignos had announced she would be retiring as a Stark County commissioner as of December 31, 2008.

It is hard to believe that a state representative with tons of free Stark County-based media ink could do no better that staying within a 1,000 downside vote to a political newcomer.

Despite being in a heavy Republican majority Statehouse political caucus, Hagan's individual legislative record was quite unremarkable.

Hagan was looking again for something more lucrative than being Marlboro Township trustee in 2014.

Despite having been chairman of the Ohio House Public Utilities Committee during his days in the Legislature, Hagan was rejected as a replacement for former Ohio House District 50 Republican state Representative Todd Snitchler.

Snitchler ran in 2010 and got re-elected to the Ohio House in November, 2010 only to bail out shortly after being sworn-in for his new terms to become a newly elected Governor John Kasich appointee to the PUCO post.

The Hagans pounced on the Snitchler Ohio House vacancy like a "a pack of wolves" going after raw meat.

John Hagan, a mere two years, term limited out of the Ohio House, used his remaining influence to get his political neophyte daughter Snitchler's job.

PICKING UP AGAIN ON CHRISTINA HAGAN

Both Christina and Jim Renacci are running in the May 8, 2018 Republican Party primary election.

The SCPR would not at all be surprised to see Christina abandon her congressional race and run for the one remaining term before being term limited out of the Ohio House (50th Ohio House District which includes Marlboro Township).

See this blog in which the SCPR provides chapter and verse on her substandard fundraising when compared to a person whom appears to be the national GOP congressional campaign organization's preferred 16th District candidate (Anthony Gonzalez).

So POOF! goes the Hagan Dynasty?

The Report hears that Reggie Stoltzfus who has "filed" to run for Christina's seat is a bit unnerved about the possibility that she will opt out of the congressional race

But he just might want to hang in there.

The SCPR is hearing more and more that many Republicans in the 50th (mostly in the Marlboro Township vicinity) are "Hagan-ed out."

Maybe just maybe now that she has taken the congressional district move (a district, by the way, she does not live in), she will be seen across the 50th as being just another "opportunistic" politician who looks out for herself first and foremost.

Looks like Christina is a "chip off the old block [father, John]," no?

One week after these ads appeared in a local Lake Township weekly periodical "The Hartville News" (which provides heavy Marlboro Township coverage) two weeks ago:

This one appeared:

Kinda looks like there might be a little bit of political panic going on within the Marlboro Township sited Hagan household, no?

The Hagan political "hot air" balloon might be about to make a crash landing number one with crash landing number two to follow-on in 2018.