A Master at Work

Watching Mayor Frank Cicchinelli politically manipulate council members is like watching a great artist at work. It's like watching Rembrandt paint, or Mozart compose. This is why he is Mayor for life. This is why he has held elected office for 37 years. He is the Master. It's like watching the Massillon Tigers play football against a middle school team when he goes up against council. It's just not a fair fight.

Aqua Ohio, Massillon's water supplier, was going to make a request of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), for a 20 percent increase in our water rates. Oh my goodness, a 20 percent rate hike, what will we ever do? Well, Massillon could try and negotiate a lesser increase directly with Aqua Ohio and avoid the PUCO request. Now, Aqua Ohio was probably not going to get a 20% increase from the PUCO. They aimed high. Problem is, there was a chance they might get it. It was probably best that the City of Massillon negotiated directly with Aqua Ohio, and not roll the dice with the PUCO. Unfortunately, the Mayor would ultimately have been responsible for a rate increase if he negotiated it. His political enemies, which he claims are numerous, would use it against him. What is a Mayor for Life to do?

Our Mayor works hard to accept credit for that which is good, and to blame others for that which is bad. New jobs in Massillon? He did it. Budget cuts to make? Auditor's job. Taxes and fees to raise? Council's problem. Council is a part time job. They have one staff person. The Mayor's job is a full time job. He has a large staff. They work full time. The council is the legislative branch of government. In our council's case, they mainly rubber stamp the Mayor's proposals. The Mayor and his staff happily negotiate annexation deals, park sales, and restaurant buyouts. A proposed water rate increase is apparently not something our full-time Mayor and his full-time staff is responsible for. According to the Mayor, this is council's job.

Fortunately for Mayor Cicchinelli, the Chairman of City Council's Utilities committee is Gary Anderson. Gary Anderson is a new councilman who only won his election by 28 votes. Anderson was appointed to be the Democratic candidate for council in Ward 2 over Mayor Cicchinelli's hand picked candidate, Kevin Phillips. Anderson also thinks for himself, and is not a good rubber stamp for the Mayor's agenda. Mayor Cicchinelli told Gary Anderson that it was council's job to negotiate a rate increase with Aqua Ohio. Specifically, Mayor Cicchinelli convinced Gary Anderson it was his job, as Chair of the Utilities Committee, to negotiate with Aqua Ohio.

Gary Anderson foolishly believed it was his job, because the Mayor told him so, and why would the Mayor tell him this if it wasn't true? So now we have rookie, part time councilman Gary Anderson locking horns with the Aqua Ohio corporation, and we assume their lawyers, to negotiate a rate increase, while our veteran Mayor and his full time staff are not involved.

We believe Gary Anderson did the best he could. Anderson came back with a 14.75% increase phased in over three years, 2010, 2011, and 2012. The Massillon Review believes this is close to the rate Aqua Ohio wanted all alone. So now, the citizens of Massillon will face an almost 15% water rate hike over three years. Can't blame the Mayor, Gary Anderson did it.

Councilman Gary Anderson does not have Mayor Cicchinelli's political skills, and did not realize Cicchinelli played him like a skilled musician playing a fine violin. The rate hike will pass. Cicchinelli will not be responsible for negotiating it, and the blame will lay at the feet of one of his perceived enemies. One could guess that the Mayor's candidate for Ward 2 Council next year against Gary Anderson will be Kevin Phillips. And what do you think Kevin Phillips' issue will be? If you answered 15% water rate hike, you may just be right.

Bravo Mayor. Well played.