Vacation Time!

Massillon City Council voted 6 - 3 last night to go on vacation! They will be only meeting twice in July and August. We can see why they earned a break. The vote to cut the number of meeting days in half comes a mere three days after Auditor Jayne Ferrero declared that the city was ONE MILLION DOLLARS short this year in its budget.

The usual block of mayoral rubber stamps voted to go on vacation, Manson, Hersher, McCune, Slagle, Mang, and Peters. Anderson, Catazaro-Perry, and Townsend were the only three members of council who have a clue about how foolish this looks as the city is staring square in the face of yet another budget disaster.

It was an interesting two-some that hatched the vacation plan, Republican Donnie Peters, and Democrat Larry Slagle. You see, Peters was opposed to vacations before he was for them. Peters was opposed to vacation time as recently as 2008. Very opposed. Violently opposed.

From The Independent, July 29, 2008;
"Before every councillor could vacate chambers Monday, Councilman Donnie Peters, R-5, both threatened and swore at Slagle. According to Slagle and Peters, the councilmen were discussing a recent decision to maintain council's summer schedule instead of cutting two meetings from both July and August. Slagle favored the resolution to cut the meetings, while Peters opposed it. Peters was the driving force behind the death of the revised summer schedule, claiming the lawmakers should not take time off. Slagle, who mentioned the summer schedule during the work session, said he told Peters after the meeting that it would be "naive" to think councilors only worked during meetings. Slagle, Peters and Manson were discussing the issue in a room off of council chambers when Peters suddenly stormed out. Stopping short of leaving chambers altogether, Peters looked back at Slagle and shouted, "One of these days I'm going to hit you in the mouth." As if his remarks did not reach Slagle, Peters yelled again "Hey, Slagle, (expletive) you."

Hey Donnie, why the change of heart? This idea was as bad in 2008 as it is now. You flip flopped. Why? Who pulls your strings, anyways. Who's your daddy? Why don't you man up and start thinking for yourself again. And by the way. The city's broke. Get the (expletive) back to work!