VOLUME 1: (SERIES) "GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN STARK CO GOV'T EMPLOYMENT?

UPDATED:  4:52 PM
Update #1

Oops!  The SCPR, a source says, missed another "suspiciously partisan-based" appointment by Republican Stark County treasurer Alex Zumbar.

The Source says that Karli Rhome is the daughter of  Republican member of Alliance City Council Roger Rhome (councilman-at-large).

It appears that Republican Zumbar may be trying to play catch up with various Democratic Stark County political subdivision elected officials who seem to have a penchant for rewarding political loyalists at the expense of Stark Countians at large.

The SCPR is not impressed!

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Update #2

Among revelations in the Bishoff Dayton Daily News article (referred to in today's blog; not included in the original blog) were certain moves within the Ohio Treasurer's office (administered by Republican Josh Mandel) which some think are an examples of discrimination against women getting equal pay for equal work in the public sector.

Mandel opponent and Democrat Connie Pillich has issued the following press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jake Strassberger (513) 580-8444, Press@ConniePillich.com
                 
Connie Pillich Statement On Josh Mandel’s Hiring Practices As Treasurer

As Treasurer, Mandel Oversaw a Sizable Exodus of Female Employees, Created A Pay Gap Where One Didn't Exist

CINCINNATI – In response to yesterday’s Dayton Daily News investigative report detailing (1) the 35-person exodus of women at the Treasurer’s office during Josh Mandel’s tenure and (2) his creation of a pay gap that didn't exist when he took office, State Representative Connie Pillich issued the following statement:

“It’s disappointing to hear that Ohio’s Treasurer of State would shortchange families this way,” said State Representative Connie Pillich.  “This is a major problem in Ohio and around the country, and that anyone would underpay and under-hire women doesn’t just hurt them: it hurts their families.  This shouldn’t be happening in any office—public or private—and it especially shouldn’t be happening in the State Treasurer’s office.” 

VOLUME ONE 
Equal Work, Equal Pay
Stark County  
(In the Public Sector)

Yesterday, as the Stark County Political Report was browsing the Internet, The Report came across in "investigative journalism" piece published by the Dayton Daily News (LINK) Gender pay gaps widen in statewide offices; Kasich, FitzGerald both have high pay gaps between men and women (Laura A. Bischoff - Columbus bureau, April 19, 2014).

Among the important findings by Bishoff (in language take directly from her article):

• The average pay gap between men and women in the offices of four of Ohio’s five elected statewide officials has grown as high as nearly $10 an hour, while across state government the gap has shrunk to an average of 86 cents an hour ... .
• Women working in Gov. John Kasich’s office earn on average $9.81 an hour less than the men — the highest gender pay gap among the state’s five elected statewide officeholders, according to data from the Ohio Department of Administrative Services,
• The gap is more than twice the $3.99 an hour inequity under former Gov. Ted Strickland in 2010
• Kasich’s likely Democratic opponent in the November election, Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, has a gender pay gap of $7.02 an hour between men and women in his office, which is high when compared to the offices of the state auditor, secretary of state, treasurer and attorney general
• Across state employment, the pay gap has averaged $1.09 over the past seven years and most recently was 86 cents an hour

Women being worked over is nothing new in America.  All one has to do is to give a thorough reading to Gail Collins' America's Women to grasp the shocking details of the guff women of the "land of opportunity" (for some) have suffered going back to 1607.  (LINK:  NY Times review)

Certainly the Collins' work is a gestalt of the treatment that American women have been meted out.  The inspiring part of her treatise are her multiple examples of how women have taken adversity and turned a "sow's ear into silk."

Of course, many of us have had first hand anecdotal observational experience of the discrimination that women have had to endure.  As the father of three highly accomplished daughters, I have stood side-by-side with them fighting the good fight in combating the  "just because you are a woman" part of American culture.

Earlier this month (April 8th) America marked "Equal Work, Equal Pay Day," and it appears that the Democratic Party was out in full force on the eighth (LINK) with President Obama in the lead on the issue.

Republicans bristle at the notion that the Democrats have the high ground on the issue (LINK) and are out to show that they are every bit the proponents of equal pay for equal work.

Nevertheless Republicans seem to have "a cross to bear" on the issue inasmuch as on April 9th, all Republican United States senators vote "no" (LINK) to allow the matter (Paycheck Fairness Act of 2014) to come up for a vote.  Sixty votes are needed in the Senate for a matter to get an "up or down vote."

What did Ohio Republican senator Rob Portman have to say about his "no" vote on the bill:

I think it’s really important that Republicans say strongly, we’re against discrimination, we acknowledge that on any number of fronts there is still a problem out there, and that’s why we need good strong laws, but we don’t want laws that would discourage work.

So it is against this background (the Bishoff investigation, the Obama "equal work, equal pay" factor, and the US Senate inaction) that the Stark County Political Report has decided to examine Stark County political subdivision records.

Of course, those readers who have become accustomed to the "inquiring mind" of the SCPR, (to the consternation and dismay of many Stark County elected officials) have to know that the referenced background items would perk up the interest of The Report as to whether or not the findings of the outstanding work Bischoff would correlate at all within Stark County government.

Accordingly, The Report obtained a dabatabase listing of Stark County employees as of April 17th to do analysis of how Stark County departments of government do in terms of male/female differentiation, if any.

For this Volume One of this SCPR planned series of  - over time - examining the payrolls of the villages, cities and township governments to determine which local governments are doing well or not doing so well in the matter of equal pay for equal work on the basis of gender.

Today, Report has decided to begin the series with an examination of the payrolls of the Stark County commissioners' office, the Stark County treasury and the Stark County recorders' office.

FIRST, THE COMMISSIONERS

Interesting, no?

Four of the top five employees are?

You've got it!

Men.

And two of the men (Luther and Nicholson) have been on the job for a little over a year whereas some of the veteran female employees have been on the job since 1990, 1998 and 2004.

Only one of three has cracked the top five pay grade spots and that puts her (Young) only and in the number four (#4) spot.

Hmm?

Probably the most damning factor of the commissioners' office listing (in terms of not having a female among the "very top" of the list) is that they have hired their top three (hourly pay rate-wise) employees since January, 2013.

It could be that the SCPR's memory is faulty, but The Report does not recall that a female was among the finalists when the commissioners' selected Brant Luther to be their chief administrator.

Moreover, when the commissioners hired Chris Nichols as budget director, they merely picked him (he finished second to Luther in the chief administrator hunt) without posting the position to the general public.

Think maybe just maybe a highly qualified female might have applied for that position?

Could have been, no?

This is a case-in-point that, to say the least, it disappoints the SCPR when Stark County elected officials make appointments without having posted the position.

The SCPR is on repetitive blog-record of thinking the world of Chris Nichols and his performance as budget director.

So this blog is hardly a blight on him.

Rather it is a knock on the commissioners for having circumvented "due diligence procedures" to ensure that Nichols was the very best candidate available.

The Report thinks they dis-served Nichols, themselves and Stark Countians in aborting the employment process in making the budget director hiring decision.

Also curious is how Marsha Cimadevilla (hired in 1998) is paid less on an hourly basis than Rick Flory.  They are both managers.  Moreover, it may be that since Mike Hanke left as chief county administrator and the commissioners hired Nichols to do the budgeting that Flory does not have the responsibilities (less or no work on budget matters as he had under Hanke) that he once had.

Could gender fairness indicate that Cimadevilla deserves a pay raise?

SECOND, THE STARK COUNTY TREASURY

Five of the top seven treasury positions are held by men in the Stark County treasury.

However, it is hard to make a gender discrimination assessment of any degree when the number one and four employees (pay wise) are females.

More troublesome to the SCPR about Zumbar is maybe an emerging picture of political bias in how he pays his employees.

Rota Cutter was the chief cashier for former treasurer Gary D. Zeigler (a Democrat).  She is a Democrat according to Secretary of State Jon Husted's records.

That she works for a Republican at all in one his top positions would seem to belie that political bias might be a factor in pay differential.  However, Cutter has been an employee of the treasury since 2000 thereby giving her more than seven (7) years seniority over the Republican Allbritain.

Undoubtedly, Zumbar has qualitative factors he would point out as justifying Allbritain's nearly $5 per hour higher pay grade than Cutter, no?

And, of course, there is the fact that he has Democrat Lem Green on the payroll.  Green, Stark County Political Report readers will recall, was a long term employee of Zeigler who left the embattled Zeigler's employment in July, 2010 saying some rather unkind things about Zeigler.

Interesting enough, Green, likely about 70 years old now, is listed as being an"intern."  Really?  Aren't interns high school and college students for the most part?

They are.

But in Stark County employment practice, county elected officials are known to re-employ former or retired former employees and designate them as being "interns."

Green is an example of such as the SCPR believes Wallace, Bolek, Prendes and Collins are.

That they are "not" novices, as their "latest" date of employment might lead one to believe, explains why their pay grade is higher than some "regular" employees of Stark's treasury.

Can't be anymore disingenuous than that, no?

The final factor which indicates to the SCPR that Zumbar pays attention to one's political connections is the hire of one Camilla Park.

She does fit the role of being a more traditional type of employee that fills an "intern" spot.

However, SCPR Internet research indicates that Camilla is the daughter of Stark County Probate Court judge Dixie Park (of Alliance [also Zumbar's home turf] and therefore is not as typical as one might think.

Hmm?

Wonder if that position was available to the sons and daughters of the Stark County taxpaying public.

The SCPR generally thinks well of Zumbar as evidenced in quite a number of blogs. However if The Report suspicions are correct on the Park hiring, it is a sad day for The Report in that such is not a distinguishing practice.

How ironic for Zumbar, who the SCPR thinks would not be Stark County treasurer but for the Stark County Democratic Party Central Committee (under pressure from the Stark County commissioners and generally perceived public support) appointing him on October 31, 2011 to invoke what seems to The Report to have been partisan political factors in making the Park hire.

To make matters worse, she is paid more than longer term interns.

The SCPR has learned "not to be surprised" about anything either Republican or Democratic elected officeholders do.

Because Republicans have not held many countywide offices over the last decade or so, they have not had the opportunity that the Democrats have had to give their political buddies jump starts at obtaining taxpayer funded jobs.

But with the Republicans having gained control of the auditor's office and the treasury, that picture is changing.  And the SCPR will be just as diligent in ferreting out Republican favoritism as that of the Democrats.

Before long and over a long stretch of time, the SCPR plans to take a detailed look at all Stark County political subdivision payrolls and tease out what appears to be employment based on what the SCPR thinks is primarily politically/connection based rather than merit based.

The SCPR suspects that political favoritism is far more prevalent as a primary factor in Stark County political subdivision government than anybody presently knows. 

Political favoritism layered over what may be some degree of gender bias is not a very pretty picture of the management by some elected officials of the Stark County political subdivision workforce.

And they wonder why the rest of us are growing more and more disillusioned with the governments they administer?

FINALLY, THE STARK COUNTY RECORDER

Surprisingly enough Stark Recorder Rick Campbell seems to come off better than either the commissioners or the Stark treasury on the gender pay factor.

However, before being too kind to Campbell, the SCPR reminds leaders that Campbell, he says - at his own initiative -  a number of years ago went out and snatched up Kody Gonzalez (the son of Stark County  Democratic Party chairman Randy Gonzalez [also, at the chief deputy clerk of courts - Canton Municipal Court and the elected fiscal officer of Jackson Township]) to leapfrog over everybody else in the department in a position to become chief deputy (most likely, the SCPR thinks, to be a female) to become his "top-paid" chief deputy clerk.

Currently, the only question The Report has is why Dave Irwin has leapfrogged (promotion and pay-wise) over much longer serving female employees?

Could it be more a political factor than a gender factor, if either?

Probably.

Irwin ran (unsuccessfully) as the Democratic candidate in Ward 2 for Massillon City Council Republican incumbent Nancy Halter in November, 2013.

Campbell and the Johnnie A. Maier, Jr wing of the Massillon Democratic Party were big time supporters of Irwin in the fight by the Maier forces (LINK) to gain a foothold in Massillon's council in order to get more council support for the programs, policies and practices of Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry.

The Maier political machine, the SCPR thinks, was the key reason why Catazaro-Perry defeated 28 year mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr.

There you have it folks.

The first in a ongoing series that the SCPR will be publishing in upcoming days (weeks) in a look at whether or not Stark County's elected officials put female employees on a lower rung "opportunity-wise" along the same lines that the Dayton Daily News article suggests.

ANOTHER STARK COUNTY OFFICIAL TRAVELS TO AN OHIO VACATION SPOT FOR "CONTINUING EDUCATION." IS THIS A GOOD MODEL IN TIMES OF ECONOMIC DISTRESS? AND HOW ABOUT RETIRE/REHIRE? IS SUCH A GOOD STEWARDSHIP OF PUBLIC MONIES?

Pictured above are Stark County clerk of courts Nancy Reinbold and Stark County recorder Rick Campbell.

Why put the two together?

Because they both are traveling at taxpayer expense (although Reinbold in paying for her own gasoline) to a continuing education event in mid-June to an Ohio resort location:  Campbell to Put-in-Bay resort and Reinbold to Kings Island resort.

So what is the point?

First, The Report digresses a little to pick up a point well made to yours truly by local attorney and community activist Craig T. Conley.

What point?

That working in the public sector is the best employment deal going in America, Ohio and Stark County.

It used to be that "public service" was done at a sacrifice to what one could earn in the private sector. But that is not the case much anymore.

For most government workers, the SCPR agrees with Conley's point.  The best jobs in the $35,000 to $150,000 range in Stark County, Ohio and in the U.S. of A (as Archie Bunker used to say) are in government.

When one considers the salary AND the benefits (heath care, retirement et cetera), there are few in the private sector who outdo their counterparts in the public sector.  Many, many private sector employees have jobs which pay a pittance (considering the total package) of what most in the public sector get.  And yet, it is the private sector which pays the lions' share of taxes to support the better paid public employee.

Here is where the SCPR gets to the nub of the matter with Reinbold and Campbell and their traveling to resort locations for continuing education.

For the Ohio Recorders Association, the Ohio Clerk of Courts Association and the like to schedule continuing education events at resort locations is a perk which underscores Conley's point.  Who wouldn't want a government job?

Educating and sort of vacationing at the same time is a bonus for the publicly employed.  At least for chief deputies, directors and title bureau czars.  Of course, these "special" trips don't go to the ordinary government worker.

So, what if upper level county employees get a "little" special treatment?

Here is the so what if.

What is about to happen to government, especially at the local level, is that the voting public is going to escalate refusing to vote in additional taxes to support the comparatively "puff" - "money-making" jobs that exist in too many numbers in the public sector.

Apparently, the days are lost past when one used to go into public work with "public service" as being a powerful motivator of doing so.

Take school teachers.  It used to be than everyone knew they were underpaid.  However, no one questioned their dedication and their affect/effect on the lives of all of us.  Who doesn't have a number of teachers who left and indelible, positive mark on our lives?

But there is less and less of that coming from teachers this day and age.  More and more it seems that teachers and administrators (most of who came out of the teaching ranks) are doing it for the money.

The retire/rehire phenomenon, it appears to the SCPR, is a big thing within the education community.  Moreover, it has a large place on other public sector employment venues.  And it is beginning to bring out a huge public reaction.

Why?

Retire/rehire is seen as a money-making proposition;  not about public service nor what is necessarily good for the public interest.

Take the Northwest schools.  The district's superintendent - William Stetler -  made $108,000 from Northwest in 2009.  Moreover, Stetler retired from Lake a number of years ago as was his right to do.  Of course, the SCPR can only conjecture as to what Stetler makes in retirement income, but it is likely at least in the $75,000 per year plus realm. 

So let's take what the SCPR believes to be a conservative $183,000 number in estimating Stetler's total income as a public official and public employment retiree.

How many taxpaying citizens of the Northwest school district or in an Stark County school district take in anywhere near $183,000 per year?  Not many!

Some believe that Stetler was brought to Northwest specifically to pass a levy which had not passed a new tax issue in about a decade.

There appears to have been some effort in Northwest (by Northwest's Board of Education) that Stetler not be seen as a front and center proponent that Northwest voters increase the taxes they pay (the 1% earned income passed in November)?

If so, the effort failed.  His footprints are all over it.  He was a $1,000 contributor to the Save Tomorrow committee.  No surprise, here.

It is a credit to Northwest voters that they were not put off by the Stetler publicly derived income numbers.

They are sacrificing in paying more of their declining income for the public good.  Many are without hope of retire/rehire or getting a job promotion or in getting a pay increase.  All too many are looking at givebacks or will get laid off from their jobs and within a short time will have "no or substantially reduced earned income" on which to pay taxes "for the public good."

It will be interesting to see how the revenues will be parceled out in Northwest from the May, 2010-passed 1% tax.  Financing of the tax issue campaign largely came from school employees.

Of course, we all are cognizant of our Stark County Sheriff Tim Swanson and his multiple retirements while collecting a salary as Stark County's elected sheriff amid questions of how energetically he is working as sheriff. Moreover, he demonstrates contempt for the Stark County public in saying to the Stark County commissioners words to the effect of "poop on the public," when the matter of his retire/rehire came up.

In this retire/rehire scenario, there is no room for younger/less experienced persons to advance.  It is extremely important to have an infusion of new thinking and new energy into our public positions.

If board of education members and other determiners of how the public purse is spent had any - let's say - intestinal fortitude, they would only abide retire/rehire at a substantially lower salary (no more than 60% of the pre-retirement salary) and only on a convincing case being made that the rehired retiree has something of substantial value added over a new hire.

Back to Reinbold and Campbell and "the point" of this blog.

What is the moral of the story for them?

Answer:  For them to take action.  Yes, action.

The Report is all in favor of public officials getting more education about their jobs.  So by all means their associations need to continue their continuing education efforts.  However, they need to deliver the education more efficiently.

Reinbold is showing some sensitivity to the public by absorbing the "gas expense/wear and tear on her car" part of going to Kings Island.

The Report sees no corollary sensitivity from Recorder Campbell.

What both Reinbold and Campbell can and should do is to make an issue at their respective mid-June Association meetings as to where future meetings are held, or, if they should be held in physical assembly context at all.

When many taxpayers are struggling to make ends meet, it is not good public relations for public officials to be going to resorts at taxpayer expense.

In fact, maybe the associations should invest on teleconferencing equipment and expertise and thereby save counties lots of travel, hotel and meal money that way.  With the professions, it is getting more and more common for members to do online education or assemble in nearby (to their home locale) room to watch the session by video conference.

Like Campbell, Reinbold is taking two employees with her to Kings Island.  Why?

Can't she find a way to gather the important information for improvement of the operation of the clerk of courts office without the expense of meals and housing for two employees (German and Louis Giavasis)?  Likewise for Campbell.

Both should be keeping in mind that a renewal of a 0.250 sales/use tax is coming up soon.

Shouldn't they be taking action with their associations to nix the "boondoggle" appearance of where association meetings are being held?

If they don't, then they have only themselves to blame when the voting public gets sick and tired of hearing about public employees education/vacation packages and other "the public be damned" expenditures of taxpayer monies and vote NO repetitively on renewals or new tax issues.

If public bodies and officials do not change how they do business, the public will change it for them at the ballot box.

And the change is going to be a painful process for public officials/employess as well as for the public at large.

WHAT CHANCE DOES STARK COUNTY HAVE TO GET VOTERS TO SUPPORT NEW REVENUES FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN LIGHT OF THE LATEST COMMISSIONER HIRING? ALSO, QUESTIONS ABOUT RECORDER RICK CAMPBELL'S CONDUCT

Yours truly could scarcely believe his ears when a motion was presented at the Stark County commissioners meeting this past Wednesday to hire Jessie Boron (stepson of recently resigned Commissioner Tom Harmon, and, son of former Nimishillen Township clerk/fiscal officer Carlene Boron Harmon) as Stark County deputy dog warden.  This hiring took place 29 days after Tom Harmon's resignation effectivity date.

Why is it that Olson could "scarcely believe his ears?"

Because the hiring smacks of "political insider" stuff, no matter what Commissioners Todd Bosley (a former Nimishillen Township trustee) and Pete Ferguson say to rationalize the hiring.

So?

Well, with Stark's judges convening meetings of elected public officials plus others (including some of the "Vote No Increased Taxes" committee folks), one wouldn't think that county officials would want the Stark County voting public to think for one second that county funds are being spent to finance what some may think is the commissioners approving the hiring of a person with poltical connections.

One wouldn't think that such hiring will set well with the Stark County voting public.  And it certainly doesn't with the SCPR.

Commissioner Bosley called yours truly aside after Wednesday's commissioner meeting to explain why he didn't have any choice but to support the hiring of Boron.

To hear Bosley tell it, he actually did Stark Countians a good turn going along with fellow Commissioner Pete Ferguson in hiring Boron.  We (Stark County) got the best of the three finalist,  Bosley explained.

Yours truly believes that Bosley's explanation was done in an "affected" tone and manner (in the sense of having no other alternative) designed to get The Report to infer that Bosley did a public service by getting the best out a less than ideal field of candidates. 

But the SCPR is not buying.

There were 28 other candidates.  If it was agonizing for Bosley to approve the Boron hiring (and, it is a capital IF), why didn't he simply look at the 28 other applications.  Bosley especially should have been on alert because one of the finalists (according to Bosley himself) was the "handpicked" favorite of the Warden himself.

The SCPR reads the Bosley effort as being a ploy to put The Report off-the-track of a real alternative.

The Report's response?

Commissioner Bosley,   don't save us (Stark Countians) from the Warden, go look at the other 28 applications.  If none them measure up to Bosley/Ferguson standards, advertise again.  This time more widely.

When you advertise give the job the widest possible Stark County dissemination.  After all, Stark County does have an 11.5% unemployment rate!

After the Bosley justification session, the SCPR did some checking with county administrator Mike Hanke on Boron's remuneration,  qualifications for the job and how much of an effort was made to make the general Stark County population aware of the job availability.

Here is Hanke's response (in its essence) to a SCPR email, to wit:

His exact salary  ...  is $16 an hour (it is a union job)

Prior to deputy dog warden job ...  he worked as a Nimishillen Township Fire Dept. dispatcher, prior to that as a deputy auditor in the Stark County Auditor's Dept., prior to that as a security officer at Aultman Hospital, prior to that as a substitute teacher in Stark County schools.

He holds a bachelors degree in criminal justice from Bowling Green State University, with a minor in sociology. He was honorably discharged from the United States Air Force Reserve in 2002.

This was a posted job, meaning it -- like all posted openings for commissioners' departments -- was posted on the wall outside our office.More importantly, it was posted under the jobs category on the commissioners web site. As a result, there were 31 applicants, according to the dog warden. The dog warden then narrowed them to his three recommended candidates.

As far as the SCPR can determine from Bosley's account; all three "finalists" had someone on the inside of county government that were "rooting" for them.  Bosley did say that neither stepdad Tom nor mother Carlene contacted him about the hiring, prior thereto.

It is interesting to note that Boron worked at the Nimishillen Township Fire Department.  Hmm?   What did his mother and Bosley have to do, if anything, with that hiring?

Bosley saying that the Harmons did not contact him about the stepson/son application,  cuts no ice with the SCPR.

The Report knows that most politicians, in this day and age, would not dream of direct intervention.  Political influence in the modern era is much more subtle and sophisticated than it was back in the out-and-out political boss days.

Stark County recorder Rick Campbell has tried this "Dad, (Stark County Democratic Party chairman Randy Gonzalez) never said a word to me" on the Kody Gonzalez hiring ($53,560.00 annually - 2009).  According to Campbell, he would have picked Kody Gonzalez to be his chief deputy with its sizable income (to most Stark Countians) from a sea of applicants because of his obvious "best thing since sliced bread" credentials and presence.

It could be so, but who in Stark County is going to believe Campbell given Gonzalez's political pedigree?

Campbell does not stop at the Gonzalez hiring.

The SCPR has been critical of the hiring of his wife Lisa Jackson Campbell as Plain Township administrator because The Report is highly skeptical of two phone calls that were made relative to her hiring.

One by then Stark County Democratic Party chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr. to Plain Township trustee Louis Giavasis (according to Lawrence Township trustee Mike Stevens - who was also vying for the job) to ensure that Lisa got "a fair chance" at the vacant Plain Township administrator's job.  Remember from previous blogs how the SCPR has spoken of the "family" atmosphere that exists between Maier and the Jackson (e.g. Shane Jackson is Maier'e chief deputy [Massillon clerk of courts])

A second one (the order may be reversed) by Campbell himself to Giavasis (this is a Giavasis account of the conversation)  to ask whether or not it was permissible for wife Lisa to apply for the Plain Township job.

Wow!  Is it permissible?  Sounds pretty disingenuous, doesn't it?

Lisa Jackson Campbell is not just anyone.

She happens to be the daughter of former Stark County commissioner Gayle Jackson who now serves as Governor Strickland's appointee with the Ohio Lottery Commission.

Campbell's wife (his former chief deputy) may well be qualified for the job that she landed with Plain Township.  But the fact of the matter is that when she and Campbell married, Ohio Ethics law would not allow her to remain in Campbell's public office employment. 

The Report does believe that there quite of number of Stark Countians who were qualified for the Plain job including, perhaps, applicant Mike Stevens who is a Lawrence Township trustee.

The critical question (given that this is a taxpayer funded job) is whether or not qualifications were the only criterion for the job? 

Consider the following.

The SCPR believes that Giavasis may have set up Michael Stevens to apply for job to make it appear that there was "real" competition for the job that eventually went to Campbell's wife. 

Why would the SCPR posit that possibility?

Shortly after the SCPR did a blog on political patronage (Deember 9, 2009 CLICK HERE to see the blog), an interesting course of events occurred.

The SCPR on or about December 2, 2009 asked the Stark County auditor's office, in a public records request, for a list of recorder office employees (date of hire, income level, et cet ).   Well, little did yours truly know that he would get "special delivery" of the requested information from none other than Chief Deputy Recorder Kody Gonzalez.  He hand delivered the public records requested information to The Report at the December 10th Stark County commissioners meeting.

Gonzalez was accompanied by Rick Campbell, the Stark Counhty recorder himself. 

Who else would show up?

Louis Giavasis (who "just happened" to be at the meeting - according to him -  on an "unrelated" matter (Plain Township business) on a combination of his county job lunch hour and vacation).  Hmm?

No sooner had yours truly began preparing to video the commissioners meeting, when Campbell begin going after yours truly on the December 9th blog.  The opener:  "I understand that Mike Stevens is not happy about not getting the Plain Township administrator's job."

Who should join in?

None other than Louis Giavasis.   Remember, Giavasis just happened to be at the commissioners meeting on Plain Township business.

The Campbell/Giavasis "double-whammy" was obviously a planned event.

Lo and behold, Giavasis, at the invitation of Campbell, offered insight as to why Mike Stevens did not end up with the Plain Township job.

Giavasis volunteered at Campbell's urging that the first question he asked Stevens (when they were discussing the Plain Township administrator job) was whether or not Stevens was willing to give up being Lawrence Township trustee so he could devote full time to being administrator (a claim Stevens denies to the SCPR).

As a follow-up to the first point he made, Giavasis added that when he applied to be Canton service director; the first thing out of his mouth to his interviewer (presumably Healy) was that he - if selected -  would resign as Plain Township trustee. 

In Giavasis' mind, such as it is,  his Canton interview was proof positive that he had asked the same question of Stevens.  Hmm?

The Report refused to indulge the Campbell initiative and continued on with the business of recording the commissioners' meeting.

Campbell, who was a row behind yours truly,  sat there, muttering to himself for awhile about how qualified his wife was to be Plain Township administrator.

Fascinating, no?

The Report had not asked for the Gonzalez "special delivery" of the public records request.  In fact,  David Maley of  auditor's office was asked to send the requested information in electronic format; which, he did the day after Gonzalez's personal delivery.

A question?  Was Gonzalez being at the commissioners meeting an efficient use of his taxpayer financed time?

Count I.  Gonzalez did not have to deliver anything.  David Maley of the auditor'f office (to whom the request had been made) was handling the request.  Even Maley did not make a personal delivery.  He sent it to The Report electronically as requested.  Also remember, Campbell was at the meeting.

Count II.  Gonzalez also made about a 30 second presentation on the recorder's  willingness to help the commissioners set up a scanning and electronic publishing project.   And remember, Campbell himself was at the meeting.

So let the SCPR get this straight.  The two highest paid officials in the recorder's office (well over $100,000 combined income) spend about an hour each for one of them - Gonzalez  - to do 45 seconds of official business.  Wow!!! Taxpayers will really love this account.

The Report does understand that Campbell did spend pre-meeting time counseling with Commissioner Bosley as to whether or not Bosley should run for the Ohio House.

So what was the real reason Campbell et al showed up in force?

The SCPR takes the Campbell generated episode as a "gang up on and try to intimidate" The Report.

Some Stark County-based politicians take offense to the SCPR's endeavor to show the Stark County public how prevalent it appears political connections play a significant role in who does or does not get public jobs or, worse yet, who does or doesn't get the opportunity to apply for and be seriously considered for taxpayer funded positions.

The moral of this whole story (err blog) is that all too many politicians try to control press reports and analysis on political patronage phenomenon either by finesse or duress.

With the SCPR, neither works.

If abuse of the public trust is as widespread as it appears to the SCPR to be, then what effective remedy does the public have?

Cut off the money?

It may come to that. 

The SCPR is convinced that the Stark County general fund will be in dire need of additional revenues by 2011.  But there does come a point when enough is enough of the "political connections stuff" and voters should consider seriously cutting local government funding until such time as the politicos have shown they have gotten the message.

If county officials want to persuade the Stark County voting public that it should provide more revenues to the county general fund, then it would seem prudent that "wise"  public officials take measures with their  "unwise," offending colleagues to ensure that all public jobs are genuinely open to the public-at-large.

A sad side to the Bosley, Giavasis and Campbell sagas is that the SCPR believes that this these three are, perhaps, among Stark County's best elected officials.

However, in the view of the SCPR, all three have tarnished themselves in the machinations described heretofore in this blog and deserve special scrutiny in the performance of their public jobs.

Campbell in particular.

What The Report believes he foolishly tried to do is the height of stupidity and a case of someone being too close to a situation.

So if he can get that dumb in this situation, are the parallels of stupidity going on inside the recorder's office?

Hmm?