4 Massillon Dems, 4 GOP hopefuls take aim for at-large City Council seats on Tuesday

MASSILLON – A 2021 high school grad, a former police chief and a 43-year business owner are some of the candidates running for at-large City Council seats in Tuesday's primary election.

Four candidates are vying for three Democrat positions, while another four are in the hunt for three GOP primary slots. Two are at-large incumbents: Republican Ed Lewis IV and Democrat Ted Herncane.

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The six primary election victors will face each other in the Nov. 7 general election, which will determine the three at-large winners.

Herncane, 43, is seeking a third-straight term on City Council, and said being a strong advocate for needed infrastructure improvements, protecting neighborhoods and promoting economic development should help earn him another term.

"I will continue to be that strong advocate for improving Massillon if re-elected," said Herncane, a 1998 graduate of Washington High School.

Bolstering neighborhoods via traffic, animal control and building code enforcement, as well as better addressing vacant housing, are paramount issues moving forward, said Herncane, who chairs council's Economic Development Committee and works as economic development director for the Barberton Community Foundation.

Lewis, also 43 and a 1998 graduate of WHS, said Massillon is heading in the right direction as far as road repaving initiatives and economic stability.

"I think we're in a good position to attract new businesses and grow job opportunities for people," said Lewis, the director of service and support administration at the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

He is seeking a fifth-straight term on City Council.

In addition, Lewis served for two terms, or four years, as a Ward 6 council member, prior to running for an at-large post. He chairs council's Finance Committee.

Getting downtown buildings stabilized is a key issue going into the future, Lewis said.

"We need to look hard at getting commercial properties and buildings in good working order, so new businesses have a somewhere to land," he said.

Democrat challengers Bryan-Huth, Spencer, Williams make pitches for City Council

Democrat hopeful Holly Bryan-Huth, 48, said she wants to be part of making big decisions on City Council to benefit her hometown. She also hopes to help build a more successful community.

"I've always had a flare, or interest, in civics and government," Bryan-Huth said. "I love our town and want to help make good things happen."

Bryan-Huth grew up in northeast Massillon, graduating from Central Catholic High School in 1993.

She works as a child life specialist (educator and advocate) in private practice and had held a similar position in the field at the Stark County Prosecutor's Office.

If elected, Bryan-Huth said she'll work to increase the city's economic development portfolio, and strive to dedicate income tax revenue to bolster streets projects and neighborhood improvements.

"When we can enhance economic development, everything else is easier to tackle," she said.

Democrat Robert Williams, 60, is a former Massillon police chief, serving in the role from 2005 to 2012. He worked for the city for more than 25 years.

The city's current contingent of political leaders seems to lack civility, according to Williams, who's making a first run for public office.

"We need people in place who promote healthy relationships and bipartisanship," said Williams, a 1980 graduate of Washington High who spent four years in the U.S. Army. "I question the quality of our leaders, who (at the national level) are seduced by wealth and fame.

"We need more people with faith and character. I think I bring that to the table," he added.

Williams, who serves as pastor of The Jesus Spot in Massillon, said if elected he will work to ensure the city's safety forces are well trained and staffed. In addition, he wants to build on the city's code enforcement initiatives.

"Let's work for the betterment of neighborhoods regardless of (political) party," he said. "Let's be civil and respect each other with a cooperative spirt."

At 21, Democrat Aaron Spencer is the youngest candidate running for citywide office in next week's primary election. Garnering more youth involvement in government is part of his platform.

"I feel we need more young leadership in Massillon and change in a positive way," said Spencer about his candidacy "I hope people give me a chance on May 2."

The 2021 graduate of Washington High works as an auto service technician at Diehl Honda and is attending the auto tech program at Stark State College.

If elected, Spencer said he would work to preserve and protect historic buildings in downtown.

"These are the faces of Massillon," he said. "We need to work with landlords on rundown buildings and their lack of maintenance."

In addition to running for office, Spencer holds positions on multiple local organizations, such as the Massillon Fair Housing Board, and Massillon Board of Building Appeals, as well as the Washington High School Alumni Board and Washington High School Scholarship Board.

Spencer's mother, Jennifer Turner, said her son has had an interest in politics since age 7, and that he wants to someday be Massillon's youngest serving mayor.

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Republican Jason Hout, 52, the manager of Solmet Drilling in Canton, and said he's grown tired of hearing frustration from residents about Massillon roads, safety and infrastructure.

"I see us (the city) not taking advantage of next-generation manufacturing," said Hout, a 1989 graduate of Washington High. "I have 25 years in manufacturing, and that gives me an advantage to say, 'Hey, there's industry and jobs out there to target.'

"I want to be part of the solution," he added.

Hout said city officials should not have pumped around $4 million into downtown upgrades for Duncan Plaza and the streetscape development a few years ago. Instead, more focus should have been placed on attracting new jobs and boosting economic development.

"We spent all that money on beautification – grant dollars or not – when the focus could have been on other areas," Hout said. "I see that (same trend) continuing."

Former GOP Councilwoman Sarita Cunningham, 73, represented Ward 1 from 2013 to 2019 and is giving City Council another run.

The owner of Massillon Quickprint for 43 years said she's running this year as an at-large candidate to improve the city's safety forces and streets.

"I really miss trying to help my fellow people of Massillon," said Cunningham, a 1967 graduate of Washington High. "On council, I had been a consistent voice of reason, always listening to both sides and voting my conscious."

Working to reopen Fire Station 3 in northeast Massillon is a notable accomplishment during her time on City Council, according to Cunningham.

"We did that reopening in 2019, and it's been a real benefit to our city," she said.

Republican James Haavisto, owner and operator of JD's Gourmet Hot Dogs & More for a dozen years, is making his second run for an at-large council post.

A few years ago, Haavisto, a 1981 graduate of Eastlake North High School, was the city's GOP candidate for mayor.

The city needs to change the way it does business to be successful, according to Haavisto, noting that approving funding requests for new projects typically move slow, "unless you want to slam something through."

"There's too much rubber-stamping on everything," said Haavisto, 59, who said taxpayer dollars should not be used to demolish downtown buildings or to build a splash park on Massillon's west side. "There's no restriction to spend money and build things if you can get a grant to pay for it."

He said if elected he'd bring a much more fiscal cautious approach to City Council.

"We need a true, fiscal conservative. I don't see that much in our government, now," said Haavisto, adding that restoring the full spillway at Reservoir Park is also a high priority on his to-do list.

Reach Steven at steven.grazier@indeonline.com. On Twitter: @sgrazierINDE

This article originally appeared on The Independent: Massillon City Council sees 8 at-large candidates in primary election