- Parks Director Kenn Kaminski, The Independent, May 10, 2010
We finally understand. The parks are in great shape. If they are not in great shape it is because the citizens are "Anti-Cicchinelli" mayor haters. It isn't that the parks and recreation income tax passed by the voters is being hijacked to pay golf course debt and to buy a restaurant. Nope. It isn't that Massillon's Mayor for Life merged the golf course with the Parks Department because the golf course had a $7.2 million dollar debt that the City could not pay. No, it isn't that when our Mayor for Life went to a Parks Board meeting and "stated that they promised the citizens that the city would not subsidize this golf course" (Park Board Minutes, November 14, 2002), and did just that, took park tax money and subsidized the golf course.
It isn't that the promises made when the park income tax was on the ballot were broken. Promises like, "Passage of this issue will allow for the revitalization and improvements of our neighborhood parks, the creation of a community park with ball fields for our youth sports programs, and a community recreation center." It isn't that the City is now charging our youth sports teams to use these fields. No, it isn't we are now gouging our children. Oh no. It isn't that our Parks and Recreation Department's budget is double that of neighboring Jackson Township, who manage to maintain their parks properly and let their residents use their fields for free.
No, it isn't that there is not enough money for routine maintenance and upkeep because the City has committed to spending $376,000 of our park dollars for a restaurant and golf course debt so far this year... and it is only May! No, it isn't that we pay our Parks Director built in overtime, and provide him with a car and a gas card. No, it isn't that when an actual insurance claim of $490,000 for real vandal activity was paid for the arson related destruction of a building owned by the parks board, insured with parks department money, was taken from the parks, and dumped into the City's general fund, and not used for park maintenance and repairs as it should have been used. Oh No. It isn't that when a Park Board member, Joe Luckring, actually stood up for the parks and the citizens, and demanded the $490,000 be rightfully returned to the parks, and our Mayor for Life's response was to replace him on the Park Board with his lackey Ron Pribich, an appointment so repugnant, that even City Council voted against it 6 - 3.
Nope. It isn't that Kenn Kaminski seems to see his top priority to be protecting our Mayor for Life from criticism, telling us that the Emperor is wearing fine gold and silk clothes when he is so clearly naked. The problem is evident. It is crystal clear. People who don't believe the parks are being properly maintained are "Anti-Cicchinelli." If you don't believe our parks are in great shape, and that perhaps spending our income tax on an unprofitable, debt ridden golf course may not be the best idea, you are dead wrong. You would be "Anti-Cicchinelli." You would be a Mayor hater. Perhaps a politician this paranoid should seek employment in another line of work.
If these pictures do not reflect a pristine park system, you of course are "Anti-Cicchinelli." You better look twice!
