Which Rubber Stamp Will It Be?

As Margy Vogt has resigned from the Parks and Recreation Board, it is time for Massillon's Mayor for Life to nominate someone new. Will it be an independent thinker who has the best interests of the parks at heart, like former board member Joe Luckring? Or will it be a rubber stamp for the Mayor, someone who has Cicchinelli's political interests at heart, like board member Ron Pribich, who was actually rejected by City Council on a 6-3 vote before Judge John Haas ruled he could serve anyway?

You have got to be kidding! It will absolutely be a rubber stamp. You don't get to be Mayor for Life by having board appointees think for themselves. If he could appoint Ron Pribich twice, he would. The early money is on Kevin Phillips, who is our Mayor for Life's once and future candidate for Ward 2 Councilman. Phillips lost the vote to be appointed to council when former Councilman Chuck Maier moved out of the Second Ward. Gary Anderson was appointed, and the mayor was none too happy. It was alleged that Anderson was "anti-Cicchinell," and a "Mayor Hater."

We anticipate Phillips will be back politically, and will run against Anderson in next year's Democratic Primary. Let us not forget that it was Gary Anderson who negotiated a water rate increase for Massillon's water consumers, after being out maneuvered and out foxed by the mayor. We suspect Phillips will campaign against the double digit rate increase negotiated by Anderson.