It's a Dam Shame

Our park system is in shambles. The citizens of Massillon passed a .3% additional income tax in 1995 to pay for parks and recreation. The mayor has diverted money from this parks tax to prop up his failing Legends of Massillon Golf Course.

Parks Director, and mayoral lackey, Kenn Kaminski chooses to blame the problems in our parks on "park vandals," and not on a lack of basic upkeep and maintenance.

"Kaminski says a majority of the parks' eyesores are vandalism-based" (The Independent, March 20, 2010).

"He said that vandalism is plaguing the parks more than anything" (The Independent, March 20, 2010).

And then Kenn Kaminski took members of our city council on a tour of the parks to show them the damage these vandals hath wrought.

He apparently never took them to the dam at Reservoir Park.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) inspected the dam. Again.

The ODNR said it needed repaired. Again.

The Parks Department has once more done nothing about it. Again.

"It was given a first-class hazard rating during the inspection, meaning that it poses a risk of "probable loss of human life" (The Independent, October 30, 2010).

"Probable loss of human life."

Really?

"But it is aging and eroding to the point that the Massillon Parks and Recreation Department must spend hundreds of thousands, if not a million dollars, to improve its condition" (The Independent, October 30, 2010).

Well, the city must have just found out that this was a problem, right? Because if they knew about this before now, they would be grossly negligent by ignoring this dangerous problem.

"In 2000, repair plans and a hydrologic and hydraulic study was submitted to the ODNR, but it was never resubmitted to the agency after it made comments to the plans and study" (The Independent, October 30, 2010).

Wait. we knew about this for at least 10 years, submitted a plan and then just forgot about it?

"Massillon Parks and Recreation Director Kenn Kaminski said the work was put on the back burner by previous department directors" (The Independent, October 30, 2010).

Wait a second. If the problem is so dangerous that it poses risk of, and let us quote, "probable loss of human life," why was it "put on the back burner," by park directors like Kenn Kaminski, who must have, by knowing it was a problem, and ignoring it, "put it on the back burner?"

Money.

In 2002, our cherished Mayor for Life got his rubber stamps on city council to merge the failing Legends of Massillon golf course and its monstrous debt load with the Parks Department. Cicchinelli did this under the guise of "streamlining city government." It was done to raid the park tax money to subsidize golf course debt payments and operations.

The Legends sucked up park money that could have been used to maintain our parks, and to perhaps fix the reservoir dam before it posed a risk of "probable loss of human life."

We know where the city could have gotten about $200,000 for repairs. It was the $199,000 dollars that council members Larry Slagle, David Hersher, David McCune, Ron Mang, and Council President Glenn Gamber spent to buy the restaurant at the golf course. This was the restaurant, according to Julie Jenkins, office manager for the parks and the golf course, that had no business plan.

The dam is literally going to burst, and these feckless rubber stamps, who are too stupid, or too lazy to question why in the world we needed to spend almost $200,000 on a glorified hot dog stand which couldn't even cater a golf outing held this past summer still cheerfully rubber stamp any outrageous proposal our Mayor for Life presents to them.

The emperor has no clothes. Our Mayor for Life, his lackey Kenn Kaminski, and the rubber stamps on city council who treat the mayor as if he were some type of cult leader hijacked our park money to prop up our mayor's failing golf course. The voters of Massillon never voted to fund a golf course with that park income tax and these people know it.

Our guess is that the people of Massillon thought the city would at least make sure the dam wouldn't burst, so that we wouldn't have to worry about, and we quote, "probable loss of human life." It's the least they wanted from their park tax.

Politics in our Schools?

The preceding ad is posted on the front page of the Massillon City Schools web site;

www.massillon.sparcc.org

One of our faithful readers shared this image with us, and seems to believe that using school resources to promote a political issue, such as a levy, was not legal.

We posed this question to our crack Massillon Review legal team. According to our crack legal team, the Massillon School District may not use public funds or school resources to promote a school levy, as a school levy is a political issue.

We are certain the levy committee is paying the schools a fair market price to place this web advertisement. Otherwise, it would not be legal.

Diva Time

Some people like her, some people don't.

Whatever your take one her may be, Massillon Schools Superintendent Lisa Carmichael is a lightening rod for controversy. Some folks around town believe that Superintendent Carmichael's agenda is, well, Superintendent Carmichael. We questioned this assertion. Perhaps it was just more sour grapes from the "Friends of the Program," those football boosters who believe that they own our Massillon Tigers football team. Then we saw it.

.

The hard working staff of the Massillon Review was sitting around the spacious employee lounge watching Jersey Shore, and we saw it. We saw the television commercial for Massillon's school levy. The star of the commercial was none other than Superintendent Lisa Carmichael.

.

Knowing how controversial she is, knowing her smiling face might alienate a voter or two, why was she the focus of the advertisement? Shouldn't this commercial have focused on the kids, the schools, the teachers, something other than a school administrator?

.

Lisa Carmichael has borrowed a page from the Marshall Weinberg playbook. While claiming "it's all about the kids," it is really all about Lisa Carmichael. Carmichael decided to go diva and have an ad produced that focused on her, knowing that it probably would hurt the levy's chances more than it would help.

.

Lisa, Massillon already has a king, It doesn't need a queen.

You Are Part of the Rebel Alliance and a Traitor

The stories about the temper tantrums Massillon's Mayor for Life has been throwing over his perceived snub by the Democratic Party are spreading fast and furious around town. It has been well established that the mayor's bruised ego was primarily responsible for him kicking the 42nd President of the United States out of Massillon. The editors at the Massillon Independent seem to concur;

www.indeonline.com/newsnow/x1696233034/OUR-OPINION-Why-officials-really-blew-the-whistle-on-rally

We anticipate after reading that particular editorial, the mayor will commence one of his monthly "boycotts" against the paper until they start treating him with the respect that a mayor for life deserves. Only write favorable stuff, or the King will not grace you with his spoken word.

Our favorite story from the mayoral bunker is that Frank didn't want President Clinton around because he believed "Kathy Catazaro-Perry would be on stage with Clinton." We believe this story.

When Ohio Governor Ted Strickland popped by the Catazaro-Perry home this Summer, Frank blew a gasket. He felt "snubbed" because Strickland didn't show our mayor for life enough love, and that he dared visit the home of the person that Frank decided was his arch-nemesis, Kathy Catazaro-Perry. Catazaro-Perry actually invited the mayor to her home, but our King complained because he required more notice. Perhaps the royal robes were at the cleaners.

We don't imagine that if the roles were reversed, that Frank would have invited Kathy to the Cicchinelli homestead, short notice, or not.

We believe this incident was at the root of our mayor's recent tantrums, and his decision to quash the presidential visit.

Yes, he is that petty.

I Still Believe in a Place Called Hope

The crack Massillon Review staff has been working feverishly all day to uncover why our Mayor for Life killed the visit by the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton. While we realize that our mayor's super sized ego was part of the issue;

"Cicchinelli repeatedly said he was upset to learn about the event in his Sunday newspaper. He even suggested people in his own party intentionally left him out of the loop" (The Independent, October 26, 2010).

We thought there might be more to this than just Frank's usual paranoia and gigantic ego. Just as we were about to send our crack research team into the field, to the Clinton Presidential Library, to try and uncover what horrible thing Bill Clinton could have done to offend our leader, Massillon's Mayor for Life, we stumbled upon the awful truth. The Clinton Presidential Library is in Arkansas. Bill Clinton is from Arkansas. It was then that we finally put two and two together.

A Line in the Sand

At our Mayor for Life's press conference, back on July 30, when our Mayor for Life announced that he was running for another term as mayor for life, he drew a line in the sand.

Our glorious leader was adamant that "outsiders" not involve themselves in Massillon City politics;

"Cicchinelli also said outsiders should not dabble in city politics. He said he will call out such "carpetbaggers..." There's going to be a line drawn in the sand, he said" (The Independent, July 31, 2010).

Former President of the United States Bill Clinton is a carpetbagger. He's not even from Massillon. He's from Arkansas.

"They (the people of Massillon) shouldn't be influenced by anyone on the outside, any individual that doesn't live within the corporate limits of Massillon" (Mayor for Life Frank Cicchinelli, July 30 press conference).

Bill Clinton does not live within the "corporate limits of Massillon." He was born and raised in Arkansas, lived in Washington DC, and now resides in New York. He is a carpetbagger, and therefore is not welcome in Frank's city. Frank has drawn a line in the sand and apparently not even former President Clinton may cross it.

We Rest Our Case

Massillon's Mayor for Life killed a visit by a former President of the United States because Frank Cicchinelli had a bruised ego. No one came and kissed the ring and obtained his blessing;

"Though not faulting Cupples, (representative of Governor Ted Strickland) Cicchinelli repeatedly said he was upset to learn about the event in his Sunday newspaper. He even suggested people in his own party intentionally left him out of the loop" (The Independent, October 26, 2010).

Thud

That thud you just heard was Frank Cicchinelli throwing the Governor of Ohio and the former President of the United States under the bus.

This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both of Us

On Sunday, it was announced that former President Bill Clinton would be coming to Tigertown before the Massillon McKinley game to have a rally in Stadium Park. The former President of the United States was coming here, to Massillon, on the day of the big game. Whether it was former President Clinton, a Democrat, or former President Bush, a Republican, it would have been great exposure for our community to have a former President in town.

Putting politics aside, this type of visit would have put the Massillon community in the spotlight. National press would be in town, our community's issues and concerns would be in the spotlight, and the big game would have been even bigger, with state wide and national media attention. A win-win for the community. Or so one would think.

The problem was that one man wasn't happy. One man who's ego is too big to share the stage, even with a former president, didn't approve. One man decided to put a kibosh on the big event. Massillon's Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli, worked tirelessly today to kill Bill Clinton's Massillon visit.

Mayor Cicchinelli's monstrous ego was bruised because he "learned about the event by reading his Sunday paper" (The Repository, October 25, 2010). It's clear. Our King was mad because the Clinton people didn't properly kiss his royal ring. Period. Mayor Cicchinelli was upset because Bill Clinton did not pay proper homage to the King of the City.

Now, you may read in the next day, or two, about why Frank killed Clinton's visit. The King will talk about security, or traffic, or whatever, but that is merely a smoke screen for the real reason Frank Cicchinelli killed a visit to Massillon by a former President. Word on the street is that Massillon's Mayor for Life felt slighted because he wasn't involved in the event, and that his bruised ego led him to killing the presidential visit.

How petty. Sad, but this is what we have come to expect from our Mayor for Life. He told the former President of the United States to hit the bricks, that he was not welcome in Massillon. Forget politics. Democrat, or Republican. It was the former President of the United States and Frank Cicchinelli told him he was not welcome. Beat it.

From a political point of view, Bill Clinton is a Democratic Party icon, and the Democratic Party is days away from a big election. Clinton's visit would have energized the troops and probably have helped the local Democratic candidates. Our mayor is a Democrat. I wonder how the Democratic Party feels that their Democratic mayor killed a visit by a former Democratic President just three days before election day. We can here the cries of "Thanks Frank" all the way from Washington D.C.

What the former President of the United States, the former leader of the free world, the former leader of our nation has not learned is that you don't get to be mayor for life by sharing the spotlight with a President, and that this town ain't big enough for the both of us.

Just Ask Him

By all accounts, Massillon's Mayor for Life is in fighting trim. He has exercised and lost weight in preparation for the political fight of his life next year as he seeks an unprecedented seventh term as mayor and Massillon's undisputed political champion.

Cicchinelli always gets in shape physically before his campaigns. It is to his credit as he always runs a vigorous effort.

The Massillon Review has captured exclusive behind the scenes footage of our Mayor for Life in training at Reservoir park this past winter. We think the walking path was in better shape then. Judge for yourselves.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8xHjC27YvM

The mayor puts himself through this regiment of good health and clean living because the keystone of his campaign is his aggressive door to door efforts. He comes to your house and asks for your vote.

Perhaps this time, the voters may have a question or two for him.

As you struggle to pay your mortgage, or rent, which for most of us is the largest expense we have every month, ask him why he uses our tax dollars to pay the mortgage of a private hotel, owned by a wealthy developer. Why can't the weathy developer pay his own mortgage, we pay ours?

We voted to raise our income tax to pay for a top notch parks system. Mayor, why did you hijack the money to subsidize and prop up your failing golf course? We never voted for a golf course.

Our guess is that he will blame council, or perhaps his secretary... Oh wait... "Overzealous golfers"

Mayor, why did you spend a million tax dollars on an arena that was never built? Did you really think that low (and we mean low) level minor league hockey was the economic engine that was going to drive the city's economy?

Ask him to tell you all about the business plan for the Club Legends restaurant he spent almost $200,000 park tax dollars to purchase. OK, not a fair question, as there is no business plan.

Ask him why the buck always, and we mean always, stops somewhere else.

Ask him why he thinks he deserves an unvoted, automatic pay raise every single year? The city is broke, and he is rewarded with a pay raise.

He is coming to your house. Make sure to ask him something. He works for you.

Where Does the Buck Stop Today?

Massillon's Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli, has been able to remain mayor for life, because he absolutely never takes responsibility for the tough decisions.

When it was time to raise sewer rates, rookie councilman David "Taxman" Hersher pushed to raise them, just months into his first term on council.

When it was time to negotiate higher water rates with Aqua Ohio, that was rookie councilman Gary Anderson's job.

New "storm water utility fees," that was once again the work of Taxman Hersher.

Problems with the AT&T contract, blame the secretary.

Fail to legally provide public records and lose a $12,000 court judgment as a result, call the Law Director.

Annexation gone awry, it was council's fault, because the mayor was only doing what council wanted.

Parks are a mess, blame the "Park Vandals."

Now there is a proposal to raise building permit and inspection fees in the city. This was, of course, as one would naturally suspect, proposed by one of our Mayor for Life's subordinates, and not the mayor himself.

Roger Houpt, an employee of the city's building department, wrote a letter blasting city council for not properly discussing, and presumably enacting, these fee increases.

As an aside, for today's civics lesson, a "fee increase" is another term for a "tax increase."

Where was the mayor? He is, in theory, leader of the city. However, whenever there is something unpopular to do, like proposing a fee increase, this unhappy task always becomes someone else's responsibility. Someone else falls on their sword, and takes a hit for the team, because the most critical function of the Cicchinelli administration is to keep Cicchinelli mayor for life.

The buck never, and we mean never, stops at Frank Cicchinelli's desk.

Baby Steps

Republican Councilman Donnie Peters has begun taking baby steps in his journey towards political independence. After recently developing a spine, which appears to be hardening and getting stronger, Peters has become less of a rubber stamp for Massillon's Mayor for Life, and more of a public servant who truly represents his constituents.

Peters vocally expressed his objections to our Mayor for Life's scheme to raid the Tuslaw School District, annex the Tuslaw schools, and grab $120,000 in income taxes from Tuslaw's school teachers. We thought this independent behavior was a one time anomaly, and that Peters would once more resume his role as a faithful Cicchinelli lackey.

Nope.

When Taxman Hersher unveiled his scheme to tack on a "storm water utility fee" to residents' sewer bills, Peters once more opposed the regime. Peters was adamantly opposed to the fee. This was the second time he opposed the wishes of Boss Cicchinelli. Would there be a third? Remember, three strikes and you are out...

When the City's phone contract with AT&T was about to expire, and no efforts were made by the Administration to seek a new agreement, the Mayor's secretary, Mary Anne Coyne, was chosen to fall on her sword, so our Mayor for Life, in Houdini like fashion, could once again escape the shackles of blame. Coyne was offered up to "accept some of the blame in the matter" (The Independent, October 13, 2010).

Donnie Peters surprisingly spoke up to complain about the mishandling of the city's phone system.

"Councilman Donnie Peters was furious two weeks ago when Safety-Service Director Mike Loudiana brought the contract to council's attention. Upset that the contract had been brought to council only three weeks before it expired, Peters demanded to know if the administration had researched all its options" (The Independent, October 13, 2010).

Peters "was upset," and Peters "demanded to know." Donnie Peters? Really? We were shocked with Donnie Peters' new mavericky behavior. He once again bucked the King.

Peters even received praise from the Independent;

"Cheers to Councilman Donnie Peters for calling out city officials for waiting until the last minute to inform City Council of the city's expiring telephone contract" (The Independent, October 18, 2010).

Would this mavericky behavior continue from our once proud RINO (Republican In Name Only)?

It would.

At last night's council meeting, city council passed a new phone contract on an 8-1 vote. The lone dissenter complained that they "did not have enough time to research the plan" (The Independent, October 19, 2010). Who was this lone dissenter who dared question our Mayor for Life's proposed phone contract? Was it Kathy Catazaro-Perry? Nope.Was it Gary Anderson? Nope. It was Donnie Peters, flexing his new spine, and questioning the decisions of our beloved Mayor for Life's administration.

The community can be proud of the baby steps towards political independence that Councilman Donnie Peters is taking. The big question is whether or not this new found independence will last, or will Donnie be brought back to the fold, where he may once again faithfully, albeit blindly, rubber stamp for the mayor.

We are confident the mayor's loyal enforcer, Council President Glenn Gamber, will be working feverishly to return the prodigal councilman back to the flock.

Marshall Explains It All

As many folks have realized, the most dangerous place to be in Massillon is between Marshall Weinberg and a newspaper reporter. Nobody loves to see their name in print more than Massillon School Board member, and School Board President in waiting, Marshall Weinberg.

This past week, Marshall took it upon himself to explain to us simple folk why he voted to hire new legal counsel for the school district.

The former legal counsel for the school district was Richard Horning, personal legal caddy for our Superintendent, Lisa Carmichael. Problem with Mr. Horning was that he wasn't local. He wasn't local to the City of Massillon, the State of Ohio, the Eastern Time Zone, or the East Side of the Mississippi River. He was located in Wyoming.

Lisa and Marshall have been a feudin' for some time now. Marshall was unhappy when Carmichael refused to go along with his Athletic Department "Reorganization," better known as the football first plan, a scheme by some of the "friends of the program" football boosters to officially place football at the top of the Washington High School athletic pyramid. Carmichael balked. Board member Tom Seesan objected as well. Seesan, who is also a football booster, voted his conscience, and voted against the "reorganization." Seesan believed he was doing the right thing.

The "friends of the program" so overreacted to Seesan's vote, through name calling, intimidation, and a "Seesan must resign" sign campaign, that Seesan was pushed forever into the Superintendent's corner. If Lisa Carmichael wanted to eliminate math and science from the curriculum, Seesan would probably support her, because of the distaste he has for Weinberg and the "friends of the program" who constantly oppose Carmichael.

Hey, don't blame Seesan. The "friends of the program" did this to themselves. They were so over the top with their treatment of Seesan, their spewing venom and hate towards him personally, that they deserve this. You reap what you sew.

The acrimony between Carmichael and Weinberg escalated. Carmichael lost her cool at a board meeting and used a pejorative term to describe Marshall. It was slang for that part of the body responsible for controlling the expulsion of feces.

There was no love between Marshall and Carmichael. Scratch that. There was no love between Carmichael and Marshall.

The fact that Lisa Carmichael insisted on having her personal legal caddy, an attorney from the State of Wyoming, represent the school system made this arrangement an easy target for her detractors.

Marshall wanted to replace Horning with local lawyers. It was the right thing to do for the wrong reasons. Had Carmichael "played ball" with the "friends of the program," we speculate she could have had any attorney she wanted. This would not have been an issue Marshall would have pursued.

However, it was in his right as a school board member to pursue it. So what did Carmichael do? Did she offer a rational explanation and defense of her choice of legal counsel?

Nope.

She resorted to making up false ethics allegations about Weinberg and others. It was garbage, and she knew it. She had lost the moral high ground, and forced the Massillon Review into the unusual position of defending Marshall Weinberg.

She was wrong. Marshall was right, but he didn't do the right thing because it was the right thing to do. He did it to get even with Carmichael, his treatise in the Independent notwithstanding.

Where Will the Buck Stop Next?

Former President Harry S. Truman was credited with the phrase, "the buck stops here." He even had the phrase prominently displayed on his desk (see above). "The buck stops here," meant that responsibility, in Truman's case, responsibility for leading the country, ultimately ended with him, as President, as the leader of the country.

Unfortunately, that axiom has been lost on Massillon's Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli. Few politicians work as hard as our mayor for life works on putting the blame for city problems on other people. Mayor Frank Cicchinelli has never been a subscriber of the philosophy that responsibility for an organization rests with its leadership, that indeed, the buck stops here.

When Aqua Ohio water threatened to go to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio earlier this year to ask for a 20% rate hike for our water rates, Cicchinelli blamed city council for dropping the ball and not negotiating with Aqua Ohio. Cicchinelli laid blame at the feet of rookie Councilman Gary Anderson, the head of the utilities committee on city council.

The mayor led Anderson to believe that Anderson, a part time councilman, with less than one year's experience, was to handle the city's negotiations with utility juggernaut Aqua Ohio. Why? Because negotiating higher water rates is politically unpopular. So instead, our city's leader, who has served in city government for 37 years, who has a full-time administrative support staff, dumped this on Gary Anderson. The buck stopped somewhere else.

www.massillonreview.blogspot.com/2010/03/buck-stops-somewhere-else.html

When the City of Massillon lost a $12,000 lawsuit because the city did not provide the public records it was legally required to provide to an attorney, what did Cicchinelli say?

"When contacted Friday, Cicchinelli deferred all questions to Stergios (Massillon Law Director Perry Stergios)" (The Independent, July 3, 2010).

Not his fault, call the law director.

When the debacle that was the expansion of the Legends of Massillon Golf Course saddled the city with millions of dollars of debt, creating a golf course that could never be profitable, and causing the mayor to raid the income tax that was meant for our parks, under the guise of "streamlining city government," surely our mayor took some responsibility, right?

Nope.

Don't blame Frank.

This was the fault of "golf enthusiasts" who "just got a little overzealous" (Mayor Frank Cicchinelli, Massillon City Council Minutes, August 20, 2007).

It was the golfers' fault! These golfers put the city in debt for years to come.

www.massillonreview.blogspot.com/2010/07/buck-stops-somewhere-else-again.html

Surely the mayor must take some blame for his failed scheme to annex the Tuslaw School District, and grab $120,000 from the school teachers of Tuslaw? This was his idea, right?

Guess again. City council made him do it.

"I've said from the very beginning there is a financial benefit to the city. Aren't I supposed to do that? Isn't that what council asked me to do in January? 'Well, mayor, come to us with proposals to increase revenue because we're going to have to make some salary line items in our budget.' I thought I heard all that. I do it, and then I'm criticized for doing it" (Mayor Frank Cicchinelli, The Independent, September 10, 2010).

The buck stopped with council.

The Independent reported that the city's contract with AT&T is about to expire next week, and if the city doesn't come up with a new contract, and quick, the cost the city pays for phone service will jump quite a bit. Apparently, the administration dropped the ball on the phone contract, and did not realize that it was about to expire, and had not negotiated a new one. So, who handles contract negotiations for telecommunications? The Mayor? Safety-Service Director Mike Loudiana? Law Director Perry Stergios?

Nope.

The mayor's longtime secretary, Mary Anne Coyne, was offered up to take the blame. Can't blame the mayor, he doesn't make mistakes. It looks like the mayor's secretary handles negotiations with mom and pop telecommunications provider AT&T.

And why not?

We have secretaries negotiating with AT&T, rookie, part time councilmen negotiating with water companies, and overzealous golfers responsible for golf course expansions and finance.

Our Mayor for Life, who happily takes responsibility for the economic activity generated every time a Massillon McDonalds sells a happy meal can't be responsible for everything, can he?

"She (Coyne) said she was caught off guard by the change and told council she would accept some of the blame in the matter" (The Independent, October 13, 2010).

Of course she would. She was happy to take one for the team. Can't blame Frank. The buck always stops somewhere else in Massillon.

Massillon City Council on a Mission

They have debated it for months. The discussion has been heated.

Councilman Larry Slagle wants to use "current policy as a rubric for establishing guidelines for council" (The Independent, October 12, 2010) to deal with this titanic issue.

It is the issue that has dominated city council.

What could it be? The city's budget? The deteriorating park system?
Jobs and economic development?

Nope.

The key issue dominating city council is whether or not to rename Shriver Park.

It's a damn park. Take a vote and then do some real work.

Call the question. Will the city honor the late councilman T. Roy Roberson by renaming Shriver Park after him, or not. And then move on. There are important issues in the city, but it looks like our city council is not equipped to deal with them.

Larry Slagle, one of the architects of the delay, obstruct, and avoid a vote as long as possible strategy now wants to create a city council policy on naming parks.

"He (Slagle) will use the Massillon Parks and Recreation Board's current policy as a rubric for establishing guidelines for council. He hopes to have an initial draft to council by Wednesday. He plans to make some changes to that policy before council takes ownership of it" (The Independent, October 12, 2010).

How about guidelines and policies for reviewing the city's budget? How about guidelines and policies concerning the purchase of city owned businesses, such as a golf course, or a restaurant at the golf course?

Larry Slagle has never been so active as a councilman. He is focused like a laser on the critical work of creating policies for the naming of city parks. We can see how this is time well spent.

We are left wondering. Will Slagle's proposed park naming rules and guidelines somehow preclude the renaming of Shriver Park after all?

And Nero fiddled as Rome burned...

$2.2 Million Dollars

In 1995, the voters of Massillon passed an additional .3% income tax to fund parks and recreation in the city. A joint city-school district recreation board was created to oversee our parks and recreation department. It was supposed to be independent. It isn't. The Massillon City schools were supposed to have input. They don't. The money was promised for parks and recreation. It has been misspent. The tax generates roughly $2.2 million dollars for parks and recreation every year. Our parks should be immaculate. They aren't. As a matter of fact, our Mayor for Life, and one of his appointed park board lackeys are exploring, with the help of Massillon's Law Director, which parks they can sell off.

The mayor has treated our parks money as a piggy bank that he can raid with impunity to cover the budget chasms he has created with the debacle that is the Legends of Massillon Golf Course. With the help of a complicit city council, our Mayor for Life merged the financially strapped Legends of Massillon Golf Course with the parks department. He did this under the guise of "streamlining city government." This was a ruse.

Our Mayor for Life did this so that he could raid the parks' coffers to cover debt and expenses for the financially troubled golf course. Just this year, the rubber stamps on city council appropriated $199,000 to buy out the concessions contract at the Legends Golf Course. They did this with no business plan. They paid as much as they did because the prior holder of the concessions contract had a sweetheart deal from the city that would make Haliburton's Iraq reconstruction contracts look like models of prudent bargaining.

Our parks are a mess. The Massillon Review has published countless stories and pictures of the neglect and disrepair that plague our parks. Sometimes we do it tongue in cheek. But it isn't funny. $2.2 million dollars a year. Ballparks in disrepair, and Massillon youth sports leagues charged extra to use them. What did the administration think the $2.2 million was for? $2.2 million dollars and you still have to charge our kids to use the fields? Neighboring communities running vastly superior park systems on less than half the money Massillon spends. Our park facilities in disrepair. Routine maintenance and upkeep sorely missing, yet we buy a restaurant at the golf course.

We have an arrogant city administration led by a man who hasn't been challenged for the 37 years he has lorded over the City of Massillon, happily ignoring the will of the majority, aided by members of council who are too fearful, lazy, or helpless to stand up and say no. Enough is enough. Perhaps the citizens have finally had enough.

Rumor on the street is that they have...

When Does It Stop?

Massillon's taxman, David Hersher, is 'frustrated.' Taxman Hersher has proposed yet another fee increase, a $1 a month storm water utility fee, $2 a month for businesses, which would be added to our sewer bills.

"Hersher said he was frustrated that concerns about the legislation have not been discussed in council committee sessions" (The Independent, October 5, 2010).

Taxman Hersher is a big fan of raising fees. A fee increase is just government-speak for a tax increase. When Taxman Hersher was first sworn in as a new council member, he couldn't wait to raise sewer rates. Heck, he proposed the increase in early 2008. Now he wants a "storm water utility fee" of a $1 per month. It will generate another $160,000 annually for the city, money which we all know the city administration will use exclusively for "storm water projects," and won't divert for anything else.

The Taxman ran into some obstacles at last Monday's council meeting. Only two members of council supported his plan, the Taxman himself, and consummate, bedrock, loyal to the death rubber stamp Paul Manson.

Taxman Hersher claims to have made a "good faith effort" to discuss the issue (The Independent, October 5, 2010).

What's to discuss? It's a tax increase.

Of course, this was David Hersher's idea, all by himself, with nobody urging him to do it. Just like when he was first elected, and decided that sewer fees were too low, he saw the light, without any prodding from anyone else, and decided a storm water utility fee was desperately needed.

David, you were hung out to dry. By whom, we can only speculate. And if our guess is correct, he has manipulated councilmen smarter than yourself since before you were born. One could say that he has done it for life.

Even Donnie Peters was opposed to the taxman's plan;

"When does it stop, he said. The government, the EPA keep coming up with things that cost you more money. When does it stop?" (The Independent, October 5, 2010).

Despite the obvious fact that Councilman Peters needs a civics lesson, because Donnie, again, you are the government. You are the city government. It stops when you vote to stop it. The taxman had no support for his plan. That didn't, however, stop him from going blindly and blissfully forward.

When does it stop?

Fundraiser Fun!

One of our faithful readers passed this along, and we wish to share this community event with everybody. Our Mayor for Life is hosting a fundraiser next month. Yes, our beloved Mayor for Life is running for a seventh four year term next year, and must start raising campaign cash. You don't get to be mayor for life if you don't raise funds for the campaign. Many of our readers may wish to attend.

We assume that if you don't live in the City of Massillon, you shouldn't attend, knowing our mayor's well publicized stance against carpetbaggers. We don't want any tainted carpetbagger money poisoning the mayor's campaign war chest. Only God fearing, native Massillonians need attend.

Our Mayor for Life will be hosting a spaghetti dinner, on Thursday, November 4th, from 5:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Eagles Club #190 on Weirich Boulevard. Dinner is only $10 and will include spaghetti, salad, rolls, and dessert. Seems like a fine time at a reasonable price.

The hard working Massillon Review staff is pencilling this in on the calendar. We love pasta. We look forward to seeing you there!

Donnie Peters Finds His Spine

Normally reliable council rubber stamp, Ward 5 Council Representative Donnie Peters, Jr., looks like he may have finally located his backbone.

On paper, Peters is allegedly a registered Republican, the only Republican on Massillon City Council, but he spends most of his time on council rubber stamping for Massillon's Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli. Peters' blind loyalty to our Mayor for Life has earned him the moniker of a 'Rino,' a Republican in name only.

Peters happily provided the final vote in approving the mayor's unbalanced budget this year. Peters votes to spend our tax dollars paying the mortgage for a private hotel. And don't ask Donnie Peters about taxation without representation;

According to Peters' the city's income tax "comes with the territory," and he's tired of hearing arguments about "taxation without representation" (Donnie Peters, The Independent, April 13, 2010).

Peters is also a faithful, regular campaign contributor to our Mayor for Life's campaigns.

Donnie Peters, Jr., high tax, big government Republican who is a faithful, unwavering supporter of the Democratic mayor.

Until recently.

Peters first opposed our Mayor for Life's scheme to raid the Tuslaw school district, annex the Tuslaw schools, and grab income tax from Tuslaw's teachers.

"Peters said the annexation would give the city a "black eye" with its neighbors to the west" (The Independent, August 21, 2010).

Last night, Peters objected to Taxman Hersher's scheme to raise storm water utility fees on Massillon home owners.

"Where does it stop," he said. "The government, the EPA keep coming up with new things that cost you more money. When does it stop?" (The Independent, October 5, 2010).

Uh, Donnie, you are "the government," the city government. It stops when people like Donnie Peters stop voting for unbalanced budgets, and sending tax dollars to pay for a private hotel mortgage. That's when it stops.

It's good to see that at least on these two recent issues, an unfair annexation, and a tax increase, that you have broken away from blindly supporting the mayor, and may be taking baby steps towards being an independent council representative.

We hope this is a pattern, and not an anomaly. We hope you continue to think for yourself. While we are concerned that the mayor's loyal enforcer, Council President Glenn Gamber, will try and get you back on the team, we hope you resist. We hope this new found backbone is permanent.

Marshall Has a Point Part 2

When Massillon Schools Superintendent Lisa Carmichael was hired at the end of 2008, she convinced the Massillon Board of Education to hire attorney Richard Horning as the district's chief legal counsel. Horning, who worked with Carmichael at her prior job, when she was Superintendent of the Edison Local school district, was someone Carmichael was "comfortable with" (The Independent, October 2, 2010).

Richard Horning is not a local attorney. Horning works primarily in Wyoming, about 1,330 miles from Massillon. One would think Superintendent Carmichael might have been able to find competent legal counsel a bit closer to home, perhaps someone on the Eastern side of the Mississippi river.

Three members of the school board, Gary Miller, Phillip Elum, and Marshall Weinberg have been discussing obtaining legal counsel a bit closer to home. Perhaps even someone who actually resides in Ohio. Carmichael is not happy with the idea.

Word around town is that attorney Horning is Lisa Carmichael's personal legal caddy. His loyalties are to her first, and not to the board of education who hires him, and pays his bills. While we don't always agree with board member Weinberg, he is certainly within his right, as an elected member of the board of education, to question this arrangement. And it is certainly within his right to propose hiring legal counsel within the same time zone as Massillon.

When Marshall Weinberg proposed hiring local law firm Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths and Dougherty, a law firm actually located in Stark County, Carmichael objected. Did she object to their legal expertise? No. She claimed that it was a "conflict of interest for Weinberg to propose hiring a second legal firm, Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths and Dougherty, because one of its employees contributed to Weinberg's campaign" (The Independent, October 2, 2010).

Really? You and your out of state legal caddy should know that your accusation of a "conflict of interest" is absolute bull****. After consulting with the crack Massillon Review legal team, Marshall Weinberg did absolutely nothing wrong. Nothing. And it is no conflict of interest. He received a campaign donation from a lawyer two years ago.

Using the Lisa Carmichael thresh hold for conflict of interest, we pose this;

The Massillon School District has a renewal levy on the ballot next month. According to Lisa Carmichael, no teacher, no teachers' union, no teachers' union political action committee better be providing campaign contributions for the levy, as that would be a "conflict of interest." No school vendor, no one who has ever done business with the school system, should be making any campaign contribution for your levy, as that would be a "conflict of interest."

It appears that Carmichael doesn't want to lose her personal legal caddy, her personal legal crutch. She was opposed to hiring the law firm of Squires, Sanders & Dempsey. She didn't give a reason. She was opposed to hiring the Krugliak firm, with a made up reason. She couldn't provide a reasoned objection. She made stuff up. She made a false, spurious accusation of a school board member. Even Marshall Weinberg doesn't deserve this.

The Massillon Review has supported Lisa Carmichael in the past, but we are saddened and disappointed that a school superintendent, someone who should adhere to a higher standard, someone who should know better, resorted to a false accusation to try and get her own way.

Lisa, your attorney is in Wyoming. We can do better.

Massillon Review Fun Facts

The State of Wyoming, home to Richard Horning, chief legal counsel to the Massillon Board of Education, is also home to Yellowstone National Park, and former Vice President Dick Cheney. It is only 1,330 miles from Massillon, Ohio to Cheyenne, Wyoming, the state capitol.

If we have a legal emergency in Tigertown, our school's legal counsel, Mr. Horning, could drive from Cheyenne, Wyoming, to Massillon, Ohio in about 20 hours and 11 minutes, according to Mapquest. This does not allow for rest stops. That drive across Nebraska looks pretty tough, though.

Marshall Has a Point

As many faithful Massillon Review readers have concluded, the Massillon Review hasn't always been a big fan of Massillon School Board Member Marhsall Weinberg. When Weinberg was running for school board, he campaigned as someone who would put the kids first, run the schools "like a business," and would put academics ahead of athletics.

Once elected, Marshall Weinberg immediately became a "friend of the program," a football first booster who cheerfully toed the "football first" line. Weinberg became an adamant supporter of the "Athletic Department Reorganization," which was nothing more than a scam to give more power to the football program, its coach, and to formalize the primacy of football in Massillon school athletics.

Marshall reached (and we mean reached) to explain why making the head football coach the Massillon Athletic Director was the right thing to do;

"Recent issues, including an assistant coach and booster club member growing and selling marijuana, could have been avoided, Weinberg said, if the football coach could report directly to the superintendent" (The Independent, March 30, 2010).

Yes, if Jason Hall were athletic director, federally convicted Drug Lord Kevin Smith would have seen the light, and not started a marijuana growing operation that had Colombian Cartels marvelling at its complexity.

Of course, many problems in our school system could have been solved if only Marhsall Weinberg were school board president. How could we have been so blind.

"Weinberg, when asked if he'd considered serving as board president, said he had. In fact, he had hoped to be president this year, being the only veteran board member who hadn't yet held the title. The board opted instead to appoint Seesan."

"It is one of the issues that is tearing at the board," Weinberg said, "Unfortunately, because of the issues of legality, I can't discuss it in specifics, but it is not a decision made out of strength. Now we are all seeing the ramifications" (The Independent, August 12, 2010).

President Weinberg, of course, would have set things right. We wonder if, in his delusional grandeur, he realized he would have only been President of the Massillon Board of Education, not the other President, the one in Washington...

No matter. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut, and even Marshall Weinberg has a point...

(To be continued)