Massillon's Extraordinary Mayor for 160 Days, King Francis the Vengeful, has not been an active participant in ruling his kingdom since his primary election defeat to Kathy Catazaro-Perry, his likely heir apparent.
Since election day, Massillon taxpayers learned we were now on the hook for the mortgage of the Duncan Place Senior Housing Project. We have been paying part of the mortgage for some time, although that fact was kept secret, even from city council, until after the big election.
Mayor Cicchinelli said nothing about this problem. He offered no solutions and did not participate in the discussion on whether or not to foreclose on the owners.
The city is broke. According to Auditor Jayne Ferrero, the city had unpaid bills since March and will run out of money for salaries for police and fire in mid August. The auditor has proposed raising the income tax. Our mayor has said nothing. While he claimed the "dollars would be there," when he doled out 4% pay raises to the city's unions, he has nothing to say about the massive budget shortfall.
As we are all well aware, in the buck stops everywhere but the mayor's desk world of Frank Cicchinelli, he doesn't take responsibility for the problems he has caused. The job of cleaning up his messes always falls to someone else.
While it has looked like the Mayor had already abdicated his throne, because of his total non-participation in the serious issues of city government, we have learned that he has unfinished business to attend to.
Or at least an axe to grind.
Mayor Cicchinelli has had NO INTEREST in solving the city's budget mess.
Mayor Cicchinelli has had NO INTEREST in discussing the proposed income tax hike.
Mayor Cicchinelli has had NO INTEREST in dealing with the collapse of another sweetheart deal, one he negotiated, that has left the taxpayers on the hook for another project, this time a senior housing facility.
But now he wants to help.
Help redrawing the city council boundaries.
www.indeonline.com/newsnow/x1797083310/Committee-likely-to-redraw-Massillons-wards
He has proposed a committee of five to do the work.
Himself, Community Development Director Aane Aaby, who is appointed by and works for the Mayor for Five Months, Council President and Loyal Mayoral Enforcer Glenn Gamber, as well as one Democratic member of City Council (our pick will be Paul Manson) as well as One Republican member of City Council (there is only one - Donnie Peters).
These five people will then be charged with drawing new ward council lines for the City of Massillon.
It will work a lot like the "Independent" Parks and Recreation Board. The Mayor appoints three out of the five members and does whatever he wants.
Under this "plan," Cicchinelli will draw the council lines, Gamber and Aaby will rubber stamp it, and Cicchinelli will be able to punish his enemies.
We wonder if Tony Townsend and Gary Anderson will still have a seat when the music stops?
The Mayor has no interest in the city's impending financial Armageddon, something he is responsible, but wants to gerrymander council ward boundaries, something he isn't responsible for.
Now we understand that Paul Manson, Glenn Gamber, David McCune and Ron Mang will think this a marvelous idea.
Cicchinelli knows he probably can't control city council when he's "on hiatus" as mayor through the ballot box. He's going to skip that step, and redraw the council lines himself.
And the majority on city council will probably let him.
