At the end of his final debate against Jimmy Carter in 1980, Ronald Reagan famously asked "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?"
Massillon's beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, has put a new spin on this phrase from the eighties.
In an interview in Saturday's Independent, Frank Cicchinelli discusses why the voters should re-elect him to a seventh four year term as mayor, and give him 42 consecutive years as a Massillon elected official.
"The question they have to ask themselves is, 'Is the city better off now than it was in 1988? I think the answer to that question is yes" (Frank Cicchinelli, The Independent, February 26, 2011).
1988
1988. Mayor Frank Cicchinelli's first year as Massillon's mayor.
Ronald Reagan was president.
A gallon of gas cost 91 cents.
Stamps were 24 cents each.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the year at 2,168.
Popular movies from 1988 included Diehard, Rain Man, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Unemployment was only 6.2%.
And the City of Massillon did not owe any money for a golf course, a privately owned hotel, and had not yet spent money on an arena that was never built.
Is the city better off now than it was in 1988
Hard to say. We would imagine that very few people have a clear memory of 1988.
It was 23 years ago.
If you were an 18 year old Washington High school senior in 1988, you would be 41 years old today. Your biggest worry back then was probably who you were going to go to the basketball game with, not the economic conditions of the city.
Nobody under 40 has a clue if Massillon was better off now than it was in 1988.
And nobody over 40 remembers if Massillon was better off now than it was in 1988.
It's about the future
What is truly sad is that our mayor is so bereft of ideas for our city's future that he is framing the debate in terms of what happened 23 years ago.
We don't care, if we even do remember, any more about 1988.
Unfortunately for us, the future (and the present) look pretty grim as a result of the mayor's mismanagement and neglect of our city.
Let's talk about right now.
After years of making payments, we still owe almost $10 million dollars on a golf course that probably isn't worth $3 million dollars on a good day.
We spend over $200,000 dollars a year making the mortgage payments for a privately owned hotel. At the end of the loan agreement, we will still owe a crippling $984,000 balloon payment.
The voters of Massillon approved a .3% income tax for parks and recreation. The mayor treats that money as a piggy bank and uses these funds to buy a restaurant, and prop up the failing golf course. Meanwhile, our park system is grossly neglected.
We are two months into 2011, and the city does not have a budget. And the budget the mayor proposed is over a million dollars short.
Frank Cicchinelli approved legislation giving himself an annual, unvoted pay raise every year. His salary has gone up 74% since he signed this ordinance.
The city of Massillon is absolutely broke. Yet Cicchinelli negotiated 4% pay raises for the city's unions, stating "the dollars would be there."
They aren't.
The Dam at Reservoir Park has been given a first class hazard rating by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, meaning it poses a risk of 'probable loss of human life.'
Probable loss of human life.
Yet we struggle to find the$40,000 dollars to conduct a proper engineering study.
But we will find $50,000 dollars to make a restaurant payment on Club Legends.
We think the Massillon Review staff will head over to Club Legends for a burger today.
Oh wait, we can't, it's closed.
Massillon has many, many problems. Most caused by the poorly planned actions of our mayor.
And our mayor has no plans to deal with any of this.
Because the buck always stops somewhere else.
Because the mayor takes no responsibility for the mess he has made.
Which is why he is discussing 1988.
When he needs to be discussing 2011.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Drill Baby Drill
When Massillon's beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, was blaming all his political problems on 'carpetbaggers,' and not on the poor job he has done managing his city, it was brought to his attention by the Independent that he cheerfully solicits and accepts campaign cash from people who live outside the city wall.
"Despite his dislike of outsiders' involvement in city elections or city government, Cicchinelli said there is a "big difference" in accepting campaign donations from people who live outside of Massillon.
"There's no strings attached to that," he said...
When asked what the intentions are of people who live outside the city and support his campaign, he said:
"They support me. They support what I've done for the city of Massillon. They support the actions, the way I've conducted business. Of course, business people are going to give pro-business people money, pro-business elected officials. There's nothing wrong with campaign contributions. I don't hear from a lot of those people" (The Independent, February 8, 2011).
"I don't hear from a lot of those people."
Except when they want to drill for oil on city owned land.
On the agenda for last Tuesday's city council meeting was Ordinance 25-2011.
AN ORDINANCE authorizing the Director of Public Service and Safety of the City of Massillon, Ohio, to enter into a Non-Surface Development Gas & Oil Lease with Lake Region Oil, Inc., for a 1.7 acre parcel owned by the City of Massillon, and declaring an emergency.
Lake Region Oil, Inc.
The listed President of Lake Region Oil, Inc., is Howard Wenger, a regular and generous contributor to Massillon's Mayor for Life.
Of course, we believe there were "no strings attached" to his contributions.
Now he gets to drill for oil on city owned land.
What we do know, according to our mayor, is that when people give him money, it's just because they like the fine job he is doing as mayor. Certainly no campaign contributor has personally benefited as a result of their financial support of Frank Cicchinelli.
It's "No strings attached" here in Massillon.
Now let's get busy drilling!
"Despite his dislike of outsiders' involvement in city elections or city government, Cicchinelli said there is a "big difference" in accepting campaign donations from people who live outside of Massillon.
"There's no strings attached to that," he said...
When asked what the intentions are of people who live outside the city and support his campaign, he said:
"They support me. They support what I've done for the city of Massillon. They support the actions, the way I've conducted business. Of course, business people are going to give pro-business people money, pro-business elected officials. There's nothing wrong with campaign contributions. I don't hear from a lot of those people" (The Independent, February 8, 2011).
"I don't hear from a lot of those people."
Except when they want to drill for oil on city owned land.
On the agenda for last Tuesday's city council meeting was Ordinance 25-2011.
AN ORDINANCE authorizing the Director of Public Service and Safety of the City of Massillon, Ohio, to enter into a Non-Surface Development Gas & Oil Lease with Lake Region Oil, Inc., for a 1.7 acre parcel owned by the City of Massillon, and declaring an emergency.
Lake Region Oil, Inc.
The listed President of Lake Region Oil, Inc., is Howard Wenger, a regular and generous contributor to Massillon's Mayor for Life.
Of course, we believe there were "no strings attached" to his contributions.
Now he gets to drill for oil on city owned land.
What we do know, according to our mayor, is that when people give him money, it's just because they like the fine job he is doing as mayor. Certainly no campaign contributor has personally benefited as a result of their financial support of Frank Cicchinelli.
It's "No strings attached" here in Massillon.
Now let's get busy drilling!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
More Fundraiser Fun
Mayoral candidate Kathy Catazaro-Perry will be holding a Kick Off Fundraiser to raise money to defeat our beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal.
When: Tuesday, March 8th 5:00PM until 7:00PM
Where: Firehouse Grill & Pub (48 2nd St SE, Massillon)
Cost: Tickets are $40 per person and may be purchased at the door
Or you may mail your contribution to:
The Friends of Kathy Catazaro-Perry
900 Mill Ridge Path, NE
Massillon, Ohio 44646
The Massillon Review will not be attending this event, as we do not wish to see Kathy Catazaro-Perry defeat our beloved mayor for life.
Mayor Cicchinelli's blunders, foibles, and paranoia are what have made this blog so successful.
We fear what would happen to us should the king be de-throned.
Besides, with Mayor Cicchinelli gone, who would take care of the most vulnerable in our city?
The developers, hotel owners, insiders, and special interests who have profited greatly from his regime, all through the use of our tax dollars.
What would they do?
Who would take care of them?
When: Tuesday, March 8th 5:00PM until 7:00PM
Where: Firehouse Grill & Pub (48 2nd St SE, Massillon)
Cost: Tickets are $40 per person and may be purchased at the door
Or you may mail your contribution to:
The Friends of Kathy Catazaro-Perry
900 Mill Ridge Path, NE
Massillon, Ohio 44646
The Massillon Review will not be attending this event, as we do not wish to see Kathy Catazaro-Perry defeat our beloved mayor for life.
Mayor Cicchinelli's blunders, foibles, and paranoia are what have made this blog so successful.
We fear what would happen to us should the king be de-throned.
Besides, with Mayor Cicchinelli gone, who would take care of the most vulnerable in our city?
The developers, hotel owners, insiders, and special interests who have profited greatly from his regime, all through the use of our tax dollars.
What would they do?
Who would take care of them?
House Party
Republican mayoral candidate Andrew Oser is having an open house.
He wants to meet the residents and employees of the city of Massillon.
When: Saturday, February 26 from 4:00PM until 7:00PM
Where: Andrew Oser's home (1006 Oxford Ave NE, Massillon)
The event is open to any Massillon resident or employee.
Perhaps the Massillon Review will send a staffer or two over.
He wants to meet the residents and employees of the city of Massillon.
When: Saturday, February 26 from 4:00PM until 7:00PM
Where: Andrew Oser's home (1006 Oxford Ave NE, Massillon)
The event is open to any Massillon resident or employee.
Perhaps the Massillon Review will send a staffer or two over.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
My Way or the Highway
Massillon's Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, isn't one for compromise.
When city council, by a five to four vote, rejected his unbalanced 2011 budget back in December, the mayor had a plan.
Was it a plan to trim spending?
Nope.
Did he reach out to individual members of city council to hear their concerns?
Nope.
Did he negotiate with council, so that they could come to an agreement that would be acceptable to everyone?
Nope.
Did the Mayor's Lap Dog of the Treasury, City Council Finance Chairman Paul Manson, propose any budget fixes?
Nope.
Surely Manson held budget hearings, and led council through detailed discussions about the city's budget?
Nope.
So what is the mayor's plan to ensure Massillon has a budget that passes council's muster?
Do nothing and blame city council.
See, doing nothing to fix a serious problem is something our mayor for life is very good at.
Cicchinelli stated his detailed budget plan in yesterday's Independent;
"Cicchinelli said Friday that if council votes against the budget when it comes up for a third reading on March 9, that it is its (council's) responsibility to make changes" (The Independent, February 22, 2011).
See? The buck stops some where else. Again.
But it never stops at the mayor's desk. Ever.
The plan, if you could call it one, is to have either Donnie Peters, or Larry Slagle change his vote.
According to Peters, it ain't gonna be him;
"I'll vote against it again," he (Peters) said (The Independent, February 22, 2011).
It's now up to Larry Slagle to roll over and play dead.
It's up to Larry Slagle to prop up the mayor's house of cards, and the fiction that is masquerading as Cicchinelli's proposed budget.
We are confident the Mayor's Loyal Enforcer, Council President Glenn Gamber, is working over time to secure Slagle's vote.
In the end, we predict that Slagle will fold.
Slagle will want to prop up Cicchinelli and will not want to embarrass our Mayor for Life before the May election.
Even though Cicchinelli's "my way or the highway" bluff with our city finances deserves to be called.
Slagle will be a team player, and take a bullet for the mayor.
Taxman Hersher and Jayne Ferrero do it all the time.
Larry Slagle shouldn't fret.
It probably gets easier and easier to sell out your integrity and ideals for the mayor's benefit.
And after all, what could possibly be more important than helping the mayor win a seventh term in office.
When city council, by a five to four vote, rejected his unbalanced 2011 budget back in December, the mayor had a plan.
Was it a plan to trim spending?
Nope.
Did he reach out to individual members of city council to hear their concerns?
Nope.
Did he negotiate with council, so that they could come to an agreement that would be acceptable to everyone?
Nope.
Did the Mayor's Lap Dog of the Treasury, City Council Finance Chairman Paul Manson, propose any budget fixes?
Nope.
Surely Manson held budget hearings, and led council through detailed discussions about the city's budget?
Nope.
So what is the mayor's plan to ensure Massillon has a budget that passes council's muster?
Do nothing and blame city council.
See, doing nothing to fix a serious problem is something our mayor for life is very good at.
Cicchinelli stated his detailed budget plan in yesterday's Independent;
"Cicchinelli said Friday that if council votes against the budget when it comes up for a third reading on March 9, that it is its (council's) responsibility to make changes" (The Independent, February 22, 2011).
See? The buck stops some where else. Again.
But it never stops at the mayor's desk. Ever.
The plan, if you could call it one, is to have either Donnie Peters, or Larry Slagle change his vote.
According to Peters, it ain't gonna be him;
"I'll vote against it again," he (Peters) said (The Independent, February 22, 2011).
It's now up to Larry Slagle to roll over and play dead.
It's up to Larry Slagle to prop up the mayor's house of cards, and the fiction that is masquerading as Cicchinelli's proposed budget.
We are confident the Mayor's Loyal Enforcer, Council President Glenn Gamber, is working over time to secure Slagle's vote.
In the end, we predict that Slagle will fold.
Slagle will want to prop up Cicchinelli and will not want to embarrass our Mayor for Life before the May election.
Even though Cicchinelli's "my way or the highway" bluff with our city finances deserves to be called.
Slagle will be a team player, and take a bullet for the mayor.
Taxman Hersher and Jayne Ferrero do it all the time.
Larry Slagle shouldn't fret.
It probably gets easier and easier to sell out your integrity and ideals for the mayor's benefit.
And after all, what could possibly be more important than helping the mayor win a seventh term in office.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Parks Board Appointment
According to multiple Massillon Review sources, Massillon's beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, will be appointing Esther Bryant to the Massillon Parks and Recreation Board.
Her appointment is contingent upon City Council voting to approve her.
Esther Bryant is the Executive Director of Lighthouse Visions, an agency which provides services to area foster children.
We wish Esther Bryant well as a member of the Parks Board, and our community can only hope she exercises independence, and makes decisions that are best for the parks, not decisions that are best for the mayor.
We hope Esther Bryant realizes that when the voters of Massillon passed a .3% income tax for parks and recreation, they believed their tax dollars would actually go for parks and recreation, not to subsidize the debt for an unprofitable golf course, or to buy a restaurant.
We hope Esther Bryant realizes the hollowness of the mayor's "pledge" to the people of Ward 4;
"Mayor Cicchinelli told 4th Ward residents there are no plans to sell Shriver park, or many others, and he pledged to Councilman Tony Townsend that he would help him rename Shriver by urging his Parks and Recreation Board appointees to vote in favor of it" (The Independent, August 31, 2010).
Of course the mayor's appointees to the Parks Board, Michelle Del Rio-Keller and Timothy Muzi both voted against the name change.
We hope Esther Bryant doesn't agree to start selling our park system off, piece by piece, so that the mayor can have the cash to bail out his years of fiscal mismanagement.
Our crack Massillon Review research team has learned that Lighthouse Visions, the agency that Esther Bryant is the Executive Director of, was scheduled to receive $8,000 dollars from the mayor's Fiscal Year 2010 CDBG budget (program year period July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011).
www.massillonohio.com/commdevelopment
Look under "FY 2010 CDBG Action Plan."
Page 2 in the 2010 Action Plan.
We sincerely hope that her agency's reliance on the city's CDBG budget, as proposed by our mayor, does not diminish her independence on the Parks Board.
Her appointment is contingent upon City Council voting to approve her.
Esther Bryant is the Executive Director of Lighthouse Visions, an agency which provides services to area foster children.
We wish Esther Bryant well as a member of the Parks Board, and our community can only hope she exercises independence, and makes decisions that are best for the parks, not decisions that are best for the mayor.
We hope Esther Bryant realizes that when the voters of Massillon passed a .3% income tax for parks and recreation, they believed their tax dollars would actually go for parks and recreation, not to subsidize the debt for an unprofitable golf course, or to buy a restaurant.
We hope Esther Bryant realizes the hollowness of the mayor's "pledge" to the people of Ward 4;
"Mayor Cicchinelli told 4th Ward residents there are no plans to sell Shriver park, or many others, and he pledged to Councilman Tony Townsend that he would help him rename Shriver by urging his Parks and Recreation Board appointees to vote in favor of it" (The Independent, August 31, 2010).
Of course the mayor's appointees to the Parks Board, Michelle Del Rio-Keller and Timothy Muzi both voted against the name change.
We hope Esther Bryant doesn't agree to start selling our park system off, piece by piece, so that the mayor can have the cash to bail out his years of fiscal mismanagement.
Our crack Massillon Review research team has learned that Lighthouse Visions, the agency that Esther Bryant is the Executive Director of, was scheduled to receive $8,000 dollars from the mayor's Fiscal Year 2010 CDBG budget (program year period July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011).
www.massillonohio.com/commdevelopment
Look under "FY 2010 CDBG Action Plan."
Page 2 in the 2010 Action Plan.
We sincerely hope that her agency's reliance on the city's CDBG budget, as proposed by our mayor, does not diminish her independence on the Parks Board.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Massillon Idol
The search is on to find our beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal's most reliable rubber stamp, his most loyal lackey, his most dependable minion.
The search is in full swing for the mayor's next park board lackey.
Consummate city insider Ron Pribich has resigned from the "independent" Parks and Recreation Board. Pribich was reappointed in 2009 despite being rejected by six of the nine members of city council.
A lawsuit ensued, which included the legality of the Pribich appointment. State law stated city council had to approve the mayor's park board appointments. City law stated the mayor didn't need council's approval. Stark County Judge John Haas ruled in the mayor's favor, and the Pribich appointment stood.
Council then changed city law, and the mayor's future appointments now require council's approval.
It is believed that Pribich resigned from the parks board because he didn't want to be an issue as his wife, Mary, runs to replace Kathy Catazaro-Perry in Massillon's third ward.
It is expected that Mrs. Ron Pribich will be a faithful rubber stamp as a member of council, and will vote for any thing the mayor wants.
The mayor once again has a choice.
Will he appoint a person to the parks board who will actually do whats best for the park system?
Or will he appoint a lackey who will vote however the mayor tells him (or her) to vote. A person who will continue to allow the mayor to raid park funds to subsidize the golf course, buy restaurants, and pilfer insurance settlements that rightly belong to the park system.
We all know what the answer is.
If you want to know who the city's biggest mayoral lackey is, wait to see who Cicchinelli appoints to the parks board.
It certainly won't be someone who has the best interests of our parks at heart.
It will be someone who has the best interests of the mayor at heart.
And the mayor can continue to use the funds that the voters of Massillon earmarked for parks and recreation to subsidize his own mismanagement of city finances.
Because as we all know, you don't get to be mayor for life by having parks board members who think for themselves.
The search is in full swing for the mayor's next park board lackey.
Consummate city insider Ron Pribich has resigned from the "independent" Parks and Recreation Board. Pribich was reappointed in 2009 despite being rejected by six of the nine members of city council.
A lawsuit ensued, which included the legality of the Pribich appointment. State law stated city council had to approve the mayor's park board appointments. City law stated the mayor didn't need council's approval. Stark County Judge John Haas ruled in the mayor's favor, and the Pribich appointment stood.
Council then changed city law, and the mayor's future appointments now require council's approval.
It is believed that Pribich resigned from the parks board because he didn't want to be an issue as his wife, Mary, runs to replace Kathy Catazaro-Perry in Massillon's third ward.
It is expected that Mrs. Ron Pribich will be a faithful rubber stamp as a member of council, and will vote for any thing the mayor wants.
The mayor once again has a choice.
Will he appoint a person to the parks board who will actually do whats best for the park system?
Or will he appoint a lackey who will vote however the mayor tells him (or her) to vote. A person who will continue to allow the mayor to raid park funds to subsidize the golf course, buy restaurants, and pilfer insurance settlements that rightly belong to the park system.
We all know what the answer is.
If you want to know who the city's biggest mayoral lackey is, wait to see who Cicchinelli appoints to the parks board.
It certainly won't be someone who has the best interests of our parks at heart.
It will be someone who has the best interests of the mayor at heart.
And the mayor can continue to use the funds that the voters of Massillon earmarked for parks and recreation to subsidize his own mismanagement of city finances.
Because as we all know, you don't get to be mayor for life by having parks board members who think for themselves.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Where's Waldo?
Part of the reason our beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, has served in elected office for 38 years straight is that he has adopted a "buck stops some where else" attitude when it comes to controversial issues in city government.
Cicchinelli has mastered the 'blame game,' and the buck never stops at his desk.
Sewer rates need raised, or a new "storm water utility fee" needs created, Taxman Hersher takes the lead.
Time to negotiate new water rates. That's council's job. Rookie Councilman Gary Anderson, go negotiate with Aqua Ohio. We are confident their lawyers will be no match for a part time, first term member of city council.
City's broke, council needs to find "new revenue streams," and the auditor needs to propose cuts.
Someone dares run against his Lordship for mayor, and it can't be because the city's a mess, it must be the fault of "carpetbaggers," who want to "control the city."
Need a new contract with AT&T, that's the mayor's secretary's job.
Other than annexing neighboring communities, what exactly does our mayor do?
Today's Independent reported a discussion about how the city should pay for capital expenditures for the fire department, like ambulances and fire trucks.
Specifically, the discussion centered on how to pay for an almost $110,000 ambulance.
Councilman Donnie Peters wants to set aside 25% of emergency transport revenue to fund capital improvements. Auditor Jayne Ferrero is arguing that the city can't, because they need all the revenue for fire fighter salaries. Councilwoman Kathy Catazaro-Perry is offering a compromise to set aside a lower amount now, and possibly raise it in the future.
Donnie Peters, Jayne Ferrero, and Kathy Catazaro-Perry are all making legitimate, reasoned arguments. They all seem to want to purchase the ambulance, and all three have a different plan to do it.
This seems like an important issue. Capital equipment for the fire department. An ambulance to take people (us) to the hospital if we ever need medical transport.
So where the hell is Waldo?
Specifically, where is the mayor? Doesn't he have an opinion? Doesn't he have a plan? Doesn't he care?
It's not his problem.
It's up to the auditor and council.
The problem is that it's never his problem.
And that's the problem.
Cicchinelli has mastered the 'blame game,' and the buck never stops at his desk.
Sewer rates need raised, or a new "storm water utility fee" needs created, Taxman Hersher takes the lead.
Time to negotiate new water rates. That's council's job. Rookie Councilman Gary Anderson, go negotiate with Aqua Ohio. We are confident their lawyers will be no match for a part time, first term member of city council.
City's broke, council needs to find "new revenue streams," and the auditor needs to propose cuts.
Someone dares run against his Lordship for mayor, and it can't be because the city's a mess, it must be the fault of "carpetbaggers," who want to "control the city."
Need a new contract with AT&T, that's the mayor's secretary's job.
Other than annexing neighboring communities, what exactly does our mayor do?
Today's Independent reported a discussion about how the city should pay for capital expenditures for the fire department, like ambulances and fire trucks.
Specifically, the discussion centered on how to pay for an almost $110,000 ambulance.
Councilman Donnie Peters wants to set aside 25% of emergency transport revenue to fund capital improvements. Auditor Jayne Ferrero is arguing that the city can't, because they need all the revenue for fire fighter salaries. Councilwoman Kathy Catazaro-Perry is offering a compromise to set aside a lower amount now, and possibly raise it in the future.
Donnie Peters, Jayne Ferrero, and Kathy Catazaro-Perry are all making legitimate, reasoned arguments. They all seem to want to purchase the ambulance, and all three have a different plan to do it.
This seems like an important issue. Capital equipment for the fire department. An ambulance to take people (us) to the hospital if we ever need medical transport.
So where the hell is Waldo?
Specifically, where is the mayor? Doesn't he have an opinion? Doesn't he have a plan? Doesn't he care?
It's not his problem.
It's up to the auditor and council.
The problem is that it's never his problem.
And that's the problem.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
It's About Dam Time
The "independent" Parks and Recreation Board has approved hiring an engineering firm to conduct a study of the Sippo Creek Reservoir Dam.
The study, which will cost $40,700 dollars, will provide plans on how to repair, or replace the dam.
Remember the Reservoir Dam? The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) gave the dam a first class hazard rating, meaning it poses a risk of "probable loss of human life."
Not possible loss of human life.
Probable loss of human life.
Of course, the city has known for over a decade that the dam was a problem.
According to the Independent, "in 2000, the city submitted repair plans and a hydrologic and hydraulic study to the ODNR, but it never resubmitted it to ODNR after the agency made comments to the plans" (The Independent, February 17, 2011).
They didn't resubmit it.
They must have been busy.
For over a decade.
Mayoral Lackey Extraordinaire, Parks Czar Kenn Kaminski, told the Park Board that even funding just the inspection would be difficult for the Parks Department.
"The funding for this project with our current budget is going to be difficult..." (The Independent, February 17, 2011).
$40,700 dollars to do a proper engineering study of the dam is "going to be difficult" to fund.
This from Kenn Kaminski.
Mayoral Lackey Extraordinaire.
The City spent $199,000 to buy the restaurant at the golf course with park funds.
They bought it, according to a parks department manager, without having a business plan.
We owe a $50,000 payment yet this year.
We spent $211,000 dollars to pay the mortgage at the Hampton Inn in 2010.
The mayor will be proposing a similar amount for hotel mortgage payments in 2011.
We will be spending another $524,045 dollars this year to pay the debt at the Legends of Massillon Golf Course.
And we will be using park funds towards paying that debt.
And in late 2008, the mayor hijacked a $490,000 dollar insurance settlement that the Parks Department received when some juvenile delinquents set fire to the chapel at the old state hospital grounds.
The building had been insured by the Parks Board.
The premium had been paid with Parks money.
And the mayor took the settlement money to balance the general fund because his own budget was unbalanced.
As it always is.
Cicchinelli then sacked Joe Luckring, the Parks Board member who objected to the mayor pilfering the almost half a million dollars of parks money.
And replaced Luckring with the ultimate city insider, Ron Pribich.
Pribich would never object to anything our mayor does.
He knows his role.
Our crack Massillon Review accounting team has gotten out their calculators.
$527,885 dollars for golf course debt in 2010
$524,045 dollars for golf course debt in 2011
$199,000 dollars for restaurant at golf course in 2010 and 2011
$211,000 dollars for Hampton Inn mortgage in 2010
$211,000 dollars (estimate) for Hampton Inn in 2011
$490,000 dollars of hijacked park insurance money
Let's see.
That's $2,162,930 dollars squandered away in about two years.
Over 2 million bucks.
That doesn't even count Kenn Kaminski's salary, overtime, city car, and gas card.
It would appear the city can scrape up the $40,700 dollars to conduct a proper engineering study so that we may fix the dam.
BEFORE we have "probable loss of human life."
The study, which will cost $40,700 dollars, will provide plans on how to repair, or replace the dam.
Remember the Reservoir Dam? The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) gave the dam a first class hazard rating, meaning it poses a risk of "probable loss of human life."
Not possible loss of human life.
Probable loss of human life.
Of course, the city has known for over a decade that the dam was a problem.
According to the Independent, "in 2000, the city submitted repair plans and a hydrologic and hydraulic study to the ODNR, but it never resubmitted it to ODNR after the agency made comments to the plans" (The Independent, February 17, 2011).
They didn't resubmit it.
They must have been busy.
For over a decade.
Mayoral Lackey Extraordinaire, Parks Czar Kenn Kaminski, told the Park Board that even funding just the inspection would be difficult for the Parks Department.
"The funding for this project with our current budget is going to be difficult..." (The Independent, February 17, 2011).
$40,700 dollars to do a proper engineering study of the dam is "going to be difficult" to fund.
This from Kenn Kaminski.
Mayoral Lackey Extraordinaire.
The City spent $199,000 to buy the restaurant at the golf course with park funds.
They bought it, according to a parks department manager, without having a business plan.
We owe a $50,000 payment yet this year.
We spent $211,000 dollars to pay the mortgage at the Hampton Inn in 2010.
The mayor will be proposing a similar amount for hotel mortgage payments in 2011.
We will be spending another $524,045 dollars this year to pay the debt at the Legends of Massillon Golf Course.
And we will be using park funds towards paying that debt.
And in late 2008, the mayor hijacked a $490,000 dollar insurance settlement that the Parks Department received when some juvenile delinquents set fire to the chapel at the old state hospital grounds.
The building had been insured by the Parks Board.
The premium had been paid with Parks money.
And the mayor took the settlement money to balance the general fund because his own budget was unbalanced.
As it always is.
Cicchinelli then sacked Joe Luckring, the Parks Board member who objected to the mayor pilfering the almost half a million dollars of parks money.
And replaced Luckring with the ultimate city insider, Ron Pribich.
Pribich would never object to anything our mayor does.
He knows his role.
Our crack Massillon Review accounting team has gotten out their calculators.
$527,885 dollars for golf course debt in 2010
$524,045 dollars for golf course debt in 2011
$199,000 dollars for restaurant at golf course in 2010 and 2011
$211,000 dollars for Hampton Inn mortgage in 2010
$211,000 dollars (estimate) for Hampton Inn in 2011
$490,000 dollars of hijacked park insurance money
Let's see.
That's $2,162,930 dollars squandered away in about two years.
Over 2 million bucks.
That doesn't even count Kenn Kaminski's salary, overtime, city car, and gas card.
It would appear the city can scrape up the $40,700 dollars to conduct a proper engineering study so that we may fix the dam.
BEFORE we have "probable loss of human life."
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Day 47
We are 47 days into 2011.
And the City of Massillon still does not have a budget.
Shockingly, Massillon City Council rejected our beloved Mayor for Life's unbalanced sham masquerading as a budget back in December.
The rubber stamp bloc of Taxman Hersher, Lap Dog of the Treasury Manson, "I am the law" McCune, and Ron Mang voted yes.
Kathy Catazaro-Perry, Gary Anderson, and Tony Townsend voted no.
They were joined by both Larry Slagle and Donnie Peters in rejecting the budget scam.
And what has our mayor done to fix the budget in the past two months?
Absolutely nothing.
It's always been "my way or the highway" in King Francis the Eternal's world.
He gave council a budget, screwed up as it was, and in his mind, his job is done.
It is now the auditor's problem, and council's problem, and every one else's problem.
But not his problem.
The buck never stops at the mayor's desk in Massillon.
The budget plan, if you can call it that, is to convince either Slagle or Peters to change his vote.
One of them will cave in. It's just a question of who.
And the budget will be passed as originally submitted by the mayor.
Because the mayor is never wrong.
Massillon Review Fun Fact
The City of Massillon still owes $9,788,907.50 in payments on the Legends of Massillon Golf Course.
Almost 10 million dollars.
The golf course, on a good day, is worth less than $3 million dollars.
This year's payment will be $524,045.00.
Over half a million dollars.
We could fix a lot of parks with half a million dollars.
Or even fix the dam at Reservoir Park before it bursts, preventing a "probable loss of human life."
We at the Massillon Review realize the golf course debacle can't be the mayor's fault.
It must be the fault of "overzealous golfers," or worse yet...
Carpetbaggers
And the City of Massillon still does not have a budget.
Shockingly, Massillon City Council rejected our beloved Mayor for Life's unbalanced sham masquerading as a budget back in December.
The rubber stamp bloc of Taxman Hersher, Lap Dog of the Treasury Manson, "I am the law" McCune, and Ron Mang voted yes.
Kathy Catazaro-Perry, Gary Anderson, and Tony Townsend voted no.
They were joined by both Larry Slagle and Donnie Peters in rejecting the budget scam.
And what has our mayor done to fix the budget in the past two months?
Absolutely nothing.
It's always been "my way or the highway" in King Francis the Eternal's world.
He gave council a budget, screwed up as it was, and in his mind, his job is done.
It is now the auditor's problem, and council's problem, and every one else's problem.
But not his problem.
The buck never stops at the mayor's desk in Massillon.
The budget plan, if you can call it that, is to convince either Slagle or Peters to change his vote.
One of them will cave in. It's just a question of who.
And the budget will be passed as originally submitted by the mayor.
Because the mayor is never wrong.
Massillon Review Fun Fact
The City of Massillon still owes $9,788,907.50 in payments on the Legends of Massillon Golf Course.
Almost 10 million dollars.
The golf course, on a good day, is worth less than $3 million dollars.
This year's payment will be $524,045.00.
Over half a million dollars.
We could fix a lot of parks with half a million dollars.
Or even fix the dam at Reservoir Park before it bursts, preventing a "probable loss of human life."
We at the Massillon Review realize the golf course debacle can't be the mayor's fault.
It must be the fault of "overzealous golfers," or worse yet...
Carpetbaggers
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Football First
According to an article in today's Independent, Massillon School Superintendent Lisa Carmichael is looking to leave us. She is a finalist for a superintendent's job in Belpre, Ohio. Belpre is in Southeast Ohio, along the Ohio River.
Apparently, three years of working for Marhsall Weinberg has taken its toll.
But don't worry, School Board President Weinberg has a plan to take us forward!
"If we believe our superintendent is actively trying to leave, we are certainly not going to get caught with our pants down around our ankles. We would need to start searching on our own. We also need to be cognizant of any long-term obligations of our own" (Marshall Weinberg, The Independent, February 15, 2010).
Are you ready for some football
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmDW5p8X9xs
The 'friends of the program' football boosters must be salivating. Led by President Weinberg, a recent convert to the 'friends of the program,' the school board will be able to hire a new superintendent who knows his role.
Obedience and subservience to the football boosters.
We can hire a superintendent who will quickly cave in to the "Reorganization" of the Washington High School Athletic Department. The football coach will become Athletic Director, an assistant coach will be Assistant Athletic Director, football will claim its rightful spot at the top of the food chain, and the "DREAM will be achieved."
And the other sports and activities can go straight to hell...
'Cuz they ain't football, so who cares!
What the heck, let's make the football coach the district's superintendent.
Or better yet, the President of the Football Booster Club can be superintendent.
We can only hope that the majority owner of our Massillon Tigers makes a good choice this time.
And people thought this was a public school system...
Apparently, three years of working for Marhsall Weinberg has taken its toll.
But don't worry, School Board President Weinberg has a plan to take us forward!
"If we believe our superintendent is actively trying to leave, we are certainly not going to get caught with our pants down around our ankles. We would need to start searching on our own. We also need to be cognizant of any long-term obligations of our own" (Marshall Weinberg, The Independent, February 15, 2010).
Are you ready for some football
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmDW5p8X9xs
The 'friends of the program' football boosters must be salivating. Led by President Weinberg, a recent convert to the 'friends of the program,' the school board will be able to hire a new superintendent who knows his role.
Obedience and subservience to the football boosters.
We can hire a superintendent who will quickly cave in to the "Reorganization" of the Washington High School Athletic Department. The football coach will become Athletic Director, an assistant coach will be Assistant Athletic Director, football will claim its rightful spot at the top of the food chain, and the "DREAM will be achieved."
And the other sports and activities can go straight to hell...
'Cuz they ain't football, so who cares!
What the heck, let's make the football coach the district's superintendent.
Or better yet, the President of the Football Booster Club can be superintendent.
We can only hope that the majority owner of our Massillon Tigers makes a good choice this time.
And people thought this was a public school system...
Monday, February 14, 2011
Say it ain't so, Joe. Say it ain't so.
The crack Massillon Review investigative staff has been tirelessly investigating Massillon's carpetbaggers. We have joined our beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, and have "drawn a line in the sand," when it comes to carpetbaggers.
We have exposed the carpetbaggers.
They include;
Mayor Cicchinelli's campaign contributors
Mayor Cicchinelli's department heads
Mayor Cicchinelli's public relations firm
Mayor Cicchinelli's wife
and Mayor Cicchinelli himself
And acting on a tip, we have uncovered one more carpetbagger.
The crack Massillon Review investigative staff has uncovered evidence proving that Massillon's favorite son is, unfortunately, a carpetbagger.
We naturally understand the shock and grief that will grip our community in the wake of these revelations.
But the truth, as heart breaking as it is, must be told.
Coaching Legend Paul Brown is a carpetbagger.
Paul Brown, one of the most revered coaches in football history.
Hall of Famer. Champion. Innovator. Founder of two NFL teams. Father of the modern offense.
Carpetbagger.
Paul Brown was born in Norwalk, Ohio.
He attended college at Miami of Ohio. We checked. Miami of Ohio is in Oxford, Ohio.
Oxford is outside the city of Massillon.
And when Paul Brown left Massillon in 1941, he went to coach Ohio State University.
In Columbus.
He then started the Cleveland Browns football franchise.
Cleveland is outside the "corporate limits of the city of Massillon."
It's true.
Paul Brown then founded the Cincinnati Bengals.
Cincinnati is not in Massillon.
In 1967, Brown was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In Canton.
In light of these shocking revelations, we will understand if Paul Brown Tiger Stadium is renamed.
Mayor for Life Frank Cicchinelli Tiger Stadium has a nice ring to it.
We have exposed the carpetbaggers.
They include;
Mayor Cicchinelli's campaign contributors
Mayor Cicchinelli's department heads
Mayor Cicchinelli's public relations firm
Mayor Cicchinelli's wife
and Mayor Cicchinelli himself
And acting on a tip, we have uncovered one more carpetbagger.
The crack Massillon Review investigative staff has uncovered evidence proving that Massillon's favorite son is, unfortunately, a carpetbagger.
We naturally understand the shock and grief that will grip our community in the wake of these revelations.
But the truth, as heart breaking as it is, must be told.
Coaching Legend Paul Brown is a carpetbagger.
Paul Brown, one of the most revered coaches in football history.
Hall of Famer. Champion. Innovator. Founder of two NFL teams. Father of the modern offense.
Carpetbagger.
Paul Brown was born in Norwalk, Ohio.
He attended college at Miami of Ohio. We checked. Miami of Ohio is in Oxford, Ohio.
Oxford is outside the city of Massillon.
And when Paul Brown left Massillon in 1941, he went to coach Ohio State University.
In Columbus.
He then started the Cleveland Browns football franchise.
Cleveland is outside the "corporate limits of the city of Massillon."
It's true.
Paul Brown then founded the Cincinnati Bengals.
Cincinnati is not in Massillon.
In 1967, Brown was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In Canton.
In light of these shocking revelations, we will understand if Paul Brown Tiger Stadium is renamed.
Mayor for Life Frank Cicchinelli Tiger Stadium has a nice ring to it.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The Ranks are Thinning
2nd Ward Councilman Gary Anderson has a bit of an Independent streak. He voted against the mayor's unbalanced budget the last two years, and opposed spending park tax dollars to purchase the restaurant at the golf course. He also supported 4th Ward Councilman Tony Townsend's plan to rename Shriver Park to honor the late former Councilman T. Roy Roberson.
Anderson didn't always oppose the mayor. Anderson voted to fund the mortgage payments for the Hampton Inn, and Anderson, at the mayor's behest, started the negotiations with Aqua Ohio which led to higher water rates.
Not always in opposition to the mayor, but not a mindless rubber stamp either.
Our beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, wants council members who mindlessly rubber stamp his every proposal. People like Taxman Hersher, Lap Dog of the Treasury Manson, David "I am the Law" McCune, and Ron Mang.
The mayor works tirelessly to control "his" city council, and when a council member gets out of line, he looks to punish that person, and replace him (or her) at the next election.
The mayor recruited Kevin Phillips to run against Gary Anderson in the 2nd Ward Democratic primary this May. Phillips' wife worked for the Cicchinelli family, and Frank Cicchinelli drove Phillips to the elections board himself to file Phillips' nominating papers.
Kevin Phillips might as well have had "rubber stamp" printed on his forehead.
And then Phillips quit the election.
"Kevin M. Phillips, a Democrat running for Massillon City Council Ward 2, withdrew his name; he provided no reason. That means fellow Democrat Gary Anderson will automatically advance to the fall election" (The Repository, February 12, 2010).
Anderson wins the primary.
Anderson's opponent in November will be Republican Nancy Halter. Halter, should she be elected, will not be a mayoral rubber stamp either.
Cicchinelli is now down one rubber stamp.
He still has Jackie Carter running against Tony Townsend in the 4th Ward. The Mayor for Life's wife canvassed the ward to put Jackie on the ballot.
He also has Mrs. Ron Pribich running in Ward 3, to replace Kathy Catazaro-Perry, who is running for mayor.
Taxman Hersher, Paul Manson and Larry Slagle are unopposed in May, and the Republicans have put forth just one candidate for the three council at large seats, Milan Chovan, Jr. Manson and Slagle will be easily re-elected. Only the Taxman might be in danger.
Two Democrats are running for the right to challenge Donnie Peters in Ward 5. Peters did not tow the line 100% of the time. Strangely enough, the tax issues relating to his business magically found their way to the newspaper, and he has opposition for the first time since he was elected six years ago. Just a coincidence, we're sure.
No, our beloved Mayor for Life will not be able to control all nine council seats.
The best he can do is eight.
At least the citizens are guaranteed one.
Anderson didn't always oppose the mayor. Anderson voted to fund the mortgage payments for the Hampton Inn, and Anderson, at the mayor's behest, started the negotiations with Aqua Ohio which led to higher water rates.
Not always in opposition to the mayor, but not a mindless rubber stamp either.
Our beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, wants council members who mindlessly rubber stamp his every proposal. People like Taxman Hersher, Lap Dog of the Treasury Manson, David "I am the Law" McCune, and Ron Mang.
The mayor works tirelessly to control "his" city council, and when a council member gets out of line, he looks to punish that person, and replace him (or her) at the next election.
The mayor recruited Kevin Phillips to run against Gary Anderson in the 2nd Ward Democratic primary this May. Phillips' wife worked for the Cicchinelli family, and Frank Cicchinelli drove Phillips to the elections board himself to file Phillips' nominating papers.
Kevin Phillips might as well have had "rubber stamp" printed on his forehead.
And then Phillips quit the election.
"Kevin M. Phillips, a Democrat running for Massillon City Council Ward 2, withdrew his name; he provided no reason. That means fellow Democrat Gary Anderson will automatically advance to the fall election" (The Repository, February 12, 2010).
Anderson wins the primary.
Anderson's opponent in November will be Republican Nancy Halter. Halter, should she be elected, will not be a mayoral rubber stamp either.
Cicchinelli is now down one rubber stamp.
He still has Jackie Carter running against Tony Townsend in the 4th Ward. The Mayor for Life's wife canvassed the ward to put Jackie on the ballot.
He also has Mrs. Ron Pribich running in Ward 3, to replace Kathy Catazaro-Perry, who is running for mayor.
Taxman Hersher, Paul Manson and Larry Slagle are unopposed in May, and the Republicans have put forth just one candidate for the three council at large seats, Milan Chovan, Jr. Manson and Slagle will be easily re-elected. Only the Taxman might be in danger.
Two Democrats are running for the right to challenge Donnie Peters in Ward 5. Peters did not tow the line 100% of the time. Strangely enough, the tax issues relating to his business magically found their way to the newspaper, and he has opposition for the first time since he was elected six years ago. Just a coincidence, we're sure.
No, our beloved Mayor for Life will not be able to control all nine council seats.
The best he can do is eight.
At least the citizens are guaranteed one.
Friday, February 11, 2011
No Strings Attached
The people who donate to our Mayor for Life's campaigns don't really want any thing in return. They just like the mayor.
"Despite his (Cichinelli's) dislike of any outsiders' involvement in city elections or city government, Cicchinelli said there is a "big difference" in accepting campaign donations from people who live outside of Massillon. "There's no strings attached to that..." (The Independent, February 8, 2011).
No strings attached.
They just like Frank.
Because he is just so likable.
Developers Roger Deville and Tim Putman of Canton, both of whom have profited on city projects didn't want anything. They just want to be Frank's friend.
Excavater Howard Wenger of Dalton contributes to our mayor because, we are sure, he just really like Frank. He probably has never done work on a city project.
And John Helline of North Lawrence. Helline. Helline. Isn't there a John Helline who is one of the investors in the Hampton Inn? The very same Hampton Inn that the taxpayers pay the mortgage for? Maybe Mr. Helline should take the money he donates to the mayor's campaign fund and use it to pay the mortgage.
So we don't have to.
But Helline is just a friend.
And the "Aqua America PAC." They are just friends, too.
They don't want anything from city government. They just want to make sure we have clean drinking water at a great price.
They just like Frank.
Because he is just so likable.
Closer to home we have contributor Ron Pribich. Ron Pribich and his associates sold Frank the land for the nine hole golf course expansion. Ron is just a really good friend. He never expected anything for his contributions.
Just friendship.
"No strings attached."
"Despite his (Cichinelli's) dislike of any outsiders' involvement in city elections or city government, Cicchinelli said there is a "big difference" in accepting campaign donations from people who live outside of Massillon. "There's no strings attached to that..." (The Independent, February 8, 2011).
No strings attached.
They just like Frank.
Because he is just so likable.
Developers Roger Deville and Tim Putman of Canton, both of whom have profited on city projects didn't want anything. They just want to be Frank's friend.
Excavater Howard Wenger of Dalton contributes to our mayor because, we are sure, he just really like Frank. He probably has never done work on a city project.
And John Helline of North Lawrence. Helline. Helline. Isn't there a John Helline who is one of the investors in the Hampton Inn? The very same Hampton Inn that the taxpayers pay the mortgage for? Maybe Mr. Helline should take the money he donates to the mayor's campaign fund and use it to pay the mortgage.
So we don't have to.
But Helline is just a friend.
And the "Aqua America PAC." They are just friends, too.
They don't want anything from city government. They just want to make sure we have clean drinking water at a great price.
They just like Frank.
Because he is just so likable.
Closer to home we have contributor Ron Pribich. Ron Pribich and his associates sold Frank the land for the nine hole golf course expansion. Ron is just a really good friend. He never expected anything for his contributions.
Just friendship.
"No strings attached."
Thursday, February 10, 2011
A Philosophical Question
One of the mayor for life's minions offered up the best reason yet to not vote Kathy Catazaro-Perry mayor.
She goes to church in Perry Township.
"Why does she go to St. Joan of Arc church. Is it really Massillon first with her?"
The Perry Township infidels must be pagans or something.
Yes, it is clear to us that salvation lies only within the corporate limits of the City of Massillon.
The wise theological insight presented by one of the mayoral minions led one of our faithful readers to pose the following question;
"If God is every where, that means He is also outside the city of Massillon. Does this make God a carpetbagger?"
Yes. Of Course.
This whole discussion about "carpetbaggers" and where Catazaro-Perry goes to church shows clearly who plans on slinging the mud this election year.
It will be, as it has always been, our beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, who will be the Mudslinger in Chief.
And why? Why does he resort to doing this?
"He's not happy because he has a credible opponent," Jackson said. "This is a smokescreen. If the people who vote here and live here think he's done a good job, they'll vote for him. It's that simple" (Shane Jackson, The Independent, February 8, 2011).
It is a smokescreen.
He hasn't done a "good job" in recent years, and he can't talk about the issues because he has failed miserably in running our city.
He can't talk about the deplorable condition of our parks, which can't be properly maintained because he spent money from a voter approved income tax to subsidize a debt ridden golf course, a golf course in which he bought land from a friend and city insider to expand. The debt which won't be paid off until 2032.
He can't talk about using tax dollars to pay the mortgage for a privately owned hotel.
He can't talk about spending almost $200,000 dollars to buy the restaurant at the golf course, a restaurant which, according to city employee Julie Jenkins, had no business plan.
He can't talk about signing the ordinance which gives himself an unvoted pay raise every year, for as long as he is mayor.
He can't talk about the unbalanced city budget, which shorts police and fire fighters by over $1 million dollars.
He can't talk about how sewer fees have gone up, and how he approved a new "storm water utility fee," with the help of his accomplice "Tax Man" Dave Hersher.
He can't talk about being swindled by phony financiers over an arena which was never built.
No, Frank Cicchinelli can't speak about the issues.
That's why his campaign will be about carpetbaggers, where Kathy Catazaro-Perry goes to church, and who cheers louder for Massillon at the high school football games.
Frank Cicchinelli can't talk about the issues.
And he knows it.
So let's get back to who prays in Massillon and who doesn't.
She goes to church in Perry Township.
"Why does she go to St. Joan of Arc church. Is it really Massillon first with her?"
The Perry Township infidels must be pagans or something.
Yes, it is clear to us that salvation lies only within the corporate limits of the City of Massillon.
The wise theological insight presented by one of the mayoral minions led one of our faithful readers to pose the following question;
"If God is every where, that means He is also outside the city of Massillon. Does this make God a carpetbagger?"
Yes. Of Course.
This whole discussion about "carpetbaggers" and where Catazaro-Perry goes to church shows clearly who plans on slinging the mud this election year.
It will be, as it has always been, our beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, who will be the Mudslinger in Chief.
And why? Why does he resort to doing this?
"He's not happy because he has a credible opponent," Jackson said. "This is a smokescreen. If the people who vote here and live here think he's done a good job, they'll vote for him. It's that simple" (Shane Jackson, The Independent, February 8, 2011).
It is a smokescreen.
He hasn't done a "good job" in recent years, and he can't talk about the issues because he has failed miserably in running our city.
He can't talk about the deplorable condition of our parks, which can't be properly maintained because he spent money from a voter approved income tax to subsidize a debt ridden golf course, a golf course in which he bought land from a friend and city insider to expand. The debt which won't be paid off until 2032.
He can't talk about using tax dollars to pay the mortgage for a privately owned hotel.
He can't talk about spending almost $200,000 dollars to buy the restaurant at the golf course, a restaurant which, according to city employee Julie Jenkins, had no business plan.
He can't talk about signing the ordinance which gives himself an unvoted pay raise every year, for as long as he is mayor.
He can't talk about the unbalanced city budget, which shorts police and fire fighters by over $1 million dollars.
He can't talk about how sewer fees have gone up, and how he approved a new "storm water utility fee," with the help of his accomplice "Tax Man" Dave Hersher.
He can't talk about being swindled by phony financiers over an arena which was never built.
No, Frank Cicchinelli can't speak about the issues.
That's why his campaign will be about carpetbaggers, where Kathy Catazaro-Perry goes to church, and who cheers louder for Massillon at the high school football games.
Frank Cicchinelli can't talk about the issues.
And he knows it.
So let's get back to who prays in Massillon and who doesn't.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Joy of Carpetbagging
Our Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, has drawn a line in the sand.
Carpetbaggers are not permitted in our fair city.
And we have exposed the carpetbaggers.
Carpetbaggers such as the mayor's campaign contributors, the mayor's department heads, the mayor's PR firm, and even the mayor himself.
The mayor is now blaming the problems of the city on two more carpetbaggers, Clerk of Courts Johnnie Maier, and Deputy Clerk Shane Jackson.
"They don't like me and they could care less about the city of Massillon" (Frank Cicchinelli, The Independent, February 8, 2011).
Based on Frank Cicchinelli's decision to short the police and fire fighters over a million dollars, and his decision to ignore the dam at Reservoir Park, which was given a first class hazard rating by the Department of Natural Resources, meaning it poses a risk of "probable loss of human life," we wonder just how much Mayor Cicchinelli cares about the city of Massillon.
As the search for the insidious carpetbaggers infiltrating our fair city continues, the crack Massillon Review research staff has exposed one more carpetbagger.
Not only has she infiltrated and infested our fair city, she has infiltrated the home of our eternal leader.
Massillon's First Lady for Life, Joy Cicchinelli.
Joy Cicchinelli isn't originally from Massillon. She is from Altoona, Pennsylvania.
This makes her a carpetbagger.
What nefarious plans is she cooking up against our home town?
Joy Cicchinelli was caught circulating candidate petitions for 4th Ward Council challenger Jackie Carter.
Right under her husband's nose.
Why is she recruiting council members?
Is this some sort of "sneaky ploy to control our city government?"
Or worse.
We bet she even attended church in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
We can only speculate what kind of infidel theology passes for religion in Altoona.
And why did our Mayor for Life choose to wed a carpetbagger?
Were not our own home grown native born Massillonian women good enough for our mayor?
Didn't a native Massillonian woman deserve the chance to be First Lady for Life?
We demand answers. Our entire way of life may be at risk.
Carpetbaggers are not permitted in our fair city.
And we have exposed the carpetbaggers.
Carpetbaggers such as the mayor's campaign contributors, the mayor's department heads, the mayor's PR firm, and even the mayor himself.
The mayor is now blaming the problems of the city on two more carpetbaggers, Clerk of Courts Johnnie Maier, and Deputy Clerk Shane Jackson.
"They don't like me and they could care less about the city of Massillon" (Frank Cicchinelli, The Independent, February 8, 2011).
Based on Frank Cicchinelli's decision to short the police and fire fighters over a million dollars, and his decision to ignore the dam at Reservoir Park, which was given a first class hazard rating by the Department of Natural Resources, meaning it poses a risk of "probable loss of human life," we wonder just how much Mayor Cicchinelli cares about the city of Massillon.
As the search for the insidious carpetbaggers infiltrating our fair city continues, the crack Massillon Review research staff has exposed one more carpetbagger.
Not only has she infiltrated and infested our fair city, she has infiltrated the home of our eternal leader.
Massillon's First Lady for Life, Joy Cicchinelli.
Joy Cicchinelli isn't originally from Massillon. She is from Altoona, Pennsylvania.
This makes her a carpetbagger.
What nefarious plans is she cooking up against our home town?
Joy Cicchinelli was caught circulating candidate petitions for 4th Ward Council challenger Jackie Carter.
Right under her husband's nose.
Why is she recruiting council members?
Is this some sort of "sneaky ploy to control our city government?"
Or worse.
We bet she even attended church in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
We can only speculate what kind of infidel theology passes for religion in Altoona.
And why did our Mayor for Life choose to wed a carpetbagger?
Were not our own home grown native born Massillonian women good enough for our mayor?
Didn't a native Massillonian woman deserve the chance to be First Lady for Life?
We demand answers. Our entire way of life may be at risk.
We Need Better Carpetbaggers
Insidious blood sucking parasites, who embed themselves in our community, and are impossible to rid.
Is it bed bugs?
Worse. Carpetbaggers.
Our Mayor for Life has warned us of these vile creatures.
"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, refusing to identify such people" (The Independent, July 31, 2010).
We at the Massillon Review have taken this call to action, and have exposed these carpetbaggers.
They include;
The mayor's campaign contributors;
www.massillonreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/line-in-sand.html
The mayor's department heads;
www.massillonreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/they-walk-among-us.html
The mayor's public relation firm;
www.massillonreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/more-carpetbaggers.html
And the mayor himself
www.massillonreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/carpetbagger-exposed.html
Today, in the Independent, we learn there are even more carpetbaggers.
Clerk of Courts Johnnie Maier, and Deputy Clerk of Courts Shane Jackson now run the city.
They don't live in our beloved city and they control Kathy Catazaro-Perry. Probably with some kind of jedi mind trick.
"I'm my own man," he (Cicchinelli) said. "Kathy is not her own lady. She's being told what to say and what to do" (The Independent, February 8, 2011)
Well of course she is. She's a woman. Government, as implied by our mayor, is men's work.
We are going to guess he would not have made this same misogynistic statement if his opponent were a man.
Carpetbaggers in Charge
"On Wednesday, Cicchinelli accused Massillon Clerk of Courts Johnnie Maier and Deputy Clerk Shane Jackson of trying to control the city and called them "carpetbaggers" because they live outside Massillon" (The Independent, February 8, 2011).
Mr. Jackson and Mr. Maier do not appear to be doing a very good job of controlling our city.
Maier and Jackson have a golf course that is mired deeply in debt, are paying the mortgage on a private hotel, bought a restaurant with no business plan, and presented a city budget that under funds police and fire budgets by well over a million dollars.
We definitely need better carpetbaggers.
Is it bed bugs?
Worse. Carpetbaggers.
Our Mayor for Life has warned us of these vile creatures.
"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, refusing to identify such people" (The Independent, July 31, 2010).
We at the Massillon Review have taken this call to action, and have exposed these carpetbaggers.
They include;
The mayor's campaign contributors;
www.massillonreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/line-in-sand.html
The mayor's department heads;
www.massillonreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/they-walk-among-us.html
The mayor's public relation firm;
www.massillonreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/more-carpetbaggers.html
And the mayor himself
www.massillonreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/carpetbagger-exposed.html
Today, in the Independent, we learn there are even more carpetbaggers.
Clerk of Courts Johnnie Maier, and Deputy Clerk of Courts Shane Jackson now run the city.
They don't live in our beloved city and they control Kathy Catazaro-Perry. Probably with some kind of jedi mind trick.
"I'm my own man," he (Cicchinelli) said. "Kathy is not her own lady. She's being told what to say and what to do" (The Independent, February 8, 2011)
Well of course she is. She's a woman. Government, as implied by our mayor, is men's work.
We are going to guess he would not have made this same misogynistic statement if his opponent were a man.
Carpetbaggers in Charge
"On Wednesday, Cicchinelli accused Massillon Clerk of Courts Johnnie Maier and Deputy Clerk Shane Jackson of trying to control the city and called them "carpetbaggers" because they live outside Massillon" (The Independent, February 8, 2011).
Mr. Jackson and Mr. Maier do not appear to be doing a very good job of controlling our city.
Maier and Jackson have a golf course that is mired deeply in debt, are paying the mortgage on a private hotel, bought a restaurant with no business plan, and presented a city budget that under funds police and fire budgets by well over a million dollars.
We definitely need better carpetbaggers.
Who Will Cave First?
On December 20th of last year, Massillon City Council voted down the Mayor for Life's unbalanced budget on a 5 to 4 vote.
Bed rock, die hard, loyal to the end rubber stamps Tax Man Hersher, Lap Dog of the Treasury Paul Manson, Ron Mang and Dave McCune voted to pass the budget.
Kathy Catazaro-Perry, Tony Townsend, Gary Anderson, Donnie Peters, and Larry Slagle voted against passing the unbalanced budget which shorted police and fire fighter salaries by over $1 million dollars.
Did Cicchinelli try and fix his budget, making corrections before resubmitting it?
Nope.
Did Lap Dog of the Treasury, Council Finance Chairman Paul Manson, lead council in serious budget discussions?
Nope.
The budget actually got worse.
The budget on the table now has $337,000 dollars less in revenue than the budget city council rejected in December.
Where did the money go? According to Auditor Jayne Ferrero, money was taken from the police and fire pension funds to pay bills that were not paid in 2010.
It is now February 8, and the city has still not passed a budget for 2011.
And what is the plan of our Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, to fix this?
His plan is to do nothing.
As of late, Our Lord Mayor has gotten his gotten council to approve controversial measures on a 5 to 4 vote.
The loyal to the death rubber stamps, Tax Man Hersher, Lap Dog of the Treasury Manson, Ron Mang, and Dave McCune always vote with the mayor.
They are usually joined by either Donnie Peters, or Larry Slagle.
If Peters votes against something, Slagle usually votes for it, and vice versa.
The budget vote was the rare occasion where they both voted no.
The Lord Mayor has no intention of fixing his budget.
He just needs either Donnie Peters or Larry Slagle to change their vote.
The big question becomes which one of them will throw their principles out the window, roll over, and give the mayor what he wants?
Perhaps the mayor will promise to pave a street in Peters' ward to get his vote.
Perhaps the Mayor's Loyal Enforcer, Council President Glenn Gamber, will twist Slagle's arm until he votes for the budget.
What is clear, is that one of them will roll over and cave in.
The only question is which one will cave first?
Bed rock, die hard, loyal to the end rubber stamps Tax Man Hersher, Lap Dog of the Treasury Paul Manson, Ron Mang and Dave McCune voted to pass the budget.
Kathy Catazaro-Perry, Tony Townsend, Gary Anderson, Donnie Peters, and Larry Slagle voted against passing the unbalanced budget which shorted police and fire fighter salaries by over $1 million dollars.
Did Cicchinelli try and fix his budget, making corrections before resubmitting it?
Nope.
Did Lap Dog of the Treasury, Council Finance Chairman Paul Manson, lead council in serious budget discussions?
Nope.
The budget actually got worse.
The budget on the table now has $337,000 dollars less in revenue than the budget city council rejected in December.
Where did the money go? According to Auditor Jayne Ferrero, money was taken from the police and fire pension funds to pay bills that were not paid in 2010.
It is now February 8, and the city has still not passed a budget for 2011.
And what is the plan of our Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, to fix this?
His plan is to do nothing.
As of late, Our Lord Mayor has gotten his gotten council to approve controversial measures on a 5 to 4 vote.
The loyal to the death rubber stamps, Tax Man Hersher, Lap Dog of the Treasury Manson, Ron Mang, and Dave McCune always vote with the mayor.
They are usually joined by either Donnie Peters, or Larry Slagle.
If Peters votes against something, Slagle usually votes for it, and vice versa.
The budget vote was the rare occasion where they both voted no.
The Lord Mayor has no intention of fixing his budget.
He just needs either Donnie Peters or Larry Slagle to change their vote.
The big question becomes which one of them will throw their principles out the window, roll over, and give the mayor what he wants?
Perhaps the mayor will promise to pave a street in Peters' ward to get his vote.
Perhaps the Mayor's Loyal Enforcer, Council President Glenn Gamber, will twist Slagle's arm until he votes for the budget.
What is clear, is that one of them will roll over and cave in.
The only question is which one will cave first?
Monday, February 7, 2011
Working for the Man
Two years ago, the Massillon political scene was a lot more quiet than it is today.
There were only two contested races for Massillon City Council. Only in Ward 2 did a sitting member of council have a serious opponent.
Sue Saracina decided to run as a Republican against sitting councilman, Democrat Chuck Maier.
Maier ended up moving out of the city, and was replaced on council by Gary Anderson.
And who is Sue Saracina? Wife of Massillon Building Code Enforcement officer Mike Saracina, an employee of... wait for it...
Massillon's Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli.
If a member of council doesn't rubber stamp for the mayor, and attempts to exert some independence, the mayor quickly looks for a replacement.
This year King Francis the Eternal has recruited Kevin Phillips to run against Gary Anderson in the 2nd Ward.
And who has Phillips' spouse worked for?
Frank and Joy Cicchinelli.
It looks like the quickest path into Massillon politics is to have your spouse work for a Cicchinelli.
As for Gary Anderson, the mayor has a lot of employees, many of whom are married. This should provide Anderson with a steady supply of opponents for years to come.
There were only two contested races for Massillon City Council. Only in Ward 2 did a sitting member of council have a serious opponent.
Sue Saracina decided to run as a Republican against sitting councilman, Democrat Chuck Maier.
Maier ended up moving out of the city, and was replaced on council by Gary Anderson.
And who is Sue Saracina? Wife of Massillon Building Code Enforcement officer Mike Saracina, an employee of... wait for it...
Massillon's Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli.
If a member of council doesn't rubber stamp for the mayor, and attempts to exert some independence, the mayor quickly looks for a replacement.
This year King Francis the Eternal has recruited Kevin Phillips to run against Gary Anderson in the 2nd Ward.
And who has Phillips' spouse worked for?
Frank and Joy Cicchinelli.
It looks like the quickest path into Massillon politics is to have your spouse work for a Cicchinelli.
As for Gary Anderson, the mayor has a lot of employees, many of whom are married. This should provide Anderson with a steady supply of opponents for years to come.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Here We Go
It didn't take our beloved Mayor for Life, King Francis the Eternal, long to unleash his minions on Kathy Catzaro-Perry, his opponent for mayor in the Democratic Primary this May.
Our mayor for life is a master at slinging mud, and using his minions to do the dirty work for him. Because, as we all know, in Massillon the buck stops every where else but at the mayor's desk.
And here is the best the minions could come up with so far;
Kathy Catazaro-Perry doesn't go to church in Massillon.
She goes to Saint Joan of Arc, in Perry Township.
Perry Township, a foreign land, where infidels practice religions much different than our own native Massillonian Christianity.
Really? This is the best you can do?
We really expected better.
Please try and do better than;
"Why does she go to St. Joan of Arc church? Is it really Massillon first with her?"
What is a little disconcerting is that the minions know where she attends church...
Good job minions! Gonna tell us where she buys her groceries next?
By the way, if you need help, and it appears that you do, the Crisis Intervention Center is in the phone book.
Oh wait, the Crisis Intervention Center is in Canton. They probably only deal with Canton psychosis.
Our mayor for life is a master at slinging mud, and using his minions to do the dirty work for him. Because, as we all know, in Massillon the buck stops every where else but at the mayor's desk.
And here is the best the minions could come up with so far;
Kathy Catazaro-Perry doesn't go to church in Massillon.
She goes to Saint Joan of Arc, in Perry Township.
Perry Township, a foreign land, where infidels practice religions much different than our own native Massillonian Christianity.
Really? This is the best you can do?
We really expected better.
Please try and do better than;
"Why does she go to St. Joan of Arc church? Is it really Massillon first with her?"
What is a little disconcerting is that the minions know where she attends church...
Good job minions! Gonna tell us where she buys her groceries next?
By the way, if you need help, and it appears that you do, the Crisis Intervention Center is in the phone book.
Oh wait, the Crisis Intervention Center is in Canton. They probably only deal with Canton psychosis.
Not Worth His Salt
Our crack Massillon Review research staff has been working feverishly all week. They have conclusively determined that it snows in North East Ohio in February.
We realize this bit of information will come as a shock to Massillon's Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli, and his Street Superintendent, Mike Stevens.
This past week, our city endured the worst winter storm of the season.
This past Wednesday, The Independent reported that the City of Massillon Street Department was about out of road salt. They had enough salt left for Wednesday morning. That was it.
They were hopeful that they could to get more.
This situation was so unusual that 19 Action News from Cleveland braved the elements to come to Massillon and report on the situation.
The televised response from Street Department Superintendent Mike Stevens was less than inspiring;
"Th, Th, Th, There was no panic."
Whew!
Stevens, who has famously racked up gross amounts of overtime when the winter weather has buried our city in ice and snow, yet doesn't actually drive a truck, or plow snow, should have had plenty of time to properly prepare for inclement conditions.
How did neighboring Perry Township handle the storm? Did they have salt issues?
Nope.
"In Perry Township, Road Superintendent John Masalko's crew wasn't worried about its salt supply" (The Independent, February 2, 2011).
Perry Township was prepared.
Maybe Mike Stevens was relying on the fact that earlier in the morning, Puxatony Phil woke up and didn't see his shadow, meaning spring would come early to Tiger Town.
And as a result, Massillon would not need as much salt.
Our guess is that Stevens did not even do this much research in analyzing the city's need for a proper amount of road salt.
In case he doesn't know. It snows in February.
Every year.
We realize this bit of information will come as a shock to Massillon's Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli, and his Street Superintendent, Mike Stevens.
This past week, our city endured the worst winter storm of the season.
This past Wednesday, The Independent reported that the City of Massillon Street Department was about out of road salt. They had enough salt left for Wednesday morning. That was it.
They were hopeful that they could to get more.
This situation was so unusual that 19 Action News from Cleveland braved the elements to come to Massillon and report on the situation.
The televised response from Street Department Superintendent Mike Stevens was less than inspiring;
"Th, Th, Th, There was no panic."
Whew!
Stevens, who has famously racked up gross amounts of overtime when the winter weather has buried our city in ice and snow, yet doesn't actually drive a truck, or plow snow, should have had plenty of time to properly prepare for inclement conditions.
How did neighboring Perry Township handle the storm? Did they have salt issues?
Nope.
"In Perry Township, Road Superintendent John Masalko's crew wasn't worried about its salt supply" (The Independent, February 2, 2011).
Perry Township was prepared.
Maybe Mike Stevens was relying on the fact that earlier in the morning, Puxatony Phil woke up and didn't see his shadow, meaning spring would come early to Tiger Town.
And as a result, Massillon would not need as much salt.
Our guess is that Stevens did not even do this much research in analyzing the city's need for a proper amount of road salt.
In case he doesn't know. It snows in February.
Every year.
Friday, February 4, 2011
A Joyous Conclusion
One of our faithful readers has kindly emailed us 4th Ward Council candidate, and mayoral rubber stamp wannabe Jackie Carter's nominating petition.
No rumors here.
Her petition was indeed circulated by Joy M. Cicchinelli.
Let's see who signed Jackie Carter's petition.
We have;
Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr.
Joy M. Cicchinelli
Gloria Cicchinelli
It looks like the Cicchinelli family would like a change in their Ward 4 council representation.
No rumors here.
Her petition was indeed circulated by Joy M. Cicchinelli.
Let's see who signed Jackie Carter's petition.
We have;
Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr.
Joy M. Cicchinelli
Gloria Cicchinelli
It looks like the Cicchinelli family would like a change in their Ward 4 council representation.
The Joy of Politics
The Pledge
"Mayor Cicchinelli told 4th Ward residents there are no plans to sell Shriver park, or many others, and he pledged to Councilman Tony Townsend that he would help him rename Shriver by urging his Parks and Recreation Board appointees to vote in favor of it" (The Independent, August 31, 2010).
Massillon's Mayor for Life made this promise after being pressured at a Ward 4 Town Hall meeting. Cicchinelli pledged his support to rename Shriver Park after former Ward 4 Councilman, the late T. Roy Roberson.
This park renaming had been a personal crusade for current Ward 4 councilman Tony Townsend. Townsend thought it to be a simple request. It was a park in his ward, the residents of the ward approved it, and a trailblazing elected official would be honored. Seemed like a win-win for everyone.
Except that the mayor worked tirelessly to kill the name change.
When Townsend appeared to have support on city council for the name change, the mayor had his Loyal Enforcer, Council President Glenn Gamber, with help from the boy wonder, Larry Slagle, prevent a vote.
Slagle pitched some nonsense about creating a "rubric" to deal with the complex world of park renaming and went through the charade of creating an official policy to rename parks.
Now, it's February, and Massillon does not yet have a budget for 2011, but we do now have a policy for renaming parks.
When the plan to rename the park came to the "independent" Parks and Recreation Board, two of the mayor's appointees, lackey Michelle Del Rio-Keller, and lackey Timothy Muzi "shockingly" voted "No."
But the mayor pledged?
Yeah, he publicly "pledged" to rename the park so that he would not anger Ward 4 voters.
Privately he worked to kill it.
His "pledge" was hollow.
Rumor on the street has been that Frank Cicchinelli killed the plan because Councilman Tony Townsend did not approach the mayor first before pitching his plan publicly.
Tony Townsend made the mistake of believing that he was an independent member of council, and did not follow the mayor for life's chain of command.
The chain of command, for all practical purposes, beginning and ending with the mayor.
The Joy of Politics
Long story short.
The Mayor for Life has decided to get himself a new Ward 4 member of council.
He recruited a woman named Jackie Carter to oppose Councilman Townsend in the Democratic primary election.
And who helped Jackie Carter circulate her nominating petition, helping her obtain the necessary signatures to run?
According to one of our faithful readers, it was Massillon's First Lady for Life, Joy Cicchinelli.
Joy Cicchinelli was canvassing for Jackie Carter.
Should Jackie Carter be elected, how do you think she will vote?
Get that woman a rubber stamp.
"Mayor Cicchinelli told 4th Ward residents there are no plans to sell Shriver park, or many others, and he pledged to Councilman Tony Townsend that he would help him rename Shriver by urging his Parks and Recreation Board appointees to vote in favor of it" (The Independent, August 31, 2010).
Massillon's Mayor for Life made this promise after being pressured at a Ward 4 Town Hall meeting. Cicchinelli pledged his support to rename Shriver Park after former Ward 4 Councilman, the late T. Roy Roberson.
This park renaming had been a personal crusade for current Ward 4 councilman Tony Townsend. Townsend thought it to be a simple request. It was a park in his ward, the residents of the ward approved it, and a trailblazing elected official would be honored. Seemed like a win-win for everyone.
Except that the mayor worked tirelessly to kill the name change.
When Townsend appeared to have support on city council for the name change, the mayor had his Loyal Enforcer, Council President Glenn Gamber, with help from the boy wonder, Larry Slagle, prevent a vote.
Slagle pitched some nonsense about creating a "rubric" to deal with the complex world of park renaming and went through the charade of creating an official policy to rename parks.
Now, it's February, and Massillon does not yet have a budget for 2011, but we do now have a policy for renaming parks.
When the plan to rename the park came to the "independent" Parks and Recreation Board, two of the mayor's appointees, lackey Michelle Del Rio-Keller, and lackey Timothy Muzi "shockingly" voted "No."
But the mayor pledged?
Yeah, he publicly "pledged" to rename the park so that he would not anger Ward 4 voters.
Privately he worked to kill it.
His "pledge" was hollow.
Rumor on the street has been that Frank Cicchinelli killed the plan because Councilman Tony Townsend did not approach the mayor first before pitching his plan publicly.
Tony Townsend made the mistake of believing that he was an independent member of council, and did not follow the mayor for life's chain of command.
The chain of command, for all practical purposes, beginning and ending with the mayor.
The Joy of Politics
Long story short.
The Mayor for Life has decided to get himself a new Ward 4 member of council.
He recruited a woman named Jackie Carter to oppose Councilman Townsend in the Democratic primary election.
And who helped Jackie Carter circulate her nominating petition, helping her obtain the necessary signatures to run?
According to one of our faithful readers, it was Massillon's First Lady for Life, Joy Cicchinelli.
Joy Cicchinelli was canvassing for Jackie Carter.
Should Jackie Carter be elected, how do you think she will vote?
Get that woman a rubber stamp.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
It Takes One to Know One
Upon hearing that 3rd Ward Councilwoman Kathy Catazaro-Perry filed petitions to run against our beloved Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli claimed he was not surprised by Catazaro-Perry's filing. He did, however, feel she should have checked in with him first before she decided to run for mayor.
Catazaro-Perry filed her petitions without first making a public declaration.
Instead of going to the Board of Elections and taking out a petition, she apparently obtained blank petitions, filling them out herself, obtaining the necessary signatures, and then filing them at the deadline. No one could be certain she was running until she filed these petitions.
Frank Cicchinelli did not approve.
"I just hope the sneaky way she petitioned for mayor will not represent the way she will conduct her whole campaign" (Frank Cicchinelli, The Independent, February 3, 2011).
Sneaky.
Because she didn't first check with the mayor for life and get his permission to run.
Sneaky.
The Massillon Review Hypocrisy Early Warning System is now at a code red.
It's tough for Frank Cicchinelli to call this tactic "sneaky," when it is a tactic his own supporters employ.
The mayor's handpicked council candidate in Ward 3, Mary Pribich, wife of former mayoral Park Board appointee Ron Pribich, handled her petition for council the same way Catazaro-Perry handled her petition for mayor.
Mrs. Ron Pribich did not give advance notice to her opponents in the Third Ward, just as Kathy Catazaro-Perry did not give advance notice to the mayor.
Mrs. Ron Pribich did not go to the Board of Elections to take out a petition, and publicly declare she was running for council.
She obtained a blank petition, filled it our herself, obtained the necessary signatures, and filed them.
Exactly in the same manner as Kathy Catazaro-Perry did.
So, in accordance with Mayor Frank Cicchinelli's dictate;
"We just hope the sneaky way Mary Pribich petitioned for council will not represent the way she will conduct her whole campaign."
Or Frank Cicchinelli will not approve.
Rubber Stamp or not.
Catazaro-Perry filed her petitions without first making a public declaration.
Instead of going to the Board of Elections and taking out a petition, she apparently obtained blank petitions, filling them out herself, obtaining the necessary signatures, and then filing them at the deadline. No one could be certain she was running until she filed these petitions.
Frank Cicchinelli did not approve.
"I just hope the sneaky way she petitioned for mayor will not represent the way she will conduct her whole campaign" (Frank Cicchinelli, The Independent, February 3, 2011).
Sneaky.
Because she didn't first check with the mayor for life and get his permission to run.
Sneaky.
The Massillon Review Hypocrisy Early Warning System is now at a code red.
It's tough for Frank Cicchinelli to call this tactic "sneaky," when it is a tactic his own supporters employ.
The mayor's handpicked council candidate in Ward 3, Mary Pribich, wife of former mayoral Park Board appointee Ron Pribich, handled her petition for council the same way Catazaro-Perry handled her petition for mayor.
Mrs. Ron Pribich did not give advance notice to her opponents in the Third Ward, just as Kathy Catazaro-Perry did not give advance notice to the mayor.
Mrs. Ron Pribich did not go to the Board of Elections to take out a petition, and publicly declare she was running for council.
She obtained a blank petition, filled it our herself, obtained the necessary signatures, and filed them.
Exactly in the same manner as Kathy Catazaro-Perry did.
So, in accordance with Mayor Frank Cicchinelli's dictate;
"We just hope the sneaky way Mary Pribich petitioned for council will not represent the way she will conduct her whole campaign."
Or Frank Cicchinelli will not approve.
Rubber Stamp or not.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
A Somber Afternoon for the Massillon Review
It has been a somber afternoon at the offices of the Massillon Review, and it isn't just the bad winter weather that has us depressed.
The Massillon Review has been provided with countless stories as a result of the words and deeds of our beloved Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli.
His foibles, insider deals, and vindictive and controlling behavior have provided us with endless hours of amusement and entertainment.
His legendary thin skin, and need to personally control every member of city council, so that they are merely rubber stamps for whatever policy he wishes to push through has made the Massillon Review so much fun to run.
We are fearful these glorious days are coming to an end.
Kathy Catazaro-Perry has filed petitions to challenge our mayor for life in the Democratic Primary.
While we are confident that our beloved Mayor for Life will vigorously defend the golf course and its staggering debt, raiding the park income tax to subsidize that debt, spending our tax dollars to pay the mortgage for a private hotel, buying a restaurant at the golf course without first having a business plan, enacting a scheme to grant himself unvoted pay raises for life, spending money on an arena that was never built, and ramming unbalanced budgets through his rubber stamp council, we are fearful the residents of Massillon ain't buyin' what he's sellin' no more.
We are afraid that his undisputed reign as the King of Tigertown is coming to an end. And after just a meager 38 years as an elected city official.
No, he won't go down with a fight, but Catazaro-Perry votes against his hotel mortgage scheme. She tried to overturn the unvoted pay raises for life ordinance. She voted against buying the restaurant and opposes his unbalanced budgets.
And unlike our mayor's last challenger, Tim Bryan, Catazaro-Perry will actually fight back when the mayor goes on the war path.
No, his 38 year uninterrupted run as Massillon's monarch may be reaching its conclusion.
What will we ever do?
The Massillon Review has been provided with countless stories as a result of the words and deeds of our beloved Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli.
His foibles, insider deals, and vindictive and controlling behavior have provided us with endless hours of amusement and entertainment.
His legendary thin skin, and need to personally control every member of city council, so that they are merely rubber stamps for whatever policy he wishes to push through has made the Massillon Review so much fun to run.
We are fearful these glorious days are coming to an end.
Kathy Catazaro-Perry has filed petitions to challenge our mayor for life in the Democratic Primary.
While we are confident that our beloved Mayor for Life will vigorously defend the golf course and its staggering debt, raiding the park income tax to subsidize that debt, spending our tax dollars to pay the mortgage for a private hotel, buying a restaurant at the golf course without first having a business plan, enacting a scheme to grant himself unvoted pay raises for life, spending money on an arena that was never built, and ramming unbalanced budgets through his rubber stamp council, we are fearful the residents of Massillon ain't buyin' what he's sellin' no more.
We are afraid that his undisputed reign as the King of Tigertown is coming to an end. And after just a meager 38 years as an elected city official.
No, he won't go down with a fight, but Catazaro-Perry votes against his hotel mortgage scheme. She tried to overturn the unvoted pay raises for life ordinance. She voted against buying the restaurant and opposes his unbalanced budgets.
And unlike our mayor's last challenger, Tim Bryan, Catazaro-Perry will actually fight back when the mayor goes on the war path.
No, his 38 year uninterrupted run as Massillon's monarch may be reaching its conclusion.
What will we ever do?
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
This Would Never Happen in Our Town
It is clear that Canton's mayor, William J. Healy II, is an inexperienced rookie who has no idea how to deal with budgeting and city finance.
It is clear that William J. Healy is no mayor for life.
Canton's Mayor Healy has invited the public... THE PUBLIC... to an open budget meeting on Thursday afternoon.
"I am looking forward to the opportunity to bring together residents and city officials to discuss how we can work together to make Canton a better place for us all... We look forward to sharing information with our residents about what we are trying to do" (Mayor William J. Healy, Cantonrep.com, February 1, 2011).
"We look forward to sharing information with our residents?"
Open meeting to discuss the city's budget? With the public?
This kind of behavior would never happen here in Massillon.
Healy needs schooling on how to properly run a city.
First of all, Mayor Healy should pass the buck, and make the Canton City Auditor responsible for the budget.
Secondly, there should be no public budget discussions. A mayor should give the budget to city council, and order them to pass it, balanced or not.
And if a member of council questions this, Healy should recruit new council members who will tow the line, and rubber stamp whatever he wants.
Healy needs his own 'Lap Dog of the Treasury,' his own 'Taxman,' and his own 'Loyal Enforcer.'
Healy needs to gather together his own merry band of rubber stamps, so that he doesn't have to resort to "public budget discussions."
Healy also needs to spend some time in Massillon, so that he may learn the craft of governing from a true expert, a man who has spent 38 consecutive years in Massillon elected office, Massillon's Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli.
Frank Cicchinelli would never allow this to happen in our town.
William J. Healy has much to learn about being a mayor.
It is clear that William J. Healy is no mayor for life.
Canton's Mayor Healy has invited the public... THE PUBLIC... to an open budget meeting on Thursday afternoon.
"I am looking forward to the opportunity to bring together residents and city officials to discuss how we can work together to make Canton a better place for us all... We look forward to sharing information with our residents about what we are trying to do" (Mayor William J. Healy, Cantonrep.com, February 1, 2011).
"We look forward to sharing information with our residents?"
Open meeting to discuss the city's budget? With the public?
This kind of behavior would never happen here in Massillon.
Healy needs schooling on how to properly run a city.
First of all, Mayor Healy should pass the buck, and make the Canton City Auditor responsible for the budget.
Secondly, there should be no public budget discussions. A mayor should give the budget to city council, and order them to pass it, balanced or not.
And if a member of council questions this, Healy should recruit new council members who will tow the line, and rubber stamp whatever he wants.
Healy needs his own 'Lap Dog of the Treasury,' his own 'Taxman,' and his own 'Loyal Enforcer.'
Healy needs to gather together his own merry band of rubber stamps, so that he doesn't have to resort to "public budget discussions."
Healy also needs to spend some time in Massillon, so that he may learn the craft of governing from a true expert, a man who has spent 38 consecutive years in Massillon elected office, Massillon's Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli.
Frank Cicchinelli would never allow this to happen in our town.
William J. Healy has much to learn about being a mayor.
Rubber Stamp Reinforcements
Massillon's Mayor for Life is busily recruiting even more rubber stamps to serve on city council.
Frank Cicchinelli is tired of people like 3rd Ward Councilwoman Kathy Catazaro-Perry, 2nd Ward Councilman Gary Anderson, and 4th Ward Councilman Tony Townsend. These three members of council are known for thinking for themselves, and actually voting against some of the mayor for life's schemes. Schemes like "storm water utility fees," spending park dollars to buy a restaurant, and supporting his, excuse us, and supporting Auditor Ferrero's unbalanced budget plans.
Frank Cicchinelli is a problem solver, and he is working on getting a more compliant council.
Our Mayor for Life wants council members like Taxman Hersher, who throws political caution to the wind as he fronts the mayor's tax hikes.
Or Lap Dog of the Treasury Paul Manson, who is allegedly the Chairman of the Finance Committee on city council, but refuses to have serious discussions about the budget. His budget plan is to rubber stamp whatever Frank... excuse us... whatever Jayne Ferrero submits.
Or Council President, the Mayor's Loyal Enforcer, Glenn Gamber, who sees his job as making sure council does what the mayor wants. Running a fair and impartial meeting is not among the Loyal Enforcer's primary concerns.
Our Mayor for Life believes we need a change on city council.
Because as we all know.
You don't get to be mayor for life by having council members who think for themselves.
As we predicted some time ago, Frank Cicchinelli recruited Kevin Phillips to run against 2nd Ward Councilman Gary Anderson.
Ward 2 council challenger Kevin Phillips is such a shining light, he can't even make it to the Board of Elections and obtain his own nominating petitions. He needs help. He needs someone to hold his hand.
He needs the mayor for life.
According to one of our faithful readers, not only did Frank Cicchinelli accompany Kevin Phillips to the Board of Elections when Phillips went to obtain his candidate petition, he accompanied Phillips when he returned to file his petition.
Phillips couldn't even go to the elections board all by himself like a grown up candidate.
We don't imagine Kevin Phillips will be exerting a whole lot of independence as a councilman.
Kevin Phillips may as well have the words "Rubber Stamp" printed on his forehead.
As Kathy Catazaro-Perry is running for council at large, her 3rd Ward council seat is now open.
Our Mayor for Life got himself a candidate for that ward, too.
If anyone thought Ron Pribich resigned from the Park Board because he was having a crisis of conscience, and decided that it was inappropriate for him to continue to serve, guess again.
Mrs. Ron Pribich is now running for 3rd Ward Council. According to the Board of Elections web site, she filed yesterday.
We are guessing Ron Pribich bailed on the Park Board so he wouldn't negatively impact his wife's chances.
Probably too late for that.
We are guessing Mrs. Ron Pribich shares our mayor's enthusiasm for the Legends of Massillon Golf Course and its ill-fated nine hole expansion.
After all, her husband Ron was part of a group that sold Frank the land.
When Frank Cicchinelli finally pulls the trigger, and starts selling our parks, how will Mrs. Ron Pribich vote?
And finally, it also looks like our beloved mayor has recruited a candidate to run against 4th Ward Councilman Tony Townsend. Jackie Carter has pulled petitions to run in the 4th Ward.
Every two years Frank Cicchinelli tries to unseat Tony Townsend in the 4th Ward. Every two years he fails. We assume he'll try harder this time.
Yes, this is just the remedy we need for our city's ills.
More rubber stamping mayoral lackeys.
Our city may still have problems, but no one on council will be allowed to talk about them.
And this is yet one more example of why Frank Cicchinelli is, and will forever be;
Mayor for Life
Frank Cicchinelli is tired of people like 3rd Ward Councilwoman Kathy Catazaro-Perry, 2nd Ward Councilman Gary Anderson, and 4th Ward Councilman Tony Townsend. These three members of council are known for thinking for themselves, and actually voting against some of the mayor for life's schemes. Schemes like "storm water utility fees," spending park dollars to buy a restaurant, and supporting his, excuse us, and supporting Auditor Ferrero's unbalanced budget plans.
Frank Cicchinelli is a problem solver, and he is working on getting a more compliant council.
Our Mayor for Life wants council members like Taxman Hersher, who throws political caution to the wind as he fronts the mayor's tax hikes.
Or Lap Dog of the Treasury Paul Manson, who is allegedly the Chairman of the Finance Committee on city council, but refuses to have serious discussions about the budget. His budget plan is to rubber stamp whatever Frank... excuse us... whatever Jayne Ferrero submits.
Or Council President, the Mayor's Loyal Enforcer, Glenn Gamber, who sees his job as making sure council does what the mayor wants. Running a fair and impartial meeting is not among the Loyal Enforcer's primary concerns.
Our Mayor for Life believes we need a change on city council.
Because as we all know.
You don't get to be mayor for life by having council members who think for themselves.
As we predicted some time ago, Frank Cicchinelli recruited Kevin Phillips to run against 2nd Ward Councilman Gary Anderson.
Ward 2 council challenger Kevin Phillips is such a shining light, he can't even make it to the Board of Elections and obtain his own nominating petitions. He needs help. He needs someone to hold his hand.
He needs the mayor for life.
According to one of our faithful readers, not only did Frank Cicchinelli accompany Kevin Phillips to the Board of Elections when Phillips went to obtain his candidate petition, he accompanied Phillips when he returned to file his petition.
Phillips couldn't even go to the elections board all by himself like a grown up candidate.
We don't imagine Kevin Phillips will be exerting a whole lot of independence as a councilman.
Kevin Phillips may as well have the words "Rubber Stamp" printed on his forehead.
As Kathy Catazaro-Perry is running for council at large, her 3rd Ward council seat is now open.
Our Mayor for Life got himself a candidate for that ward, too.
If anyone thought Ron Pribich resigned from the Park Board because he was having a crisis of conscience, and decided that it was inappropriate for him to continue to serve, guess again.
Mrs. Ron Pribich is now running for 3rd Ward Council. According to the Board of Elections web site, she filed yesterday.
We are guessing Ron Pribich bailed on the Park Board so he wouldn't negatively impact his wife's chances.
Probably too late for that.
We are guessing Mrs. Ron Pribich shares our mayor's enthusiasm for the Legends of Massillon Golf Course and its ill-fated nine hole expansion.
After all, her husband Ron was part of a group that sold Frank the land.
When Frank Cicchinelli finally pulls the trigger, and starts selling our parks, how will Mrs. Ron Pribich vote?
And finally, it also looks like our beloved mayor has recruited a candidate to run against 4th Ward Councilman Tony Townsend. Jackie Carter has pulled petitions to run in the 4th Ward.
Every two years Frank Cicchinelli tries to unseat Tony Townsend in the 4th Ward. Every two years he fails. We assume he'll try harder this time.
Yes, this is just the remedy we need for our city's ills.
More rubber stamping mayoral lackeys.
Our city may still have problems, but no one on council will be allowed to talk about them.
And this is yet one more example of why Frank Cicchinelli is, and will forever be;
Mayor for Life
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