MARLBORO CAN NOW SETTLE DOWN. MARLBORO VOTERS "WISELY" REMOVE THAT "WISE GUY" FROM TOWNSHIP HALL. WILL THE MARLBORO DEBACLE SPILL OVER TO SWANSON, PEREZ & FERRERO?

It is obvious that soon to be "former" Trustee Tim Wise is a very bright guy.

Perhaps too smart for his own political good.

In the opinion of the SCPR, he got it in for the Devies family (Police Chief Ron Devies and his son Kyle),  and seized on a politically "unwise" course of events that resulted in his coming in 4th out 4 candidates for Marlboro Township trustee in the election held yesterday.

Yours truly is still astounded by Wise's taking what appears to be have been a communications problem between Ron and Kyle Devies and township officials (Trustee Wolf, in the main) and invoking the insertion of the Stark County's sheriff/prosecutor's office which resulted in criminal charges being filed against the Devies.

Not only was the Wise/Wolf/sheriff/prosecutor venture  politically unwise for Trustees Wise and Wolf (the Devies family is sort of an institution in Marlboro), but it was legal disaster from the get-go.

Sheriff Tim Swanson (via Chief Deputy Rick Perez) and Prosecutor John Ferrero (via his chief criminal prosecutor Dennis Barr) failed Marlboro residents and all of Stark County in allowing this "misunderstanding" to escalate into a criminal prosecution.

Swanson, Perez, Ferrero and Barr owe Marlboro and Stark Citizens an apology for not stopping this "runaway freight train."  But do not hold your breath.  These folks have egos that will not quit and therefore there will be no apology.

Judge Lee Sinclair put them back on their heels in dismissing the case right after the prosecution had finished its side of the case.  The defense did not have to put on a case at all.  This, folks, was a "legal slam dunk."  And yours truly (an attorney - but not criminal defense) knew it was a non-starter from the beginning was the the first and only media type to say so.

Can you imagine all the public tax dollars and resources that went into this "never should have been prosecuted" case?

Beyond Marlboro, that a highly respected police chief and son experience communication problems could end up being criminally prosecuted should not be lost on Stark County voters the next time Swanson (it will likely be Perez for Sheriff in 2012) and Ferrero run again.

The SCPR will be periodically reminding voters between now and November, 2010 of the failure of the sheriff's department and the prosecutor's office in the Devies matter.

Stark Countians are reminded that Perez, when he investigated this "minor" matter, thought he had to wear a "hidden" wire because he did not trust a fellow police officer to tell the truth.

The "wire wearing" was not lost on police officers throughout Stark County and the SCPR believes that Perez - in donning the wire - did enormous damages to Stark County law enforcement confidence and trust in the Stark County sheriff's office.

If Perez does run to succeed Swanson (the SCPR does not believe that Swanson will serve a full four year term), he has an awful lot of "explainin" to do and appologies to issue in order to have any chance whatsoever of being elected.

Larry Dordea is soon to become police chief in Hartville.  He was just elected to city council in Alliance.  And, he plans to run for for Stark County sheriff in 2012.

Dordea learned a lot from his 2008 try against Swanson.

What Dordea could have planned on is Perez getting stupid and doing what he did in the Devies matter.

If the line up stays as anticipated and Dordea doesn't play the blunderbuss like Perez somewhere along the way; he has to be the favorite in a Dordea/Perez match up.

In the end, the "unwise" and "unwarranted" (in the opinion of the SCPR) actions that we have witnessed in Marlboro Township - January through November, 2009 - could result not only in Trustee Tim Wise becoming - as he has as of last night - a "former" trustee come January, 2010 but also in the eventual political demise of Sheriff Tim Swanson and his cohort Rick Perez and, indeed, Prosecutor John Ferrero!

Oh, by-the-way:

Congratulations Trustee-elect Eddleman, and - must I say it - Hagan.

SCPR "ELECTION 2009 SERIES" (VOL 19): MARLBORO TWP - HAS INCUMBENT TIM WISE "WISED UP" OR IS HE STILL A "WISE OFF?"

Not long ago the SCPR received a telephone call from a Marlboro Township Tim Wise supporter telling yours truly "how much smarter" Tim is over and above his rivals for one of two "up for election" slots come next week.

Smarter?

How about more articulate and urbane?  Candidate Ken Eddelman runs a close second to Wise on these two factors.

For all his years in Columbus, John Hagan ranks third on these counts whereas Tim Cognata is sparse with his words and a "what you see is what you get" type of guy.

But none of those factors should be important to Marlboro voters.

The SCPR has already endorsed Cognata and Eddelman.  And nothing happened at candidates night on October 22nd to cause The Report to change mind on the matter.

What did come through is how "unrepentant" Trustee Tim Wise is on the nightmare he brought to this bucolic community when he decided to take on the well-thought-of Devies family (i.e. Police Chief Ron Devies) with the assistance of fellow trustee Dave Wolf (who is not seeking re-election) and replace Ron as police chief.

Wise persistently denies that removing the Chief was his prime agenda during his first, and perhaps, only term as trustee.  The SCPR is not buying his protestations.  And his attitude at candidates night reinforces indications that more troubled times are ahead if Marlboro voters are "unwise" enough to re-elect Tim Wise.

Eddelman seems to has the best grasp on what is need to return Marlboro to stability and to get on with the important business of repairing a $4 million infrastructure problem (i.e. a broken sewer system) without burdening Marlboro taxpayers who are not hooked up to the system as it exists.

Wise told residents that his "political" (the SCPR's term, not Wise's) connections at the county, state and federal level puts him in the best position to get the needed $4 million to do the sewer repair.

Perhaps Wise's connections are alluring to Marlboro voters, but in the opinion of the SCPR the whole mess Wise created on the Devies matter was owing to his perceptions that he had the political power and connections to move Devies out.

It would be a huge mistake for Marlboro voters to bite on this "carrot."

Eddelman and Cognata can and will get the job done for Marlboro in an unspectacular but effective manner.

Republican John Hagan also talked about his "political" connections in Columbus to help solve the sewer problem.

Hmm?

Last time the SCPR checked, the Ohio House (Hagan's former haunting grounds) is controlled by the Democrats and Ohio's governor is a Democrat.

Doesn't seem likely that Hagan can deliver in this political environment.

Moreover, despite his talking about being a hard worker (when in office), the fact of the matter is he wasn't and, what's more, he "cherry-picked" who he would talk to in terms of constituents.

Hagan would not be the unmitigated disaster that Tim Wise has been, but the SCPR is firm:  Eddelman and Cognata are the best chance the Marlboro community has to return to civility and stability that the community has enjoyed for many, many years before Tim Wise and Dave Wolf arrived on the scene.

Here is a video that should give viewers some insight into the qualities of the candidates:

SCPR "ELECTION 2009 SERIES" (VOL 5): TIM WISE WANTS TO BE RE-ELECTED MARLBORO TWP TRUSTEE. REALLY?

A day or so ago the SCPR received a telephone call from a well known Stark County politico and, in the course of the conversation, the caller started a discussion about Tim Wise, Marlboro Township trustee.

THE CALL

CALLER:  What do you think about the candidates for Marlboro Township trustee?

SCPR:  Which candidate?

CALLER:  Tim Wise.

SCPR:  Not much.

CALLER:  Why's that?  i Think he is head and shoulders above the others running.  He is really smart.  Way smarter than Cognata, Eddleman and Hagan.

SCPR:  Tell me all about it.  So is William J. Healy, II, the mayor of Canton smarter than everyone else.  Just ask the mayor, he will tell you how sharp he is.  So will Tim Wise.

Just don't cross Tim.   For, if you do, he will not rest until he nails you.  Just ask Police Chief Devies.  Exactly what Marlboro Township needs, Mr. "Wiser Than Everyone-else" ridding township government of anyone who dares speak up to him.  Right out of the Healy playbook (remember Bernabei, remember Nesbitt?).

CALLER:  Hmm?

END OF CALL

So the SCPR is clear from the Devies incident that Marlboro Township voters should not entertain for one nano-second the notion of voting for Tim Wise.  The turmoil at township hall needs to end.  It may be quiet now, but Wise, armed with a new term, would stir things up anew.

The SCPR agrees with the caller (who was obviously put up to calling yours truly on behalf of Wise) that Tim is a "Wise Guy."  But what kind of "Wise Guy?"

Wise Guys tend to be trouble for all who cross their paths.

Tim Wise has proven in his initial term to be no exception.

If the SCPR was a Marlboro Township voter, the only two candidates worth considering are Cognata and Edelman.

Why not former trustee John Hagan?

Because he is too lazy as a public official.  He was as former trustee and as a state representative. 

Hagan's campaign pace and energy for county commissioner is lazy as a candidate gets.  But Pete Ferguson gave him a run for his money in that race (2008).

Hagan was so used to running in a gerrymandered district, that he couldn't adapt to a competitive political district.  The SCPR understands that he is working this campaign by telephone.  He and his wife calling voters.

Well, what's wrong with that?

His laziness shows up as a public official.  He ignores many of his constituents.  Only his personal friends and political allies have any chance at all to get his attention.

In all the years (probably about eight) that yours truly has known Hagan, only one constituent has had positive things to say about him.

Think about that.

In eight years, only one!

Yours truly hears all kinds of accolades for Scott Oelslager (Republican - Ohio House - 51st) and Kirk Schuring (Republican - Ohio Senate - 29th), but only one for John Hagan.

Not to be remiss, the SCPR takes this occasion to recognize Mr. Hagan for that one rave review he gets.

A certain Mr. Kevin Ellis, who lives in Louisville (which was included in Hagan's 50th Ohio House District), asked Hagan to look into the whereabouts of cetain "flood" repair money for Louisville that was in the pipeline from the federal government through state government.

Hagan tracked the money down and Kevin Ellis, to this day, raves about Hagan getting him results when no one else did.

Hats off! to John Hagan for having one very satisfied constituent in all of his eight years in Columbus.

Why would the SCPR support two unknowns, two inexperienced candidates?

Because Cognata and Eddleman have no personal agenda.  The are just solid, everyday citizens who want to join Trustee Schilig in providing unspectacular public service to their fellow citizens.

There you have it.

The SCPR choice for Marlboro:  Cognata and Eddleman.

WHY CAN'T MARLBORO TRUSTEE DO LIKE TRUSTEE DAVE WOLF HAS DONE? "GET OFF" POLICE CHIEF RON DEVIES' BACK?

UPDATE: 08/06/2009 at 5:35 A.M.

A COMMENT FROM A SCPR READER:

I hope that all of those who crowded the Marlboro township hall in support of Chief Devies will remind their friends and fellow voters of the smarmy tactics employed by Tim Wise during his tenure as trustee. We can only guess at his reason for wanting a key to the police department! Really, would anyone with a brain want this guy to have access to sensitive information! What possible reason would there be for him to have access to it? Considering what this guy has already cost the township, not just in dollars, but in disruption, I would hope that this latest irrational request is nipped in the bud! It is a known fact that abused women, children and even animals return to their abuser just because they think any attention is better than NO attention. This must surely be the reason Tim Wise has had the audacity to file as a candidate for trustee. I guess he revels in attention, even when it is negative. What a pathetic creature! Marlboro has indicated, very strongly that we like and respect our police chief. I personally do not have a shred of respect for Tim Wise who in my opinion has proven himself unworthy of holding any public office.

THE ORIGINAL POST

Trustee Tim Wise (Marlboro Township) repeatedly says there is nothing "personal" about his bird dogging of Police Chief Ron Devies. Wise says he is just doing his job as a public official.

The SCPR for one does not believe Wise's protestations.

It as if Wise thinks that "mere assertion" is good enough to convince bystanders. But they are not. Many if not most people stand by the adage "actions speak louder than words."

The SCPR is of the opinion that Wise actions bespeak a man who is on a crusade. In other articles readers and search out from the search box on this blog (using various terms such as "Devies," "Wise," Wolf," Marlboro and the like), there are a number of descriptions of actions taken by Wise (and fellow trustee, Dave Wolf - in some but not all instances) which indicate to a reasonable person that Wise's real goal before leaving office is to excise Ron Deives as police chief in Marlboro Township

And even though Wise has filed to run for a second term, it's hard to believe that he believes he can win in Marlboro given all the political turmoil that he and Wolf have generated in this bucolic community.

The last time the SCPR blogged on the Marlboro saga, Wise was after Devies to get competitive bids on a Marlboro police vehicle; an obvious comeuppance on Devies' point that the trustees had not gotten competitive bids before replacing Kyle Devies with Compu-Tek to take care of township computers.

The latest Wise initiative on Devies is to insist that Devies provide him (and presumably all the trustees) with a master key to the Marlboro police facilities.

Devies tells the SCPR that he has heard through a highly credible third party that Wise believes Devies should be fired unless he turns over the master key.

Devies' response to the Wise demand is for Wise to convince his fellow trustees to pass a resolution requiring that he (Devies) provide the key. Devies says he has no choice by to comply, if the trustees so act.

Devies tells the SCPR that Trustee Schilig does not want a key and has publicly stated that it has been the longstanding Marlboro Board of Trustees policy that no trustee have a key. It appears that Trustee Wolf will be the deciding factor, if a resolution is made and seconded.

If the trustees were to get a master key, then they would (according to Devies) have access to locations where evidence gathered in ongoing investigations is housed on a "temporary" basis and would have access to other information that - while not in the "investigatory evidence" category would include information that is not available to the general public.

Many who have followed the Marlboro trustee/Devies saga are highly suspicious that the "apparent" Trustee Wise reason for wanting this or that action from Chief Devies is not the "real" reason.

There is a feeling among some of Wise's critics that he is beginning to square up with the political reality that he is very unlikely to be re-elected. Devies is confident that Wise will not be re-elected.

Could it be that Wise's final mission is to bring down the chief on his way out the door?

On a more positive note, Chief Devies says that he has had no difficulty whatsoever with Trustee Wolf since he was re-instated.

Wouldn't be a fitting end to Trustee Wise's apparent end as a Marlboro trustee come November that he take a page out of Dave Wolf's book?

IS MARLBORO TRUSTEE DAVE WOLF BEING OVER OPTIMISTIC?

In Marlboro Trustees Meet in Regular Session (July 17), Karen Humphries of the Hartville News reports:

... Dave Wolf stated that he "personally" feels that the issue regarding reimbursement of Ron and Kyle Devies for legal fees ... is "behind us."

Well, the SCPR is not so sure about Wolf's "personal" feeling.

Yours truly spoke with Ron Devies a few days ago and he says that still expects to be reimbursed for legal and medical expenses. However, the thinking now is that these matters are better left to a new board of trustees. Devies seems to be confident that a new board will treat him and Kyle fairly which, if fairness prevails, could obviate the need for litigation.

Devies believes that Wolf will not be running again and that Wise will be soundly defeated if he actually files to run.

Devies says that things have settled down in the township except for a needling irritation or two from at the hand of Trustee Wise.

Devies cited the example of his taking a police vehicle that is some ten years old to a local auto body person for an estimate for repairs so as to extend the useful life of the vehicle. According to Devies, Wise got wind of it and insisted that he get competitive bids which Devies says he is okay with.

Apparently, the getting multiple bids scenario grew out of challenges made to the trustees for going out and getting Compu-Tek to replace Kyle Devies as the maintainer of the township computer system without first getting competitive bids.

It appears relationships are still tender in Marlboro.

In the opinion of the SCPR, it will take the Wolf not running (or being defeated, if he does decide to run) and Wise being defeated, if he chooses to file and run, before normalcy returns to Marlboro Township.

WHAT DOES CANTON HAVE TO HIDE? WITH HEALY AS MAYOR, EVERYTHING!

William J. Healy, II is probably Canton's most secretive and controlling mayor ever.

He has been out to nail Canton police chief Dean L. McKimm pretty much from day one of his administration.

From material that the SCPR received from the city of Canton pursuant to a public records request, it is clear to yours truly that outgoing safety director Tom Nesbitt has been under pressure from Healy to get rid of McKimm.

Plaudits are in order to McKimm and his attorney Craig Conley for asking for an "open to the public" hearing. This is a crazy world indeed. The prosecutor (the city of Canton administration) is spending money Canton doesn't have to "behind closed doors" to put McKimm on the outside looking.

There is an strong irony here. Canton is insisting on a - closed to the public hearing - while McKimm has gone to court to force the hearing open. (Safety director postpones hearing on Canton police chief, The Rep, July 6, 2009)

The SCPR is reminded of the prosecution of Marlboro police chief Ron Devies. The Marlboro trustees (Wise and Wolf), Prosecutor John Ferrero and Sheriff Tim Swanson were all "closed mouth" (cowardly) about the unwarranted and unfair prosecution of the highly respected Devies, while Devies was very open and would talk to anyone with questions.

Quite simply Devies had nothing to hide. And Judge Sinclair saw it his way. The prosecution's top gun (Dennis Barr) couldn't force the defense to put on its case. That's how bad the trustees, the prosecution and the sheriff served Stark County justice. But they have never apologized. They just sleeked into the night.

Healy is also cowardly type who works other people to do his dirt. Like when a celebrity fundraiser function he was trying to get Stark County commissioner Todd Bosley to sic the sheriff on his political enemy Greg Hawk. Healy was bogus on this as he is on most things.

Meanwhile Canton sinks deeper and deeper into an economic morass while Healy games his opponents for the sake of his own ego!

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS GUY? MARLBORO TRUSTEE DAVE WOLF!

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report/SCPR) knows politicians all too well.

There are some really good ones who are a credit to the profession and serve their communities admirably and effectively.

But most are mediocre at best who one hopes will heed the physician's dictum: "do no harm."

A few are like Dave Wolf and Tim Wise who are trustees in Marlboro Township. Together they unleashed an unfounded investigation on Marlboro Police Chief Ron Devies and his son Kyle that was one of, if not the very worst, of experiences that the Devies have had in their entire lives. The best that can be said of Wolf and Wise is that they are blundering political leaders who lack the people skills to manage a community.

All over a misunderstanding as to coordinating the transfer of computer management functions.

Subjecting the Devies to a criminal investigation over a misunderstanding was a very, very cruel thing to do - especially in light of the legal slam dunk administered to the complainants by Judge Lee Sinclair on May 20, 2009. A cruel thing indeed! Moreover, the legal smashing was easily foreseeable - even by a non-lawyer. A cruel thing indeed!

So let's get this straight. Wolf has the gall to tell folks assembled at Marlboro Township Hall this past Monday that "the attacks against him on the Internet were cruel." Presumably, Wolf was talking about the SCPR.

A fair minded person would say there was nothing cruel about the SCPR's work. Hard hitting and to the point, and sometimes - a tad humerous (both graphically and in writing)? Yes, indeed. Ever heard of straight forward journalism? Could be that Messers Wolf and Wise are used to the milquetoast that comes out of The Repository?

Weren't The Rep editors the ones who said the Devies needed to move on. Don't consider suing? Just act like it didn't happen.

Kind of like Wolf's 55 seconds at the lectern at the meeting to reinstate the chief. "Opps! The prosecutors made a mistake. We just did what we were told" (paraphrase)

Or Wise: "nothing personal."

How disingenuous!

The Wolf game is as old has humanity as existed.

His cruelty statement is his projecting his own behavior onto others.

In a bizzare and ironical sort of way, it is being too kind to Wolf and Wise to say they were merely cruel to the Devies.

There are much more harsh things some Marlboro residents are saying about this duo. Go to a trustees meeting and listen up.

Remember it was Wolf and Wise who requested the unwarranted investigation that caused the Devies dearly in terms of the humiliation visited upon them in a community that they had served with distinction. The waiting, the waiting, the waiting until they had their day in court. Five long months. The expense of it all. The sleepless nights. Wondering, wondering - would the system of justice work? Could they depend on the system to find them innocent of committing fourth degree felonies as they knew they were?

It is hard to believe that this can happen in America. But it did. And at the hands of "local" (your friends and neighbors as trustees) government in the bucolic community of Marlboro. Go figure!

Trustee Wayne Schilig told yours truly just a few days ago that this incident got way overblown and should have be settled way short of launching an investigation which resulted in the indictments being brought against the Devies. Moreover, he said that the township would be talking to the Devies about compensating them for what they went through.

Wayne Schilig was the compassionate one. He tried to mediate what was obviously an inadvertent action based on miscommunication. But Wolf and Wise stood firm. No second of Schilig's motion to reinstate. Just the taciturn Wold and Wise sitting there unconcerned - apparently - in the midst of a community wrecking process that was agonizingly painful to the Devies.

And The Report doesn't buy Tim Wise's "nothing personal." Trustee Wise needs to try that one on the uninitiated.

Marlboro and the Devies will get no apologies from Wise and Wolf. Undoubtedly, they have from Trustee Schilig.

Supporters of the Devies should encourage Trustees Wise (has taken out a petition) and Wolf to run for reelection.

No way! Many will say.

But think about it. What could be a more civilized way to give these two the boot?

Or would Wolf think voters exercising the franchise is cruel too?

Believe it or not; he probably would.