Party politics ignite in Magic City

By BOB MOREHEAD
BGNN senior staff writer

BARBERTON  For most of the 20th century, it was said in Barberton that a Republican couldn’t get elected dog catcher. A factory town with strong unions, it was solidly in the Democratic camp, seemingly forever.

“Forever” was a shorter time than anticipated. The shift was swift. Donald Trump took the Magic City by wide margins every time he was on the ballot. The city council is nearly half GOP now, unthinkable 20 years ago, and the Democratic mayor retained his seat in the last election by the narrowest of margins.

This transition is now percolating on the council floor in a battle of wills between Mayor William Judge and that changed council. The city charter requires a charter review commission every five years and it must be seated by March 1. It further mandates that no more than four reviewers can be of the same political party.

Judge submitted a slate of names a few weeks ago that contained four Democrats, two Republicans and two independents. It stalled in committee, Finance chair Tayler Thompson demanding a more representative assortment.

Judge returned at the Feb. 18 committee work session having replaced one Republican with an independent. The surviving Republican was criticized as not Republican enough, having voted in only two GOP primaries.

Judge contended that it is difficult to find people willing to put in the time.

“The first thing they say is what does it pay,” Judge said.

The mayor told council he’d reached out to four new people after the last rejection. Two, he said, declined due to social media attention.

One withdrew and the remaining one was put on the list.

“I know for a fact people applied who aren’t on the list,” Councilman Monte Harris said.

“I don’t think this (list) is it,” Thompson said.

Council President Justin Greer expressed his frustration with the process.

“Any problems need to be hassled out before the next meeting,” Greer said.

Council has one week to approve a commission or it will be in violation of the charter. Since this has never happened, no one was quite sure what happens if that happens. Regardless, one or more special meetings will be needed to avoid that eventuality.

In a special meeting Feb. 18 of the Properties, Parks and Recreation Committee, the members sent forward an ordinance to contract with Eslich Wrecking Company at $258,498 for the demolition of the former Masonic Temple on Fifth Street SE, abutting the municipal building.

As part of the justice center project, a new entrance with better disability access will be built in its place. Council was set to hear a reading and probably vote on it Feb. 24.

The Finance Committee sent forward a measure issuing $225,000 in notes to pay for the water meter reading replacement. The initial $250,000 notes have matured and this represents a $25,000 principal paydown.

Similarly, the $50,000 notes for a filtration system at the wastewater treatment plant matured and the committee sent forward an ordinance issuing $25,000 in notes, marking the cost half paid off.

$1.6 million in notes will replace the $1.8 million in road construction notes.

Another ordinance sent to council reimburses the general fund $1.3 million from the water fund for the Wooster Road W water line replacement project.

An ordinance replacing $325,000 in mature storm water notes with another $325,000 went to the floor, along with $115,000 for a new loader for the storm water and service departments.