Canton City Council on City Finances .................. North Canton Mayor David Held (Encore) on Ohio & City Finances
"Red, red everywhere and plenty of drops to drink!"
Such is an apt description of Hall of Fame city's finances these days.
But I have done my part to help Canton out of its financial troubles.
Yesterday, after having placed two hours on a parking meter next to the building housing the Stark County Regional Planning Commission, I learned I came up short on my estimate of the time I would spend at a Stark County Land Bank meeting and post-meeting activities.
Hence, this:
Knowing that Canton needs every dollar that it can scrum up, the first thing I did on returning home was to send an "electronic' check in to Canton in payment of the ticket.
So I am doing my part!
Watching Canton finance director Mark Crouse update Canton City Council on city finances for 2017 at council's July 17th meeting was painful enough, but his projected for 2018 and 2019 deficits are blood curdling perhaps to the point of producing financial clots of a fiscal viability life threatening nature.
Of course, the question is: Who is to blame?
The easy answer is William J. Healy, II's eight years as mayor of Canton.
But The Stark County Political Report (SCPR) does not believe that the "easy answer" is the full answer.
For one thing, where was city council in exercising its oversight function?
Healy appears to have massaged city finances "for the moment" to make it seem Canton was on a sustainable track which "seemingness," with only a modicum financial scrutiny by the Finance Committee (personified by the committee chair [Ward 1 Councilman Greg Hawk for most of the Healy years] operating as council's watchdog could have/should have stopped the charade in council's discharging it annual duty of passing a city budget.
For another, the State of Ohio through the Ohio General Assembly budgeting process since the onset of Republican John Kasich becoming governor in 2010 has devastated local government finances in dramatically reducing the state's share of funding local governments.
Only the SCPR as Stark County-based media names names of the perpetrators of the fiscal hard times that Ohio state government has visited on local governments.
For Stark County, those names have been and continue to be Scott Oelslager (R, Ohio Senate District 29), Kirk Schuring (R, Ohio House District 48) and Christina Hagan (R, Ohio House District 50).
Ohio's core cities are bearing the brunt of what seems to be a war by a largely rural/suburban-based Republican supermajority controlling Ohio's legislature.
Recently, North Canton mayor David Held (a Republican) complained at a recent North Canton council meeting about an impending adverse to Ohio cities legislation by the Republican dominated Ohio General Assembly.
Canton's treasurer (Kim Perez) recently sent this letter to Senator Oelslager.
So Ohio's war on cities seems to be continuing unabated.
It seems to the SCPR that notwithstanding Mayor Tom Bernabei's effort to "stop the bleeding," the city's employee compensation factor has gotten out-of-control (not only with Healy, but with mostly Republican administrations going back a number of mayors) that it will take his four full years plus to get Canton onto a financial sustainable path.
Bleak financial conditions do not happen on their own.
Causative factors should be and can be assigned to particular persons making decisions government and voters need to take note of the names and hold these "real" person officials accountable by thinking two, three times about returning them to office.
STARK COUNTY'S MOST EXTENSIVE "VIDEO" COVERAGE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
VIDEOS
CITIZEN OSBORNE GETS EJECTED FROM COUNCIL MEETING
.....
"POLLYANA" COUNCILMAN FONTE ON: MAKING NORTH CANTON GREAT AGAIN
.....
NORTH CANTON GETS A NEW POLICE CHIEF THE SWEARING-IN also
Slide Show of Who Attended
.....
MAYOR HELD CHASTISES OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY
There were at last night's North Canton City Council meeting quite a number of items dealt with by council and the Mayor David Held administration.
There was North Canton civic activist Chuck Osborne getting kicked out of council meeting for exercising his First Amendment right of "free speech" in putting up a sign "Silence Law Director Tim Fox" towards the end of the meeting.
Here is a SCPR video of Osborne being "thrown out" via police escort of last night's meeting (1:07 in length).
Let me say this about Osborne.
At last night's meeting he shouted out from the audience several times in disruption of the meeting.
He had had his opportunity to address council and the administration during the "Recognition of Visitors" part of the meeting agenda.
That he chose to demonstrate a lack of self-control in the verbal outbursts is inexcusable.
He may or may not have a point on his First Amendment rights being trampled upon by the meeting's leadership. I for one hope he does bring a court case on his being expelled from council for the sign he posted on his camera easel.
As much as Tim Fox seems to think he is "judge, jury and executioner" on North Canton questions of law, there are those of us who have not hesitation whatsoever to challenge his take.
On North Canton council appears to buy-in to the Fox perpetuated notion that he is "the Great Lawgiver!"
For me, I trust the courts of Ohio and this nation to get to constitutional determinations; not a law director no matter what the city but especially not North Canton law director Tim Fox.
Moving on.
There was the consideration by council to approve agreements with the North Canton City Schools and North Ridge Place, LLC in settlement of a dispute between the schools, North Ridge and the city on a "thought by some" to have been an illegal 100% abatement of real estate property taxes (70% of which goes to the schools) over 12 years BUTwhich could not be "once and for all passed"BECAUSE two members of council (Dan Peters, Ward 2, president of council) and Marcia Kiesling (at-large) were absent. Absences on the part of North Canton council members seem to me to be excessive.
There was a Councilman Dominic Fonte over-the-top laudation of how (impliedly) North Canton government is "making North Canton great again."
Let me say, that Dominic Fonte as a person seems to be an impeccable individual.
However, his "pollyannish" take on the "overall" working of North Canton government is very self-serving and took on a "Dear Leader" tone of a recent presidential cabinet meeting in which the president was fawned over by adult men and women except for Secretary of Defense James Mattis.
Of course, North Canton stand-in president of council Doug Foltz and the rest of council soaked the self-love like they were sponges extraordinaire.
While the SCPR thinks that there are good things happening in North Canton at the city's governors, respect for its critiquing citizens is not one of them. Note in the following video how Fonte sort of apologizes to his peers for agreeing with North Canton's civic activist in his previous three years as a councilman. Originally, he was appointed by those he sits alongside of today.
And pick up on Fonte's use of the word "Hell." Square that up with the Foltz/Fox failure to censure Fonte on the use of a swear word, with Fox's admonition of Citizen Osborne for use of the very same word several weeks ago during a council meeting.
Maybe just a little bit of a double standard?
It is well known that Fox and Osborne do not like one another.
This disparity in treatment, I think, is one manifestation of quite a number over his nearly five years as law director that evidences what I think amounts to Fox singling Osborne out for "special" treatment.
For council and the mayor not to put an end of what I see as Fox hostility to any North Canton citizen is not an example of "good government" no matter what Dominic Fonte says.
The Fonte video (3:35)
There was council approval of changes in the North Canton charter which does not seem to be "citizen" friendly.
There was the passage of legislation to put a tax issue on a "special" August ballot at an estimated cost of $14,300. (Source: Stark County's most knowledgeable official at the Stark County Board of Elections):
Travis E. Secrest <tesecrest@starkcountyohio.gov> Today at 10:18 AM To: Martin Olson The calculated estimate cost to run a Special Election in Stark County is $1,100 per precinct. The City of North Canton has 13 precincts which results in an estimate cost of $14,300. Again, this is an estimated cost. Since there is also an election taking place in the Louisville Public Library District some of the costs for administering the election will be split between the two districts resulting in the possibility of a lower total cost for both districts.
First, a slideshow of who attended and candid shots of key persons:
Next, the video of the "actual" swearing in with comments by Mayor Held, former chiefs Grimes and Weldon and the current fire chief.
But that's not all of it. (see "Back to meeting," below)
As an aside:
You talk about "fodder of media overload" at a single meeting of a Stark County local government, it was present "in Spades" at last night's meeting. Unfortunately, much of it will not be printed by The Canton Repository, Stark's "only" countywide newspaper.
A publication people have to pay for. If I were a subscriber, I'd likely think I was being short-changed.
Time and time again, I am told by Stark Countians that if were not for the SCPR much of the highly significant happenings of Stark County political subdivisions regarding the welfare of everyday Stark Countians would go unnoticed.
Back to the meeting.
Finally, there wasthe bombshell of a Mayor David Held report on pending action (any day now) of the Ohio General Assembly perhaps doing big harm to city government finances across Ohio.
As far as The Stark County Political Report is concerned, Held's presentation was a sound thrashing issued by Republican mayor David Held of the Ohio General Assembly including area representatives Scott Oelslager (the Senate, the 29th) and Kirk Schuring (the House, the 48th), both Republicans of the supermajority Republican General Assembly for the manner in which it is dealing with as aspect of House Bill 49 (the two year biennium budget bill affecting all of Ohio governance) which Held perceives to be wrought with danger for Ohio's cities.
It is curious that Held neglected to include 50th House District Republican Christina Hagan as a legislator to contact. Hmmm?
Here is Held in his own words:
About three weeks ago (June 5th), I did a blog (LINK) on the oft-violated by Ohio legislators Ohio constitutional mandate that there be only one subject on any given piece of legislation.
Accordingly, the SCPR couldn't agree more with Held.
So there you have it folks, the most entertaining, inspiring and compelling local government meeting certainly in Stark County and likely all of Ohio if not the nation right here in the Hall of Fame county!
Note: Graphic consists of a remix of SCPR photos taken of depicted items
UPDATE 03:48 PM
OSBORNE REBUTTAL TO HELD'S ASSESSMENT (In Appendix)
VIDEOS
MAYOR HELD ON "BOSS" HOOVER ============================== OSBORNE ON NC GOV'T CRITIQUES ============================== CITIZEN COVEY
ON
MAPLE STREET
TREE REMOVAL ============================== COMPLETE HELD VIDEO (Response to Osborne Criticisms) =================================== BONUS FOOTAGE IN THE APPENDIX SECTION ============================== McCLEASTER & NC JCC PRESENTATION ==============================
One of the most used sayings in largely Christian America in terms of accountability is: "WWJD" What would Jesus do?
And North Canton, being a bastion of Christianity would be no exception.
But there might be a modification.
Because he likely made North Canton a hugely successful community of yesteryear, his name remains to this very day a revered name in The Dogwood City.
View this video clip of current North Canton mayor David Held as he talks with the SCPR post August 25th North Canton City Council meeting about "Boss" Hoover.
The context of Held's "in awe" words of The Hoover Company founder was an attempt by North Canton civic activist (also a former councilman) Chuck Osborne's gambit at last night's regular city council meeting to draw a contrast between "Boss" Hoover and the successor owner (Maple Street Commerce) of what was once the building complete.
In Osborne's "public speaks" presentation, the SCPR largely focused the camera on city council members to try to get a sense of whether or not Osborne's theme was striking a cord.
Osborne cast "Boss" Hoover as a community builder whereas he was clearing trying to make Maple Street Commerce and by obvious implication North Canton City Council (past and present) and by further extension, the Held administration as community destroyers.
As he apt to do, Osborne "left no stone unturned" in his quest to make his overriding point.
At the end of this blog (Appendix) the SCPR has included a written version of Osborne's remarks so that readers can check it out to measure The Report's take on Osborne's assessment of North Canton - August, 2014 - against the words he actually used.
It seems to the SCPR that in building evidence to support his overall theme of community building versus community destruction, Osborne focused on:
"Boss" Hooveras a city father who recognized the importance of building community (The North Canton Community Building - 1923) along with his business as a pathway to success,
a giver away of North Canton resources for inadequate return
The consequences, Osborne says or implies, include:
$6,753,000 spent for economic development with inadequate return,
a loss of community-ness,
a wrecking of community assets, that is to say,
the unnecessary destruction of trees,
the projected cutting down of some 180 additional trees,
the disruption of Stark Parks hiking trails, and
the continued viability of the North Canton YMCA
SCPR Note: Here is a photo of Maple Street and vicinity trees either cut down or projected to be cut down.
To end his speech and to make North Canton government officials conscious of their accountability, Osborne invokes "Boss" Hoover with an emotive: W. "Boss" Hoover is watching!
Earlier today (10:00 a.m.), Osborne was at Maple and North Main protesting what he calls the destruction of North Canton. Rod Covey tells the SCPR he joined in the protest for about 40 minutes.
The question for the SCPR and ultimately North Cantonians is whether or not they as citizens of a community with a long, deep and rich history need to be the "eyes and ears" of "Boss" Hoover in 2014?
The obvious answer is that North Cantonians can honor the magnanimity of "Boss" Hoover and preserve the remaining fruits thereof by heeding the prompt of Citizen Osborne to scrutinize each and every North Canton City Council and Held administration move.
Here is the complete video of Mayor Held's response to Osborne's criticisms.
It could be that council and the mayor have done the best that anyone could under the circumstances of the unfolding of a different economic, cultural, social and political mix than when "Boss" Hoover lived.
However, it does seem to the SCPR that North Canton is far short of the mark of what the Lichter artist's rendition of projecting what the Hoover complex might one day become.
Such is for North Cantonians to decide at the ballot box.
But they owe it to Hoover, to themselves and to future generations of North Cantonians "to be on the watch."
As Osborne pointed out, the "Boss" is watching and they should be too!
APPENDIX LIST:
OSBORNE'S REBUTTAL REMARKS
OSBORNE WRITTEN COMMENTS
McCLEASTER ON NORTH CANTON JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
APPENDIX 1: OSBORNE REBUTTAL
Rebuttal Remarks to Today's Blog - August 26, 2014
Chuck Osborne Today at 2:15 PM
To: Martin Olson
Hello Martin,
In regards to the statements made by Mayor Held, in your video interview, I would disagree on the following points:
First, Mayor Held’s statement that the majestic Pin Oak trees that lined East Maple had to come down to allow for the expansion of the street is untrue. The street was only widened five feet. The trees that lined East Maple sat a considerable distance back from the street. I measured the distance myself and if memory serves me right, the trees were close to twenty feet from the street. The distance the trees sat back from the street would easily have accommodated the widening plus the addition of the sidewalk and still have been about five feet further back. In short, the trees could have been incorporated in the redesign of the street and saved.
Second, I disagree that the North Canton YMCA is not being threatened. McKinley Street is literally in the shadows of the YMCA and if the City vacates McKinley Street to Maple Street Commerce, the YMCA will be hindered in the performance of their mission. Development plans of Maple Street Commerce will be literally at the doorstep of the YMCA.
Third, Mayor Held says that Stark Parks has no objections to the relocation of their trail. This statement is ludicrous. Stark Parks is not in the habit of expending public tax dollars constructing trails only to abandon the trails after they are constructed. Unfortunately, in the agreement between Stark Parks and Maple Street Commerce, Stark Parks agreed to terms with Maple Street that left them no choice but to relocate their trail. The agreement required of Stark Parks a one-time relocation of the trail at the expense of Stark Parks should Maple Street Commerce make that request. I would have to say here that Maple Street Commerce did not deal in good faith with Stark Parks at the time the agreement was signed.
Contrary to what Mayor Held has stated the relocation of the trail to a sidewalk on East Maple is not how Stark Parks wants to spend public money. So, in short, I think it is safe to say that Stark Parks is not happy with how this has turned out for them.
Lastly, Mayor Held touts the development of Waterside as a success. The City partnered with the developer in 2007 with the construction of a road that costs nearly $1.0 million. That was seven years ago. A state grant in the amount of $350,000 was extended to assist with the road construction. In 2017, that $350,000 must be repaid to the state. Here we are, seven years later and there is no development. I do not see any success in this situation.
Thanks,
Chuck Osborne
APPENDIX 2. OSBORNE COMMENTS
[Osborne] Prepared Comments Made to
NORTH CANTON CITY COUNCIL
August 25, 2014
CORPORATE GREED IS OVERTAKING NORTH CANTON
AND THE INSTITUTIONS THAT SERVE AND ENRICH OUR
COMMUNITY
“The North Canton Community Building was founded in 1923 by W. ‘Boss’ Hoover who gave the original ‘Community Building’ to North Canton for the enjoyment of its citizens. The current building was completed in 1970, with a major addition in 1983 and a new Wellness Center addition in 2002.”
Unfortunately, “Boss” Hoover is no longer with us today nor is the company that he founded. The charity and paternalism championed by W. “Boss” Hoover and the Hoover Company for our community are gone. That benevolence is not something Maple Street Commerce, now the owners of the former Hoover property, feel compelled to show our community.
What has Maple Street Commerce done for our community since becoming owners of what is now called the Hoover District?
The roles have been reversed as it is the community that is now the benefactor. Corporate millionaires now expect to be served by the community upon which they have descended to suck from them as much as City leaders will hand out.
How much has North Canton provided to the millionaire owners of the Hoover District since their arrival in 2008?
First was $440,000 to purchase cranes for their first tenant, Meyers Controlled Power. Then it was $3,000,000 to renovate factory space for The Shroer Group. Then another $1.0 million for further office space on the second floor for additional tenants. Most recently and most noticed by the public is the expenditure of $2,253,000 for what has been described as a widening of East Maple Street. The so-called widening of East Maple in actuality simply creates on-street parking in front of the office building.
It is through this recent construction that the majestic Pin Oaks which lined East Maple Street were destroyed in spite of the fact that the majestic Oaks were located far enough away from the finished widening of East Maple Street to have remained.
In total, our small community has provided close to $6,753, 000 and this does not include the many tax abatements that the City and the North Canton City School District have had to accept to help make lease terms with Maple Street Commerce acceptable to new tenants.
I suspect “Boss” Hoover is rolling over in his grave at this point, but that is not all that Maple Street Commerce has inflicted on our little community.
Plans to expand the south parking lot could lead to the destruction of hundreds more trees that serve as a buffer to the surrounding neighborhoods. If that happens, home values and neighborhood harmony will be impacted very negatively.
Community institutions are also feeling the greed of Maple Street Commerce.
Stark Parks will be forced to relocate a trail if the south parking lot is expanded. The forced relocation of the trail will result in the squandering of thousands of dollars of public money that were expended to build the trail.
Lastly, I am concerned about the future viability of the North Canton YMCA. That concern is for two reasons.
First, the new entrance to the YMCA parking lot, presently under construction, is wholly inadequate. At 22 feet in width, it is much too narrow and will not serve the needs of the motoring public. Many of you on this Council have looked at this poor design and concur.
The new entrance to the Hoover District parking lot is 33 feet wide. Why wasn’t the entrance to the YMCA parking lot afforded an equally inviting navigable entrance? Further, bus traffic and emergency vehicles will have great difficulty maneuvering in the poorly designed network of curbs.
Second, the vacation of McKinley Street will soon be decided before the Planning Commission. The vacation of McKinley Street should go entirely to the YMCA. The YMCA has parking and growth needs of its own that need to be filled. And that need is now.
Maple Street Commerce, through its plans that may or may not be realistic and that may or may not come to fruition, is making a demand for parking that is unfair to the North Canton YMCA.
McKinley Street is located in the very shadows of the YMCA building. To not vacate the entire length of McKinley Street to the YMCA will simply put a chokehold on their future.
Please do not undermine the seeds that W. “Boss” Hoover planted over ninety-one years ago.
Economic development should not come at any and all costs to the community.
I ask this council to protect our community and the institutions that serve us. Save the Stark Parks trail. Support the North Canton YMCA in every way possible. And protect the City and its residents from the rampant “Corporate Greed” that we see consuming our community.
In an early draft of North Canton City Council Resolution 70-13, the drafter of the resolution (thought to be self-described "tough guy" and Law Director Tim Fox), council names names and, according to council president Jon Snyder, went over the top in terms of being "inflammatory," to wit:
The final version passed on October 14th had all the personal references and inflammatory language stripped out.
Early on, Mayor David Held maintained "a low profile" on the issue.
It appears to the SCPR that because of his obvious personal interest in the outcome of North Canton civic activist Chuck Osborne's effort to compel (by initiative petition) the amendment of the North Canton Charter to provide for North Canton having a full-time mayor.
But now "the cat is out of the bag" with his campaign fund support for the following ad sent out recently.
Notwithstanding his telling certain North Cantonians that his current run for mayor (unopposed) is his last, the SCPR is not buying.
If it suits his purpose, should Osborne's proposalfail, there is no doubt in my mind that Held will run again and will come up with some sort of political cockamamie to justify the turnabout.
That's what politicians do.
And make no mistake about it - David Held is one of Stark County's more accomplished politicians.
He is not all that out front about it, however he has a network of Stark County politicos that he is constantly on the phone with (so the SCPR believes) hatching "this" politically based thing or "that" politically based thing.
When affordable cellphones hit the market, such was a "I thought I died and went to Heaven" moment for the good mayor.
If Osborne's initiative passes, then Held will have to make a choice down the line; does he run for full-time mayor and leave his post as Stark-Wayne-Tuscarawas Solid Waste director or vice-versa.
Osborne's proposal "inefficient, costly and ineffective?"
Perhaps.
But the SCPR does not believe for "one New York moment" that such is Held's primary motivation.
A sidenote.
Isn't it interesting that Law Director Tim Fox's name is not on the Held "paid for" flyer.
The Report is told that Fox is Held's guy and that Fox's "tough guy approach" is getting widespread criticism from within the Held administration, on the part of council (e.g. Snyder's "inflammatory" appellation) and even outsiders (i.e. media types including the SCPR) who deal with the administration.
The SCPR for one would not be surprised to see Fox get dumped by council; especially if Osborne's Ordinance 13 passes.
If it doesn't pass, there may be a chance of grace and mercy for Fox.
However, The Report thinks he is going to have to get a copy of Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People and absorb it into every fiber of his being AND convince council that "he is a born-again man."
While the SCPR also believes that Ordinance 13 should be defeated, as The Report always does (not replicated by any other Stark County media), here is Chuck Osborne's full remarks on why he thinks his Ordinance should be passed by North Canton voters, to wit:
As I see City Leaders position themselves in opposition to the charter amendment to make the office of North Canton Mayor a full-time position, known as Ballot Issue 13, I am reminded of the quote from Lord Acton which says, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Opposition from North Canton City Leaders is rooted in the fear that if Issue 13 passes, they will have to share power with a full-time Mayor and that is not to their liking.
North Canton’s charter, originally adopted in 1960, was structured to create a strong Council-weak Mayor balance of power. The idea that the balance of power might shift to a weakening of the power of City Council and to a stronger Mayor is distorting City Council’s judgment on the merits of Issue 13.
Issue 13 seeks to strengthen the current Mayor-Council form of government. A full-time Mayor should be available and accessible during business hours. Shouldn’t at least one of North Canton’s eight elected officials be engaged and focused on City business on a full-time basis?
Citizens expect to find their Mayor at City Hall working during regular business hours on their behalf.
Unfortunately, current members of City Council apparently feel that a shift to a weak Council-strong Mayor balance of power undercuts their prominence and position of power. That need not be the case. Let us all do what is right and fair to the citizens and the community. A full-time Mayor can be beneficial for all. A full-time Mayor, who is engaged in City business as his priority and who is available and accountable will help all of us.
Politics and a quest to retain power by certain individuals does not benefit the citizens of North Canton.
I find it interesting that former Mayor Daryl Revoldt says the City does not need a second full-time administrator when over the last five years Mayor Held and City Council has seen fit to create the position of Director of Administrative Services and staff that position twice in the last five years. The first time the position was held by outgoing City Administrator Earl Wise for seven months. Most recently, that position was held by William Bartos for two years. The salary alone was approximately $65,000. Benefits for that position would easily add another $10,000.
That position served as an assistant to the city administrator.
At the present time, taxpayers are already providing salary and benefits totaling over $30,000 to North Canton’s Mayor. With less than what has previously been paid to staff the assistant city administrator position (titled, Director of Administrative Services), North Canton could have a full-time Mayor.
Presently, there is no requirement that the Mayor spend any time at City Hall during business hours with the exception that the Mayor attend City Council meetings. This is because North Canton Mayors, past and present, have held full-time jobs elsewhere and were unable to do so, as most employers are going to expect their employee to devote full-time attention to the position they were hired to perform.
I find it curious that Mr. Revoldt cites that while Mayor he worked full-time running then-congressman Ralph Regula’s district office and that this arrangement did not prevent him from being a good mayor. I would have to ask then why in 2001, at the height of the North Canton water crisis, did former Mayor Revoldt resigned the office of North Canton Mayor? Why would someone who considers himself to be a “good” mayor resign in the middle of a major safety crisis facing their community?
For far less than the cost of past salary and benefits paid to individuals who have held the Director of Administrative Services position (pseudonym for assistant city administrator) citizens can have a Mayor that is working full-time at City Hall and who is accessible to business owners and citizens alike during regular business hours.
It is a sad commentary that an individual is given a title of “Mayor” along with a salary and benefits to do a job and then that individual turns around an appoints someone who is not accountable to the voters to run the City.
At the current time, all eight elected officials are part-time. To working citizens, part-time means less than a forty-hour work week. Currently, for all eight of North Canton’s part-time elected officials, it means four evenings a month, approximately, eight hours a Month.
In 2010 North Canton City Council discussed the possibility of making the Mayor’s job full- time but took no action to put the issue on the ballot for voters.
It is not likely that members of City Council would risk upsetting a part-time Mayor who preferred to remain in office part-time. A Charter amendment on this issue will have to be initiated by the citizens of North Canton.
Citizens should be able to find their Mayor at City Hall. North Canton needs a working Mayor.
It is not well known outside of government channels unless one has been paying close attention, but the current Held Administration has employed three individuals to run the day-to-day affairs of the City. First there is the Mayor himself, who receives nearly $31,000 in salary and
benefits. Next there is the City Administrator, who is appointed by the Mayor to handle affairs of the City as the Mayor has a full-time job elsewhere and cannot be at City Hall during business hours. With salary and benefits, the City Administrator receives slightly over $97,000 annually. Twice in the last five years, the City has staffed a position titled, Director of Administrative Services. This position was an assistant to the City Administrator that paid over $72,000 in salary and benefits. In total, these three positions cost taxpayers slightly over $200,000 per year.
The purpose of the proposed Charter Amendment is two-fold: First, to bring to City Hall a Mayor who is available and accountable at all times. Secondly, given the past personnel costs that the City of North Canton has been spending between the Mayor’s office and the City Administrator’s office, the City can have a full-time Mayor for less expense to taxpayers.
Eliminate the third position in the City Administrator’s office, and let a full-time Mayor take the lead role running the City with the assistance of a City Administrator.
With a full-time Mayor, the salary of the City Administrator should be greatly reduced from what it is currently paid for added savings as the demands of running the City will be mostly carried by the full-time Mayor with the City Administrator assisting the Mayor.
With a portion of the costs paid to the former Director of Administrative Services in combination with the current salary paid to the Mayor, North Canton could have a full-time working Mayor and reduce personnel costs in the Mayor’s office, saving money for taxpayers.
Three positions reduced to two positions does result in savings.
And the City will have a Mayor who is available and accessible at City Hall at all times where one would expect to find their Mayor!!!
All eyes are on North Canton Council President Daryl Revoldt these days.
Reports persist that he is headed to go to work for either successful Republican congressional candidate Jim Renacci or Republican Governor-elect John Kasich.
Revoldt within the past week has denied (though he did say he was flattered) to the SCPR that he hasn't any intention of leaving his leadership role in North Canton. He does, however, admit to reports that he was in Columbus last Tuesday to observe and help celebrate the Kasich victory.
The Report is skeptical of these reports which continue to emanate from within North Canton's council. It could be a case of wishful thinking on the part of certain members of Council. There appears to be a love-hate relationship between Revoldt and certain members of North Canton's legislative body.
The irony of the relationship from the SCPR's perspective is that were Revoldt were to bolt, there seems to be little promise that one of the remaining members of the body is equipped to assume the strength of leadership that Revoldt has demonstrated. Perhaps senior Councilman Jon Snyder, but he seem to lack the strong arm and compelling intellect that Revold has.
Revoldt has a Ph.d in History from the University of Akron. He has served in a number of political/governmental roles other than his work on Council including a stint as mayor of The Dogwood City, Regional 9 Economic Development Director (Taft administration), and the chief of administration for retired Congressman Ralph Regula.
The Report also hears that Mayor David Held was scouting around Columbus Tuesday past for alternative employment. There is a leakage of information that his position with the Stark, Wayne and Tuscarawas Solid Waste District is not all that secure. However, if Held were to leave North Canton, the SCPR does not believe that his relocation would hurt the quality of leadership in the City. North Canton has a "weak mayor, strong council system" designed perfectly for a guy like Held who is a "nice guy," but not the strongest leadership personality one is likely to run into.
Councilman Jeff Davies likely would rejoice at a Held departure as Held generated an investigation of Davies and his conduct vis-a-vis certain members of the North Canton administration earlier this year.
Now to Alex Zumbar. He ranks at the level of if not superior to Revoldt in terms of his importance to the viability of North Canton's government. With his election last Tuesday to the Stark County treasurer's post, he leaves a huge hole in the North Canton administration that could be telling on the City's ability to keep its financial house in order. He has promised North Canton officials he will be lingering in the background to help them out. However, The Report questions the reliability of the promise given his need to devote his attention to the continuing restructuring of the Stark County treasury begun by his predecessor, interim Treasurer Ken Koher.
The SCPR has learned that North Canton officials have reached out to former long time financial leader Marge Loretto (now with SCORE [Service Corps of Retired Executives] at Kent State) to come to the aid of North Canton on an interim basis.
It appears that leadership could be coming into short supply in the waning days of 2010 in North Canton. With the troublesome national, state, and local economy in full bloom; a vacuum of leadership is hardly something North Canton can afford.
North Canton mayor David Held tells the SCPR that for all the hullabaloo about the "inadvertent" illegal dumping of street sweepings by North Canton at its rented site up on Freedom Avenue in Jackson Township; "by far" the larger number of calls he has received from North Canton residents, have been calls"protesting" the denial, by North Canton Council president Daryl Revoldt - several weeks ago - of North Canton citizen Chuck Osborne his "free speech" rights on the dumping topic.
The SCPR blogged on the denial when it happened and called on Revoldt to rescind the muzzling and to apologize to North Cantonians, in general, and Osborne, in particular.
He has rescinded the "muzzling" of Osborne (see emal below from Council clerk Kalpac to Osborne sent yesterday.
Revoldt has explained to The Report that he gagged Osborne so as to prevent him from generating responses from Council members and administration officials which could result in huge penalties from other level government entities on account of the revelations that might have come forth from such a public discussion.
To the SCPR, whatever the motivation of Revoldt, there is never an occasion that justfies a preemptive strike at the heart of our democracy - free speech.
Accordingly, the SCPR calls on Revoldt, once again, to issue public apologies.
Mayor David Held of North Canton seems to be dissatisfying to a number of North Canton elected officials and certainly to community activist and former city councilman Chuck Osborne.
Yet Held runs unopposed in November. Doesn't quite square up, does it?
At the August 24th council meeting (speaking for nearly 13 minutes), Osborne climbed all over Held for Held's part as city administrator and mayor over the lease arrangement and enforcement of the city owned Arrowhead Country Club which has amounts owing to the city in the amount (according to Osborne) of $104,311.74 (55,000 in unpaid security deposits and 49,311.74 in unpaid taxes which North Canton advanced to the Stark County treasurer)
Osborne says that since October 7, 2008, North Canton has been trying to collect the owed amount of Larizza Management Group, LTD (Larizza) under a contract signed by North Canton during the Rice administration (Held was then city administrator) in December, 2003.
Osborne faults Held on these grounds:
For not requiring in the lease contract language , as recommended by legal council, the posting of a $500,000 performance bond which Osborne says would have cost Larizza $1.500.
For hiring "expert" legal counsel on lease contract provisions, at a cost of $4,000 or so, out of Texas rather than completely relying on North Canton's law director.
For the need of North Canton to pay $49,311.74 out of its taxpayer revenues to avoid a tax delinquency on Arrowhead.
For not requiring a clause in the lease agreement whereby the owner of Larriza would be personally liable if the company failed to pay according to the terms of the lease.
For not requiring, as provided for in Ohio law, that the North Canton law director sign off on the lease agreement with Larizzaa prior to execution of the agreement.
Osborne tells the SCPR that a number of council members and some of Held's administrators agree with him on his criticism of Held.
Several council members has told yours truly that they view Held as a "weak" administrator with a lot of growing to do.
So, the SCPR asks this question.
If Held is so deficient as a mayor, how is it that out of a city of 14,000 plus, no one runs against Held?
Complaining about elected officials, but doing nothing to change things seems to be a prevalent political phenomenon in Stark County.
In 2008 countywide Zeigler (treasurer), Ferrero (prosecutor) and Rehfus (engineerj) had no opponents.
What gives Matthews (Stark Republican chairman)?
What gives Stark County public-at-large?
What gives North Canton?
Where's the political competition?
Republicans are famous for their bromide that free enterprise and its inherent appendage "competition" is a cure all.
Yet Stark County's Republican leadership is "not at home" when electoral politics screams out for competition at the polls.
And the Democrats are not blameless.
State Representative Scott Oelslager: no competition in 2008.
David Held: no competition 2009.
Because Stark County's political parties want no part of political races that "seem" to be unwinnable, Stark Countians lose in the pocketbook and they lose in the overall quality of government.
Shame on Jeff Matthews and shame on Randy Gonzalez (chair of the Dems).
Apparently, neither cares about the overall quality of government in Stark County but only how to pick the "low hanging" political fruit.
If it is tough to see how the party can win, count the party out!
By all accounts, North Canton's David Held is viewed as being a stellar executive director of the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste District (Solid Waste).
On the other hand, he is viewed by many as a mediocre mayor of North Canton.
Consequently, it is difficult to get a fix on the administrative skills of Held.
North Canton could be a special situation. How is that?
Well, you have former mayor, councilman, Ralph Regula chief of staff and Bob Taft economic development official Daryl Revoldt sitting as the current president of North Canton City Council.
How does one top the Revoldt act?
Not easily and apparently David Held has chosen to let Daryl lead North Canton rather than challenge.
On the other hand, Held gains the plaudits of everyone the SCPR has spoken with as to the quality and strength of his leadership at Solid Waste.
Analyzing David Held's leadership skills is important because the SCPR has reason to believe that Held intends to apply to replace H. Michael Miller (who will be stepping down in January, 2010) as superintendent/CEO of the Stark County Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities Board (MRDD).
Miller's retirement should be welcome news to Stark Countians. SCPR sources say that Miller has been presiding over the dismantling of the once "top-of-the-line" MRDD. Now the worry seems to be, whether or not there will be anything to salvage before a new MRDD leader takes over.
The next question is: what qualities should the successor possess?
First, the new leader should examine what has worked well for MRDD in the past and take these viable activities and projects and make them the bulwark of a reconstituted MRDD.
For example, SCPR's sense is that users want a MRDD that keeps its clientele active and engaged. One of the complaints against Miller was that he was bidding MRDD workers out of jobs because he raised the costs to area businesses beyond what they were willing to pay for the skill level MRDD could deliver.
To satisfy MRDD families, a new director will have to rebuild what the sources claim Miller has dismantled.
Second, the new leader should be exploring new opportunities to integrate adult users into the workaday community in a fashion that is highly remunerative to MRDD in the context of needing to be competitive.
Third, the new leader needs to strengthen MRDD's ties to the total Stark County educational system in its operation of Eastgate and Southgate schools. New leadership needs to aggressively pursue upping the ante on the share that the 17 Stark County school districts partner financially with MRDD to ensure that MRDD's critical education services have the financial resources to be top notch.
Stark County Educational Services Center superintendent Larry Mogan wrote a strong letter of support for MRDD in its recent successful effort to pass a 1.4 mill levy. Morgan was effusive in his praise of MRDD schools and emphasized what a financial disaster it would be if MRDD schools were closed.
Well, the question becomes this. Will the new MRDD leader have the skills and strengths needed to convince Morgan to lean on already financially strapped school districts to up their contributions to MRDD?
Just ask area teacher union officials (i.e OEA - Ohio Education Association). Larry Morgan is one tough negotiator. Yes, he is sympathetic to MRDD and mindful of their critical role in the success of the Stark County educational classroom infrastructure. But nevertheless he will fight tooth and nail not give you one more dollar.
Does David Held have the qualities referred to above as well as others not elaborated upon in this piece required to be an effective MRDD leader?
If so, Held ought to be a leading candidate to succeed H. Micheal Miller.
Yesterday, the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) did an introductory piece on the political comings and goings of Mount Union political science professor and political consultant (D&R Consultants) Jack DeSario in the Stark County political world.
It is common for The Report to have additional sources come forward once a piece has been published. Already this has occurred in the Jack DeSario matter.
Chuck Osborne who served formerly on North Canton City Council and ran for mayor in 2003 against incumbent mayor Tom Rice (a DeSario political consulting client) came forward to connect DeSario with Republican Rice and the Cleveland law firm of Johnson (principal Gary Johnson) & Angelo and North Canton hiring Johnson to do its labor negotiations.
Sound familiar?
While The Report has been unable to turn up any direct evidence linking DeSario to the hire, even though he was a key player in the Healy mayoralty campaign; it arouses one's curiosity that recently Democrat Mayor William J. Healy, II accepted a bid by Gary Johnson to do some labor negotiations for the city of Canton.
Healy, "in the spirit of full accountability," asked Attorney Johnson to fashion his bid at the price of $14,999 so that the mayor did not have to get council approval. Formerly, Canton has used the Canton Law Department to do the negotiations.
Back to the North Canton situation.
After Democrat Osborne lost the mayoralty contest to Republican Rice, Osborne filed a complaint with the then Canton City Prosecutor Frank Forchione (now a Stark County Court of Common Pleas judge) about certain campaign conduct by then Mayor Rice.
The only part that The Report is going to deal with has to do with the involvement of Jack DeSario in the Rice campaign and the connections between DeSario and Rice which may have resulted in North Canton hiring Johnson (a law associate of DeSario at the time).
Today, The Report lays out the complaint involving Rice's relationship with DeSario and North Canton hiring lawyer Johnson.
Tomorrow, The Report lays out the results of Prosecutor Forchione's investigation.
The relevant portions of the complaint: Tomorrow: Forchione's findings.
Yes. That's how a Stark County political subdivision elected official thinks of Dr. Jack DeSario, a political science professor at Alliance's Mount Union College to the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report): once again here it is - "the little political godfather of Stark County."
Alternatively, the source assesses DeSario as being "Stark County's political octopus."
Another elected official bills DeSario, because of his involvement in Stark Countians' recent political campaigns, to The Report as being a "common thread" linking a number of Stark County elected officials.
The Stark County names that surface in local political circle talk include: Mayor William Healy (D), Canton service director and Democrat Warren Price (when he ran for mayor of Alliance), Democrat Stark County Auditor Kim Perez, Democrat Dr. Peter Ferguson (as a candidate for county commissioner), Republican Richard Regula (defending his commissioner's seat) and Mayor David Held (R - North Canton).
A twist on DeSario working for Healy is that he (DeSario) says in a Repository report that Governor Strickland asked him to do so because it was utterly (The Report's term) important that Healy be elected mayor of Canton.
There is an unusual twist on DeSario working for Richard Regula's campaign for Stark County commissioner (2006).
The Report has learned from Democrat Commissioner Todd Bosley that DeSario was all set to run the Bosley for Commissioner campaign. However, before getting up and running on the campaign, DeSario contacts Bosley and relates to him that he cannot do so front and center in the public eye.
Why would that be?
Bosley tells The Report that DeSario recounted to him that his Republican opponent Richard Regula's father Ralph (the now retired 16 District congressman) sat on the Board of Trustees at Mount Union College where DeSario is a political science professor. Bosley went on to recollect that DeSario related to him that someone in the Mount Union administration told him it wouldn't set well with the, then, congressman, if he (DeSario) worked openly for Bosley against Regula's son Richard.
But as Bosley tells it, DeSario still wanted to work for his campaign sub rosa in the context of the Bosley campaign being billed by and payments being made to a DeSario proxy.
The rest of the story? Bosley rejected the proposal and DeSario went on run Richard Regula's campaign.
By the way, Stark County Board of Election records show that DeSario is registered as a Democrat.
The Report has tried to ferret out all Stark County politicians who have had some connection with Jack DeSario and his campaign consulting activities. The possibility exists that other Stark County politicians have a DeSario connection that The Report has not picked up on.
But Jack DeSario as a "common thread" linking Stark County elected officials? To what end?
A political science professor working the political hustings is an especially intriguing topic to yours truly, being a political science undergrad major. However, The Report does not find this troubling in and of itself. Some political science professors get involved in political campaigns, but many do not.
As noted above, DeSario worked on Republican North Canton Mayor David Held's most recent contested campaign. It just so happens that DeSario and Held live cattycornered from each other. Have since 2002. Held appears to be close to Mayor Healy of Canton for whom DeSario served as campaign manager in the Canton mayoralty race 2007.
The Report has learned that Held was one of Healy's key advisers on which applicants to place in the newly elected mayor's cabinet. Moreover, DeSario was one of the interviewers of at least one of Healy's cabinet candidates.
Another Stark County connection for Professor DeSario is Stark County Democratic chair Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. Maier appointed him to head a screening committee to make a recommendation to Governor Strickland as to whom he should appoint to the Stark County Common Pleas bench to replace Sara Lioi whom President Bush had appointed to a federal judgeship.
Maier is also known to recommend to individual Democratic candidates that they consider hiring Jack DeSario for their campaigns. Getting back to DeSario and Healy, did Maier (arguably, the governor's best Stark County political friend) weigh-in with the governor to persuade DeSario to take on the Healy campaign?
There is no doubt that Doctor (Ph.d) Jack DeSario is deeply insinuated into Stark County politics.
DeSario does come with specific ethics credentials. He was appointed to the Ohio Ethics Commission by then Governor George Voinovich on December 20, 1991 to a six year term which ended on December 18, 1997. He served as chairman in 1993, 1994 and 1996.
The Report asks again, so what - Jack DeSario of North Canton being involved in Stark County campaigns; after all he is a political consultant. A "common thread?" To what end?
Some Stark Countians (polIticos as well as everyday citizens) seem to be distraught over campaign contributions ($500 each) by Cuyhoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora (DeSario worked on some of his campaign) and Auditor Frank Russo to the Healy mayoralty campaign (DeSario denies having had anything do with facilitating the Dimora/Russo contributions).
Why are these Stark Countians disturbed? Apparently because they question whether or not the contributions to TeamHealy by Dimora/Russo and others (four in number contributing a total or $4,600) who have a connection with a workers' compensation claims management company - (1-888-Ohio Comp) - resulted in Healy changing Canton's workers' comp provider from a Columbus firm to 1-888 soon after Healy took office.
Mayor Healy says the contributions had nothing to do with his decision on which company was provided the workers' comp contract.
Remember, Jack DeSario denies any connection whatsoever to the contributions and the 1-888 decision.
On Wednesday (February 11), The Plain Dealer reported the FBI had subpeonaed Parma (Ohio) school district records including those of DeSario 's D&R Consulting:
The Plain Dealer report put DeSario's connection to the Parma schools and his response to the subpeona this way:
Desario, a political ally of Dimora, said Tuesday he had no idea why his company's name is on the subpoena. His company had a $10,000 contract with the district in 2005-2006, but most of its consulting has been for Parma's Back the Schools Levy committee, according to records.
A final note. DeSario does have a law degree and at one time was registered with the Ohio Supreme Court to practice law in Ohio. But The Report's check with the Ohio Supreme Court (via publicly available records online) show that DeSario let his registration expire in December, 2005.
So there you have it folks. Professor, lawyer trained and political consultant Jack DeSario is a colorful politically connected figure with a strong Stark County involvement.
B.A. - Political Science
J.D.
AN INDEPENDENT MINDED POLITICAL COMMENTATOR
Until 1976 I was a Republican. Since then I have considered myself a Democrat. So after long term stints of being a Republican, then a Democrat, I have come to the political position I feel most comfortable with - being an INDEPENDENT MINDED ANALYST who demands effectiveness of our politicians - Republican, Democrat or whatever.
I have changed my political affiliation to "non-partisan" by not voting in either political party primary election.
