Apparently, the Wizard of Oz (Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II) has restarted his political magic show with the re-appointment of Wilbur Allen, III as the replacement of James Carman, Jr., on the BOE on November 1st. Allen had been appointed on June 14th but it turns out that the appointment had to be re-done because interviews were done at an illegal meeting on the 10th in that the media had not been notified as required by Ohio's Open Meetings law.
Of course, if the Healy magic vis-a-vis the Canton schools is anything like the spell he has cast over Canton city government, then the schools, already in a trouble both academically and financially (over the longer term), are in for harder times than ever.
Whereas King Midas (of Greek mythology) turned everything he touched into gold, King William of Canton tarnishes nearly everything he touches. As if he hasn't negated Canton enough, he turns his attention to the schools through the personages of Allen (a Healy administration employee with historical connections to McIlwain through a community activist organization - Coming Together), Nadine McIlwain and Eric Resnick.
On November 1st, board member Jennifer Keaton voted no, saying: " ... I do not feel confident with the process.”
Really?
Certainly, the BOE got all of its noticing done correctly the second time around with Allen.
What could she be talking about?
Could it be that Keaton suspects that same thing that the SCPR senses? A de facto takeover of the Canton City Schools by Hizzoner William J. Healy, II?
If such is the case, then all The Report can say is that Pastor Wilbur Allen, III should be offering up prayers Sunday after Sunday after Sunday: "Lord have mercy on the Canton City Schools!!!"
One of the two North Canton councilpersons said by the SCPR's source to have been the original generators of the Held/Revoldt "up for appointment" by the newly elected Kasich administration story has contacted The Report denying that such was the case.
UPDATE: 11/16/2010 AT 10:00 AM
Reports that Mayor David Held and Councilman Daryl Revoldt are in line for a Governor-elect John Kasich appointment originated with two North Canton councilpersons.
Held contacted The Report to say that the councilperson generated speculation is just that and there is absolutely no truth to their conjecture that he is in line for a Ohio Environmental Protection Agency appointment. While he supported Kasich's election, Held says he loves his current employment as director of the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management entity.
Revoldt in a conversation with the SCPR reiterated emphatically that he is going nowhere. Moreover, he said that he does not believe that Held is in for a Kasich administration appointment. Revoldt says that the speculated moves by himself and Held absolutely makes no sense given their individual set of circumstances.
However, if Held were to be appointed by Kasich, Revoldt says, he certainly would not be "unhappy" about Held getting an appointment while he hasn't because Held likely would have to vacate the mayor's position and that would make Revoldt mayor and Revoldt is not looking for another stint as mayor.
ORIGINAL POST
The SCPR is being told that North Canton Mayor David Held is to be appointed a district director for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Which district? The Report's source did not know. However, it could be one of five locales: Twinsburg (Northeast District Office), Logan (Southeast District Office), Dayton (Southwest District Office, Bowling Green (Northwest District Office or Columbus (Central District Office).
Last week Held denied to The Report that he was going anywhere. He said he was happy as the director of the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District (STWJSWM) and as mayor of North Canton.
It is known that Held and North Canton Council President Daryl Revoldt were both in Columbus on election day (November 2nd) participating in and celebrating the victory of Republican John Kasich over incumbent Democrat Ted Strickland by about 2 percentage points.
Despite Held's protests to the contrary, the SCPR believes Held has been itching to leave the STWJSWMD for some time. Over recent years he has been rumored to be looking a a number of positions in Stark County and at least one in Columbus. The SCPR has confirmed with Held that he was interested in being superintendent of the Developmental Disability Board (Stark County) and running for State of Ohio auditor. Moreover, the STWJSWMD has been shrinking (according to what Held has told the SCPR) in recent years going from an $8 million budget down to about $3 million. Perhaps, the downsizing means that the job is no longer big enough for Held?
If the appointment is borne out and, particularly, if it would mean he is moving out of the area and therefore would not be in a position to continue as mayor, another justification for his seeking such a post would be his chilly relationship with North Canton Council. Specifically, he and Councilman Jeff Davies have been at odds for some time.
The Report tried to contact Held last evening to confirm the rumored appointment, its locale - if true and whether or not he would be remaining mayor of North Canton.
Recently (post-election), Stark County commissioner-elect Janet Creighton (who served as a Kasich campaign official) told The Report she did not know of any Stark Countians who were being considered for appointment by Kasich.
Reports persist that North Canton Council President Daryl Revoldt is anxious to get to Columbus in some capacity with a Kasich administration. The Report's source says that Revoldt is said to be unhappy that Held has landed a Kasich appointment whereas he has been unsuccessful to date.
He has a daughter living in the capital city which appears to be an incentive for a Columbus move. Moreover, his current employer TechniGraphics announced on October 19th that it was being purchased by CACI International Inc., of Arlington, Virginia. Some North Cantonians believe that the sale may be a motivating factor for Revoldt to be looking at other opportunities.
Like Held, Revoldt has consistently denied to the SCPR that he is going anywhere.
Talk about bad choices! Commissioner Steven Meeks made one early this year when he opted out of the race that he was appointed to fill on December 15, 2009 when Tom Harmon's resignation from the Stark County Board of Commissioners became effective.
The lure of a four year term was more than Meeks could resist.
Had he elected to stay with the two years remaining on Harmon's term, he probably would not be looking at being forced (by Stark County voters) into retirement as commissioner not later than a week from tomorrow.
November 23rd is the deadline for former Canton law director Tom Bernabei to be certified by the Stark County Board of Elections as the winner in his face off against Republican Jamie Walters and independent Stephen Todd. Unless the certification is moved up to sometime before 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday (the 16th), Meeks will be doing his last meeting as commissioner on the 17th. If the certification does get moved up, then Meeks is already done.
The SCPR believes he would have had a much better chance to retain office had he decided to stay with Harmon's unexpired term.
Actually, The Report believes that Meeks would have done better against Walters and independent candidate Stephen Todd than Bernabei did. In fact, The Report's analysis is that had Todd not been in the race, Bernabei would have lost to Walters.
Bernabei, who has spent all his political life in Canton and therefore - apparently - is not that well known and/or appreciated in suburbia. Meeks could have held the predominantly Democratic areas as did Bernabei, but could have cut into Walters' strength at least in Jackson Township. Perhaps, enough so, that he would not have needed the help of Todd to emerge the victor.
But the fact of the matter is that Meeks seems to not have counted on drawing Creighton in the full term race. Originally, Walters filed for the full term Republican primary. However, when Creighton determined she wanted to be commissioner, Walters was swept aside by the Republican "powers that be" and relegated to running for the Harmon unexpired term.
Meeks is only 52 years of age. What is he to do? Is he at the end of the line insofar as a political career is concerned?
Elected as Jackson Township trustee in 2000, he served two terms and then found that his key associations (i.e. then Chairman Johnnie A. Maier, Jr., and Executive Vice President Randy Gonzalez - also a fellow officer holder in Jackson; now as fiscal officer) propelled him into a political plum of a job with the newly elected Strickland administration. Meeks was appointed by Strickland to be his "eyes and ears" as Region 9 director.
Meeks served as Strickland's man until Tom Harmon (also a Maier devotee) decided (after getting appointed to former Commissioner Gayle Jackson's commissioner spot - she left to become a Strickland appointee to The Lottery Commissioner in mid-2007; Jackson also being a Johnnie A. Maier, Jr loyalist) to vacate his office effective December 15, 2009.
It is interesting to see Meeks, Harmon, Jackson and Maier himself snare state and/or local offices for themselves and those close to them as if public jobs were their entitlement.
So what is Meeks to do now that he is out in the political cold? Or, is he?
He was making about $76,500 as commissioner. How can he fill the financial void?
For one thing, the SCPR believes he will take on Jamie Walters for the trustee seat that Meeks once held in Jackson and tried to pass onto his wife. But, even if he does and is successful, that is not enough one would think.
The SCPR believes the wheels are turning among the Gonzalez, Jackson and Maier political collaborative to find new political jobs for Meeks and Gayle Jackson (who undoubtedly will be replaced by Republican Governor-elect John Kasich).
Of course, Maier himself faces re-election in 2011 as Massillon's clerk of courts. Once has to wonder whether or not Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr. is not scouting around for someone to run against Maier.
Kind of a payback for the likelihood that Maier appears to be working to get either Councilwoman Kathy Catazaro-Perry or Judge Eddie Elum to run against Chicchinelli?
It is one thing for Steve Meeks to be out of a public job.
It would be a big time political earthquake of gigantic proportions if career politician Maier were brought to heel, no?
Stark Countians have made their choice and voters have elected two strong leaders as commissioner. And strong leadership is exactly what Stark County needs during these days of county financial crisis.
Both Creighton and Bernabei have experience amidst difficulties.
The SCPR believes that Canton was already a city on the slide when Creighton became mayor in 2004. Even though she had a Democratic Canton City Council to work with she did so and in fine fashion. Legislative Democrats have told The Report over and over again how much easier it was for them to work with Creighton in a cooperative vein than with Mayor Healy. However, Creighton, a mayor, had her own agenda which she forcefully and effectively pursued.
Even though he likes to trumpet having graduated from the New York University Stern School of Business, current Canton mayor Jamie Healy did not have brains enough to keep Tom Bernabei in his administration. Had he done so, Canton, likely, would be in better fiscal shape than it is now. Though methodical and even-tempered, Bernabei has strong viewpoints which cost him his job in the Healy administration.
As commissioner, the SCPR believes that Bernabei and Creighton will continue to be strong-willed leaders. Generally, they should get along. However, there will be issues that they will see the solution differently and thereby will be at loggerheads.
This is where Commissioner Pete Ferguson comes in.
In a Bernabei/Creighton stalemate, on whose side will he come down on?
The easy analysis would be to conclude that, of course, Ferguson the Democrat will side with Bernabei the Democrat whom he has known, not that well - according to Ferguson, going back to Bernabei's days as a Canton law director.
Ferguson has known Creighton going back 35 years. And, he has known her better than Bernabei.
He likes and respects both of them.
The SCPR put the question of how he will decide when Creighton and Bernabei disagree to Ferguson after last Wednesday's commissioners' meeting. Ferguson said that sharing political party identity would not be any factor. Rather, he said, he will consider the merit of each side's argument and go where the facts and the merit of their respective argument take him.
Ferguson's answer was predictable.
Let's take a "real issue" and put it in speculative context to see how a possible Creighton/Bernabei difference might play out with Pete Ferguson who could turn out to be Stark County's version of the "decider-in-chief" (a la George Bush).
What issue?
How about the 9-1-1 funding issue.
The SCPR believes that enormous pressure will be brought on commissioners, once again, to reallocate the $2.75 million sitting in county coffers (collected from the Bosley, Harmon, and Vignos imposed 0.50 sales tax, later rejected by Stark County voters) designated for use in rehabbing 9-1-1 call receiving and dispatch to public safety forces.
Reallocation?
Yes, reallocation.
Sheriff Swanson has recently announced he is laying off 41 deputies. And stirrings are already afoot to negate Commissioner Bosley's and Stark County Council on Governments Governance Committee chair Randy Gonzalez (also Jackson Township fiscal officer) insistence that the $2.75 million remain dedicated to a 9-1-1 fix.
Let's assume for the sake of putting Pete Ferguson on the spot that Bernabei and Creighton take opposite points of view (for whatever reasons they have); leaving it to Ferguson to be the decider.
What will Pete do?
There are compelling arguments on both sides of the issue. So Ferguson's model for deciding pretty much goes out the window.
So the answer will lie in Ferguson's judgment of where most of the people of Stark County are on the issue. Right now, based on The Report's conversation with Ferguson last Wednesday, it appears that Ferguson plans on running for re-election in 2012. If he runs, he says, it will be his final term. But, unless Stark County is in total financial chaos in 2012 - which is highly possible in the opinion of the SCPR, The Report believes Ferguson's eye is toward running again.
The SCPR believes that if put in the position of deciding, Ferguson will find a reason to reallocate.
Public safety is the Stark County public's highest priority and having deputy sheriffs out on patrol will trump (in the court of public opinion) repairing 9-1-1.
What person running for public office would want to fly into the face of voters?
It appears that the Stark County commissioners are gluttons for punishment.
For years now, Stark Countians have complained often, loudly, and vigorously and yet the commissioners appear to have been unable to take care of the festering problem.
Recently, they hired a new dog warden. She is Reagan Tetreault, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, but more recently of Holmes County, where she still lives. Seemingly, the commissioners did the correct thing in hiring Tetreault, at least from an "animal" and "dog pound experience" standpoint.
A reader of the SCPR provided The Report with a link to a radio interview done with Tetreault on August 19, 2009. For those readers who want the background on her, the radio interview is the place to go. When you get to the site that the SCPR provides, go to August 19, 2009 and click on "Reagan Tetreault." (see graphic below for guidance). CLICK HERE to go to the radio website.
Tetreault of Tuscarwas County worked at the Holmes County Dog Pound, first as a deputy, then as warden going back about two years. On May 24, 2010 she was hired by the Stark County commissioners to replace Evert Gibson as warden at the Stark County Dog Pound (SCDP - Pound). Commissioners fired Gibson in April because of the many problems at the Pound that they felt Gibson had failed to deal effectively with.
Tetreault has worked at the SCDP for almost six months now. The question that commissioners should be asking is this: Is Tetreault showing enough progress in managing the unionized workers at the Pound to justify keeping her on?
Some members of the Stark County Dog Pound Advisory Board (SCDPAB - Board) think that Tetreault has had enough time to show more progress than she has. But has she?
One has to remember that Gibson had some five to six years to deal with the problems, but appears to have failed to get the upper hand on them. Hence, his firing.
The SCPR believes that the commissioners have confidence that Tetreault will, in time, get the union members under control. Commissioners will not say it, but The Report has reason to think that the commissioners believe that the union has de facto control of the Pound. All the commissioners are Democrats, and, as is common knowledge, Democrats tread very lightly where union issues come up, because unions provide campaign contributions and campaign workers almost exclusively to Democrat candidates for public office.
So what would lead the commissioners to think that Tetreault or any other manager of the SCDP could manage the Pound members of Local 92 - Teamsters union?
The SCPR does not think the problems at the Pound (no matter who the warden is) are going away until and unless the commissioners have someone like Mike Hanke (the county's chief administrator) to knock heads with the bigs at Local 92. But will they do it?
Well, Commissioners Meeks and Bosley won't. Although both lost elections this November, The Report does not think they are done with politics, and if they are not done with politics, it would not be a wise move to take on the Teamsters Union.
So who will?
Perhaps the combo of Republican Janet Creighton (former mayor of Canton) and Democrat Tom Bernabei, both of who were newly elected on November 2nd. Democrat Bernabei? Maybe? As long time law director for Canton and having held a number of positions in Canton city government, Bernabei is used to dealing with unions. Maybe, just maybe, he through the likes of Hanke can communicate to Local 92 that it is in the interest of the union to get their Pound members under control.
As the SCPR sees it, the commissioners are the key for anyone to being able to manage the Pound effectively. If they want to solve the Pound problems, then they have to "persuade" the union to corral in the problem employees at the Pound.
Being Stark County commissioner is absolutely the worst elected job in all of Stark County these days. If the county cannot convince voters to renew a 0.25 sales tax in May or, alternatively, a "dedicated to the criminal justice system" sales tax; then come 2012 Stark County will be trying to provide services for $35 million a year compared to $56 million or thereabouts in 2010. It ain't going to work folks, but won't citizens still expect undiminished services?
One thing the commissioners should be looking at is privatizing the Pound. It could be that the county by state law is mandated to have a pound. However, if that is the case, state law can be changed. Especially with the likes of Republican Todd Snitchler (state Rep. 50th House District) being in a leadership role in Columbus.
Snitchler has to be Stark County's premier advocate of "anything government does, private enterprise can do better." So why not him to demonstrate his unbridled faith in the private sector with the SCDP? With the Republicans in the Ohio General Assembly majority come January 1, 2011, and with a Republican governor, all of whom are in the thrall of the private sector in varying degrees; legislation to turning dog pounds over to private enterprise - if needed - should be a slam-dunk for Snitchler.
If Snitchler were to take this project on, there would be a strong dose of irony to his doing so.
How's that?
Well, Snitchler was challenged by Commissioner Bosley for the 50th House District seat this past November 2nd whom Snitchler defeated 61% to 39% and, wouldn't it be quite a coup for Snitchler to solve a problem that Bosley couldn't for four years of being commissioner?
Undoubtedly, commissioners-elect Creighton and Bernabei would be eternally grateful, no?
Here is a video showing a sampling of the outrage that dog lovers have at the way the SCDP is operating these days.
Kristen Greathouse had Commissioner Todd Bosley reeling at Wednesday's weekly commissioners meeting.
And you can add veteran journalist (Managing Editor at The Repository for years) turned chief county administrator to the list of thoroughly intimidated public officials at the meeting.
She did not raise her voice, she did not cry, she did not get hysterical and she did not show anger. Kristen Greathouse did not do any of the things that public officials bank on a citizen doing to undermine themselves in terms of getting answers to questions when a citizen confronts a public official.
Generally, if a citizen goes emotional with a public official, the official bent on not responding will use the citizen's emotional condition as a reason for not doing so.
Commissioner Todd Bosley is one of Stark County's very best public official making people think he is going to do something while realizing that he cannot do what he is implying that he will do. But he was no match for Greathouse on Wednesday.
On October 13th the Greathouse family dog (Roxy) slipped out of her collar and ran away. She was found and since she had not identifying information on her, the finder took her to the Stark County Dog Pound (SCDP - Pound) thinking that a caring owner would go there to reclaim their pet. And that is exactly what the Greathouses did.
Within about 14 hours of Roxy getting away from them, the Greathouses were in contact with the SCDP and ascertained that "Yes, Roxy was at the Pound and that they could claim her there." However, to their horror, when the Greathouses appeared at the SCDP, they discovered that Roxy had been euthanized despite the finder and the Greathouses being assured that dogs were kept a minimum of 72 hours (in accordance with Ohio law) before euthanization of a dog in Roxy's category could be legally put down.
The Greathouses first appeared at the commissioners meeting on October 20th asking for answers. Commissioners promised them a full and complete investigation and a full opportunity to inquire of the dog warden (Reagen Tetreault - a relatively new hire) as to the specifics of what Tetreault's investigation revealed.
As a background, Stark Countians should know that the Stark County Dog Pound has been a festering sore which has produced complaint after complaint after complaint but for which the commissioners have not found a remedy. Earlier this year it appeared that commissioners were going to finally make progress on remedying the problems at the Pound when they fired Evert Gibson (who had been warden since 2004) and set out to hire a new warden.
But a strange thing happened on the commissioners' quest to find a new warden. After the Stark County Dog Pound Advisory Board (appointed by the commissioners) went through scores of resumes and submitted a short list of job applicants that should be interviewed two things happened:
SCDPAB member Swank (a Canton policemen) thought he was to be a participant in the interview process, but was denied by Chief Administrator Mike Hanke when Hanke thought that he had passed on being an interviewee when - according to Hanke - Swank deferred to Dog Pound employee Fox. Swank says that Hanke's perception was totally wrong.
Out-of-the-blue, a "leading" candidate for warden surfaced that none of the SCDPAB members had recommended. Many thought that some kind of political fix was in the works.
Not long before the dog warden appointment, the stepson of a former Stark County commissioner (Tom Harmon - who was not then a commissioner) ended up with a deputy dog warden job. Again, "out-of-the-blue." Many SCDP observers suspected a political fix was in and therefore when the "out-of-the-blue" candidate for warden surfaced, suspicions were raised again.
For the record, Tom Harmon denies (as did then Warden Evert Gibson) that there was any Harmon initiative to have his stepson appointed. Moreover, Commissioner Bosley (who seemed to be the sponsor of the "out-of-the-blue" warden candidate) denies emphatically that the candidate was set for an interview because of political relationship factors.
To understand the current situation with the commissioners and the dog warden situation, the SCPR thinks it is important for the general public to understand some of the background which underlie the current situation.
As soon as the SCDPAB raised an uproar about the "out-of-the-blue" warden candidate, then the commissioners quickly turned to Reagan Tetreault who had experience as dog warden in Holmes County.
When Tetreault was hired, she was put on a probationary period. Two days before the probationary period passed (September 22nd), the SCPR asked commissioners whether or not she passed probation. Answer? Indeed!
So imagine the surprise of yours truly when the Greathouse problem surfaced as well as another one about the same date which had to do with the SCDP's failure to follow up on citations regarding two pit bulls which resulted in the dog's mauling a neighbor's dog to the point that the dog had to be put down.
These two incidents and the many complaints that were aired at the October 22nd monthly meeting of the Stark County Dog Pound Advisory Board leads the SCPR to believe that the commissioners should have known that the volunteers at the SCDP had questions about whether or not Tetreault was getting a grip on the chronic and long-lasting problems at the Pound.
Now back to the Greathouse matter.
Look at the video tape at the end of this blog carefully.
It starts out with Citizen Greathouse asking whether or not a commissioner promised "on the agenda" public airing of why the family dog was the subject of a Pound error was going to happened this past Wednesday. Bosley punted to Chief Administrator Hanke. Being the "good soldier," Hanke offers a "rationale" for a commissioner discussion of the Greathouse incident not being on the agenda.
To her credit, Mrs. Greathouse was not buying the seemingly disingenuous response. Moreover, she appears to indicate that the report issued by Warden Tetreault was a whitewash of the incident with no "real" answers of how the catastrophic error occurred.
Then she really knuckles down on Bosley by castigating him for putting the word out before the November 2nd meeting of commissioners that there would be no report on the 2nd but that there would be one on the 10th. So the question on Wednesday from Greathouse: Where's the report?"
Does Commissioner Bosley squirm. Wow!!!
Then things really get weird as former Repository editor Hanke stands on "protocol" as being a reason that Tetreault should not be subject to examination on her report in a public setting. Even Bosley knows this is not right in light of promises made by the commissioners at the October 20th meeting.
The only weakness demonstrated by Kristen Greathouse was her apparently willingness to discuss the matter in private, which, again strangely enough, former journalist Hanke seemed to be steering the matter.
Citizen activists should never allow the public's business to be discussed in private. The SCPR believes this is nearly always an attempt by public officials to derail the possibility that the public sees their goofups which put them in a bad public light.
But it is understandable that Mrs. Greathouse just wanted answers in any venue. Hopefully, in the future (let's trust she stays engaged as an involved citizen) she realizes that it is a huge public service to make public officials account for their actions in full public view.
In the end, Tetreault appeared at Wednesday's meeting and answered Mrs. Greathouse's questions.
For their part, the commissioners were clearly playing the part of "lame duck commissioners," Bosley having lost his election to state Rep. Todd Snitchler (R - Lake - the 50th), and Meeks having lost to Janet Creighton in the full term commissioner race.
It appears to the SCPR that there is a great deal of skepticism on the part of the Stark County Dog Pound Advisory Board that Reagan Tetreault is the answer for what ails the SCDP.
If such is the case, then they will have to wait for Janet Creighton and Tom Bernabei (the victors in their respective commissioner races on November 2nd) to come on board to get a resolution of their concerns.
But once again, a SCPR "tip of the hat" to Kristen Greathouse for being a classy citizen activist who demonstrated on Wednesday the attributes that aspiring citizen activists should model themselves after!
When Mayor David Held hired Earle E. Wise, Jr., as his chief administrator on becoming mayor, area media hailed the move as a demonstration of a public official moving beyond politics to select the best person available for the job.
Held, whom the SCPR views as one of the least Republican of being a Republican in Stark County officialdom, and Earle E. Wise, Jr., whom The Report views as one of the least Democrat of being a Democrat in Stark County officialdom, will part ways with the coming of the end of 2010; so says Held to the Stark County Political Report.
The Report's take is that, except in the very early days after the appointment, the predominantly Republican Council led by staunch Republican City Council President Daryl Revoldt has not been nearly as enamored with Wise as Mayor Held has been.
In recent years there has been a lot of rumbling among councilpersons about the quality of administration they thought North Canton was getting at the hand of Wise. However, Mayor Held fought the Council negativity and refused to heed backroom suggestions that he replace Wise. When it became apparent to Held that he was not going to be able to withstand Council's onslaught against Wise staying on as the chief, he moved him into a lesser administrative role.
The demotion of Wise, a few months ago, was coupled with the promotion of City Engineer James Benekos as both chief engineer and chief administrator. Obviously, the promotion was a stop-gap measure as there is no way that Benekos, as competent as he is, could possibly do both jobs on his own. City officials have owned up to this realty and are in the process of searching for a deputy administrator to assist and report to Benekos. In order do so, with the city finances in a precarious state, North Canton will be taking the savings from letting Wise go to apply to a new hire deputy administrator.
Held tells The Report that he holds Wise in the highest regard and deems him to be a man of unparalleled integrity, but that in order to be able to work for effectively and efficiently with Council, he has to let Wise go.
On another front, Council President Daryl Revoldt says North Canton is in the process of finding a replacement for Alex Zumbar who Revoldt says has been a key factor in North Canton keeping its financial ship afloat. Zumbar was elected Stark County treasurer on November 2nd.
As reported earlier this week, North Canton apparently is planning on rehiring (on a temporary basis) former finance official Marge Loretto to serve until a new finance director is found.
Whether or not North Canton is able to keep its city as one of Stark County's more financially stable communities, could depend on the quality of the new deputy of administration and finance director that "the dogwood city" officials are able to find in their search.
Given the Held/Wise failure, probably the best chance for success is for officials to hire "the most qualified Republicans" they can find, no?
B.A. - Political Science
J.D.
AN INDEPENDENT MINDED POLITICAL COMMENTATOR
Until 1976 I was a Republican. Since then I have considered myself a Democrat. So after long term stints of being a Republican, then a Democrat, I have come to the political position I feel most comfortable with - being an INDEPENDENT MINDED ANALYST who demands effectiveness of our politicians - Republican, Democrat or whatever.
I have changed my political affiliation to "non-partisan" by not voting in either political party primary election.
