REVISITING KELLI YOUNG'S (THE REPOSITORY) "Vince Frustaci: Profile of a thief" Setting the record straight on Gary Zeigler's failure in leadership (hiring, policy and procedure) as treasurer of Stark County

Vince Frustaci, the former chief deputy treasurer of the Stark County treasury, sits in a federal prison serving out 10 years for his admitted theft of $2.46 million in Stark County taxpayer money.

While the treasurer (Gary D. Zeigler) was cleared (based on the information they were able to develop) by county and federal prosecutors of any involvement in the theft. many Stark Countians believe (in hindsight) that the treasurer did not exercise sagacious judgment in making Frustaci "the boy wonder" of the office and thereby putting him in a position to enable Frustaci to do what he did.

And that is not all.

While Zeigler is trying to pass the buck to others (witness his letter to Stark County Prosecutor John Ferrero asking him to sue the State of Ohio Auditor [SOA]), he himself in the opinion of the SCPR bears "the buck stops here" responsibility for not having:

• first, the quality of leadership people (Frustaci and "Public Official #l  re:  the federal information filed against Frustaci on June 25, 2010) in place who were trustworthy in the context of public employment, and
• second, in implementing failsafe policies and procedures to make what Frustaci did impossible.

On July 5, 2010, Kelly Young of The Repository did a piece (future reference:  "Young') that opened the Stark County public eye on some of the inner workings of the Stark County treasury under the leadership of Zeigler that shows how utterly unprepared for leadership that Zeigler himself was when the Stark County Democratic Party politicians and party loyalists coalesced to put him in office on June 5, 1999.

When the Frustaci theft and concomitant firing news broke (April 1, 2009), yours truly was at the Stark County office building and made a point to go to the Stark treasury for a word from Zeigler.

The question:  How is it that you came to hire Frustaci in the first place, was it because of some political connection?

Zeigler's nswer:  "All I knew was that he was some guy out on the golf course."

Really!  You hire and put a guy on an expedited course to leadership and that is all you knew of him. 

Moreover,"[H]e didn't need a resume, job application or prior finance experience.  As long as he didn't mess up in the interview, Vincent Frustaci had the job at the Stark County Treasurer's office before he walked through the door.  He already had a personal reference:  Treasurer Gary Zeigler." (Young)

Zeigler to his chief administrator Glenn Owens:  "There's a guy [not even named to Owens] coming in this afternoon, and I want you to talk to him.  If you don't see anything wrong, then hire him." (Young)


A mere five days after taking office himself, Zeigler through Owens makes the hire.  Vincent Frustaci in less than a 30 minute interview convinces Owens that nothing is wrong with him and that having held various odd jobs (non-accounting related) in working his way through Walsh University for a degree in accounting and finance (Young).


So began the Stark County treasury career of Vincent Frustaci.  Undoubtedly, Zeigler rues the day that he zeroed in on Frustaci to the exclusion of other possiblities as THE person to hire and not only hire but to put on a fast track to one of three top leadership positions within the Stark Treasurer's office.

Fast track?

Get this.  From the getgo (June 10, 1999 or thereabouts) "Zeigler instructed Owens to train Frustaci on the chief administrator's duties [Owens' job], so that the new employee could take over when Owens retired [which occurred in May, 2008]." 

"Zeigler gave Frustaci his own office in the fall of 2008"

"... Frustaci got the title that went with his back office.  Zeigler named him chief deputy treasurer in September 2001, a position, that in title, gave him the same rank as Owens ... "


"Frustaci also continued to gain more and more of Zeigler's trust or so it seemed to other employees."

"He also often joined Zeigler for golf ... and he frequently stood at Zeigler's side at various charity golf outings and fundraisers.  He sometimes took Zeigler's place when his boss couldn't attend."

All of the bold type being quotes from Kelli Young's July 5, 2010 story.

Young goes on to write about how Frustaci:

• had enough clout with Zeigler to get a friend a job in the treasury,
• got his own set of keys to the vault in 2003,
• seemed to be spending fewer and fewer hours on the job at the Stark treasury, and
• was able to avoid being taken to task by Zeigler, though Zeigler most certainly knew of his being the  "office worst" frequently "AWOL" (the SCPR's term) employee.

Was it apparent that Zeigler knew or should have known that Frustaci had a gambling problem?

The SCPR believes so.

Again to Young:

"A few co-workers, especially now that Frustaci has admitted his gambling habit, has speculated that he was leaving work to pull up a chair at one the local card games.  Frustaci had a reputation ... for loving high stakes poker games (Texas hold 'em), frequenting Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in West Virginia and betting on sports.

Other employees (Paone and Owens) knew of Frustaci's gambling.

"Did Zeigler know?  Owens says yes.  He recalls one of the first times Frustaci attended a County Treasurers Association of Ohio convention with [Owens] and Zeigler.  ... "then left to play poker at a nearby riverboat casino ... [they] did attend all the classes at the conference."

"Owens recalls another occasion, back in September 2003 [about the time that Zeigler gave Frustaci the keys to the vault], while sitting in Zeigler's office with Frustaci.  The three joked about a newspaper article about a poker game in Plain Township that had been robbed ... 'You know, you get caught in one of those games your done here,' Owens remembers Zeigler saying to Frustaci.

Another side of the Zeigler administration of the Stark County treasury is his stewardship of the facilities, the policies and the procedures in place from the time he took office.

The reason why Zeigler got the opportunity to be Stark County treasurer is that his predecessor Mark Roach failed to keep up with his continuing education requirements imposed by Ohio law.

An ancillary matter to the "failure to keep up" was a finding by the SOA that $1,000 was missing from the county treasury.  While not blaming Roach personally for having anything to do with the missing money, county officials recovered the missing money from Roach who paid up voluntarily.

Here is what Gary Zeigler had to say at the time:

Zeigler a reformer?

Not if you ask the State of Ohio Auditor's office and successor treasurers Allbritain, Koher and Zumbar.

The SOA cited the Stark County treasury for a number of deficiencies in policy, procedure and facility security.  Moreover, Allbritain, Koher and Zumber put a significant number of fixes in places during their respective times in office.

Why the citations, why the fixes when Zeigler says he did nothing wrong in managing the office and setting policy and procedures and securing facilities?

Numerous Stark Countians have remonstrated that had Zeigler admitted what was/is obvious to most, he could have salvaged a little bit of confidence from the Stark County public.

But he didn't and hasn't and it appears that Zeigler with his bulldog attitude has been a large part of the utter lack of trust in county government on the part of the "informed" part of the Stark County public.

Zeigler is not all to blame.  The commissioners (former commissioners Bosley, Harmon and Vignos) are part of the problem in that they imposed a 1/2 cent increase in the sales tax in December, 2008 and in the process focused on the "we're fixing 9-1-1) while virtually ignoring that half the tax was to go to the county general fund.  Also, Sheriff Swanson with his "poop on the public" attitude in support the tax imposition bears responsibility.

However, there is no getting around it.  What local attorney and civic activist Craig T. Conley calls "Zeiglergate" is at present the front and center reason why Stark Countians turn their collective noses up at county commissioner pleas (in their series of public meetings around Stark County) that Stark Countians once again trust county government.

Conley is pushing Canton Law Director Joe Martuccio to prosecute Zeigler under state of Ohio dereliction of duties statutes (a misdemeanor). 

And, of course, there is the civil suit in Stark County Common Pleas (Judge Inderlied as visiting judge) to recover of Frustaci and Zeigler some $1.5 million of the missing $2.96 millions from the Stark treasury.  Zeigler is trying to get Stark Prosecutor John Ferrero to go after the SOA for the money.

The SCPR is told that there are ongoing discussions between Zeigler and the county that could lead to Zeigler's resignation.  The hangups appear to be Zeigler's insistence that he be paid through his September, 2013 end of term date and that he be cleared of any obligation to repay the still missing $1.5 million.

If the reports are accurate, then do not look for any resolution of the matter until there is a court decision on whether nor not Zeigler is liable as a matter of law.

Even then, The Report cannot imaging any Stark County politician-office holder agreeing to pay Zeigler "one red cent" in future compensation with him having resigned as part of any deal.

It simply is not going to happen unless and until Gary D. Zeigler gets real.

As far as the SCPR is concerned, Zeigler has shown no signs whatsoever that he will own up to any part of what the Stark County public thinks - in a negative way - about his stewardship of the Stark treasury.


In the meantime Stark County government continues to suffer an utter lack of public confidence and trust which makes effective and productive county governance near impossible.

SIERRA CLUB CLAIMS RENACCI VOTED FOR DIRTY WATER. RENACCI SEES THE VOTE (HR 2018) AS BEING FOR "STATES RIGHTS." HMM?

It may be that freshman Congressman Jim Renacci (Republican - Wadsworth) is piling up a voting record that is going to be hard to defend, if he is to be re-elected in November, 2012.

Not long ago he signed on to Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan's A Roadmap for America's Future which is widely seen as a bill that would put the burden of the cost of reducing the cost of Medicare on the backs of already financially strapped senior citizens who have not received a cost of living adjustment in their Social Security checks for two years.

On Wednesday he voted for a bill (HR 2018 - an amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act) to get the Environmental Protection Agency out of the business of protecting the purity of America's water supply.

Coming up in the next two weeks will be a vote on a bill to extend the United States debt ceiling.

Some are saying that if the ceiling is not raised, it could throw the U.S. and, indeed, the entire world into a severe economic downturn.

If Renacci votes against raising the ceiling as part of a majority, then he will have created for himself a huge hill to climb in order to be reelected.  Moreover, should he vote against a raise in the debt limit even as a minority vote, he will have to defend having put America in economic/financial jeopardy.

On HR 2018, the pro-environmentalist Sierra Club has already begun a political attack via email on congressmen (including Renacci) who voted for the amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, to wit:

For his part, Renacci undoubtedly takes the stand that his vote is for standing up to the federal government and its excessive regulation which stifles economic development and impinges on the ability of states to manage their natural resources.

Here is how the bill was described in its preamble:

Just a few weeks ago Congressman Renacci ran into a buzz saw at Malone University in Canton at a town hall meeting over the Medicare issue.

Apparently, "the honeymoon is over" for Congressman Renacci and "realpoltik" has settled in.

In light of his voting record (which is 100% in support of Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner - remember he lambasted former Congressman John Boccieri for his 94% support of Democrat Speaker Nancy Pelosi), the question of whether or not Renacci will be able to retain his seat should becoming a real concern for him.

(VIDEO) SCPR RECOGNIZES STARK COUNTIANS PATRICK ROBECK AND DON CIRELLI FOR THEIR WORK TO HELP SUSTAIN PEACE IN NORTHERN IRELAND: THE CANTON/MASSILLON ULSTER PROJECT

The Stark County Political Report in the course of covering the politics of government of Stark County has the happy opportunity, on occasion, to see everyday Stark Countians recognized for their public service by the political subdivisions of the county.

On July 11th the Canton City Council (Council) passed an informal resolution (#21) commending Stark Countians who participate in the Massillon/Canton Ulster Project (Project).

The SCPR joins Canton City Council in recognizing the outstanding contribution that the Massillon/Canton Ulster Project (Project) makes in promoting peace between Catholics and Protestants living in Northern Ireland.  The Project teams up equal numbers of Catholics and Protestants with an American host teen (and, of course, his/her family).  The idea is that Catholics and Protestants located in Northern Ireland because of the historical acrimony between the two groups find it difficult to get to know one another and that the U.S. (and its "melting pot" heritage) makes an ideal place for them to come together to forge relationships and dialogue that will serve to promote peace between them at home.

The Ulster Project website lists 28 U.S. based project sites.   Moreover, the site provides a thorough overview of why the Project got started in 1975, its mission and purpose, how it functions, an analysis of whether or not it works and how a person can get involved with the Project.

Representing the Massillon/Canton group before Council were Chairperson Patrick Robeck and Publicity Committee Chairman Don Cirelli (son of Council Councilwoman-at-Large Mary Cirelli).

Don Cirelli is a well known Cantonian for his incisive comments various Stark County related issues and events in the space provided by The Repository at the end of  most of its published content.  He has been working with the Massillon/Canton Ulster Project for 16 years and is currently serving as the project's publicity committee chairman and webmaster.

Here is a video of the Massillon/Canton Ulster Project making an appearance at Canton City Council on July 11, 2011:

VIDEO: C. DAVID MORGAN ON TRUSTING GOV'T. SEE TREASURER ZEIGLER'S LETTER TO PROSECUTOR FERRERO. GOV'T TRUST ENHANCING OR TRUST UNDERMINING?

It was truly amazing to read the letter sent by Stark County Treasurer Gary D. Zeigler to Stark County Prosecutor John Ferrero on Wednesday.

Here read it for yourself.

 

It has been clear from April 1, 2009 (the date that he fired Chief Deputy Vince Frustaci) that Gary Zeigler is not a "the buck stops here" public official (a la Harry Truman) even though Ohio law seems to put him in that position however involuntary Zeigler may be in accepting the law.

While Ferrero's office and the federal prosecutor exonerated Zeigler of any involvement in the Frustaci theft of what is believed to be $2.96 from the county treasurer, the public and many county officials appear to believe that Zeigler failed to have management and administrative measures in place to prevent Frustaci from doing what he did.


Ohio law (Ohio Revised Code 321.38)  holds:

321.37 Suit on bond of county treasurer.

If the county treasurer fails to make a settlement or to pay over money as prescribed by law, the county auditor or board of county commissioners shall cause suit to be instituted against such treasurer and his surety or sureties for the amount due, with ten per cent penalty on such amount, which suit shall have precedence over all other civil business.
Effective Date: 07-01-1985

So now Zeigler wants Stark County taxpayers to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars in using county legal counsel so he can avoid "personal" liability?

It would be truly shocking if Ferrero were to bite on that one.   The Report thinks the chances of that happening is right there in the league with the chance of a snowball in hell. 

There is probably a better chance that local attorney and civic activist Craig T. Conley will convince Canton Law Director Joe Martuccio to prosecute Zeigler for dereliction of duty than Ferrero going after the State of Ohio Auditor.

At Wednesday's commissioner meeting, a Reverend C. David Morgan appeared to make a presentation at the commissioners' Public Speaks segment of the meeting agenda.

His topic?

Citizen trust in government!

Interesting enough he did mention the Zeigler removal from office situation and the frustration that commissioners must feel that they followed a statute to remove him only to have the Ohio Supreme Court invalidate the law.

For the SCPR and The Report believes for large numbers of Stark citizens, the most egregious thing about Zeigler is his "sticking his head in the sand" in terms of denying any responsibility whatsoever for not ensuring that adequate policies, procedures, structures of operations were in place from when he took office in 1999 through the April 1, 2009 Frustaci revelation.

According to Zeigler, he has been a flawless manager and administrator and protector of the public trust.  "I have done nothing wrong," he says about his management of the county treasury.

But many differ with him.  The State of Ohio Auditor recommended changes that were not made.  Successor treasurers Allbritain, Koher and Zumbar made many changes to the measures Zeigler had in place.  Moreover,  most of the Stark County public is not buying the Zeigler line either.

The SCPR believes that Zeigler's pugnacious, arrogant refusal to accept any responsibility for not having adequate safeguards in place has done much to undermine public trust in Stark County government.

Other county officials do not deserve to be tainted by the Zeigler's obstinance but it appears they are.  A casualty of the air of distrust that permeates the public view of county government likely will be the proposed 1/2 sales tax increase that will be on the November ballot.

Because of the situation in the treasurer's officers, Commissioners Bernabei, Creighton and Ferguson have had to be out in Stark County in a series of meetings trying to restore trust.  Many county officials joined them including Alex Zumbar who was elected treasurer in November, 2010 only to be removed by the Ohio Supreme Court on June 23rd.

With Zeigler on the sidelines, it appeared they were making progress.

But with him being back, it seems that any ground gained is now lost.  His abiding intransigence is not something that Stark Countians are going to accept and they appear prepared to punish all of Stark County government in order to make a point to the county treasurer.

While it was fine for Morgan to address the commissioners, it probably would have been more appropriate for him to have stopped just short of making a left turn into the Stark County office complex.

Rather he should have made a right turn into the offices of Stark County Treasurer Gary D. Zeigler and made his speech to him.

He could have asked Treasurer Zeigler to tell him where the "pea of officeholder responsibility" is located in terms of owning up to improvements in policies, procedures and structures of operation that he should have had in place so as to measurably enhance the likelihood that Vince Frustaci could not have done what he in fact did.

Here is the video of C. David Morgan.

VIDEO: ASS'T STARK CO PROSECUTOR (CHIEF, CIVIL DIV) ROSS RHODES ANSWERS QUESTIONS AT PRESS CONFERENCE ON ZEIGLER BOND AND OTHER ZEIGLER RELATED MATTERS

Before yesterday's Stark County commissioners' meeting Commissioner Thomas Bernabei told yours truly that the meeting was likely to be relatively brief and "pedestrian-esque" (the SCPR's word; not Bernabei's).

As the The Report has learned many times over, one never knows what to expect at any public meeting (reference:  Phil Davison at the September 8, 2010 Stark GOP treasurer candidate selection conclave).

The SCPR has already shared a video (in the blog immediately before this one) with the Stark County public of a prominent Stark County builder appearing before commissioners asking for a routine-esque bond extension.  However, in the process he imparted dramatic information on the severity and depth of the drop off in new housing starts since 2004.

Also, local civic activist, pastor and former MRDD board member C. David Morgan appeared and gave and delivered a splendid oration on "why government, from top to bottom in this country, is experiencing a massive decline in public trust."  The Report will be publishing the Reverend's contribution within the next day or two.

But in this blog the SCPR returns to a familiar, depressing and local government trust-gutting matter:  "Zeiglergate" (as expression coined by local attorney and civic activist Craig T. Conley about a year or so ago).

Only a week ago, Stark County Personnel Manager Marsha Cimdevilla suggested that the reinstated Stark County Treasurer Gary D. Zeigler could be in sort of a limbo (legally able to do limited duties) because it could be months before he got a bond required by Ohio law.

Well, lo and behold, Ross Rhodes of the Stark County prosecutor's office (showed up).  His appearance seemingly always means an executive session and, perhaps, an announcement by commissioners of a significant development.

Indeed! for yesterday's meeting.

Immediately upon reconvening, the commissioners enacted a resolution releasing an "old" bond on Gary D. Zeigler which opened the way for Zeigler's almost immediate return to full duties as treasurer on the information from Rhodes that the issuance of a new bond (at about twice the cost to taxpayers) was imminent.

 There had been a difference of legal opinion as to whether or not this bond was still in effect given what the Ohio Supreme Court said (on June 23, 2011) was the unconstitutional (by virtue of Article II, Section 38 - due process - of the Ohio Constitution) dismissal of Zeigler as treasurer on August 23, 2010.

All doubts were removed yesterday on Rhodes' executive session advice as the commissioners passed the following resolution as the only business done at the conclusion of the executive session.

I

Before Ross Rhodes could get out the door, yours truly and other area media circled around Rhodes to bombard him with a bevy of questions about the bond.

Of course, the SCPR was not content to be limited to inquiring about the bond matter and explored:

• the status of the civil case between the county and Zeigler seeking recovery of the better than $1 million still missing from the treasurer's office from Zeigler and Vince Frustaci.  
• Frustaci admitted to stealing $2.46 million from the treasury, however, federal judge John Adams says he believes Frustaci took the entire missing amount.  (Zeigler was found by state and federal prosecutors to have not been involved in the theft)
• the status of the motion to the Ohio Supreme Court to reconsider its decision in reinstating Zeigler to office.
• whether or not the media and the Stark County taxpaying public will now get (in the light of being restored to full duty status) to ask Zeigler questions and get answers.
• whether or not Rhodes or someone in the Stark County prosecutors offices is in communication with and cooperating with Canton Law Director Joseph Martuccio on his consideration of whether or not to prosecute Zeigler for dereliction of duty as demanded by Craig Conley.

Here is the video:

(VIDEO) IF YOU USE HOUSING STARTS, STARK COUNTY'S ECONOMY HAS NOT HIT BOTTOM YET?

To the SCPR the most important news at yesterday's Stark County commissioners regular weekly meeting was not that Stark County Prosecutor Ross Rhodes met in executive session with county commissioners to advise them that it was appropriate to release an "old" bond that was hanging out there somewhere of reinstated Stark County Treasurer Gary D. Zeigler.

Nor was it that Zeigler was nearing having a new bond (issued about twice the cost to Stark County taxpayers) issued to him meaning that he could be resuming full treasurer duties any day now.

To many Stark Countians, Zeigler's return is depressing news.

However, the big news of the day was an appearance by Jackson Township builder Fred Tobin.

Tobin was at the commissioners meeting to ask for bond extensions for building projects his company has under way in Jackson Township.  In the course of his presentation he revealed to commissioners that Stark County new home building starts had plunged from over 1300 in 2004 to a "let's hope we can make 200" in 2011.

Tobin has been in the local home building business for about 33 years.  He has very impressive credentials:

In this MUST SEE video, Tobin describes in pretty good detail the reality (as measured by new home  starts) that Stark County is plummeting in terms of economic vitality.

A CHANGED CANTON MAYOR WILLIAM J. HEALY, II? VIDEOS: (1) SCHULMAN ON HEALY ADMIN (2) CANTON CADET POLICE PAY (3) PARKING FUND IMBALANCE (4) HEALY ON NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

 

The Stark County Political Report is not ready to say that Canton Mayor William J. Healy, II has had a "born again" political experience.

Perhaps, Canton City Council President Allen Schulman is (see/hear Schulman in his own words in the video immediately below this paragraph), but not The Report. 

However, there are increasing signs that the erudite (at least, in his own eyes) and beleaguered mayor is making significant progress along the lines of acquiring political maturity.  

It seems to The Report that Healy has been somewhat chastened by the rough and tumble experiences (largely brought on by himself - e.g the firing of critique prone Tom Bernabei as service director and chief of staff early on in his administration) of "fishbowlish" political and government life.

Inside information that The Report started getting almost from the get-go of his newly elected administration's assumption of office as the executive function for Stark County's largest city and county seat indicated trouble was brewing for the man who incessantly touted that he was uniquely qualified to lead the Hall of Fame city by virtue of his having been a successful (?) businessman with an MBA from the New York University Stern School of Business.

The Report remembers an occasion when Democratic Governor Ted Strickland came to Stark County (Brewster) in the spring of 2008 to tour a local business - in a back and forth with Healy - in which he spent most of the conversation bashing his predecessor Republican Janet Creighton for "the unbelievable mess she left Canton in."

 

That slam on Creighton was a clear indication that Healy was going to start out his administration as a excuse making regime.  And that is exactly what he has been doing for most of his three years plus in office.   Rather than manning up and cleaning up the mess (giving him the benefit of a doubt that he is accurately describing the Creighton legacy), Healy did what many immature politicians do:  blame someone else.

But the SCPR is starting to see small changes in the Healy administration.

There was a fuss between Healy and Councilman-at-Large Bill Smuckler (who lost to Healy in the May mayoralty primary) over police cadet pay.

It seems as if the pay has been like a volleyball in recent years:  too low; too high; maybe just right and now the argument - just right or too low.

The Healy administration does not want the cadets to come out of their twelve month training (probation) period and jump into a job where the new policeman is making more money than a second-year policeman.  This is what Healy claimed in Monday night's council meeting at which the Healy administration announced a reduction the cadet pay range to $26,000 up to $30,000.

Councilman Smuckler argued that the reality is that the numbers of highly qualified cadets eligible for the $30,000 pay will be few and far between and that the reality will be that most will get paid the $26,000 which he claims means inferior policing because only marginal candidates will apply at that pay.

Healy tells The Report that he disagrees with Smuckler.  The mayor thinks that $30,000 will be more the norm and that Canton will be graduating competent, capable policemen and policewomen.

Who is correct?

The Report thinks it depends on how many police are to be hired.  Healy could or would not say on Monday night.  If large numbers are hired, then Smuckler is likely closer to the mark.  If a small number is hired (the most likely given Canton's financial stress), then Healy is probably closer to the mark.

The redeeming point is that the discussion between Healy and Smuckler is the obviousness that reasonable minds can differ respectfully.  However, should Healy prove incorrect over time and the quality of Canton's policing suffers, then Cantonians will be right to question whether or not the mayor is looking out for them.

Here is a video summary of the Healy and Committee of the whole exchange.

One other matter that came up for discussion was between another Healy adversary (Ward 1 Councilman Greg Hawk) and His Honor.

The topic this time?

The need to take $160,000 out of the general fund to supplement the City Parking Deck/Lot Fund (CPDLF).

Councilman Hawk chided Mayor Healy about not budgeting the total amount needed for the CPDLF for the entire year earlier in the year when council passed the city budget.  Hawk's needling was clearly an attempt to get to Healy's goat.  A major riff between some on council and the mayor as the budget was being put together was the administration's short funding of police and fire functions in order to make it appear that the budget was balanced.

Healy did not take the bait.  But he did somewhat regress into the blame game again (guess who? - yes - the Creighton administration and a ten year economic development package designed to keep Huntington Bank in downtown Canton).  However, he did not use the Creighton name in the public discussion.

Those of us who have been following the council/administration knew full well the identity of the blame though.  It did take prodding by the SCPR in a person-to-person interview for Healy to actually accede to the naming of the Creighton administration as the blameworthy factor.

Here is a summary video of that discussion.



Recently, the Healy administration has had success with economic development in bringing 1,000 jobs to Canton Centre by attracting VXI Global Solutions, Inc (a China-based company).  Mayor Healy told The Report that a few minor details still remain to be worked out with VXI, but that he is confident that the deal is a done deal.  Moreover, last week an announcement was made that the Cleveland Cavaliers are bringing their D-League (minor league) basketball franchise to Canton to the Canton Memorial Civic Center.

Here is a video of Healy talking about the economic development projects.



All in all, the SCPR agrees with Council President Allen Schulman:  good things do seem to be happening in Canton.

It could be that a primary reason is that Mayor William J. Healy, II is finally getting a grip on the reality that as talented as he may think he is individually, success only comes through a committed team approach.

Healy has tabbed his campaign efforts since he first ran for mayor, then state representative and then mayor again as being "TeamHealy."

When yours truly noticed that the reality was anything but a team approach (it was William J. Healy, II - the man in charge), it was apparent that Healy thought he could full people with rhetoric.

He has persisted for quite a long time in this vain effort.  Consequently, he and Canton has gone through the experiences that were more owing to the mayor's ego problems than outside factors (i.e. the legacy left by the Creighton administration and the downturn in the economy).

The Report sees more and more that Healy realizes he is not "Superman" and that he and Canton can only succeed through collaboration and cooperation.

A litmus test of what The Report sees is real progress or a mirage will be in what the mayor does in the way of collaborating with and cooperating with Stark County and Stark's other political subdivision to bring into being more cost effective and service efficient regional project such as a countywide 9-1-1 and merged/consolidated building, health and information technology departments.

As stated above, the SCPR is not willing at this time to declare Mayor William J. Healy, II being born again. 

"Let's keep hope alive!!!"  With God, all things are possible!