This is the text of a public speaks made at a North Canton
City Council meeting on January 28, 2002. The message was so
eloquent that I wanted to share it with the residents of the
city and not let it go unnoticed in the archives of past council
minutes.
Chuck Osborne
September 13, 2003
I thank this council for the opportunity to speak this
evening. My comments tonight revolve around the events of
January 14 council's meeting regarding the J Group contract with
the city.
My concerns are not the contract that was approved, but
rather the manner of debate on this issue and its precedence for
the council. This council chamber must be a place where
individuals can express their opinions without fear of personal
attack. It must be a place where questions can be asked and
concerns raised. This council chamber must be a place where
those questions and concerns are addressed in an honest and
forthright manner. This council chamber must be a place where
the debate is over issues, not personalities. Only through
honest intellectual debate of the issues can this council hope
to generate sound legislation and wisely spend the taxpayer’s
money.
I hesitate to call the debate at January 14th council meeting
a debate at all. After Councilman Osborne, who was the lone
councilman against the J Group contract, was given an
opportunity to speak early in the debate; he was never given the
opportunity to speak again; even though he asked to be
recognized on at least four other occasions. When Mr. Osborne
asked one final time to be recognized, Mr. Foltz stated, "Point
of order Jon, let's vote point of order" and Mr. McLaughlin
seconded, thus ending the "debate". Although this might be "a
legal move”, what is legal and what is ethical are sometimes two
very different things.
The American Heritage Dictionary definition of debate is to
discuss opposing points. Unfortunately for the City of North
Canton and its constituents, on January 14th only one side was
fully heard. One wonders what harm could have occurred by
allowing Mr. Osborne another opportunity to speak. Honest
intellectual debate must always be about issues. Mayor Rice
referred to Mr. Osborne as a bad apple.
This strategy of attacking a person rather than addressing
issues has unfortunately become all too common strategy in
politics today. This strategy of personal attack benefits no
one. The City of North Canton loses because the discussion no
longer focuses on the issues. Mr. Osborne loses because his
concerns are not fairly addressed. Mr. Rice loses because he
fails to debate the issues.
Mr. Mayor, if asking questions and raising concerns makes one
a bad apple I would like to proudly join that list with Mr.
Osborne. It would be a badge of honor that I will proudly wear.
As councilmen you are charged with the responsibility of
faithfully executing your office. Part of this responsibility is
to independently verify the facts; not just accept information
given to you. At January 7th council meeting Mayor Rice stated
that Teri Johnson from the J Group was, "the person responsible
primarily for putting this (referring to the Massillon Alive
Schedule of Events brochure) together over the last several
years." I have a copy of memo that Mr. Osborne graciously
provided me, that he supplied to all councilmen in regards to
his research on this issue. It specifically references the
individuals he talked to, their telephone numbers and the
specific nature of his conversation. This is a well documented
piece of research, which can be easily verified by any one of
you individuals here.
Based upon what Mr. Osborne's research indicated, it appears
that Teri Johnson had very little to do with this brochure. When
you're looking to hire someone, either as an employee or a
consultant, it is your obligation to verify their resume. Just
because the J Group is headed up by former mayor David Johnson,
does not automatically give him a free pass. We all know what
happened at Notre Dame when the university failed to verify
their football coach's resume. And I as a Catholic can say that
if you wanted to hire Pope John Paul II as a consultant, I would
want his references checked out also. This is just good
business.
In conclusion, there must be a new openness in this council
that encourages different viewpoints. Council is made up of
seven people for a reason, so that a diversity of opinion can be
heard. We can have and we must have honest debate of the issues.
The result is always a better idea than what we started out
with. The very foundation of our republic, the Constitution, was
fashioned only after much debate over the issues. If this honest
debate had not occurred, the first ten amendments to our
constitution, our bill of rights, might not exist today. This is
the greatest nation because we encourage debate of the issues;
not discourage it. Thank you,
Glenn Saylor
North Canton, Ohio
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