(VIDEOS) IN BUDGET HEARINGS, COMMISSIONER RICHARD REGULA ASKS BD OF ELECTIONS' OFFICIALS: "ARE YOU GOING TO POST THOSE FOUR NEW POSITIONS?" WHAT A LAUGH!

UPDATED AT 6:00 PM

VIDEOS

COMMISSIONER RICHARD REGULA

ASK  BOE OFFICIALS

ARE THE FOUR NEW JOBS GOING TO BE POSTED?

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COMMISSIONERS CREIGHTON & BERNABEI

DRESS DOWN

BOE OF ELECTIONS OFFICIALS

FOR

BREAKING

2% RAISE GUIDELINES 

One of the best forums from which the Stark County Political Report obtains information about Stark County government operations are the meetings of the Stark County commissioners.

The commissioners are now in the depths of their yearly budget hearings and these hearings, in particular, yield a great deal of information for The Report to repackage into blogs which make Stark Countians some the best informed people about their county, township, village and city governments in the entire country.

Yesterday, representatives (Director Jeff Matthews, Deputy Director Jeanette Mullane, Republican Board Member Curt Braden and Democrat Board Member Sam Ferruccio) of the Stark County Board of Elections (BOE') trooped into the the commissioners' meeting room on the second floor of the Stark County Office Building for their time before the commissioners.

One of the things that the Bernabei, Creighton and Richard Regula of the Stark Board of County commissioners zero in on in the course of budget hearings are new hires and the year-to-year salary increases that Stark County departments of government hand out to their employees.

In the course of the back and forth between the commissioners and Director Matthews was Matthews' revelation that the BOE 2014 budget included the hiring of four additional employees in the year 2014.

Here is Richard Regula with his questions and Matthews' answer.



What a hoot! - no?

Not only the Stark County Board of Elections but any Ohio Board of Elections posting job listings for the taxpaying general public citizenry to apply for prompts a  "you have to be kidding!"

The public perception is that these jobs only go to the politically connected, plain and simple.

To say it again:  "job posting"  by a Board of Elections.

 Laugh, laugh, laugh and laugh some more!  Ha!, Ha!, Ha!

The SCPR thinks that Matthews stumbled and bumbled all over the place answering Regula's question and the latter revealed (as least that is what The Report thinks) that three of the four "non-posted" to the public have already been hired, subject to official BOE approval.

It is irony upon irony that each of Ohio's 88 counties have a department of government that is all about citizens having a choice (called elections) run by unelected, politically appointed folks who only have to account to the county Democratic and Republican party chairmen. 

Hmm?

As soon as The Report could get to a computer, an email was fired off to Deputy Director Jeannette Mullane asking follow up questions, to wit:

 

Jeanette,

With respect to the four hires referred to by Matthews in today's budget presentation, I have the following questions:

What are the job titles?

How much is each position to be paid as a starting salary?

With respect to the three hires to be made in January, have the candidate for those jobs been selected subject to the approval of the board?

If so, what are their names.

When is the four hire contemplated to be made?

Thanks,
Martin Olson
SCPR

MULLANE'S INITIAL ANSWER

Jeanette,

With respect to the four hires referred to by Matthews in today's budget presentation, I have the following questions:

What are the job titles?  Clerks

How much is each position to be paid as a starting salary?  $15.60 per hour or $32,459.65 annual

With respect to the three hires to be made in January, have the candidate for those jobs been selected subject to the approval of the board?  The Board hires the employees.

If so, what are their names.

When is the four hire contemplated to be made?  Unknown at this time.

Note that Mullane does not answer "all" the questions posed, to wit:  "If so, what are their names?"

However, the SCPR, if anything, is persistent:

The Report's "reply" attempt to get Mullane to answer "all" the questions posed.

MULLANE'S REPONSE TO THE SCPR'S FOLLOW UP

As you can see, Mullane refuses to respond to the SCPR request for names.

Why do you think that might be?

Hmm?

'Tis a puzzlement, no?

Well, Ms. Mullane, Director Matthews and each and every one of the Stark County Board of Elections can be assured that the SCPR will be at the January 21st meeting to record it all.

Of course the SCPR had to fight (Blog Link) for the right to videotape Stark BOE proceedings (Blog Link).

Courtesy of the work of Stark County commissioners' "second-in-command" administrator Chris Nichols (who obtained the information from the Stark auditor's office), The Report is publishing the current payroll of various departments of government.

Since, today's blog, the Stark County Board of Elections is the topic, below is the payroll as this month.  Of course, next month there will be three additions $32,459.75 (access denied to the general Stark County public courtesy of unelected "highly partisan" public officials) with a fourth to follow soon.

The BOE completely blew off the commissioners on their guidelines of no more than two percent (2%) increases in Stark County departments for 2013.

The chief, Matthews, (chairman of the Stark County Republican Party [an unpaid position] who was making a "mere" $78,708 (plus about $25,000 in benefits) gets a 4.3% increase to reach $80,000.  A nice, neat rounded off number, no?.  And the man apparently includes himself in the category of these "poor employees" the haven't  a raise in 4 or 5 years.

Now that's a convincing argument for a person who in total compensation package is likely well over $100,000 annually all of which is paid by the Stark County taxpayers, isn't it?

And look at Travis Secrest who has dutifully run for a couple "sacrificial lamb" campaigns for the Stark Republicans.  Wow!  From $31,514 to $41,200 (a whooping 30.7% increase) all within one year and he is a person that has not been on the job all that long.  And, again, you can tack on about another $12,000 annually in benefits so that his total taxpayer dollars take is over $50,000 annually.

Not to neglect the Democrats, there is Holly Tichnor who got a 12.7% increase in 2013.

In this video, see Commissioner Janet Creighton and Tom Bernabe take BOE members Republican Curt Braden and Democrat Sam Ferruccio to task for the flagrant BOE disregarding of the commissioners' 2% raise guidelines.



Since members of the BOE; namely Demeatrious St. John,  Sam Ferruccio (the Democrats) and Curt Braden, William Cline (the Republicans) are unelected, the only accountability for elected officials are Commissioners Bernabei, Creighton and Regula.

Right now the only consequence is "a dressing down by the commissioners" as seen in the video.

Of course, for the likes of St. John, Ferruccio, Braden and Cline, you just "grin and bear it."

For the commissioners' admonitions to mean anything, they are going to have to come up with "real world" consequences for county government entities that in effect tell them that their guidelines mean nothing to them.

We shall see what the commissioners do in devising effective measures to stop the "thumbing of the nose" they are experiencing by the likes of the Stark County Board of Election members.

"BLAME CNN" - STARK BD OF ELECTIONS DIRECTOR JEFF MATTHEWS RESPONSE TO CRITICISM OF STARK BOE BEING "SECOND TO LAST" TO CUYAHOGA CO. IN REPORTING TUESDAY'S ELECTION RESULTS. HMM?

Stark County Board of Elections Director and Stark County Republican Party Chairman Jeff Matthews appears to be taking a cue from Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.

By now most folks know that when Gingrich is asked an embarrassing question by the press, Gingrich "jumps for joy" because it is a prime opportunity for him to lambaste the media which plays well with the American public.

Gingrich loves to make himself the victim when asked uncomfortable questions by the national media.

One of Gingrich's most famous blasts at the press occurred in a presidential debate of January 19, 2012 with CNN's John King as moderator asking Gingrich an embarrassing (to Gingrich) question about one of his three marriages.

On Tuesday night (err Wednesday morning at 2:12 AM), the Stark County Board of Elections eked out Cuyahoga County (notorious for leading Ohio boards of elections in snafus and delays) in not gaining the top spot for being the last to report results.

Stark's embarrassing delay was brought to light by CNN's King in covering SuperTuesday election results in an on-air exchange with Wolf Blitzer.

The Rep's Robert Wang in reporting CNN's holding of Stark County up as in the same league with Cleveland and Cuyahoga in terms of inordinate election results reporting delays (Stark second-to-last reporting election results) brought the embarrassment up close and personal to Stark Countians.

Well, Stark County's Matthews had an "indirect" and delayed exchange with King.  As reported by Wang, Matthews said in response to the embarrassment hurled his way:

We’re not here to appease CNN.  We’re here to try to get it right, keeping in mind it is an unofficial count on election night. ... the system is just not conducive to early returns as punch cards were.

While Matthews is correct that he is not on the job to please CNN, he and his deputy and chief Democrat honcho at the BOE, Jeanette Mullane, are in place to please Stark Countians.

However, Matthews, in his response, decided to take a page out of the Gingrich playbook, and deflect the poor performance of the Stark BOE on Tuesday by focusing on defending against the CNN implicit criticism how he managed getting out the election results in a more timely fashion.

Less than 30 days ago, the Stark County commissioners approved a budgetary appropriation hike of some $500,000 so that the Stark BOE who have adequate resources to handle the 2012 presidential year election

Collectively (including benefits), this duo gets paid about $200,000 to conduct thorough, complete, effective and as speedy as possible - consistent with accuracy - elections.

The SCPR believes they can do better on the "speed combined with accuracy" factor.

Board of Election members William Cline (Republican), Curt Braden (Republican), Sam Ferruccio (Democrat) and Phil Giavasis (Democrat) need to examine the processes employed at the Stark BOE and order measures to be taken to improve the Stark timeline.

Moreover, the Ohio Secretary of State (who is charged with overseeing elections across Ohio) Jon Husted needs to take a look from his vantage point and do an apples to apples comparison of Stark with other similarly situated Ohio counties and implement "best practices" already employed in other counties which put them well ahead of Stark in the "report of results timeline."

The Report understands that anomalies will crop up from time-to-time which will cause an undue (from the consumer's perspective) delay because of an unexpected unique problem that materializes.

The disturbing factor about Stark's 2:12 AM Wednesday morning completion time is that there were no anomalies.

At this rate with about 15% of registered Stark Countians voting on Tuesday, come November 6th Stark County will be back in the horse 'n' buggy days of recording and reporting election results.

The prospect of such is unacceptable!

Director Matthews' one upping of  CNN is one thing, but his disregard of Stark Countians and their right to have timely election results is quite another.

It appears to the SCPR that the lack of due diligence and the lack of effective follow up on the part of the Stark BOE management (along with the Lake Township trustees) is a main causative factor as to why the fate of the Lake Township-wide police levy question of last November remains to be resolved by the Ohio Supreme Court.

The likes of the Stark BOE members, the Ohio secretary of state, and other Stark County elected officials should be putting official and peer group pressure on Matthews and Mullane to improve their management and leadership skills.

Perhaps they are in over their collective heads and need to hire an elections expert consultant to help them solve their problem?


For $200,000 a year in top echelon pay and getting a budget bump of $500,000 plus at the expense of other needy Stark County department of government, the SCPR believes that Matthews and Mullane as the Stark County Board of elections leadership are to deliver top notch elections services.

Rather than buck up and admit the obvious and vow to make significant improvement, Matthews chose to sort of blame/castigate in a sarcastic way the messenger for even mentioning it.

Another case in point as a chapter and verse example of many such incidents that fuel everyday citizens harboring increasing cynicism about the commitment and dedication of public officials.

A really helpful contribution towards the cause of facilitating governance, no?

WILL THE "PROVISIONAL VOTES" - "TURN THE TIDE" IN CLOSE STARK CO. ELECTIONS?

UPDATE:  5:35 PM

UPDATE/CORRECTION: (ABOUT 11:00 AM)  Notwithstanding that the Stark County Democratic Party apparently thinks Canal Fulton City Council President Linda Zahirsky is a Democrat, Stark County Board of Elections (BOE) records indicate that Canal Fulton mayoral candidate Linda Zahirsky is a Republican and not a Democrat as originally published by the SCPR.

Zahirsky's current political affiliation was brought to the attention of the SCPR by Matthew Moellendick who - BOE records indicate - is a Republican serving on the "officially" non-partisan (a point of emphasis by Moellendick in his email to The Report) Canal Fulton City Council along side of Zahirsky.

BOE Records do show that Zahirsky has voted in Democratic primaries prior to this year.  Moreover, yours truly recalls being at at least one even with Ms. Zahirsky in attendance referring to herself as being a Democrat (probably 2004 or thereabouts).

The SCPR believes that the non-partisan dubbing of certain local government offices (boards of township trustees, some village/city councils and boards of education and the like) is a "legal fiction," for the most part and that it is relevant that Stark Countians to know an elected official's party identification in analyzing actions taken by the officeholder.

ORIGINAL BLOG

The SCPR hears that Stark Countians are likely to know by Monday as to whether or not provisional votes (CLICK HERE TO SEE CRITERIA) will be a difference maker in the November 8th results for Alliance City Council - Ward 2, Canal Fulton City Mayor and North Canton City Board of Education races.

ALLIANCE CITY COUNCIL WARD 2

The most likely of the three contests to be reversed may be the one in Alliance in which James Dyke came within a whisker of defeated long time Ward 2 Councilwoman Phyllis Phillips (312 Dykes; 315 Phillips).

Dyke tells the SCPR that he thinks he is entitled to an automatic recount.  His calculation (627 votes times 0.5 [the Ohio statutory factor) shows at little over three votes entitles him to a automatic recount.

However, he tells yours truly that Elections Director Jeanette Mullane doesn't see it that way.

Apparently, by her calculation (undoubtedly assisted by the Stark County prosecutor's office in interpreting Ohio Revised Code Section 3515.011), Dyke would have to be within two votes? 

It will be interesting to see whether or not Dyke obtains legal counsel for advice/counsel on the matter.

Who sits as councilperson in Alliance's 2nd is not the only question though.  The final result could determine which political party controls Alliance City Council.

However, the operative word is "could."

Dyke, if he ends up as the elected official after the 14 provisional votes are factored in to the total count, is said by a source to the SCPR to be a very independent minded person.

Stark County voter registration records indicate "no" party affiliation for Dyke.

Ward 2 in Alliance is a heavily democratic ward and therefore Dyke was an ideal candidate to take on established Democrat Phillips in terms of getting elected.

But if he was to line up with the Republicans on council, he just might have a hard time getting re-elected.  On the other hand, how could he line up the Democrat having defeated one of their most beloved in Phyllis Phillips?

So don't look for Dyke to be an "announced" partisan tipping point if he overcomes his three vote deficit from the 14 provisional ballots.

Council would then be 3 Republicans, 3 Democrats and 1 independent.

Dyke would then have to walk a very careful line in his voting pattern in order to maintain his "independent" status in the eyes of Ward 2 voters.

Of course, he could just flip over to being a Democrat.

Problem solved, no?

CANAL FULTON MAYORALTY

In Canal Fulton the outcome of the provisional ballot vote count will be a difference maker as to whether or not a Republican or Democrat is mayor of canal boat city.

Linda Zahirsky is a Democrat Republican (see correction in update above) and Richard Harbaugh (a long time Lawrence Township trustee) is a Republican.

While interesting, with only 22 provisional ballots to be counted (keeping in mind that not all may be deemed to be legally sufficient to qualify to be counted), it is unlikely that Zahirsky (801 votes) can overtake Harbaugh (815 votes).

Zahirsky does not qualify for an automatic recount as the vote stands today.   As the SCPR calculates, she would have to be within eight votes (1616 times 0.5 rounds off to 8).

But while it is unlikely that she can get enough of the 22 provisionals to win, she could get within eight?

Of course, if a candidate wants to pay the costs of a recount; they always have that option.

NORTH CANTON CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION

Their are a considerable number of North Cantonians who do not know that Jennifer Kling in the daughter of Stark County Commissioner Janet Creighton.

The Report is told that Kling did not campaign as Jennifer Creighton Kling.  To her credit, she reportedly told family and friends that if she were to be elected, she wanted to be known as having done it on her own.

However, her name did appear on the ballot itself as Jennifer Creighton Kling.  Moreover, Commissioner Creighton did some campaigning for Jennifer and was recognized by some of those answering the door in door-to-door campaigning.

Undoubtedly, Jordan Greenwald (an incumbent board member) knew all to well about Ms. Kling's family-political connections.

The Report is told and takes it to have been somewhat "tongue in cheek" that Kling was not running to oust Greenwald, but, rather was running for the other slot vacated by Nancy Bundy (in the sense that she decided not to seek re-election).

Kling has a 13 vote margin (4244) over Greenwald (4241) as of the end of vote counting on November 8th. 

But 70 provisional votes remain to be counted.

Unless Kling gets almost all of the provisional votes, it appears to the SCPR that there will certainly be an automatic recount.

If Kling prevails, what difference would it make?

The SCPR was somewhat astounded to see and hear Greenwald be so "over the top" for Superintendent Michael Gallina when yours truly videotaped a candidate forum discussion panel at North Canton High School.

The Report hears consistently good evaluations of Gallina from various quarters but to hear Greenwald Gallina is - though still living - is on the brink of sainthood.

The SCPR does not believe it is healthy for a school system to have a board member who is uncritical of the administration as apparently Greenwald is.

Greenwald pushed through a contract extension of 5 years for Gallina months before it was due to come up in order to spare the new board members (Fulton, for sure; Kling "ironically" likely) having to get up to speed in such a short time (the spring of 2012) to consider an extension.

To be frank, the SCPR does not believe Greenwald.

The Report believes that Greenwald know that Gallina is widely liked to North Cantonians was trying to piggyback on Gallina's community esteem as a way to enhance his re-election.

Another point on Greenwald's seeming servility.  He said at the candidate forum that if Gallina would accept, he would have been for a 10 year extension.

How over the top can one get?

If elected, Kling will be a positive and constructive force on the North Canton City Board of Education.

The Report is told that her approach to governing is much like her mother.

Enough said?