The Massillon Schools DREAM Project - Developing Resources for Education and Athletics in Massillon, was to be, according to the Massillon City Schools Website;
A unique multi-faceted effort that includes college readiness and leadership training, Health Sciences and Tech Prep with hands on health care experiences, as well as state of the art facilities.
This was to be a collaborative effort with the Paul and Carol David Foundation, the Aultman Foundation, Walsh University, Stark State, and the Massillon City Schools.
Apparently, the David Foundation pulled the plug, officially, because the administration, particularly School Superintendent Lisa Carmichael, and the Board of Education, did not embrace all aspects of the DREAM project. Unofficially, it was believed by many, that Jeff David, Chairman of the David Foundation, was not happy that the Head Football Coach, Jason Hall, was not appointed Athletic Director, and that the Assistant Athletic Director was not Alex Wood, a former college coach, NFL coach, and WHS graduate, who assisted the Tigers last year as offensive coordinator. Coach Wood subsequently joined the Miami Redhawks as a wide receiver coach. This was all speculation, until Board of Education Member Marshall Weinberg confirmed it to the Independent in a story today.
Mr. Weinberg wants the Board of Education to not renew the contract of current Athletic Director Tim Ridgely. According to Marshall Weinberg in the Independent story, "it's (The Athletic Director position) the lynch pin in the entire DREAM Project."
Weinberg then goes on to make the most bizarre statement we at the Massillon Review have ever heard.... Weinberg tells the Independent that recent issues, including an assistant coach and booster club member growing and selling marijuana could have been avoided if the football coach could report directly to the Superintendent.
Seriously? Weinberg's argument is that if Jason Hall, the football coach, was the Athletic Director, alleged drug lord Kevin Smith wouldn't have had a marijuana growing operation that would make a Colombian cartel jealous. There is only one possible explanation for such a bizarre statement from an elected public official. Marshall Weinberg is insane and needs serious help. Now!
There is a school board meeting scheduled on Wednesday, March 31, at 7:00PM at Emerson Elementary. We urge everyone to attend. It doesn't matter if you are for, or against the DREAM project. We need to make sure Marshall Weinberg gets the professional help he needs.
Yes, we really did elect him.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The Buck Stops Somewhere Else
Whenever a new lemonade stand opens in Massillon, our Mayor for Life is there to take credit for the job that was created. Many things, however, he does not take credit for. Every summer, when the city is short money, because city council passed his unbalanced budget, his response is that council needs to do something about it. If there are unpopular cuts to be made, he expects the auditor, not him as the city's leader, to recommend them. When Aqua Ohio, Massillon's water provider, threatened to go to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) and request a 20% increase in water rates, the Mayor's first response was that council dropped the ball and should have negotiated with Aqua Ohio directly. In particular, he placed blame at the feet of Gary Anderson, the council member who is the head of the utilities committee on city council.
See, negotiating a higher water rate is a politically unpopular thing to do. Gary Anderson is only one of three council members who is not a reliable rubber stamp for the mayor. Anderson only won his election to city council last year by a handful of votes. We can see why the Mayor would want Anderson to take the lead on raising water rates. It looks as if Aqua Ohio has a counter offer to city council of a 14.75% rate increase, versus the 20% increase they want to take to the State PUCO. This puts city council between a rock and a hard place.
City Council may choose not to negotiate with Aqua Ohio. Aqua Ohio will then go to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) and probably get close to a 20% increase in the rate they charge their customers. If council negotiates directly with Aqua Ohio, and the rates go up 14.75%, then this politically unpopular decision will lay at council's feet. Of course, you can't blame Mayor Cicchinelli. He claims this is council's problem, not his. If Anderson negotiates a rate hike, the Mayor, come the next election, will blame Anderson for the rate hike as the Mayor and his cronies try and separate Anderson from his council office. You don't get to be Mayor for Life by accepting responsibility for unpopular decisions. The rubber stamps on council will happily take responsibility for this unpopular work, and will allow the Mayor to separate himself from any rate hikes.
The Massillon Review believes that the buck does indeed stop with the Mayor. Mayor Cicchinelli should be involved with any negotiations with Aqua Ohio. He knows these folks best. He spends a lot of time talking to them when he solicits their donations for his "Mayor's Summer Concert Series."
See, negotiating a higher water rate is a politically unpopular thing to do. Gary Anderson is only one of three council members who is not a reliable rubber stamp for the mayor. Anderson only won his election to city council last year by a handful of votes. We can see why the Mayor would want Anderson to take the lead on raising water rates. It looks as if Aqua Ohio has a counter offer to city council of a 14.75% rate increase, versus the 20% increase they want to take to the State PUCO. This puts city council between a rock and a hard place.
City Council may choose not to negotiate with Aqua Ohio. Aqua Ohio will then go to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) and probably get close to a 20% increase in the rate they charge their customers. If council negotiates directly with Aqua Ohio, and the rates go up 14.75%, then this politically unpopular decision will lay at council's feet. Of course, you can't blame Mayor Cicchinelli. He claims this is council's problem, not his. If Anderson negotiates a rate hike, the Mayor, come the next election, will blame Anderson for the rate hike as the Mayor and his cronies try and separate Anderson from his council office. You don't get to be Mayor for Life by accepting responsibility for unpopular decisions. The rubber stamps on council will happily take responsibility for this unpopular work, and will allow the Mayor to separate himself from any rate hikes.
The Massillon Review believes that the buck does indeed stop with the Mayor. Mayor Cicchinelli should be involved with any negotiations with Aqua Ohio. He knows these folks best. He spends a lot of time talking to them when he solicits their donations for his "Mayor's Summer Concert Series."
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Time to Open the Mail Bag
The Massillon Review is opening up the mail bag today and will answer a letter from a reader.
This one is from a Mr. Mike Loudiana, who was responding to the post "Taxpayers snowed under," where Massillon Street Superintendent Mike Stevens racked up 80 plus hours of overtime during the recent snow storms, despite plowing no snow.
Mike Loudiana states, "Regarding your overtime comment for Mike Stevens, are you aware that under Federal Law states that you must pay overtime after an employee works 40 hours? Mr. Stevens is not a Union Member therefore he cannot drive a snow plowing truck!"
Thank you for confirming the fact that Mike Stevens did not plow any snow. Let's try this again. If he can't drive the truck and plow any snow, why is he racking up this unbelievably high amount of overtime? This could appear as a very poor expenditure of our tax dollars. Let's review this one again when the city claims it is short on making its budget again this year.
We ran this one by our crack Massillon Review legal department. As the Superintendent of the Street Department, a City Department Head, Mr. Stevens is exempt from overtime under Federal Law.
Unfortunately, it appears that our Mayor for Life is allowing his department heads to receive overtime they really should not be receiving, as they are exempt from overtime. One could speculate that this practice is designed to make these department heads extremely loyal to the Mayor, and more willing to trumpet the administration's talking points.
Let's look at Parks Director Kenn Kaminski. Director Kaminski claims our parks are in deplorable shape because of "vandals," not because there is no money for basic maintenance and upkeep. The fact that our parks money is being used to subsidize the golf course has nothing to do with a lack of maintenance at the parks. Director Kaminski racks up significant overtime, even though under Federal Law, he would be exempt from overtime. One can only speculate if this clouds his judgment.
This one is from a Mr. Mike Loudiana, who was responding to the post "Taxpayers snowed under," where Massillon Street Superintendent Mike Stevens racked up 80 plus hours of overtime during the recent snow storms, despite plowing no snow.
Mike Loudiana states, "Regarding your overtime comment for Mike Stevens, are you aware that under Federal Law states that you must pay overtime after an employee works 40 hours? Mr. Stevens is not a Union Member therefore he cannot drive a snow plowing truck!"
Thank you for confirming the fact that Mike Stevens did not plow any snow. Let's try this again. If he can't drive the truck and plow any snow, why is he racking up this unbelievably high amount of overtime? This could appear as a very poor expenditure of our tax dollars. Let's review this one again when the city claims it is short on making its budget again this year.
We ran this one by our crack Massillon Review legal department. As the Superintendent of the Street Department, a City Department Head, Mr. Stevens is exempt from overtime under Federal Law.
Unfortunately, it appears that our Mayor for Life is allowing his department heads to receive overtime they really should not be receiving, as they are exempt from overtime. One could speculate that this practice is designed to make these department heads extremely loyal to the Mayor, and more willing to trumpet the administration's talking points.
Let's look at Parks Director Kenn Kaminski. Director Kaminski claims our parks are in deplorable shape because of "vandals," not because there is no money for basic maintenance and upkeep. The fact that our parks money is being used to subsidize the golf course has nothing to do with a lack of maintenance at the parks. Director Kaminski racks up significant overtime, even though under Federal Law, he would be exempt from overtime. One can only speculate if this clouds his judgment.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Massillon Review Fun Facts
America's longest serving President was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was elected to four terms, and served 12 years, one month and 8 days. He passed away early in his fourth term.
Ohio's longest serving Governor was James A. Rhodes. He was elected to four terms, and served 16 years.
Massillon's longest serving Mayor is Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr. He was elected to six terms, and at the end of his current term will have served 24 years as mayor.
Mayor Cicchinelli has served as Mayor of Massillon during five United States Presidential Administrations, including Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.
Prior to serving as mayor, Francis Cicchinelli served 14 years as a member of city council. He was first elected when Richard Nixon was our President.
At the end of his current term as Mayor, he will have been an elected official of the City of Massillon for 38 years.
Ohio's longest serving Governor was James A. Rhodes. He was elected to four terms, and served 16 years.
Massillon's longest serving Mayor is Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr. He was elected to six terms, and at the end of his current term will have served 24 years as mayor.
Mayor Cicchinelli has served as Mayor of Massillon during five United States Presidential Administrations, including Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.
Prior to serving as mayor, Francis Cicchinelli served 14 years as a member of city council. He was first elected when Richard Nixon was our President.
At the end of his current term as Mayor, he will have been an elected official of the City of Massillon for 38 years.
Friday, March 26, 2010
When the Mayor is right, he's right!
When our Mayor for Life was taking his victory lap after a favorable court ruling from Judge Haas, which allows the Mayor to do whatever he wants in regards to our "independent" parks board, he made an interesting comment to The Independent newspaper. Again, this quote was printed in The Independent.
"All you have to do is visit some of these blogs and forums. When these types of things enter the political arena nothing gets accomplished. It doesn't help the city."
We couldn't agree more with our Mayor. One particular blog, run by an unsuccessful Democratic politician turned blogger, is fed a steady stream of insider information by the Mayor. Apparently, the Mayor even gave this person a two hour interview. The Mayor makes this blogger feel special, and important. As a result, the blogger always opines favorably on the Mayor. He carries the Mayor's water. He attacks Mayor Cicchinelli's "enemies," real and imagined, from Jack Anderson and Daniel Ellsberg (oh wait, those are Nixon's enemies) to Judge Edward Elum, Kathy Catazaro-Perry, Johnnie Maier and John Ferrero (Ferrero appears to be a new addition to the list). It's a Frank Cicchinelli propaganda machine. We agree with the Mayor. This accomplishes nothing. It doesn't help the city.
We then move to a local forum developed primarily to discuss Tiger sports. The Mayor and his minions relentlessly monitor this site and slap down anyone who dares to be critical of his policies, and harasses anyone critical of his leadership. Spinning failed City policies does not help the City. Mayor Cicchinelli is right again.
Perhaps our Mayor should spend less time spinning propaganda in cyberspace, and worrying about who agrees with him, and who doesn't. It does not help the city.
When he's right, he's right.
"All you have to do is visit some of these blogs and forums. When these types of things enter the political arena nothing gets accomplished. It doesn't help the city."
We couldn't agree more with our Mayor. One particular blog, run by an unsuccessful Democratic politician turned blogger, is fed a steady stream of insider information by the Mayor. Apparently, the Mayor even gave this person a two hour interview. The Mayor makes this blogger feel special, and important. As a result, the blogger always opines favorably on the Mayor. He carries the Mayor's water. He attacks Mayor Cicchinelli's "enemies," real and imagined, from Jack Anderson and Daniel Ellsberg (oh wait, those are Nixon's enemies) to Judge Edward Elum, Kathy Catazaro-Perry, Johnnie Maier and John Ferrero (Ferrero appears to be a new addition to the list). It's a Frank Cicchinelli propaganda machine. We agree with the Mayor. This accomplishes nothing. It doesn't help the city.
We then move to a local forum developed primarily to discuss Tiger sports. The Mayor and his minions relentlessly monitor this site and slap down anyone who dares to be critical of his policies, and harasses anyone critical of his leadership. Spinning failed City policies does not help the City. Mayor Cicchinelli is right again.
Perhaps our Mayor should spend less time spinning propaganda in cyberspace, and worrying about who agrees with him, and who doesn't. It does not help the city.
When he's right, he's right.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
What Can We Do?
The Massillon Review has received several emails from readers asking, "What can we do?" about fixing the parks mess.
Go to a City Council Meeting
Massillon City Council meets on the First and Third Monday of each month. If that Monday is a holiday, Council will meet on Tuesday night. Let them know how you feel. There is a public speaks portion of the meeting. Use it. Tell them what you think. Its your government. If you think spending our parks money on buying a restaurant at the golf course was a good idea, you may wish to personally thank Glenn Gamber, Ron Mang, David McCune, David Hersher, and Larry Slagle. Tell them our parks are a mess. Tell them what needs fixed. If nobody goes to the meetings, and all they hear is the Mayor's perspective, they feel safe in doing whatever the Mayor wants them to.
Go to the meeting after the meeting
A number of our council members like to drop in to the West End Tavern after the meeting to discuss whatever it is they discuss. Drop by and say Hi. My guess is, that after this post, they may be moving to a new location.
Drop them a line
Email them with your thoughts. They represent you.
Glenn Gamber councilpresident@massillonohio.com
Ron Mang ward1@massillonohio.com
Gary Anderson ward2@massillonohio.com
Kathy Catazaro-Perry ward3@massillonohio.com
Tony Townsend ward4@massillonohio.com
Donnie Peters ward5@massillonohio.com
David McCune ward6@massillonohio.com
Paul Manson atlargemanson@massillonohio.com
Larry Slagle atlargeslagle@massillonohio.com
David Hersher atlargehersher@massillonohio.com
Support candidates who think for themselves
Don't let them run unopposed. Support candidates who think for themselves and won't be another rubber stamp. We have too many of those now.
Judge Haas ruled that the politicians of Massillon can do whatever they want with our parks. The people need to start holding them accountable.
Go to a City Council Meeting
Massillon City Council meets on the First and Third Monday of each month. If that Monday is a holiday, Council will meet on Tuesday night. Let them know how you feel. There is a public speaks portion of the meeting. Use it. Tell them what you think. Its your government. If you think spending our parks money on buying a restaurant at the golf course was a good idea, you may wish to personally thank Glenn Gamber, Ron Mang, David McCune, David Hersher, and Larry Slagle. Tell them our parks are a mess. Tell them what needs fixed. If nobody goes to the meetings, and all they hear is the Mayor's perspective, they feel safe in doing whatever the Mayor wants them to.
Go to the meeting after the meeting
A number of our council members like to drop in to the West End Tavern after the meeting to discuss whatever it is they discuss. Drop by and say Hi. My guess is, that after this post, they may be moving to a new location.
Drop them a line
Email them with your thoughts. They represent you.
Glenn Gamber councilpresident@massillonohio.com
Ron Mang ward1@massillonohio.com
Gary Anderson ward2@massillonohio.com
Kathy Catazaro-Perry ward3@massillonohio.com
Tony Townsend ward4@massillonohio.com
Donnie Peters ward5@massillonohio.com
David McCune ward6@massillonohio.com
Paul Manson atlargemanson@massillonohio.com
Larry Slagle atlargeslagle@massillonohio.com
David Hersher atlargehersher@massillonohio.com
Support candidates who think for themselves
Don't let them run unopposed. Support candidates who think for themselves and won't be another rubber stamp. We have too many of those now.
Judge Haas ruled that the politicians of Massillon can do whatever they want with our parks. The people need to start holding them accountable.
Stark Parks
The Independent ran a story the other day about the Stark County Park District. The Stark County Park District was having a public meeting where it invited the residents of Massillon to review planned park projects with the citizens. The meeting was the first in a series to gain public input on the Park district's five year plan. The Massillon Review found this manner of operations thoroughly confusing from a parks district.
Public Input?
Open meetings?
Five year plan?
This would never happen in Massillon. What does the Stark County Park District know about parks anyways. They spend all their money on parks and trails. They don't even have a golf course! Stark Parks Director Bob Fonte doesn't even know enough to blame the vandals when something needs fixed. He just just fixes it. Shameful.
The Stark County Parks District operates on a tax levy too, a property tax levy. The Stark County Parks District has a parks board also. They are appointed by the Probate Court Judge and are non-political. Their job is merely to run a good park system, not rubber stamp for a politician.
Public Input?
Open meetings?
Five year plan?
This would never happen in Massillon. What does the Stark County Park District know about parks anyways. They spend all their money on parks and trails. They don't even have a golf course! Stark Parks Director Bob Fonte doesn't even know enough to blame the vandals when something needs fixed. He just just fixes it. Shameful.
The Stark County Parks District operates on a tax levy too, a property tax levy. The Stark County Parks District has a parks board also. They are appointed by the Probate Court Judge and are non-political. Their job is merely to run a good park system, not rubber stamp for a politician.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Who is to blame?
Who is to blame for the debacle that is the Massillon Parks and Recreation Department? Who is to blame for the deplorable condition of our parks?
We are to blame.
We keep electing Massillon's Mayor for Life and his merry band of rubber stamps to city council.
Council members Paul Manson, David McCune, David Hersher and Council President Glenn Gamber would cut off their right arms if Frank Cicchinelli told them to. They always put the Mayor's agenda ahead of what is in the best interests of the taxpayers. Always and without exception.
Council Members Larry Slagle, Ron Mang, and Donnie Peters are reliable votes for the Mayor about 95% of the time. They are not quite the loyalists Manson, McCune, Hersher, and Gamber are, but they definitely subscribe to the philosophy of "go along and get along." Except for Ron Mang, they were all unopposed in the last elections for city council.
Glenn Gamber (D) Council President - Unopposed
David McCune (D) Ward 6 - Unopposed
Donnie Peters (R) Ward 5 - Unopposed
Paul Manson (D) Council At Large - Unopposed
Larry Slagle (D) Council At Large - Unopposed
David Hersher (D) Council At Large - Unopposed
We let this happen. We are responsible. We gave them a free ride, and we rewarded their bad behavior.
We are to blame.
We keep electing Massillon's Mayor for Life and his merry band of rubber stamps to city council.
Council members Paul Manson, David McCune, David Hersher and Council President Glenn Gamber would cut off their right arms if Frank Cicchinelli told them to. They always put the Mayor's agenda ahead of what is in the best interests of the taxpayers. Always and without exception.
Council Members Larry Slagle, Ron Mang, and Donnie Peters are reliable votes for the Mayor about 95% of the time. They are not quite the loyalists Manson, McCune, Hersher, and Gamber are, but they definitely subscribe to the philosophy of "go along and get along." Except for Ron Mang, they were all unopposed in the last elections for city council.
Glenn Gamber (D) Council President - Unopposed
David McCune (D) Ward 6 - Unopposed
Donnie Peters (R) Ward 5 - Unopposed
Paul Manson (D) Council At Large - Unopposed
Larry Slagle (D) Council At Large - Unopposed
David Hersher (D) Council At Large - Unopposed
We let this happen. We are responsible. We gave them a free ride, and we rewarded their bad behavior.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
A Man with a Plan
The Mayor's plan, because there is not enough parks tax money for the golf course, the golf course debt, the recreation center, and the city's parks, was to start selling off the city's parks and keeping the proceeds for the city's general fund.
The first park to be sold was Genshaft Park. This is where the controversy started. Genshaft Park was a gift from the Arthur Genshaft family to the City of Massillon. It was to be used as a park. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources even gave the city a grant, so that it could be used as a park. One of the strings attached to the natural resources grants was that it must be used as a park forever.
Mayor Cicchinelli tried to sell it. This is the action that generated the lawsuit Judge Haas ruled on. The buyer pulled out, but now the Mayor for Life has the green light to legally sell this park, or any other park, without competitive bidding. Mayor Cicchinelli will try and sell Genshaft park again. He can legally sell, with his rubber stamp council's approval, any parks property he wants to that supposedly belonged to our "independent" parks and recreation board. He can keep the proceeds from the sale and use it for his general fund, which, coincidentally, has a shortfall.
What can happen?
The City's park system can be reduced to the recreation center and golf course only. No parks. No Green space. All legal. Our voter approved .3 percent parks tax has been perverted into a subsidy for a failing golf course. At least until 2032.
Monday, March 22, 2010
What next?
What Judge Haas' decision means to the parks and recreation district is crystal clear.
When the golf course was expanded from 18 to 27 holes, the debt on the course went from about 2 million dollars to about 7.2 million dollars. When the City added the extra nine holes, they ended up having to rebuild the whole course, all 27 holes.
Mayor Cicchinelli knew the City could not afford to pay the 7.2 million dollar debt. Payments are due until 2032.
Massillon's Mayor for Life made a choice. His council rubber stamps, all the Democrats on council at the time, unloaded the city's golf course on to the parks and recreation board, so that the park board would be saddled with this unsustainable debt load. They did it the week before Christmas, 2002.
The truth is, the parks tax does not generate enough money to subsidize the golf course and its debt, the recreation center, and the city's park system. As a result, our parks have fallen into disrepair and have not received even basic maintenance and upkeep.
Something has to give.
Don't worry, the Mayor has a plan...
Game. Set. Match.
Stark County Judge John Haas ruled that the Legends of Massillon Golf Course can indeed be subsidized by the income tax money passed by the residents of Massillon specifically for parks and recreation.
The operation of the golf course can legally be placed under the jurisdiction of the "independent" parks and recreation board. Park levy funds can be used to pay the golf course's substantial debt.
Furthermore, the City Council and Mayor may sell property that belongs to the "independent" parks and recreation board, without competitive bidding, and may put the proceeds of the sale into the City's general fund, not back into the parks and recreation department fund.
Basically, if the parks board buys land with with parks and recreation board tax dollars, the city can sell the property, without the approval of the parks and recreation board, and keep the proceeds.
Game. Set. Match.
The operation of the golf course can legally be placed under the jurisdiction of the "independent" parks and recreation board. Park levy funds can be used to pay the golf course's substantial debt.
Furthermore, the City Council and Mayor may sell property that belongs to the "independent" parks and recreation board, without competitive bidding, and may put the proceeds of the sale into the City's general fund, not back into the parks and recreation department fund.
Basically, if the parks board buys land with with parks and recreation board tax dollars, the city can sell the property, without the approval of the parks and recreation board, and keep the proceeds.
Game. Set. Match.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Mayor Giveth and the Mayor Taketh Away
There was an interesting article in The Independent last Thursday about whether or not Massillon's Mayor for life could demand that $565,000 that the City transferred to the Parks and Rec Department could be taken back. According to the Ohio State Auditor's office, the answer is no. A transfer is a permanent action.
Where does this $565,000 come from? Several Massillon Review readers claim that $365,000 is actual Parks money that came from the old park department, which became the new Parks and Recreation Board when it was created in 1995. So, according to these readers, it was parks money that went to the parks. How can the Mayor claim this money doesn't belong to the Parks?
These readers also believe that the other $200,000 is money the City owed the Parks Board when the Agathon was sold. It was owned by the Parks Board. It was sold. The Parks were supposed to get $1,000,000 over 10 years. $100,000 per year. They allegedly got two payments (200,000) and the City kept the rest. The Mayor allegedly then wanted this money back as well. Regardless of the reasons for the transfers, they were transfers, according to the State Auditor, permanent movements of money.
All of a sudden our Mayor wanted to "forgive" this debt that was owed the City. How generous. Just pay for the Restaurant buyout with our Park funds and our Mayor for Life will forgive this $565,000 debt. What a deal! Except that he could never collect it anyway.
The State Auditor said the transfer was permanent. The Mayor for Life is not entitled to this money. Of course our Mayor claims ignorance. It's just "Auditor Jargon," and "Technically, legally" he doesn't know.
Don't you believe it. 23 years as Mayor. 12 more as councilman. You don't get to be Mayor for Life by being stupid. He knows he can't squeeze that money out of the Park Board legally. He wants to spin it in his favor politically through his magnanimous gesture of generosity.
He will introduce an ordinance forgiving this park debt. The rubber stamps will gleefully pass it. He will climb to the mountain top and tell the people of Massillon how much he has helped our parks system. He "gave" them $565,000, he's doing all he can.
He can't legally get the money back. It's just a political stunt and the Mayor knows it.
Where does this $565,000 come from? Several Massillon Review readers claim that $365,000 is actual Parks money that came from the old park department, which became the new Parks and Recreation Board when it was created in 1995. So, according to these readers, it was parks money that went to the parks. How can the Mayor claim this money doesn't belong to the Parks?
These readers also believe that the other $200,000 is money the City owed the Parks Board when the Agathon was sold. It was owned by the Parks Board. It was sold. The Parks were supposed to get $1,000,000 over 10 years. $100,000 per year. They allegedly got two payments (200,000) and the City kept the rest. The Mayor allegedly then wanted this money back as well. Regardless of the reasons for the transfers, they were transfers, according to the State Auditor, permanent movements of money.
All of a sudden our Mayor wanted to "forgive" this debt that was owed the City. How generous. Just pay for the Restaurant buyout with our Park funds and our Mayor for Life will forgive this $565,000 debt. What a deal! Except that he could never collect it anyway.
The State Auditor said the transfer was permanent. The Mayor for Life is not entitled to this money. Of course our Mayor claims ignorance. It's just "Auditor Jargon," and "Technically, legally" he doesn't know.
Don't you believe it. 23 years as Mayor. 12 more as councilman. You don't get to be Mayor for Life by being stupid. He knows he can't squeeze that money out of the Park Board legally. He wants to spin it in his favor politically through his magnanimous gesture of generosity.
He will introduce an ordinance forgiving this park debt. The rubber stamps will gleefully pass it. He will climb to the mountain top and tell the people of Massillon how much he has helped our parks system. He "gave" them $565,000, he's doing all he can.
He can't legally get the money back. It's just a political stunt and the Mayor knows it.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Hey Hey It's the Vandals
At the weekly Massillon Review staff poker night, we figured out why Massillon's parks were in such deplorable condition. It wasn't the result of inadequate funding. It wasn't because our Mayor for Life and his gang of cronies hijacked the parks money to subsidize the mountain of debt at the golf course. It's because of the vandals!
Oddly enough, Parks Director Kenn Kaminski agrees with us. Vandals.
The vandals obviously are responsible for not picking up the trash. The vandals must have stolen the mulch that never gets replaced every spring. The vandals caused the paint to chip. The vandals caused the fencing to rust. The vandals didn't prune the trees, or replace and repair the rubberized track at the reservoir. The vandals refuse to do preventative maintenance and fix those problems that come through natural wear and tear. It was the vandals responsible for inadequate security. It is all so clear.
No, it isn't that the parks have no money for maintenance and capital improvement projects, because the Mayor chose to save a golf course used by the few, and neglect the parks, used by the many. It's the vandals!
Kenn Kaminski needs to open up his "2010 Park Tour, It's all the Vandals Fault," to the public. Actually, when he schedules his council only parks tour, the taxpayers need to just show up.
Kenn Kaminski has wisely decided that his primary responsibility isn't to the parks system. It is to be a PR flak for our Mayor for Life, and to provide Mayor Frank political cover. Kenn doesn't dare bite the hand that feeds him. He has overtime built into his contract. He has a city car which he drives to and from his home in Medina. It's all so clear. Vandals.
Oddly enough, Parks Director Kenn Kaminski agrees with us. Vandals.
The vandals obviously are responsible for not picking up the trash. The vandals must have stolen the mulch that never gets replaced every spring. The vandals caused the paint to chip. The vandals caused the fencing to rust. The vandals didn't prune the trees, or replace and repair the rubberized track at the reservoir. The vandals refuse to do preventative maintenance and fix those problems that come through natural wear and tear. It was the vandals responsible for inadequate security. It is all so clear.
No, it isn't that the parks have no money for maintenance and capital improvement projects, because the Mayor chose to save a golf course used by the few, and neglect the parks, used by the many. It's the vandals!
Kenn Kaminski needs to open up his "2010 Park Tour, It's all the Vandals Fault," to the public. Actually, when he schedules his council only parks tour, the taxpayers need to just show up.
Kenn Kaminski has wisely decided that his primary responsibility isn't to the parks system. It is to be a PR flak for our Mayor for Life, and to provide Mayor Frank political cover. Kenn doesn't dare bite the hand that feeds him. He has overtime built into his contract. He has a city car which he drives to and from his home in Medina. It's all so clear. Vandals.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Poker Night
It's Friday night, and that means its poker night. The staff at the Massillon Review likes to get together on Fridays and play a little poker (we play for potato chips, not poker chips). We discuss Tiger football, local politics, the parks, oil exploration, agriculture, and other stuff. Then we go over our enemies list, which takes half the night. We go back to the 1970's and discuss who is plotting against us. We hope you enjoy your Friday night as much as we do!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Christmas in the City
Massillon's Mayor for Life is one shrewd politician. As we learned earlier, he dumped the Legends of Massillon Golf Course on the Parks and Recreation Department at the City Council Meeting right before Christmas in 2002. The taxpayers were too busy shopping, cooking, cleaning, and making merry during this festive time of the year to pay real close attention to what was happening in city government.
Mayor Cicchinelli understands that Christmas is the time of the year he can pass those things that the citizens would find most offensive. Like pay raises for life.
On December 21, 1995, Massillon's merry band of rubber stamps passed an ordinance giving themselves, the Mayor, Law Director, Auditor, and Treasurer lifetime pay raises, which don't require a vote by anyone at anytime. Council voted for, and Mayor Cicchinelli signed this ordinance, which gave the Mayor a 21% raise in 1996, and then unvoted raises every year thereafter.
Here's how it works. Every year, the Mayor, city council, and the Law Director, Treasurer, and Auditor get an automatic, unvoted salary increase tied to the consumer price index. This ordinance is open ended, meaning it goes on forever. It is also uncapped, meaning there is no ceiling as to how high it can be during any given year.
Our Mayor for Life was a young pup then, he had just won his third term and decided, since he was going to be Mayor for Life, that he be compensated properly. He signed legislation giving himself an immediate 21% pay hike as an "adjustment," and then he would get an automatic raise every year. The taxpayers wouldn't care. It was four days before Christmas! Who was paying attention anyways!
Here is an example of how this worked just last year, in 2009. While the Mayor and Auditor Jayne Ferrero demanded that the rank and file employees take furloughs, and pay cuts, Mayor Cicchinelli took a 4.1% increase in his own pay. While the rank and file took less pay, the Mayor took more pay. While record unemployment was sweeping through the city, while residents were losing their jobs, or having their hours cut, the Mayor took more. We will call this leadership by example.
"When I told the Queen that her people had no bread, do you know what her response was?"
"Let them eat cake!"
The taxpayers of Massillon better learn to be more vigilant, especially around the holidays. This can't happen if you pay attention. Put the tree up early, and make sure to get to those council meetings right before Christmas.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Show me the money!
Mayor Cicchinelli claimed at Monday night's council meeting that if his city council loyalists would spend tax dollars earmarked by the voter approved parks tax on a restaurant buyout at the golf course, the Mayor would generously forgive $565,000 that the park board owes the city.
Excuse me?
Massillon would love to know just how the parks board owes the city $565,000.
The city has milked the parks and recreation department for years. Now the Mayor thinks he should get over a half million dollars back?
Back in 2008, four juvenile delinquents set fire to the chapel at the former Massillon State Hospital Grounds. The building, unfortunately, was destroyed. The property had been purchased by the parks department. The parks department paid the insurance premiums on the building. The insurance carrier paid out the claim for $490,000. As the parks department owned the building, and paid the insurance premiums, it would seem logical that the insurance money would go back to the park's coffers. Nope. Not with Frank Cicchinelli as Mayor for Life.
Frank took the money from the parks department. Former (note the word former) Chairman of the "independent" parks and recreation board, Joe Luckring, dared to write the Mayor a letter. Luckring had the audacity to ask the Mayor to give the parks department the money that rightly belonged to the parks department. The Mayor had a very clever solution. He replaced Joe Luckring on the parks board. Remember, the Parks and Recreation Board is a five member board. According to state law, the Mayor makes three appointments, which must be approved by city council, and the Massillon School Board makes two appointments.
Mayor Cicchinelli replaced him with Ron Pribich, the ultimate insider and Cicchinelli loyalist. City council was so offended by this appointment, that even they voted it down 6-3. This was the first parks appointee council ever voted down. Guess what? Pribich got to stay. Apparently, Massillon had their own ordinance stating that the Mayor didn't need council's approval after all. Even though it was state law, and even though council had been voting on these appointees in the past, it didn't matter. We must admit, you don't get to be Mayor for Life by being stupid.
By the way, for those keeping score at home, don't worry, council members Manson, Hersher, and McCune voted for Ron Pribich. They always rubber stamp for the boss.
Before this swindle was the scam at the Agathon. The city sold the Agathon site, which was owned by the parks department. The city was supposed to pay the parks board back $100,000 per year, for 10 years. Guess what? They didn't. They made three payments and kept the rest.
The taxpayers of Massillon are waiting to find out how the parks and recreation board owes the City $565,000. Knowing our Mayor's creativity, you just know this one is gonna be good!
Excuse me?
Massillon would love to know just how the parks board owes the city $565,000.
The city has milked the parks and recreation department for years. Now the Mayor thinks he should get over a half million dollars back?
Back in 2008, four juvenile delinquents set fire to the chapel at the former Massillon State Hospital Grounds. The building, unfortunately, was destroyed. The property had been purchased by the parks department. The parks department paid the insurance premiums on the building. The insurance carrier paid out the claim for $490,000. As the parks department owned the building, and paid the insurance premiums, it would seem logical that the insurance money would go back to the park's coffers. Nope. Not with Frank Cicchinelli as Mayor for Life.
Frank took the money from the parks department. Former (note the word former) Chairman of the "independent" parks and recreation board, Joe Luckring, dared to write the Mayor a letter. Luckring had the audacity to ask the Mayor to give the parks department the money that rightly belonged to the parks department. The Mayor had a very clever solution. He replaced Joe Luckring on the parks board. Remember, the Parks and Recreation Board is a five member board. According to state law, the Mayor makes three appointments, which must be approved by city council, and the Massillon School Board makes two appointments.
Mayor Cicchinelli replaced him with Ron Pribich, the ultimate insider and Cicchinelli loyalist. City council was so offended by this appointment, that even they voted it down 6-3. This was the first parks appointee council ever voted down. Guess what? Pribich got to stay. Apparently, Massillon had their own ordinance stating that the Mayor didn't need council's approval after all. Even though it was state law, and even though council had been voting on these appointees in the past, it didn't matter. We must admit, you don't get to be Mayor for Life by being stupid.
By the way, for those keeping score at home, don't worry, council members Manson, Hersher, and McCune voted for Ron Pribich. They always rubber stamp for the boss.
Before this swindle was the scam at the Agathon. The city sold the Agathon site, which was owned by the parks department. The city was supposed to pay the parks board back $100,000 per year, for 10 years. Guess what? They didn't. They made three payments and kept the rest.
The taxpayers of Massillon are waiting to find out how the parks and recreation board owes the City $565,000. Knowing our Mayor's creativity, you just know this one is gonna be good!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Welcome Back, Donnie
The Republican Party has traditionally been about fiscal responsibility and limited government. Massillon City Council has only had one Republican councilman in the last five years. That has been Donnie Peters, Republican, from Ward 5.
Unfortunately, Donnie has spent most of his time on council being a reliable vote for the Cicchinelli agenda. Happy to go along, and follow the lead of Council President Glenn Gamber, Donnie has been a disappointment to Massillon's Republicans. Until yesterday.
Peters voted no to using our park tax dollars to fund a restaurant buyout. He told The Independent that he opposed the city being in a business that could be done better by the private sector.
Welcome back to the fold Donnie. The lost sheep has returned to the flock.
Be careful what you wish for!
In November of 2002, Massillon City Council finalized a general obligation bond on the golf course, for $7,281,000 and change. This took the old debt from the original 18 hole course, rolled it in with the nine hole expansion, which was over budget, and created one really big loan that the city administration knew it could never pay back. What to do, What to do? Our Mayor decides to unload this white elephant on to the parks and recreation board. That way, the parks would be stuck with this mountain of debt, which will not be paid off until 2032. We are not kidding. 2032. The parks board would have to use the income tax that the voters approved for parks and recreation to pay golf course expenses. This of course would, and did, drain the parks department. The Mayor's rubber stamp council cheerfully approved this scheme the week before Christmas, when most folks weren't paying real close attention. As was discussed earlier, it was a 7-2 vote. The two Republicans voted no. Ward 3 Councilwoman Claudette Istnick was extremely vocal in her opposition to this scheme. She stood up to the Mayor. She argued with the Mayor. Mayor Cicchinelli, never one to tolerate dissent, or independence, or competence on his council, decided it was time to go shopping for a new Third Ward Council Woman. Seven out of nine votes may be a super majority, but having two dissenters was unacceptable to Massillon's Mayor for Life.
He recruited Kathy Catazaro-Perry. Seriously. He recruited her. Cicchinelli and his aide de camps, John Kurtzman and John Ferrero (now county prosecutor), talked Kathy Catazaro-Perry into running for council against Claudette Istnick. Catazaro-Perry worked her tail off and beat Istnick fairly comfortably. Sadly though, the good times between Kathy and the Mayor were short lived. Kathy developed an independent streak. She wouldn't follow the Mayor's marching orders, and then she did the unforgivable. She made up her own mind on the issues. This strained their relationship beyond repair.
The good old boys were not happy. Kathy was a hard worker who had bigger... more testicular fortitude than any of the men on council. No member of city council has stood up for the people of our city over the special interests more than Kathy Catazaro-Perry has. She thinks for herself. Agree with her, don't agree with her, at least she is her own person.
For this, the taxpayers of Massillon would like to sincerely thank Mayor Frank Cicchinelli for getting Kathy Catazaro-Perry involved in city politics. We salute you, Mayor, for an excellent decision!
He recruited Kathy Catazaro-Perry. Seriously. He recruited her. Cicchinelli and his aide de camps, John Kurtzman and John Ferrero (now county prosecutor), talked Kathy Catazaro-Perry into running for council against Claudette Istnick. Catazaro-Perry worked her tail off and beat Istnick fairly comfortably. Sadly though, the good times between Kathy and the Mayor were short lived. Kathy developed an independent streak. She wouldn't follow the Mayor's marching orders, and then she did the unforgivable. She made up her own mind on the issues. This strained their relationship beyond repair.
The good old boys were not happy. Kathy was a hard worker who had bigger... more testicular fortitude than any of the men on council. No member of city council has stood up for the people of our city over the special interests more than Kathy Catazaro-Perry has. She thinks for herself. Agree with her, don't agree with her, at least she is her own person.
For this, the taxpayers of Massillon would like to sincerely thank Mayor Frank Cicchinelli for getting Kathy Catazaro-Perry involved in city politics. We salute you, Mayor, for an excellent decision!
Monday, March 15, 2010
The taxpayers bought a restaurant
In a shocking vote, City Council stunningly approved the Mayor's proposal to buy out the concessions contract at the Legends of Massillon Golf Course. The only suprise was that Councilman Donnie Peters voted against the Mayor. Councilman Manson was absent. The vote was four to four, with Hersher, Mang, McCune and Slagle supporting the purchase. Council President Glenn Gamber broke the tie in favor of spending park tax dollars on the concessions contract. Gamber is a Cicchinelli loyalist and his vote should suprise no one.
The taxpayers would like to thank Donnie Peters, Kathy Catazaro-Perry, Gary Anderson and Tony Townsend for doing the right thing.
The taxpayers would like to thank Donnie Peters, Kathy Catazaro-Perry, Gary Anderson and Tony Townsend for doing the right thing.
Golf Course Q & A
In response to one reader's question - No, the golf course was not always part of the City's parks and recreation department. When the parks and recreation department was formed in 1995, the golf course was never part of the equation. See former Parks boss Bob Straugn's letter posted yesterday. The golf course was merged with the parks and recreation department on December 18, 2002. Mayor Cicchinelli proposed it, and council approved it. It was the week before Christmas, and I doubt the residents were paying a whole lot of attention to city council. Mayor Cicchinelli had excellent timing!The Legends of Massillon golf course had been expanded from 18 to 27 holes. The cost to expand the course ran well over budget. The debt load was too large for the city and the solution was to dump the course on the parks department and use the parks and recreation tax dollars to prop up the golf course. One could guess that the voters would never have passed the three tenths percent income tax for the parks department if they knew their tax dollars were going to be used to pay for a golf course. Of course we will never know, as only the council got to vote.
It was a 7-2 vote. The two Republicans on council, Jim Filhour and Claudette Istnick, voted no. Tim Bryan, who later ran for Mayor, was against the merger before he was for it. The most interesting vote was cast by former council member Gloria Autrey. She stated that no money from the parks and recreation department would be funneled to the golf course. The other Democrats who voted for this golf course bailout were;
Mike Loudiana (current city Service Director)
Ron Mang (still on council)
Bill Aman
Glenn Gamber (now council president)
Paul Lambert (now city treasurer)
.
By the way, if you want to hear the absolute worst jingle in recorded history, go to massillonparks.com and listen to;
Excellence in Motion - City of Massillon Parks and Recreation Department
I hope the city didn't actually pay for this.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Weekly meeting of the rubber stamps
According to The Independent, Massillon's rubber stamp council will be meeting tomorrow to approve some more of Mayor Cicchinelli's fiscally responsible agenda. Council will approve, on a 6-3 vote, to spend $200,000 dollars from our parks to buy out the concessions contract at the Legends of Massillon golf course. I think the Indians negotiated a better deal when they sold Manhattan for $24, than when Frank Cicchinelli drew up the concessions contract at the Legends. Then council is going to enter into a contract with the URS Corporation to "perform a sewer rate study" for the wastewater treatment plant. Let me get this straight. City council is going to pay a company money so that this company can tell Massillon to raise its sewer rates. They certainly aren't going to tell them to lower their rates, right?
Councilman David Hersher, a champion of raising your sewer rates, will be spearheading this issue. As soon as Hersher was sworn in as a new councilman, his first legislative initiative was to raise the sewer rates. When he was running for office, I'm sure the residents of Massillon told him over and over that they wanted their sewer rates increased. "Dave, when you get to city hall, you make sure those sewer rates are raised!"
Here is why the sewer rates get raised all the time. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone. Because the administration uses the money for more than than just the waste water treatment plant. An income tax increase has to be voted on by the people. The sewer rate increase only has to be passed by council.
Councilman David Hersher, a champion of raising your sewer rates, will be spearheading this issue. As soon as Hersher was sworn in as a new councilman, his first legislative initiative was to raise the sewer rates. When he was running for office, I'm sure the residents of Massillon told him over and over that they wanted their sewer rates increased. "Dave, when you get to city hall, you make sure those sewer rates are raised!"
Here is why the sewer rates get raised all the time. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone. Because the administration uses the money for more than than just the waste water treatment plant. An income tax increase has to be voted on by the people. The sewer rate increase only has to be passed by council.
Setting the Record Straight
This was forwarded to the Massillon Review and we thought this might be of interest to our readers;
To the People of Massillon
I am writing this letter to set the record straight on the “Parks and Recreation Tax” and its relationship to the “Legends of Massillon Golf Course”. I would like to state up front that I have nothing to gain by writing this letter. What I do have an interest in is for the Mayor and City Council to do the right thing for all the citizens and friends of the Parks that worked so hard to make the Parks and Recreation plan become a reality.
The Parks and Recreation Master Plan differed itself from the Legends of Massillon Golf Course in a couple of very distinctive ways. One was that the Parks and Recreation plan offered “something for everyone” not just golfers and secondly all the registered voters in Massillon had an opportunity to vote on the Parks and Recreation issue up or down - they had a real say in the outcome unlike the Golf course which was decided on by nine council members.
We pitched the Parks and Recreation Master Plan to groups like the Little League, Girls fast pitch ASA, MAGI (Massillon Area Greenways), The Massillon Senior Center, Massillon Football Booster Club just to mention a few groups. We also held town hall meetings in every ward in the city using an open forum format where citizens could input ideas and ask any questions they’d like about the plan. During every presentation there were a couple of questions that were asked repeatedly. One question was if the parks and recreation master plan had anything to do with the Golf course and the second most asked question was who will control the money. My answers were simple and factual – the Parks and Recreation tax has nothing to do with the Legends of Massillon Golf course and that the money by statutory Law (Massillon is a Statutory city) would be controlled by a five member Parks and Recreation Board with three members being appointed by the Mayor and two being appointed by the Massillon School Board.
The parks and recreation board was to function outside the political landscape of city hall. With its own funding source approved by the voters, its focus was to oversee recreational facilities, recreational programming, developing parks and playgrounds as well as any other recreational or quality of life opportunities they envisioned for the citizens of Massillon.
With that said, during the master planning process I was asked by Don Hulick of Leisure Group to approach Mayor Cicchinelli about the possibility of transferring the Golf Course at some point in time to the Parks and Recreation Board. The impetus behind this question was related to the proposed three- tenths of a percent (0.3%) income tax funding source that we had used for developing the master plan. It was uncovered through Mr. Hulick’s master planning process and his own experiences with developing a municipal golf course in Cuyahoga Falls, where he was the Superintendent Parks and Recreation for his entire career, that if, we were going to bring the Legends of Massillon Golf Course under the Parks and Recreation Department we would need to ask the voters for an additional tenth of a percent tax raising the amount it would require to fund the Master Plan to four- tenths (0.4%) of a percent. If we didn’t account for it now, that down the road the parks and recreation tax at three- tenths of a percent would not support both the master plan and the golf course. Mr. Hulick also stated that if moving the Legends of Massillon Golf Course under the Park and Recreation Boards control was even a remote possibility that we better go for the increase funding now, and that it would be virtually impossible to go back to the voters at a later date and ask for more money.
When I asked Mayor Cicchinelli about the possibility of moving the Legends of Massillon golf course to the control of the Parks and Recreation Department either before the tax issue went on the ballot or even down the road at some point in time due to the fact that the park and recreation tax would not support both - he responded emphatically that the Legends of Massillon Golf Course would not now or ever be under the control of the Parks and Recreation Board. Furthermore, the Mayor stated to me he would not even consider that option when the Golf course was a money maker for the City, or so he thought. With that said, our committee moved forward with putting the Parks and Recreation plan on the ballot without including the golf course. We passed the park tax issue (0.3%) in August 1995 by over a 100 votes.
As the Superintendent of the Parks, I was involved in every detail of the master plan. I worked hand in hand with the Leisure Group which was the firm the city contracted to produce the master plan as well as the “Citizens for Parks and Recreation” which was the committee formed to support the issue and included hundreds of supporters thought out the community.
To all those who supported the parks and recreation issue then and to those who have come to enjoy the fruits of the parks and recreation tax to date I say, “Unite and get engaged.” Call the Mayor, call your council person, call Judge John Haas and go to the council meetings and demand that this issue be made right. No one voted to include the Legends of Massillon golf course in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. It’s your quality of life that’s at stake.
Bob Straughn
Parks Superintendent 1990 - 1995
To the People of Massillon
I am writing this letter to set the record straight on the “Parks and Recreation Tax” and its relationship to the “Legends of Massillon Golf Course”. I would like to state up front that I have nothing to gain by writing this letter. What I do have an interest in is for the Mayor and City Council to do the right thing for all the citizens and friends of the Parks that worked so hard to make the Parks and Recreation plan become a reality.
The Parks and Recreation Master Plan differed itself from the Legends of Massillon Golf Course in a couple of very distinctive ways. One was that the Parks and Recreation plan offered “something for everyone” not just golfers and secondly all the registered voters in Massillon had an opportunity to vote on the Parks and Recreation issue up or down - they had a real say in the outcome unlike the Golf course which was decided on by nine council members.
We pitched the Parks and Recreation Master Plan to groups like the Little League, Girls fast pitch ASA, MAGI (Massillon Area Greenways), The Massillon Senior Center, Massillon Football Booster Club just to mention a few groups. We also held town hall meetings in every ward in the city using an open forum format where citizens could input ideas and ask any questions they’d like about the plan. During every presentation there were a couple of questions that were asked repeatedly. One question was if the parks and recreation master plan had anything to do with the Golf course and the second most asked question was who will control the money. My answers were simple and factual – the Parks and Recreation tax has nothing to do with the Legends of Massillon Golf course and that the money by statutory Law (Massillon is a Statutory city) would be controlled by a five member Parks and Recreation Board with three members being appointed by the Mayor and two being appointed by the Massillon School Board.
The parks and recreation board was to function outside the political landscape of city hall. With its own funding source approved by the voters, its focus was to oversee recreational facilities, recreational programming, developing parks and playgrounds as well as any other recreational or quality of life opportunities they envisioned for the citizens of Massillon.
With that said, during the master planning process I was asked by Don Hulick of Leisure Group to approach Mayor Cicchinelli about the possibility of transferring the Golf Course at some point in time to the Parks and Recreation Board. The impetus behind this question was related to the proposed three- tenths of a percent (0.3%) income tax funding source that we had used for developing the master plan. It was uncovered through Mr. Hulick’s master planning process and his own experiences with developing a municipal golf course in Cuyahoga Falls, where he was the Superintendent Parks and Recreation for his entire career, that if, we were going to bring the Legends of Massillon Golf Course under the Parks and Recreation Department we would need to ask the voters for an additional tenth of a percent tax raising the amount it would require to fund the Master Plan to four- tenths (0.4%) of a percent. If we didn’t account for it now, that down the road the parks and recreation tax at three- tenths of a percent would not support both the master plan and the golf course. Mr. Hulick also stated that if moving the Legends of Massillon Golf Course under the Park and Recreation Boards control was even a remote possibility that we better go for the increase funding now, and that it would be virtually impossible to go back to the voters at a later date and ask for more money.
When I asked Mayor Cicchinelli about the possibility of moving the Legends of Massillon golf course to the control of the Parks and Recreation Department either before the tax issue went on the ballot or even down the road at some point in time due to the fact that the park and recreation tax would not support both - he responded emphatically that the Legends of Massillon Golf Course would not now or ever be under the control of the Parks and Recreation Board. Furthermore, the Mayor stated to me he would not even consider that option when the Golf course was a money maker for the City, or so he thought. With that said, our committee moved forward with putting the Parks and Recreation plan on the ballot without including the golf course. We passed the park tax issue (0.3%) in August 1995 by over a 100 votes.
As the Superintendent of the Parks, I was involved in every detail of the master plan. I worked hand in hand with the Leisure Group which was the firm the city contracted to produce the master plan as well as the “Citizens for Parks and Recreation” which was the committee formed to support the issue and included hundreds of supporters thought out the community.
To all those who supported the parks and recreation issue then and to those who have come to enjoy the fruits of the parks and recreation tax to date I say, “Unite and get engaged.” Call the Mayor, call your council person, call Judge John Haas and go to the council meetings and demand that this issue be made right. No one voted to include the Legends of Massillon golf course in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. It’s your quality of life that’s at stake.
Bob Straughn
Parks Superintendent 1990 - 1995
Glenn Gamber - Council's Boss
In 2003, Republican Donnie Peters ran against Massillon's Ward 5 Councilman, Democrat Glenn Gamber. Massillon's Ward 5, on the Southwest side of Massillon, is overwhelmingly Democratic. Donnie Peters almost upsets Glenn, and Glenn holds on to win by a mere 8 votes. As Donnie gears up for a rematch, Glenn Gamber looks for a way out.
As Glenn Gamber is a Mayor Cicchinelli loyalist, and reliable rubber stamp, something had to be done to help him. Glenn Gamber announces to the world that he is "retiring" from politics, and won't be seeking re-election. Donnie Peters is now running unopposed for Ward 5 council, as Glenn is now "retired."
What about Glenn? At the candidate filing deadline, Glenn files petitions to run for Massillon Council President. This was odd, because Massillon already had a Democratic Council President, Dennis Harwig. Was Glenn, who didn't think he could beat a Republican in an overwhelming Democratic ward, now thinking he could beat the sitting council President? No, the fix was in!
Behind closed doors so that citizens wouldn't know these offices were open, and that they could run too, the Mayor's political machine was running on all cylinders.
Dennis Harwig was appointed City Income Tax Investigator. Harwig then vacated his council president's position, so Glenn would win the election unopposed, and be appointed to the remainder of Harwig's term. Harwig's "job" was to visit construction sites and account for any income tax due the city. He was also supposed to submit a written report to city council every month detailing his progress. He submitted only one report total in four plus years. It was well known that Harwig really didn't do much income tax work.
City employees would catch Harwig sleeping in a first floor office during the day. It was so bad, that during the city's budget crisis in 2009, where some employees were laid off, or furloughed, that Denny Harwig was asked to "retire." This critical city position was so important to the city, that it was never filled again.
More importantly, Glenn Gamber through this series of events, was able to continue his political career and be Massillon City Council President.
As Glenn Gamber is a Mayor Cicchinelli loyalist, and reliable rubber stamp, something had to be done to help him. Glenn Gamber announces to the world that he is "retiring" from politics, and won't be seeking re-election. Donnie Peters is now running unopposed for Ward 5 council, as Glenn is now "retired."
What about Glenn? At the candidate filing deadline, Glenn files petitions to run for Massillon Council President. This was odd, because Massillon already had a Democratic Council President, Dennis Harwig. Was Glenn, who didn't think he could beat a Republican in an overwhelming Democratic ward, now thinking he could beat the sitting council President? No, the fix was in!
Behind closed doors so that citizens wouldn't know these offices were open, and that they could run too, the Mayor's political machine was running on all cylinders.
Dennis Harwig was appointed City Income Tax Investigator. Harwig then vacated his council president's position, so Glenn would win the election unopposed, and be appointed to the remainder of Harwig's term. Harwig's "job" was to visit construction sites and account for any income tax due the city. He was also supposed to submit a written report to city council every month detailing his progress. He submitted only one report total in four plus years. It was well known that Harwig really didn't do much income tax work.
City employees would catch Harwig sleeping in a first floor office during the day. It was so bad, that during the city's budget crisis in 2009, where some employees were laid off, or furloughed, that Denny Harwig was asked to "retire." This critical city position was so important to the city, that it was never filled again.
More importantly, Glenn Gamber through this series of events, was able to continue his political career and be Massillon City Council President.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Tiger Town Trivia
Did you know?
It was Massillon Mayor Frank Cicchinelli who appointed Kevin Smith, who subsequently was alleged of operating a massive marijuana growing operation, to the Massillon Board of Zoning Appeals.
A fine choice for city government!
Golf Course Boondoggle
The rubber stamps who sit on our city council will be meeting on Monday to scam our Parks Department out of another $200,000. A city source has told the Massillon Review that Mayor Cicchinelli is trying to buy out the concessions contract at the Legends of Massillon Golf Course. Apparantly, when the course opened, the concessions contract was so favorable to the vendor that current prosecutor, and former Massillon Law Director John Ferrero would only approve it to "form, not content." The contract ran indefinitely and for the city to exit the contract, it had to pay the vendor the cost for equipment at today's price. For example, if the stove was 15 years old, the city had to pay the cost of a new stove, while only getting the 15 year old stove. Mayor Frank is sure one smooth negotiator!
Now, money that should be going to fix and clean our parks will go to the golf course so the city can bail itself out of this poorly conceived sham of a contract. Anyone want to predict the vote?
McCune - Yes
Hersher - Yes
Manson - Yes
(Have Manson, Hersher, or McCune ever voted against the Mayor?)
Slagle - Yes
Mang - Yes
Peters - Probably. He only votes with the Mayor 95% of the time
Five gets it done.
I wonder, when the voters approved the parks tax, did they realize they would be buying a restaurant at the golf course?
Now, money that should be going to fix and clean our parks will go to the golf course so the city can bail itself out of this poorly conceived sham of a contract. Anyone want to predict the vote?
McCune - Yes
Hersher - Yes
Manson - Yes
(Have Manson, Hersher, or McCune ever voted against the Mayor?)
Slagle - Yes
Mang - Yes
Peters - Probably. He only votes with the Mayor 95% of the time
Five gets it done.
I wonder, when the voters approved the parks tax, did they realize they would be buying a restaurant at the golf course?
Taxpayers snowed under
The Independent published a story this week about how the City's unemployment rate jumped to 13.6%, making unemployment here in Tiger Town the highest it has been in 23 years! The people in our community are struggling, unless of course you bask in the patronage of Massillon's Mayor, Frank Cicchinelli.
According to city sources, Massillon Street Superintendent Mike Stevens racked up over 80 hours of overtime during the recent snow storms. Well, our roads were snow covered and needed plowed. I agree, except that Mike Stevens apparantly does not have the proper license to run the snow trucks. He got paid for 80 hours of overtime during the blizzard and did not plow any snow!
I'm sure his boss, Safety Director Mike Loudiana, will look into this just as soon as he cashes out his own overtime!
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