Mayoral candidates focus on Mansfield’s fiscal health

By David Kennard
News Journal

MANSFIELD -- The city's fiscal future seemed to be the common theme at a mostly cordial candidate forum Monday at The Ohio State University-Mansfield.

The five candidates running for mayor -- two Democrats and three Republicans -- took questions submitted by local residents and the campus Young Republicans group.

It was the last forum before the May 3 primary. It also was the first time all the candidates sat together since they united to boycott a forum planned by the Mansfield North Central Ohio Tea Party Association. Two weeks ago, the candidates announced they would not participate in the April 11 debate because the tea party was suing Mansfield City Schools over a decision to cancel a tea party event opposed by the NAACP and a local Islamic group.

The groups said the tea party’s guest speaker was anti-Islamic and should not speak on school property. The tea party event took place instead at a private venue.

Monday night’s event was an answer to the boycott, according to Young Republicans club adviser Sid Hall.

“We had talked about doing it before, but canceled it when the tea party announced theirs,” Hall said. “But when that was canceled, we restarted ours.”

Candidates on Monday expressed thanks to the club and campus officials for allowing the event to go forward.

Each candidate was given time for an opening statement, and then took questions from moderators Josh Werner and Ashley Dobin, representing the Young Republicans.

Those in attendance heard a barrage of questions designed to differentiate mayoral candidates, but heard similar answers in many cases.

Combined 9-1-1

Responding to a question about the feasibility of combining city and county 9-1-1 dispatching services, incumbent Mayor Don Culliver said the city has been looking into the proposition but could not justify the up-front expense, especially when the city is under fiscal emergency status, as designated by the state.

“When we looked at it, there was no savings for the city,” Culliver said.

Republican challengers Bill Anliker and Bob Ball provided similar responses.

“I am for it when we can afford it,” Ball said.

Anliker said he supported the move if research showed it was the best for the residents.

Democratic challenger Ron Kreuter said, “The money is not there to do it.”

The only dissenter appeared to be Tim Theaker, who admitted that it cost money to consolidate services, but suggested in the long run it would save money for the city and the county.

Collective bargaining

When asked about a new law that targets public employees’ ability to use collective bargaining, candidates give the law mixed reviews.

Theaker said he thought the law, as a whole, was good.

“It puts administrators and union members on the same playing field,” he said.

Kreuter, however, said he saw the law as an attack on middle-class families.

Culliver said there were parts of the law he disagreed with, but he thought there was room to “tweak” the law.

Ball, who is police chief of Butler, said he was not for Ohio’s new collective bargaining law in its entirety.

“We are working-class people, and we need to be protected,” Ball said.

Anliker echoed his fellow Republicans’ statements.

“I don’t believe public servants should be allowed to strike when they are spending the taxpayers’ money,” he said.

Downtown revitalization

All mayoral candidates agreed downtown revitalization efforts need to continue, and answered questions about help for local businesses, a proposal to remove the cut-through in Central Park and other economic development issues.

Culliver said he would continue to look for funding in the way of local and other grants to help businesses survive downtown, but said it was too early to make a decision on the Central Park issue.

Theaker agreed, explaining that until a study was complete, it would be impossible to know how to support rejoining the two halves of Central Park. He suggested Mansfield focus on its positive assets when marketing itself.

“I would be a cheerleader for our city,” Theaker said. “I have worked with the (Richland Community Development Group) and learned that there are 22 groups ... and they are not communicating.”

Ball said the city needs to do all it can to fix the fiscal emergency so those working to bring jobs to Mansfield can be more successful.

Kreuter said he also would reach out to local businesses to help make them as productive as possible.

Other issues

The candidates seemed generally in agreement when it came to addressing illegal drug activity.

All agreed increased education in the schools followed by strict law enforcement should be practiced.

Anliker, answering a question directed at his Florida residency for the past decade, said he has kept a home in Mansfield, but has spent a lot of time in Florida, where his wife took a job. He said he continues to own a home in Mansfield.

Ball, also taking a question directed only to him, addressed his job status as a Richland County coroner’s investigator and Butler police chief.

He said he would have no trouble serving as Mansfield’s mayor, because his job in Butler is only part-time.

Finance director

Also participating Tuesday night were candidates for Mansfield finance director.

Unchallenged Democrat Kelly Blankenship will face either Republican John Rutledge or Republican Linn Steward in November.

The three were given an opportunity to answer several questions regarding city policy, but primarily framed their answers within the limits of their office, which is tasked with providing accurate cost-analysis to the mayor and city council.

Blankenship said she takes her responsibilities seriously and objected to the idea that the city should be operated like a business. Instead, Blankenship said, she would continue to provide accurate information based on Ohio law.

Rutledge, however, said almost the opposite.

“The city is a business, and it’s past time the city should be run like a business,” he said.

He also said he refused to play political games, but did not elaborate.

Steward, who differentiated herself as the only candidate who is a certified public accountant, said the city needed a qualified candidate, and would work to develop a fiscal plan that would include budgetary reserves.

dkennard@nncogannett.com
419-521-7204

Editorial: Calisolar deal would be a shot in the arm

North central Ohio residents should feel encouraged that Calisolar is considering adding several hundred jobs back into the old General Motors plant.

The company has stopped short of saying it has made a final decision to come to Ontario, but all indications are that the solar industry company has a strong interest in the vacant Ontario plant and is negotiating with local, state and federal officials to make it happen.

With public decisions still pending at the state and federal level on major pieces of proposed incentive programs, a final decision may not come before spring or even summer.

It is heartening now, however, to recognize that a great deal of collaboration has taken place to put Ontario at the top of Calisolar’s list of potential sites. This teamwork, which has not been disrupted by party politics, has stretched from officials in Ontario up to the office of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown.

The administration of Gov. Ted Strickland has played a major role in the negotiations. The hand-off to newly-elected Gov. John Kasich is expected to be seamless.

If the deal is ultimately finalized, production at the plant may not begin until sometime in 2012.
Local residents should certainly feel optimistic about the future economic boost Calisolar could bring, but the potential reopening of the GM plant should not be viewed as the silver bullet that will solve all of our problems.

Mansfield, Ontario and Richland County governmental units all are facing difficult financial issues that can’t wait a year or two to be addressed. Tough decisions must be made now.

We certainly have our issues, but we also have some strengths that attracted outside investors to our community – a workable plant, a capable workforce, a tailored educational system and a community desire to get better.

The Calisolar deal is clearly not finalized.

A fair number of decisions have to be made yet and things can change. But local residents should enter the new year recognizing that others value what we have to offer and are considering joining us in our community.

Editorial: Children Services, county officials must mend their fences

For a group of people focused on repairing families, it baffles us that there is so much disfuntionality between Richland County commissioners, the county prosecutors office, the sheriff’s department and Richland County Children Services.

Last week, after Children Services Director Randy Parker learned that Prosecutor James Mayer wanted changes on Parker’s board, Parker went through the roof.

With his attorney, Parker demanded that Mayer stop meddling with children services.

The tantrum played out in front of county commissioners, and for a time seemed closed to coming to blows.

Mayer’s argument with children services is that there is a lack of law enforcement expertise on the board, and it appears that may be the reason the prosecutor’s office has seen a drop in child abuse and sex abuse cases.

Parker disagrees and said Mayer doesn’t know how to count. He said the system is working.

Meanwhile, the sheriff’s department detective assigned to investigate crimes against juveniles has started working out of the trunk of his car because he claims there is too much discord in the children services office.

A letter by board member Nancy Joyce appears to add weight to that claim. In the letter Joyce reprimands Detective Jeff Shook for a blow-up he had with Parker in front of Parker’s staff at children’s services.

When Assistant Prosecutor Bambi Couch Page tried to read the letter aloud, Parker repeatedly interrupted and ultimately walked out of the meeting.

To Parker’s argument, it certainly would be difficult to run a department knowing the county prosecutor is trying to dismantle a board he has worked hard to develop.

We still don’t understand why Mayer blindsided Parker by taking his complaints to commissioners instead of addressing his issues with Parker first.

Some progress, however, has been made. It appears Mayer may get some of his people on the board without sacrificing Parker’s wishes. Whether they can work together remains to be seen.

This apparent power struggle must stop.

We urge all parties involved to drop their egos and remember that they are directly involved with the families of Richland County.

If the quality of life in Richland County is measured by the strength of our families, then this group — more than any other — can have a profound influence.

Editorial: Kasich rejects feds’ expensive 'gift'

We applaud Gov.-elect John Kasich for standing up for Ohio taxpayers and telling President Obama to take his $400 million and shove it.

Kasich has openly and vocally opposed the 3-C corridor project that one day may have provided passenger rail service between Cincinnati and Cleveland.

It’s not the idea that’s bad. It’s the bang for the buck that has Kasich and others so opposed to the plan. It’s also a federal project disguised as a gift that has huge tax implications for Ohio taxpayers.

So far there has been no way to determine what the passenger rail service would cost the state.

For sure it will cost a lot more than $400 million.

However, there’s still a slim chance that the money could be used to improve Ohio’s freight lines — an idea that would actually improve the state economy.

“I wouldn’t expect it,” Kasich said Thursday. “I made it clear to (the Obama administration) that I want to use the money for freight rail. ... If you’re for flexibility, give us the money and let us solve our problems.”

This is the kind of leadership we need in Columbus. Kasich already has shown that he is willing to work with the feds as long as Ohio benefits.

“So are we going to get it? I don’t think so,” he said. “I’m not real optimistic that we are going to get a lot of flexibility on anything. I hope I’m wrong.”

On a positive note, we also applaud Obama for reaching out to the newly elected governors recently.

It showed a willingness to work with the states and get some real buy-in as we all look for ways to move this country forward again.

Editorial: Westinghouse played key role in Mansfield economy

News last week that the old Westinghouse factory would be torn down drew mixed emotion. But after an initial sigh of reflection passed, there was a general feeling that it’s past time to say farewell to this Mansfield landmark.

There is no word yet on what will take it’s place, but anyone with a sense of value will agree that removing this Goliath makes the acreage far more valuable.

News Journal columnist, Ron Simon, recently described the old factory as a “huge, humpbacked whale of a structure.”

And reporter Lou Whitmire said the building reminded a lot of people of better days, of high employment in the city.

During the 1940s the plant employed more than 8,000 people, and for a time was the largest employer in Mansfield.

The factory finally closed in 1990 after 50 years of producing Westinghouse firsts: the fully automatic electric range, an upright freezer and a frost-free refrigerator.

Thanks to Westinghouse and others, Mansfield became known as a major player in the world economy.

Times changed and one by one the factories closed.

Now, as developers remove these decaying structures, Mansfield once again finds itself with an opportunity to redefine itself in a leaner economy.

As we bid farewell to this landmark that through the years provided a living to so many in Mansfield, we remain hopeful that others will see Mansfield’s value.

Editorial: Mansfield-Miss Ohio breakup averted

One thing is certain, The Miss Ohio Scholarship Program is no stranger to drama.

During the last two months, Mansfield residents waited for the decision on the future of the program.

Would it stay in Mansfield, where it has seen a successful partnership for the last 36 years, or would it be wooed away by a competitive bid from the city of Zanesville?

Community leaders met with the Miss Ohio Scholar-ship Board of Directors on Wednesday and came up with an agreement that would keep the program in Mansfield for at least another three years.

Zanesville Mayor Butch Zwelling has been working hard for the last few years to make his city the new home for the pageant.

He claims he was offering The Miss Ohio Scholarship Program almost $400,000 in in-kind donations and cash during the next three years.

It wasn’t enough.

Lee Tasseff, director of the Mansfield-Richland County Convention and Visitors Bureau, impressed the board by showing how the program would benefit from the city’s partnership.

Tasseff went through the organization’s wish list — which is still top secret — point by point.

“We said they were all doable,” Tasseff said. “If they’re sticking around, we intend for it to be a partnership.”

Going forward, that partnership will be the key to the success of the program in Mansfield.

Like other headline events throughout the year, the program has been used as a way to spotlight our city, bring in visitors and spread the message that Mansfield remains a major player in Ohio’s economy.

The program itself, however, isn’t much of an economic driver, but it would be a serious blow to Mansfield’s psyche to lose the show.

We’re glad to know that we have community leaders who recognize its value and were willing to fight to keep the program in Mansfield.

Editorial: MedCentral gives area bragging rights

Although Richland County has been hit as hard as any community from the economic downturn, we still have plenty to brag about.

Near the top of the list of assets has to be MedCentral.

The announcement this week that MedCentral Health System’s cardiac catheterization laboratory ranked third in Ohio and is in the top 5 percent in the nation for coronary intervention procedures is something the entire community can be proud of.

“We didn’t go about this to achieve awards but to improve health care and heart care,” said Dr. Gregory Eaton, director of cardiovascular medicine.

Eaton went on to describe MedCentral as “a hidden jewel” in the Mansfield area.
He’s right.

There are many factors that determine a community’s livability. The ability to take care of our own is vital to our success and future growth. The men and women who provide MedCentral’s top rated cardiac services take pride in their work and deserve the recognition they receive.

As one of the biggest employers in the county, MedCentral draws many other peripheral businesses to the area. The compounding economic effect would be impossible to measure.

“The bottom line is those facilities that can provide high-quality care at low cost would be an attractive venue to attract new businesses,” Eaton said.

This is the third year MedCentral’s heart surgery program earned a five-star rating by HealthGrades for both coronary bypass and valve replacement surgery.

However, it is the first time the hospital has earned a five-star rating for the treatment of heart failure.

We congratulate MedCentral for its achievement.

Editorial: Canceled leaf pickup frustrates residents

The announcement by Mayor Don Culliver last week that the city would not pick up leaves this year brought out the frustration residents have for city leaders.

The city stands to save somewhere between $100,000 and $250,000 or more by avoiding the leaf collection this year.

The timing of the announcement — just as the first leaves began to fall — was far too late in the year to decide that an expected city service would no longer be available.

“Stick it to the taxpayer, they must see that we have to cut back,” the city fathers seem to be saying.

The city is scraping the bottom of its barrel to come up with some way to save costs as it enters the first year of its fiscal emergency.

Is this the best way to do it?

Let’s put this into perspective.

When the city had the chance to renegotiate union contracts for city workers last week, it didn’t.

When the city had the chance to save on its health insurance costs in August, it didn’t.

We wonder if Mayor Culliver and City Council really understand what kind of financial situation we are in.

When the city collects tax dollars, we expect something in return. Police and fire protection are at the top of the list. Beyond that we expect any number of things we’ve been promised — potholes filled, working sewers, streets cleared of snow.

An announcement late in the year that there will be no leaf pickup might appear to be a wise move to save some money, but long-term it could end up costing the city a lot more — especially if major work is required to fix sewers clogged with leaves.

For sure it has cost the city any credibility it had with its already frustrated residents.

Editorial: Schools must choose right board member

Mansfield City Schools should move quickly to find a quality school board member to take over for George Rusiska, who resigned last month.

It appears the current board plans to do just that.

Eligible applicants will be interviewed Sept. 28, after which, finalists for a second round of interviews will be selected.

Board members hope to have a new member in October.

For whatever reason, Rusiska kept his board seat until the beginning of the school year. This makes it imperative that the district find an effective leader to finish his term, which ends Dec. 31, 2011.

As the new board works to put the right person in place, we urge members to do everything in their power to build unity on the board, but also to select an individual who will represent the values we demand in our school.

Mansfield City Schools draws its students from a largely urban area. The board must recognize this as it interviews possible board members.

Schools Superintendent Dan Freund said recently, “All children are capable of learning if we give them what they need.”

He’s also set some common sense goals that include 100 percent of students reading and computing math by the end of third grade, 100 percent of eighth-graders passing algebra and 100 percent of high school graduates career- or college-ready.

This is all possible if we have the right people in place.

A quick look at the power players in Mansfield City Schools includes five school board members, one treasurer and one district administrator.

Four of those seven key members are new within the last year, and a fifth is expected to be appointed quickly.

This major change in leadership brings with it great promise for our local schools, but it also carries the risk of confusion, chaos and distrust.

As the district enters this unique new era, we urge leaders to put behind them the bad feelings fostered during the last decade of ineffective leadership.

Setting high, achievable standards should be a top priority of our elected leaders. It appears the stage is being set to do that.

Editorial: Fiscal emergency announcement was badly handled

The timing of the state’s announcement that Mansfield is in Fiscal Emergency seemed to have more to do with individual politics than with what is best for the city.

State Auditor Mary Taylor made the official announcement in Mansfield on Thursday, but local media outlets were told of the plan a couple of days before that.

When passing the word to the media, the public relations representative for the auditor made no request for the news to be held until Thursday.

Reporters, including one from the News Journal, began to make telephone calls and ask questions of city officials about the pending declaration. A News Journal reporter discovered no one at City Hall had been informed the Thursday announcement had been scheduled.

Mary Taylor is running for lieutenant governor, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why she wanted the spotlight to herself.

A spokesperson for Taylor said the auditor’s office had made it abundantly clear in recent weeks that Mansfield was about to move from the classification of fiscal watch to the more serious fiscal emergency.

Obviously, no one in Mansfield who has followed the city’s financial crisis was shocked by the imposition of this new classification. It has been painfully clear that members of Don Culliver’s administration and City Council are unable to come up with a comprehensive solution.

But, just because the announcement was obviously coming is no excuse for not giving a heads-up to the city officials most affected by the declaration. Professional courtesy seems to have gotten trumped by political desire.

Taylor should take responsibility for this error even if it was committed by someone on her staff.

What is most important here is the positive working relationship that will be necessary between the city and the auditor to get this issue resolved.

Anyone who runs for public office should understand you should never appear to put your interests ahead of the interests of those you serve.

Editorial: Union scare tactics not appropriate in Madison

Union bullying is the wrong way to influence an election.

We take issue with the position of “hire local bricklayers or else.”

We are in agreement that local building projects should go to local workers. It’s the “or else” insinuation that gives us such a slimy feeling.

On Tuesday, Madison Local School District voters will decide whether to support a $35 million bond issue for a desperately needed new junior high school. The old building is 86 years old, filled with asbestos issues and generates ridiculous energy bills and maintenance costs.

But last week, unionized bricklayers said skilled tradesmen and their voting-age relatives living in Madison Township would have second thoughts about supporting the bond unless the district entered into a project labor agreement with the union.

The bond issue failed in May by 42 votes, and this will be the last chance the district has to pass the issue and capitalize on millions coming from the state.

An organized effort by the union to defeat the bond is a very real possibility.

Madison school officials should recognize their role as well.

Board President Jeff Meyers said the district won’t commit to the agreement before the election.

Meyers hasn’t even entertained the idea, and that’s what got the bricklayers so steamed.

It would make sense to at least open a dialogue when the margin of victory or loss is so close.
“Our goal is to get the best deal for Madison, and we don’t want to limit ourselves to any one group,” Meyers said. “What if a local company bids three times higher than one 40 miles away?

Lowest price and best quality are what will be taken into account.”

We agree, and we urge the district to be frugal with taxpayer dollars. But the district should not look just at the bottom line. There’s a strong argument for hiring local labor.

Union members know that just as well as school district officials do. But to hold an election hostage over this issue is wrong.

The future of our children, and providing a quality education in a safe learning environment, is a much bigger issue than a squabble over local union contracts.

We urge both parties to see the value of working together to benefit our children and our local workers.

Editorial: Act now to stop VOA expansion in Mansfield

The city of Mansfield should do everything in its power to halt the planned expansion of a downtown halfway house.

Volunteers of America said earlier this month the state is providing $700,000 to add 30 more beds to the 71-bed facility, which houses sex offenders from across the state.

Money for the project is coming from funds available because of the the closure of Crossroads, another local half-way house that recently shut its doors.

The additional space would be primarily for serious drug and alcohol offenders, and not for sex offenders, according to the Ohio Department of Corrections.

No matter. We do not want this downtown, and we must act now to prevent this kind of project from going forward.

Proponents will sell this as service the community should support.

But this is exactly the opposite of what Mansfield needs.

The whole purpose of this facility is to take convicted offenders who have served their time and ease them back into society while working to minimize the likelihood of a return to crimes.

This program brings in offenders from around the state with no guarantee that those “eased back into society” will not settle in Mansfield.

Already, Richland County tracks nearly 400 registered sex offenders, and according to the sheriff department website, the population of offenders is growing. It is estimated that 80 percent of all addresses have at least one offender within a mile.

In fact, Richland County already tops the list of Ohio counties in number of felony sex offenders.

This includes Tier II and Tier III sex offenders, who were convicted of crimes including soliciting prostitution, sexual battery, sexual contact with a minor, kidnap-ping, forcible rape and murder with sexual motivations.

Increased capacity in Mansfield only increases the possibilities that we’ll see more offenders in our area.

Former Mansfield police chief and interim Service-Safety Director Phil Messer is among the facility’s harshest critics.

“It’s like having a nuclear power plant at your back door,” he said. “You know the government is doing everything possible, but there’s always the risk that something horrific could occur.”

Local State Rep. Jay Goyal has voiced his concern about the facility.

It’s time for all of us to demand our local elected leaders halt this project.

Mansfield has allowed itself to be branded a prison town with two major prisons. But we can no longer allow our tolerance for our prisons to be taken advantage of with the expansion of this halfway house.

We’ve said it before. Enough is enough. The Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction need to find somewhere else to build their center.

Editorial: City dress code more than a fashion faux pas

Mr. T could never work for the City of Mansfield. Neither could celeb Victoria Beckham or “American Idol” hopeful Crystal Bowersox. Host Ryan Seacrist could, though, but not judge Randy Jackson.

The city’s new dress code for munici-pal workers prohibits extreme styles such as too much jewelry, wild hair and sloppy clothing.

The new dress code is virtually unenforceable, a waste of time and a waste of money.

We’ve already spent too much energy just preparing the legislation that would require dress and grooming conformity city wide.

The code prohibits:

z Obscene tattoos.

z Wearing hats indoors.

z Flip-flops.

z More than two earrings per lobe.

z Excessive jewelry. Jewelry is limited to one ring on each hand for males or two rings on each hand for females, one watch on either wrist and medical alert or medical treatment bracelet.

According to the new rules, hair simply must be controlled.

For example:
z Employees are permitted to change the color of their hair only within the “natural hair color spectrum.”

z Employees hair will present a neat, groomed appearance “not exceeding 11/4 inches in bulk, regardless of length.”

z Hair will not fall within 1 inch of the eyebrows.

z Women may wear conservative hair clasps or barrettes. Women wearing city-issued head gear may not allow their hair to be visible on the forehead.

z Men’s hair may not cover the outside surface of the ear. Sideburns must be neatly trimmed with the flare not more than 1 inch wide. Mustaches must be neatly trimmed, not extending more than half an inch beyond the side of the mouth, or below the bottom of the upper lip. Goatees and beards must be trimmed to not longer than 1 inch.

We are not making this up.

But our argument is not with the dress code, per se. Rather, we are appalled at the timing of such a move.

After reading about the code, one of our online commenters expressed a clear opinion that many share.

“Are you serious? Is this all our city government has to worry about? We are in a crisis; this city is in danger of turning into a lawless stink hole with more empty store fronts than full ones. Before long there won’t be anything to worry about other than tripping over a tumble weed blowing down Park Ave.

“Let’s spend our time a little more constructively. There are plenty of other problems going on in this town to worry about what somebody is wearing or what they look like. They said they have been looking into this for about a year. I hope they were not getting paid for it. Just think of all of the money they could have saved.”

Or this one from Mansfield Finance Director Kelly Blankenship, who said she has more important issues to worry about.

“I am not about to start dictating and micromanaging my employees’ grooming habits. My employees haven’t had one cent of a raise since I took office,” she said. “We have lost eight staff members. Morale is low. Our chief concern is finding ways to increase revenues and cut costs.”

Already we have union reps looking at legal action over contracts the new rules may violate. If an employee passed muster when they were hired, they ought to pass inspection now.

Our opinion is instead of measuring the length of hair on a man’s face, the city should take a ruler out and measure the length of grass and noxious weeds on any number of lots in Mansfield? Talk about code violations.

A handful of people may see a scruffy beard and wonder what kind of standards we have, but when thousands of people drive by the run-down, overgrown vacant or deserted properties in our city, they get a clear message.

Let’s stop worrying about tattoos and mullets and begin working on standards that really make a difference.