PART II: SCPR MULTI-PART SERIES ON TOM BERNABEI'S RUN AS AN INDEPENDENT

VIDEOS

ENCORE PRESENTATION

Commissioner Janet Creighton

Talks About Dancing and Singing

in Response to Bernabei Filing

====================

Bernabei Addresses

Creighton Support

On Sunday, The Stark County Political Report began a multi-part series on the filing on Monday, May 4, 2015 (the day before the Stark County political subdivision primary election) by sitting Stark County Commissioner Thomas Bernabei as an "independent' candidate for mayor of Canton.

Bernabei, had, prior to his making moves over the past week or so to position himself as a political "independent," been a lifelong Democrat.

Back in March, 2014 in an Alliance Review profile of Commissioner Bernabei, Stephanie Ujhelyi wrote in part:

"Yes, I am a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat who serves with two Republicans. I'm not a closet Republican -- although some infer that. However, ultimately (getting the job done) is about hard work, sound management principles and hiring the best people as well as finding the middle ground ... "

Mind you, not just a Democrat.  But a "dyed-in-the-wool Democrat."

Kind of reminds you of Nancy Pelosi, - a "dyed-in-the-wool" kind of Democrat that comes to the mind of many of us, no?

Can you imagine her suddenly announcing she's has had a conversion and has become - not a Republican, but rather an "independent?"

Probably not.

And undoubtedly Democrats who have known Commissioner Bernabei for years and years are disbelieving and therein lies the rub for his pulling off a Stark County Board of Elections (BOE) certification that he has done so lawfully.

It will be interesting to note how the vote goes.

The Republicans to certify; the Democrat not to certify?

Republican secretary of state Jon Husted being a guy who is on record being in favor of "letting the people vote" breaks a tie in favor of a Democrat (err "independent") once again?

Below are links to blogs done by the SCPR on the question of whether or not Bernabei would in fact file as an "independent."

• May 6, 2015, Part 1, SCPR Multi-part Series ... 
• May 5, 2015, Collateral Damage, Bernabei filing ...
• May 4, 2015, Breaking News !!! Bernabei files ...
• May 4, 2015, Is Bernabei running ... 
• May 4, 2015, A Persistent Rumor ... 

Later on in this series, you will see/hear Bernabei's take on the issues (ditching his political party affiliating/his residency) of his having filed and whether or not he thinks his candidacy "will fly."

Months ago, the SCPR received a tip from a highly reliable source that Bernabei was thinking about running against Canton mayor William J. Healy, II (for whom he had served as service director/chief of staff January, 2008 through January 2009 [unceremoniously fired in January, 2009]) presumably in the 2015 Democratic primary.

On being asked about the speculation by yours truly, Bernabei merely laughed the suggestion off.

And the SCPR thinks that he was not spoofing The Report nor Cantonians in making the denial at the time of the posed question.

Obviously, things have changed.

One who has not masked her enthusiasm on the prospect of a Bernabei candidacy as an "independent" candidate for mayor this coming November has been fellow Republican Commissioner Janet Weir Creighton.

She and several other notable Stark County Republicans were among the 16 circulators circulating petitions (collecting some 267 signatures) on Saturday and Sunday a week ago from this past weekend.



Note the list included former Creighton administration officials:

• A.R. "Chip" Conde (ran against Healy in 2011 and is currently employed by Stark County Auditor Alan Harold), and
• Joseph Concatto (currently is [on reduced hours basis] and over he past several years has been StarkCounty's 9-1-1 CAD project manager),

Auditor Alan Harold (a staunch Republican) also circulated a petition for Bernabei.

The Stark County "organized GOP" has no candidate in Canton's November 3, 2015 mayoralty race.

However, with Creighton, Conde, Concatto and Harold being involved in Bernabei's candidacy; some might think of Bernabei as being the de facto Republican candidate?

CREIGHTON'S PETITION

CONDE PETITION

CONCATTO PETITION

HAROLD PETITION

As cited above (Ujhelyi's article), Bernabei himself understands that with some Democratic leaders (i.e. Healy and company) he looks like a Republican.

His having key Republican leaders circulate his petitions adds credibility to the pro-Healy Dems (and perhaps even other Democrats) likely claim that he is a de facto Republican.

There were two noteworth Democrats who circulated for Bernabei:

REINBOLD PETITION

The only major Democratic Stark County officeholder known so far to be supporting Bernabei's "independent" run is Stark County Clerk of Courts Nancy Reinbold.

The SCPR thinks that others will surface over the next five months (assuming he overcomes legal challenges) and act as a counter to the likely forthcoming claim that Bernabei is nothing but a Republican hiding under the "independent" label.

HAWK PETITION

Canton Councilman Greg Hawk (Ward 1) that is.

Somewhat of a surprise to The Report inasmuch as this is what yours truly wrote in a recent blog:

Councilman Greg Hawk part of an effort to salvage the mayoralty of William J. Healy, II?

You have to be kidding?

For it was Healy who had to be behind the move that put Hawk out of his treasured chairmanship of council's finance committee in the aftermath of the November, 2011 elections, no?" 

Answer:  You know the adage - "politics makes for strange bedfellows."

And there is more.

A SCPR source says "no way" was Greg Hawk a part of the Mack and Mario effort.

Hawk is said to have wanted to be Canton treasurer when Bob Schirack announced that he was resigning before the end of his term in 2013.  Had he done so, Councilman Hawk, being the solid Democrat he is, stood a good chance to be appointed treasurer over Kim Perez and thereby get a head start on Perez in his quest to get the nomination in May, 2013 in the Democratic primary election.

However, The Report's source says that Mayor Healy intervened to persuade Schirack to stay on until the end of this term (probably because of the Hawk/Healy historic animus) and that consequently Hawk holds a grudge against the mayor.

That could be, but the SCPR has another source saying that as between Perez and Healy (remember the Bernabei candidacy did not get rolling until May 3rd and 4th), Hawk loathed Perez more than Healy.

After all, Kim Perez is the treasurer of Canton.  A position that Hawk once coveted.

Perez had to know that Hawk very much wanted to be Canton's treasurer.  But of course Kim Perez's first priority is Kim Perez.

Why Healy's intervention?

Probably to do Perez a favor in helping him land a position, any position, after losing his county auditor spot to Alan Harold and thereby - hopefully - dissuade him from running for mayor, no?

That's how the SCPR thinks Healy operates.

Perez probably was "all too happy" to let Healy think that being treasurer is all he cared about being.

These two deserve each other.

Hopefully, the people of Canton won't have to have either.

BACK TO THE CREIGHTON FACTOR

Creighton, who the SCPR considers as being Stark County's foremost and powerful Republican in terms of proven vote-getting ability on the basis of her having been elected/re-elected:

• as county recorder, 
• as county auditor, 
• as mayor of Canton (2004-2007), and 
• as a Stark County commissioner 

It indeed was somewhat surprising that she lost to William J. Healy, II in November, 2007 as she sought a second term as mayor.

But there is one big reason why it should not have been surprising.

Registered Democrats as part of the body politic of Canton out number Republicans about 9 to 1.

A sign that the Healy defeat (or perhaps any Democratic candidate including a second run by long time hugely successful candidate in Canton proper William Smuckler) was to be seen in the numbers she won by over the non-charismatic Smuckler in November, 2003.

Had she lost to Smuckler in 2003, she would not have liked it, of course, but The Report thinks she respects Smuckler and therefore would not have harbored the bitter feelings the SCPR thinks she still has as a consequence of her lost to him in November, 2007.

The Report believes Creighton does not respect Healy by virtue of his being perceived by herself and many other Cantonians and Stark Countians as being a consummate, oily politician with state-of-the-political-art-skills at spinning this or that screw up on his conduct as mayor individually and in his role as the city's chief executive.

Moreover, for quite a time after Healy took over as mayor, guess who he blamed for "all that ails" Canton?

Of course, the immediate preceding mayor:  Janet Weir Creighton!

Undoubtedly, in the days preceding their both being elected as county commissioners in November, 2010 in a "save Stark County mode" growing out a "crisis of confidence" in Stark County government as a consequence of what local attorney and civic activist Craig T. Conley has termed as being "Zeiglergate" (LINK), Creighton as a local government official interacted from time-to-time with one Thomas Bernabei.

Little did they know in those days that one day they would come to share a common bond of hatred of "all things William J. Healy, II."

But with Bernabei's having worked for Healy as service director and chief of staff and his humiliating firing in January, 2009 and with Creighton reeling from her 2007 polls defeat to Healy;  it was bound to happen that as commissioners, though of different political party identities, they would unite in their disdain for Canton's current mayor.

So it should not be surprising that Creighton as shown in yesterday's blog and repeated in today's blog a SCPR video showing the ebullience she brought to last Wednesday's regular commissioners' meeting as evidenced in her celebrating the Bernabei filing on the prior Monday as an "independent" candidate for mayor.

As one of the circulators and likely a coordinating factor in obtaining other Republicans (as noted above) to participate in circulating Bernabei petitions over last weekend, Janet Creighton is likely to be a major player in asking Cantonians to vote for "independent" candidate Thomas Bernabei for mayor should he survive legal challenges that are sure to come.

And here is a video of what Bernabei had to say in last Wednesday's interview as to Creighton's involvement in his effort.

It appears that Bernabei and Creighton are attempting to do for Canton what they have teamed up to do for Stark County in restoring public confidence in local government processes and substance.

In 2010, it was Stark County government involving both of them running for office.

In 2015, it is Canton government with Tom Bernabei being the point person.

Tomorrow's SCPR blog:  Part III - "How Bernabei came to decide to run and how the 'last minute' effort unfolded."

(VIDEOS) MAJORITY LEADER CHALLENGER THOMAS WEST (WARD 2) SAYS "IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON," BUT DOES HE MEAN IT?

UPDATE:  NOON

The SCPR just received a communication from Councilman West, and in the conversation he raised three (3) main points:

• That contrary to The Report's conjecture (which is based on information provided by others on council) that Mayor William J. Healy, II may be involved in devising the political tactics and strategies in the fight over who shall be Canton City Council majority is unfounded,
• That he is the subject of "being ganged up on" (the SCPR's words; not West's) by Councilpersons Morris, Mack, Mariol, Fisher, Smuckler,  Hawk and President Allen Schulman and the resources of Schulman's law firm and the law firm that Mack is associated with, and
• That he was "surprised" (West's term) when President Schulman made his ruling and did not allow space and time for debate on his ruling. 

The Report's impression is that had West not been "surprised" by the swiftness of Schulman's move onto other business, it was his plan to "appeal" the ruling and thereby prompt a debate among the council members as to whether or not Schulman's ruling was to be abided.

As is the policy of the SCPR anyone who has difference with The Report, or wants to add their points of view to a blog is given ample opportunity to do so.

The Report thanks Councilman West for his imput both after the meeting (last Thursday) and in today's telephone conversation.

It seems to the SCPR that should West get his thorough going discussion of the Schulman ruling, he is then prepared to move on as he told The Report he wanted to do at the conclusion of Thursday's meeting.

 VIDEOS 

==================

Schulman's Decision

 ========================

West's Argument for Selection

======================== 

Morris' Argument for Selection

=========================

 The Vote

=========================

 Martuccio's Opinion

=========================

 West Post-Meeting SCPR Interview

=========================

Morris Post-Meeting SCPR Interview

==========================

Encore

Dougherty 12/17/2013 

Executive Session Motion

 ==========================

Schulman Post-Meeting Interview

(On West's Planned Parenthood Point)

==========================

 Schulman Post-Meeting Interview

(On "Ease of Reaching Decision")

==========================

 Citizen Interview

Curtis A. Perry

(Includes Public Speaks)

Perry

&

Chet Werren

========================= 

Chris Smith Post-Meeting Interview

========================= 

Last Thursday night's "organizational" meeting of Canton City Council proved to be anything but humdrum.

The "key" moment in the proceeding was Allen Schulan's ruling (in his capacity as Canton City Council president) on the issue of whether the 2014-2015 majority leader had to be elected by a majority of 12 votes or a plurality of 11 votes, one member having abstained.

Here is Schulman with his decision:



Before Schulman made his decision, the contenders (Thomas West, D-Ward 2 and Framk Morris, D-Ward 9) for the majority leader post "put their best feet forward" in advocating as to why council should choose one over the other as majority leader (officially, "Vice President"):

First, West:



Next, Morris:



 And next, the actual vote:



After the vote, President Schulman turned to Law Director Joe Martuccio for his take on the significance of the vote while carefully reminding all that, though he treasured Martuccio's opinion, he would not necessarily adopt the opinion in making a ruling.



As readers now know on viewing the video above, he did not.

The SCPR video-captured the reaction of West and Morris on the outcome of the vote.

WEST



MORRIS



Thursday's meeting (in terms of the outcome) was pretty much of a repeat of the December 17th meeting of council (including members-elect Bill Smuckler [a Democrat] and Richard Hart [an independent] but minus Mary Cirelli and Joe Cole who after December 31st were no longer council members EXCEPT that the December 17th meeting was held in executive session on the motion of the-then majority leader David Dougherty (Democrat - Ward 7).



The Report is told that nothing was said in the executive session that had not already been said in public.

After the meeting, President Schulman elaborated on his determination that Council Frank Morris was "duly" elected having achieved a 6 to 5 plurality (see video below).

That the December 17th meeting included an executive session is distressing to the SCPR because the quintessential political liberal of Stark County government circles; namely, Allen Schulman, in his role as president of council, cast the deciding vote (as seen in the above-video) to break a five to five tie vote which resulted in Dougherty's executive session motion prevailing.

While Schulman has not completely escaped The Report's critical assessment, but as public officials go, he ranks very high as being one of those public officials who bends over backwards to enhance the public's right to know and to be heard and generally is highly supportive of small letter "d" democracy.

Clearly, December 17th was not a good night for President Schulman by SCPR standards.

Many think well of Dougherty as a councilman.

However, as a government official, he, in the opinion of The Report, leaves a lot to be desired in terms of his facilitating public expression.  The Report has written a blog or two of how Dougherty as majority leader (subbing for Schulman) seemed to discourage citizens who availed themselves of the "public speaks" forum of Canton City Council.

So The Report is glad to see that he will not be serving in a leadership position in this term of council.   He seems to the SCPR to not be all that friendly to public accountability, accessibility and transparency.

But it was not for a lack of trying that Dougherty is out as leader.

In the political jockeying that took place post-November, 2013 election, the SCPR is told that it became apparent early on that Dougherty had "burned too many bridges" among his fellow council members to get over the top with a majority of the twelve council votes.  One councilperson calls Dougherty a "a hot head."

While Dougherty might have been able to pull off a tie, President Schulman let it be known that he was leaning towards Frank Morris (Democrat - Ward 9).  Schulman supported Morris in the challenge by the-then Councilman-at-large Joe Cole in November's election.

Tom West (Democrat - Ward 2) was waiting in the wings to see whether or not Dougherty could get that one vote he needed from among Hawk (D-Ward 1) or Smuckler (D, at-large).  It certainly was not going to come from among "the four young turks" (Kevin Fisher (D-Ward 5), John Mario (D-Ward 7), Edmond Mack (D-Ward 8) and, of course, no-way from Frank Morris (D-Ward 9).

Dougherty's failure explains Tom West's emergence on Thursday night.

And further back in the wings, it appears to the SCPR, is Mayor William J. Healy, II.

Now why would Healy want to foment division on council?

How about getting council so divided and at one another's throats that even if legislation is passed that he does not like, he can veto it and there would be very little chance of get 8 voters to override it?

Some think that Healy was the person behind the political scheming and strategizing to make West majority leader.

Knowing that if there was a tie (six to six) vote among the 12 members of council and that President Schulman was going to break the tie in Morris' favor, The Report is told that someone (thought to be Healy himself) prevailed upon newly elected Councilman-at-:Large Richard Hart (a political independent, formerly a Republican) to abstain from the vote as between West and Morris so as to make it impossible for Morris (unless he could get to a 7 to 4 vote from the 11 non-abstaining members of council) to achieve a majority vote of the total of "the present and voting one way or the other" members of council.

Hart, by the way, is seen by a number of councilpersons of allowing himself to be used as "the tool of political shenanigans."  Hardly, a good start for the new councilman, no?

West went the additional step of pulling out (undoubtedly, aided by Healy) a vote on an "informal" resolution on a Planned Parenthood issue, the "non-lawyer" he is, as legal ammunition, to wit:

The SCPR, in the post-meeting interview, asked President Schulman (who is one of Stark County's premier lawyers)  specifically about the Planned Parenthood matter.



Moreover, here is the rest of the video in which he talks about his decision that the six to five vote was a valid vote to elect Frank Morris as majority leader.



West apparently proved to be a very unskilled politician in effectuating what appears to be "the Healy Plan."

He was supposed to appeal the ruling of the chair (Schulman) to throw the matter into further council debate and consideration as set forth in Canton City Council Rule 42, to wit:

Rule #42 APPEALING DECISION OF THE CHAIR

A. An appeal may be made from any decision of the Presiding Officer (except when another appeal is pending), but it must be made only immediately after the ruling that is being appealed.

B. If this appeal is seconded, the Presiding Officer shall state clearly the question at issue, and he or she may state his/her reasons for his/her decision, and then state the question as follows:

"The question is, shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" This question is then voted upon to determine whether the decision of the Chair shall be sustained. A majority vote of those present is required to sustain the Chair. The President of Council may vote to break a tie vote.

But he did not do so. The Report is told that a number of his supporters were unhappy afterwards that he failed to fully execute the plan.

Here is Allen Schulman's take on West's failure to appeal:

Had West appealed, he would certainly had lost even if Councilman Hart voted to overturn Schulman because, undoubtedly, the chairman on a six to six vote would certainly have broken the tie to sustain his initial ruling.

After the meeting, The Report interviewed West supporter and well known Stark County businessman Curtis Perry.  Watch the video very carefully to perhaps pick up on a tip-off that maybe Tom West would not be "moving on," but rather carrying on his fight to become majority leader.

(Note:  The video includes the SCPR interview of Mr. Perry post-meeting as well as a video of his "Public Speaks" video as well as that of Mr. Chet Werren)



The SCPR's clear take, as seen by the follow up questions, was that Curtis Perry was considering advising his close confidant West to take up a legal challenge to Schulman's decision.

The Report immediately went to West who was standing nearby for a reaction.

West would no go on camera with his response, but he did say that he wanted "to move on" and was not thinking of a legal challenge.

Well, apparently, he thought otherwise overnight (likely on hearing the dissatisfaction of his supporters) and fired off a letter to Canton law director Joseph Martuccio sometime on Friday (January 10th).

WEST LETTER TO MARTUCCIO, JANUARY 10, 2014



REQUEST FOR "FORMAL" LEGAL OPINION

Hmm?

A "formal legal opinion."

Isn't that interesting?

So the "on the record of council proceedings" (duly recorded) opinion by Martuccio that seven votes are required is not good enough?

That one should be easy for Martuccio, for in this blog the SCPR published (see it above) the video of Martuccio issuing his opinion.  All he has to do is reduce the video to print form.

REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION & SUSPENSION OF MORRIS A MAJORITY LEADER

 WEST'S OPINION

For whatever it is worth.  And the SCPR thinks:  not much!

WEST SUMMARY OF "WHAT HE WANTS" 

All the SCPR can say to Councilman West is "lot of luck!"

If West expects Martuccio to take on a power that he does not have and declare President Schulman's decision "null and void," he can forget that one.  For "it ain't gonna happen!"

The Report thinks he is going absolutely nowhere on his inartistic and poorly executed "politiking" and apparent legal maneuvering, even if Mayor Healy is the supposed tactics/strategy genius behind the effort.

Implicit in West's letter when coupled with Mr. Perry's comments is a suggestion that he may take the issue into the courts.

So we shall know soon whether or not West's word to the SCPR that its "time to move on" was mere words that he undermines with contrary actions.

There is no doubt with the SCPR but that Dougherty was Healy's point-man on council.  When it became apparent that Dougherty was not going to make it, The Report thinks that there were only two viable councilpersons to step-in unless one thinks Jimmy Babcock is leadership material.

And they were West and Chris Smith (D-Ward 4).

It has been suggested to the SCPR that though they appear to be "joined at the hip," there is a sort of competition between Smith and West.

It seems that that coming from the 2012 organizing of council when Smith nearly became assistant majority leader when she challenged Jim Griffin (D-Ward 3).  The Report is told that she had 5 votes of the 7 needed to oust Griffin.

Had she won, she would have surpassed the longer serving West and as can be seen from the following West video from Thursday night, he thinks "seniority" should count for something.

What's more, The Report is told that West, Smith and Ward One Councilman Greg Hawk are pointing to two years hence when 49th District Ohio House representative Stephen Slesnick is term-limited out of the Oho General Assembly as a possible replacement.

It appears that Smith is more popular with and esteemed by fellow council members than West is.

Her nomination and election as First Vice President (assistant majority leader) Thursday night was a "slam dunk-esque" process, witness the 12 to 0 vote.

And that West in his letter to Martuccio suggests that Smith be elevated to serve as de facto majority leader on the presumption that that Schulman will be of a mind to reconsider this ruling suggests that knowing that Smith's election was to be uncontested suggests that it was a Healy/West pre-plan to offer her up as a stop-gap to the requirement that a majority leader be selected by Friday, January 10th in the case that they could successfully stop Morris has having been the victor in council's plan.

Here is Smith's reaction to having been selected as assistant majority leader:



It has been pointed out that some councilpersons view West dimly because of his propensity to "spring surprises" on council like his grandstanding-esque proposal that council adopt and adapaton of the National Football League (NFL) "Rooney Rule" whereby "persons-of-color" are required to be interviewed in the filling of any leadership vacancies in the NFL.

Moreover, it didn't set well with a number of members of council that West refused to have the Judiciary Committee (of which he was chair in 2012-2013) take up the proposal to possibly submit to Cantonians the question of whether or not Canton should have a charter of its own and not continue to have its powers defined exclusively by the state of Ohio via its statutes.

Because of the charter government issue and one held up, a council person tells the SCPR, by Councilman Greg Hawk for two years (the pool issue in Smith's Ward 4) when he was finance chairman in the 2011-2012 term of council; there is agitation to change the rules of council to lessen  the power of committee chairpersons.

Moreover, because of what some council members believe to be the "high-handed" manner of handling the prerogatives of majority leaders; there is sentiment to curb the powers of the majority leader.

So tonight's meeting (the 5:30 p.m.; which immediately precedes the regular 7:30 p.m. meeting) might be more than a tad interesting.

One huge issue is whether or not Greg Hawk is to be finance chair, once again.

The Report is told that Councilwoman Smith is saying "anybody but Hawk!"

The SCPR believes that comes straight out of the Healy penthouse on the 8th floor of Canton City Hall.

Had David Dougherty handled himself differently in his relations with the rest of council, it appears to the SCPR that none of what has been written about in this blog would have occurred.

For he would have been the choice to once again to be elected majority leader.

The "chickens do come home to roost," no?

Moreover, Cantonians should be holding Councilman West to his word, no?

It is time to move on, isn't it?

That's the sentiment expressed by veteran councilman Bill Smuckler to the SCPR.  He who returned this term as a councilman-at-large after taking a two year break.

Will Tom West get the message that "moving on" is exactly what the everyday citizens of Canton want?

Words are one thing, action is quite another!

(VIDEOS) FRANK MORRIS & CHRIS SMITH TO BE NEW CANTON COUNCIL LEADERS?

 VIDEOS

ALL VIDEOS ARE NOW POSTED

"An Aspiration Meeting of Canton City Council?"

EXECUTIVE SESSION VOTE
POSTED AT 07:13 AM 
 
(POST - SESSION VOTE)

POSTED AT 08:20 AM  

===================

COUNCIL WOMAN CHRIS SMITH

"First Female/African-American Leader of Council"

===================

COUNCILMAN-ELECT RICHARD HART

'His Role as a Politically Independent Councilman"

=================== 

 

COUNCILMAN FRANK MORRIS

"Consensus New Majority Leader"

===================

COUNCILMAN KEVIN FISHER

"A Review of Past 2 Years & Looking Forward"

===================

COUNCILMAN JOHN MARIOL

"A Review of Past 2 Years & Looking Forward"

====================== 

COUNCILMAN EDMOND MACK

"A Review of Past 2 Years & Looking Forward"

======================= 
 

In a August 30, 2012 blog the Stark County Political Report dubbed Canton City Council's newest members as being "the four young turks."

The Report is pleased that these members (Frank Morris - Ward 9, Edmond Mack - Ward 8, John Mariol - Ward 7 and Kevin Fisher - Ward 5) have taken to "the young turk" description.

For the expression is meant as a high SCPR compliment indicating their energy, zeal, vision and persistence in what appears to be a dogged determination they have to slowly but surely bring Canton back to a semblance of her former greatness.

While "not young enough" to be included in the 'young' aggregation, Councilman-at-Large elect Bill Smuckler and Councilman Greg Hawk (Ward 1) are empathetic with the aspirations of "the four young turks" and are likely to join forces with the four in critical votes determinative of the direction that Canton city government takes going forward.

A key councilman and, perhaps - a pivotal factor - is likely to be former Republican Canton city councilman Richard Hart who was elected "at-large" this past November.

It could be that Hart will be a difference-maker between "the four young turks and their allies" and a bloc of remaining councilpersons; which the SCPR dubs as being "the Smith bloc," namely;

• Jimmy Babcock, at-large,
• Tom West,Ward 2,
• a candidate to be leader this time around,
• Jim Griffin, Ward 3,
• former "assistant majority leader,"
• Chris Smith, Ward 4,
• likely to be voted "assistant majority leader," on January 6th,
• David Daugherty, Ward 6
• the former leader who wanted to be leader again,

Hart could join either bloc of council persons on "key" issues that come up on council, but the SCPR expects him to side mostly with Morris-led bloc.

Council President Allen Schulman will likely continue to be tie-breaker when a tie vote occurs.

It seems to the SCPR that "the young turk coalition" will not want a question to come out a tie because in The Report's view, Schulman in his votes over the past two years - in The Report's perception - have been mostly with the Mayor William J. Healy, II administration position (which also, more or less, is supported by "the Smith bloc).

Last evening Canton City Council met under what the SCPR in what President Schulman termed as being "an aspirational meeting" to determine a consensus of who is going to be council's next majority leader and assistant leader.

The prospective new leaders are:

Frank Morris (Ward 9) as "majority leader:" also known as the vice president of council.

Chris Smith (Ward 4) as "assistant majority leader:" also known as first vice president.

It appears that neither the SCPR,  Matt Rink of The Repository, nor the general public may have been afforded the necessary pre-meeting notice to have been a properly called and conducted meeting.

The Report opted not to file an objection because the meeting held in "executive session" on the motion of David Daugherty was pretty much an extension of "informal" discussions which have gone on among the various players for majority leader (Morris, Daugherty and West) pretty much from November 7th (the day after this fall's general election).

It should be disturbing to the Canton voting public that Leader Daugherty moved to go into executive session on the matter, that is to say:

A vote as to whether or not to go into executive session the vote breakdown?

As seen in the SCPR video (see below) of the session:

• For:
• Babcock,
• West,
• Griffin,
• Smith,
• Daugherty

• Against:
• Hawk,
• Fisher,
• Mariol,
• Mack
• Morris

Here is video on Daugherty's "lets' go into executive session" motion vote.

 Here is the post-executive session video.



Hmm?

Five (5) to five (5).

A harbinger of things to come, no?

And guess how Allen Schulman voted?

You've got it:  with "the Smith bloc."

No surprise here to the SCPR.

While The Report likes Schulman and thinks he does a superlative job in terms of civilities, courtesies and his "citizen-friendly" demeanor amply demonstrated in the "public speaks" segment of council meetings, there is little doubt with The Report that substantively he is more or less aligned with the Healy administration viewpoint.

The SCPR sees Schulman as one of Stark County's most zealous small letter "d" democrats (he being, perhaps, Stark County's most "liberal" Democrat) and all that the small letter "d" democrats connotes which includes among a large list of democratic values the value of "openness."

Last night was an opportunity for Schulman "to put his money where his mouth is" on democratic values and The Report thinks that he failed that test and denied the Canton citizenry the opportunity to see exactly what Councilman Daugherty wanted to hide from the public.

The Report asked Schulman for an interview after last night's meeting to ask him on camera - under critical questioning - the reason(s) for his siding with closing the meeting to the public.  However, he declined to be interview.

The SCPR has known for some time that a consensus had been reached among Canton's councilpersons that Frank Morris and Chris Smith are to be the new leadership of city council and that a lot of wrangling has occurred among council members to get to the consense.

Moreover, the SCPR also has known that Daugherty was not going down easily.

The Report's take on Daugherty is that he only has himself to blame.

Over the past two years of SCPR coverage of Canton city council, there is a good sprinkling of blogs featuring Daugherty which indicate a surly, "inconsiderate of others' feelings" (including the general public when citizens use council's public speaks forum, when he has substituted for Schulman) demeanor.

Hardly, what one wants of a leader of council, no?

One can only imagine what he is like when not in the public view and not on camera?

Hopefully, as far as the SCPR is concerned; residents in the 6th ward will find an alternative to Daugherty come November, 2015.

Which is a shame.

Because the SCPR is told by a number of his fellow councilpersons that David Daugherty is a very bright guy who has provided high quality substance in terms of policy and practice.

But the guy needs to learn civility, courtesy and how to deal effectively and with political maturity with those with who he disagrees.

The SCPR did take advantage of last night's session to talk with "the four young turks, prospective new "assistant majority leader" Chris Smith and new councilman-at-large Richard Hart "on camera."

Here are those interview.

First, Chris Smith, who is breaking ground as the prospective new assistant majority leader as being the first female and African-American as a leader of Canton Council.



Second, Richard Hart and his perspective on his role as the only non-Democrat on council.



Third, Frank Morris, the expected to be elected at council's next regular meeting (January 6, 2014) majority leader.



Fourth, Kevin Fisher, Ward 5.



Fifth, Edmund Mack, Ward 8.



Sixth, John Mariol.



Canton mayor William J. Healy, II will be challenged as never before by the 2014-2015 version of Canton City Council with "the four young turks" who have learned their political lessons well over the past two years.

He can choose to fight with them (which the SCPR predicts he will do) or seek to find "common ground."

The Report would like Healy to "turn over a new leaf" and demonstrate a political maturity that he has never seemingly shown before.

But if he does not, the SCPR is confident that the new leadership of Canton City Council will forge ahead with programs, practices and policies that bode well for the future of Canton.

(VIDEOS) 8TH WARD COUNCILMAN MACK CONVINCES JUDICIARY CHAIR THOMAS WEST TO MOVE FORWARD ON CHARTER GOV'T PROPOSAL FOR CANTON

UPDATE:  07/23/2013 AT 09:00 A.M.

C. David Morgan has had this to say about the SCPR point about African American candidates having been elected citywide:

I did find one comparison that you drew missed the mark a bit, in my opinion. You used the Canton City School Board as an example of the ability of African Americans to win city-wide elections, and then you asked aren't Canton City School Board Members elected city-wide?

Actually, they are not. 

A large portion of Ward 8, while in Canton City as a municipality (via prior annexations), it is also in Plain Twp Schools.   

Likewise, parts of Ward 4 (mainly in the far East) are in the City, but not in the Canton City School District. And in one of the more curious bits of boundaries, there is a portion of the area around Meyers Lake that is in the Canton City School District, but is not within the municipal boundaries of the City of Canton (CCS Board Member Nadine McIlwain lives in such an area).

The Report thanks Reverend Morgan for having provided his correction.

VIDEOS

COUNCILMAN WEST

OPENS

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE MEETING

ON

CHARTER GOVERNMENT ISSUE

(JOUSTS WITH COUNCILMAN HAWK)

COUNCILMAN MACK

PRESENTS

THE CASE FOR

CANTON AS A CHARTER CITY

COUNCILMAN MORRIS WEIGHS IN

COUNCILMAN FISHER TAKES A TURN

COUNCILMAN MARIOL

ON

DEFINITION OF "EDUCATION"

ACCORDING TO

COUNCILMAN WEST

ONE-ON-ONE WITH WEST

ONE-ON-ONE WITH MACK

THE ENTIRE MEETING

(UNEDITED)

At the outset of last night's Canton City Council Judiciary Committee meeting (Thomas West, D-2, chairman) it was apparent to the SCPR that West was in a "delay and hope it goes away mode"  on a proposal by sponsors Edmond Mack (D-8, a judiciary committee member) and Mary Cirelli (D, at-large; also a judiciary committee member) to have council consider placing a measure on the ballot to have Cantonians elect 15 (unelected to city office Cantonians) to a Charter Review Commission.

West, clearly on the defensive, jousted with Councilman Greg Hawk (D-1) on what allegations that West was holding the proposed legislation up.



West cited the effort by former Ward 8 and Republican councilman Mark Butterworth (ironically and interestingly running against Edmond Mack this November in an effort to get his seat back) in October, 2010 to get Canton council to consider putting a charter government review commission measure on the ballot.

He could have even gone further in delving into a rather obvious Republican drive to change the structure of Canton government so as to advantage Republican city of Canton office seekers who in recent times have been shut out from office in Canton.

Even the politically powerful Republican Janet Creighton (now a Stark County commissioner) was unable to get re-elected in 2007 after four years of her very respectable administration of the city.

Canton has about a 9 to 1 Democrat to Republican registration plurality.

In June, 2010 a former Stark County Republican Party executive director (Mike Cunningham) with ties to W.R. Timken, Jr. who was at the time chairman the board of directors of a company (Strategic Public Partners) which employed Cunningham surfaced with an initiative to get a convert to charter city proposal before Canton voters.

What has to be troublesome to West is that the new agitation is from a number of fellow Democrats on council.

So there is no partisan factor at play.

And after January 1st, the totally Demcratic council will include former long time Councilman Bill Smuckler who back in 2003 or so was pushing hard to change Canton from a statutory city government to a charter city government.  A status now held by 73% of Ohio's cities.

The Report is told by Smuckler that it will take eight of twelve members of council to get before Canton voters a measure to elect a charter review commission.

Those numbers clearly are not there now.

But they might be after November of this year with the addition of Smuckler and Roland K. Burns, III.

That is, if Kevin Fisher can be turned into a "yes" vote and David Dougherty repeats his prior support for having the voters elect a commission.

So it appears that perhaps eight votes could be wrangled out of the new council for a May, 2014 primary election opportunity for Cantonians to elect a charter review commission.

Such a commission will have one year to come up with a specific proposal for Cantonians to either accept or reject at the ballot box.

The star attraction last night was Councilman Mack.



Mack made a very powerful and persuasive Powerpoint supported presentation, to wit:

After Mack presented, Frank Morris (D-9) chimed in.



He went after West on the "educate the public factor."

Basically he took the position that "time is awasting" and Canton needs to restructure its government in order to deal effectively with Canton's 21st century needs.

Then it was Ward 5 Councilman Kevin Fisher's turn.



What was interesting to the SCPR about Fisher was his separating himself from what The Report has tabbed as "the four young turks" (Mack, Mariol and Morris being the other three) on this issue.

He takes the position that charter government is oversold and that Canton government as it exists has the wherewithal to deal with Canton's problems.

However, as a member of the committee he urged Chairman West not to refuse to report the legislation out to the full council as he feels that the full body is entitled to consider the Mack/Cirelli sponsored proposal.

The SCPR knows Fisher to be a thoughtful councilman and finds it hard to believe he has his mind made up at this juncture of the deliberations.

In the end, yours truly thinks Fisher will be reconsidering his current stance.

West got into it with Frank Morris over Morris' assertion that West had said he would not sign off on the legislation to get it out of committee and before the full council.

West held firm that his statement was conditioned on his insistence that once he was satisfied that Cantoninans were informed on the issue, he would sign off on the legislation.

It did get a little heated between the two as the video clearly shows.

Next up, Democratic Councilman John Mariol of Ward 7.

He faced West down on what his definition of "educating the public" is.  Actually, this exchange proved to be useful in getting the chairman to agree to report the legislation out of committee.

The ultimate agreement was that the chairman would sign off on the legislation on the agreement by Councilman Mack to host a "town hall meeting" on August 19th at 6:30 p.m. at Canton city council chambers.



But, as the foregoing video shows, Councilman Hawk was not quite done (having parried with him earlier) with West.

He honed in on the point that council's job was to get the Canton public a new opportunity (the last having been over 50 years ago [1962]) to vote on whether or not to make Canton a charter city.

After everything was said and done, it was apparent to the SCPR that Councilman West's reluctance to report out the legislation is twofold, to wit:

• He is ticked because he is convinced that Councilwoman Cirelli (who, although a member of the judiciary committee, was unable to be at last night's meeting) agreed to join Councilman Mack in sponsoring the charter review commission legislation in order to get back at Canton City treasurer-elect Kim Perez whom Cirelli lost to this past May in the Democratic primary election.
• He worries that African-Americans will not be among the 15 commissioners to be elected to come up with a charter proposal for Cantoninans to vote on.

The Report is not impressed with either reason and thinks that his concern that African Americans cannot be elected citywide is not supported by Stark's recent electoral history.

How can Councilman West say that a proportional number of African Americans cannot gain seats on the review commission of the 15?

Barack Obama won in Stark countywide in 2008 and again in 2012.

How does West account for the strong race that Kelley Zachary ran against Republican Alex Zumbar countywide in 2010?

How does West account for the strong race that she ran against Kim Perez for Canton city treasurer this past May?  

A case exists that if Cirelli was not in the race, perhaps Zachary wins, no?

How does West account for this picture showing African Americans as members of the Canton City Schools Board of Education.  Don't they run citywide?  

Bill Smuckler tells the SCPR that he ran for council-at-large with Fonda Williams (a key member of the Healy administration now) a number of years ago and that Williams lost by seven votes in being the third of three "to be-elected"candidates.

Like any candidate, Williams had to be kicking himself afterwards with "should haves" on the particulars of his candidacy.

It seems to the SCPR that Councilman West may fast becoming the "anti-democrat."

He wants less accountability of ward councilpersons as evidenced by his pushing for extending councilpersons terms from two to four years.

And now he appears to not want to allow Cantonians the opportunity to speak again on the charter issue after a 50 year plus gap in having had the chance in 1962?

Yours truly finds it to be strange indeed that African American West would not be at the forefront of enhancing the rights of Americans of every stripe to enjoy the full measure of democratic rights including the opportunity to hold him and his colleagues accountable every two years.

Here is the SCPR one-on-one with West.



The Report also did a one-on-one with Councilman Edmond Mack.



The SCPR believes that the case has been made that Cantonians should have an second chance after a 50 year plus as to weigh in on whether or not they want a charter government.

As was pointed out in yesterday's committee meeting, those who want charter government had better do voter educating come an election on the issue, for if folks are uninformed or confused they will surely vote "no."

Last night's meeting was productive in getting West off dead center in threatening to be a one-man-wrecking-crew by inaction in committee and thereby deep sixing any chance of the full city council voting on the Mack/Cirelli charter review commission proposal.

Now it is time to go to work on council to get those eight votes needed to provide Cantonians the opportunity to exercise the franchise on a very important issue going forward.

If he can pull it off, it certainly will send Councilman Mack's political stock soaring.

Here is an unedited version of the entire proceeding of last night's meeting.

WHATEVER CASE CANTON MAYOR WILLIAM J. HEALY, II WANTS TO MAKE - THE NUMBERS ARE SURE TO FOLLOW!

One should be careful indeed in latching onto any numbers that Democratic Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II (WJH-II) may through your way in making this or that argument in support of this or that program, policy or whatever that he wants to make in any given situation.

Apparently, a part of the mayor education at the New York University Stern School of Business was on "how to work the numbers."

At the end of May, Canton Repository reporter Matt Rink wrote a piece (Canton mayor changed tune on doom, gloom) which does a masterful job of documenting the trail of Healy being all over the place with this or that number depending upon what the mayor's objective has been.

According to the article,  Canton (by the gospel of WJH-II)  was facing a $4 million deficit a year ago, a multi-million dollar shortfall in October, 2012.

But wait a New York minute, by the time the New York educated number cruncher applied some Healy miracle-making-potion to the numerics, SURPRISE:  Canton receives a financial blessing out of nowhere (reference Councilman's Hawk's "miracle of loaves and fishes" in Rink's piece) and shows a $3.5 million carryover from 2012 to 2013 in the recently Canton City Council passed budget.

So now, according to Healy, Canton is in the best financial shape it has been in the last five years.

Sounds like a back hand compliment to his predecessor Republican Janet Creighton in implying that Canton was in decent financial condition during her administration?

Well, that is not what he told yours truly in early 2008 at a Democratic Governor Ted Strickland visit to a Brewster business.  Then it was:  "Janet Creighton had left him a terrible mess" type talk.

Which is it Mayor Healy?

Did Creighton leave you with a mess or is it a sign of financial health and progress getting back to the Creighton standard?

Surprise? (i.e. the "miracle of loaves and fishes).

Not at all!

One should come to expect "about faces," "turning on a dime," and the like from Stark County's most eely politician in many a decade if not over the total existence of Canton since it first achieved corporate existence.

Canton Chief Deputy Auditor Gary Young said it best in describing Healy and his revenue/deficit machinations, to wit:

• he did not change his message when it had to be clear to him that alternative (counterbalancing Ohio's local government funding cuts) sources of revenue were filling in the void,
• “The only person saying that last year was the mayor.  There was never any statement by the auditor’s office. ... We never believed it was true.”
• “Every time he talked about it [Canton finances] he only talked about what we were losing,”

Of course, there is still that $1.2 million or so deficit that Canton is facing on its 2014 budgeting.

The SCPR predicts that Cantonians are in for more finessing of the numbers by this mayor.

It is pure and simple to him like breathing is to the rest of us.

 In Matt Rink's reporting of the: 

• Who, 
• What, 
• Why, 
• When, 
• Where, and 
• How 

with respect to the use of the numbers by Mayor Healy in making this or that case for a particular "agenda for the moment" being promoted by Canton's chief executive, he did a masterful job of documenting the "cherry picking" being done.

Indeed there is "Danger Ahead" for anyone who would buy into Mayor Healy's  "Cherry-Picking Data."

Ask the residents of Canton whether or not they feel safer when the mayor trots out his crime statistics?

What was that number at one time?

Oh yes!

"0" tolerance of crime.

Hmm?