DISCUSSION: CAN "THE REP" REPORT ON ANY STARK COUNTY GOV'T ENTITY WITHOUT HAVING A CONFLICT-IN-INTEREST? ANOTHER DICY RELATIONSHIP SURFACES

Recently, the Jackson Local School District (JSD) passed a levy. Being the pro-education person yours truly is, the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) was glad to see it pass.

But there is a disturbing question concerning how JSD got there.

For those in Jackson who opposed the levy, they undoubtedly would like to have known that there is a financial relationship between The Canton Repository and Jackson schools.

What is the relationship?

The Repository publishes the school quarterly named the Polar Bear Pride (Pride).

A local communications and publishing company had been publishing the Pride, but was losing money. That company wanted to raise rates to advertisers, but Jackson school officials wouldn't allow it and continue to use the local company as its publisher.

What difference does it make to the JSD if its publisher makes the publication free to the school district but needs to raise advertising rates to make the enterprise a profitable one for the company?

The Report believes the answer is who was lurking in the background to take over the publishing of the Pride when the original relationship gets terminated.

Who might the lurking company be?

Yes, indeed. One of Stark County largest publishers: The Canton Repository.

The Report has learned that The Rep has cut a deal with the Jackson schools to publish the Pride "free" and pay money to the schools, to boot.

How much money? That The Report does not know. But any money is significant. What this means is that The Repository is making money on the advertiser money WHICH IS HIGH ENOUGH (remember JSD officials would not let the original company raise advertiser rates so it could make money) that The Rep could make money and pay a percentage of its profits to the Jackson Schools.

Did the Jackson Local School District have other motives for establishing a financial relationship with The Repository?

Back to the recent effort to pass the Jackson levy.

Exactly how much "ink" (free publicity) did The Rep give the JSD on the levy effort. What degree of scrutiny did the editors and reporters give Jackson school finances as a base of information for Jackson voters to make a decision in the voters booth?

Did Jackson schools set up the original company to fail, so that it could enter into a co-opting relationship with The Repository.

The Report thinks both The Repository and the Jackson Local School District have damaged their credibility in the public eye because of this "secret" relationship?

Secret?

Probably not from the JSD perspective. The Report believes that somewhere buried in minutes of the proceeds of the Jackson Board of Education is a board approval of the contract with The Rep.

Probably from The Rep's standpoint. Is there a press release somewhere within the bowels of The Rep's archives where The Rep's operations guy, Chris White, details the existence and details of the Jackson/Rep relationship.

How many such other relationships does The Rep have with government units it reports on and which the reading public has no idea exists.

Why doesn't Executive Editor Jeff Gauger get on his soapbox pontificate on these "ethically challenged" relationships.

Why isn't The Rep inserting disclaimers in the pieces they publish when the subject matter is an entity with whom The Rep is financially involved?

Whenever The Rep publishes a "letter to the editor" by a candidate for public office, Editorial page editor Gayle Beck always has inserted for example: "Joe Doe is a candidate for Stark County commissioner."

So we know The Repository folks know how to write disclaimers.

How is it they fall silent when The Rep has a financial state in the entity being reported on?

DISCUSSION: WHO'S BLUFFING, WHO'S NOT?

North Canton has just upped the ante on the Canton/Jackson Township Stark County internecine war that, in the end, will be highly damaging to Stark County's effort get its economic development cards in order.

The move by North Canton officials in filing a complaint (see North Canton files complaint on Canton Annexation bid - posted on line 2/13/2009 by The Rep) is a making good on a statement yesterday by a North Canton official to the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) to wit: "We've got a legal card or two, We're not done yet."

This same official acknowledged that North Canton ia "behind the eight-ball" (The Report's phrase). Moreover, an ensuing discussion focused on the phenomenon that "its not over until its over." (a quote attributed to famous Yankee catcher Yogi Berra) So The Report expects this war to go on and on and on.

The Report's ending point is this.

While it may be a lot of fun to play poker where there is a jackpot winner, and in this game either the Canton/Jackson Township side or the North Canton side will be a winner in the narrow sense of the word; however, in the end - the broader economic interests and future of Stark Countians will be the loser.

DISCUSSION: JACKSON TOWNSHIP STOPPED IN EFFORT TO GO PROVINCIAL?

Jackson Township Board of Trustees president John Pizzino and the Township's fiscal officer Randy Gonzales had to be two surprised dudes when they learned that city of North Canton administrators filed Type I and II annexation petitions with the Stark County Commissioners on Friday (January 23, 2009).

Especially Gonzales.

Why?

A person that works for Gonzales and, of course, Canton Municipal clerk of courts Phil Giavasis?

Yes, North Canton councilman Pat DeOrio.

Some area officeholders speculate that one of the reasons Gonzales wanted Councilman DeOrio hired by Giavasis was to keep tabs on Mayor David Held of North Canton and his administration. If that was the case, then the strategy didn't work.

Witness: Friday's annexation move.

Again, the Jackson folks did not have a clue!

Held does tell the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) that he kept certain key members of council (Revoldt, Snyder and Kiesling) informed, but that plan was an administration plan that has been in the works for some time. Held did not mention DeOrio as being a person with inside knowledge.

All along (while formulating the annexation backup plan) North Canton has been negotiating with Jackson Township.

The hang up?

The 99 year promise not to annex from Jackson Township unless approved by the Jackson trustees.

Held says the deal "killer" (the Report's label) part of Jackson's proposal is the 99 year thing. Moreover, he describes the Canton/Jackson Township deal as being a move by Jackson Township to stay provincial. In other words, Jackson Township is worried about be swallowed up by surrounding municipalities: Canton, North Canton and Massillon.

From Canton's side, it seems as if Councilman Bill Smuckler is the big enthusiast and apparently has been bringing his fellow council members along. In local media reports, Mayor Healy (who, once, clearly opposed the move) now says he is uncertain.

But he need not worry.

The Report believes the annexation move by North Canton is a checkmate of Trustee Pizzino and Fiscal Officer Gonzales. And, in the opinion of The Report, for the betterment of Stark County- and - certainly for Canton. Why would Canton want to tie itself up for 99 years?

Held tells The Report that the annexation does not foreclose working with Canton, Jackson Township and Massillon in a cooperative, collaborative way that has positive results for all the players.

The Report's take on Held's reaction on any 99 year proposed agreement is that it would be irresponsible for government officials of any entity (are you listening Bill Smuckler and Canton council?) to give away growth and expansion possibilities.

It appears to The Report that Jackson Township officials have been outfoxed by the North Canton administration. By being reactive and not proactive, it seems that Jackson officials will be in one pitched battle after another with surrounding area municipalities. If the 99 year plan is any indication of "realpolitik" thinking in Jackson, then Township officials need to go out and get new thinking caps.

The Tuscarawas Township trustees seem to have the same mentality as Jackson trustees. Just take a look at the archives of The Massillon Independent. Celeste DeHoff et al have been in a prolonged battle with Massillon Mayor Cicchinelli for quite a while now.

Township government is an antiquated form of meeting the needs of citizens. Enlightened trustees should be "seeing the handwriting on the wall" and working with neighboring villages and municipalities "to think outside the box" to more efficiently and effectively to meet the needs of Stark County's township residents.