'Hopefully transformative.' Thomas Bernabei reflects on his time as Canton mayor

Thomas Bernabei served as Canton's mayor for the last eight years.

But he's been a fixture in local government for decades since starting his career in public service as an assistant prosecutor in Massillon Municipal Court roughly 47 years ago. He then became an assistant law director for Canton and was elected Canton's law director in 1989.

He also served on Canton City Council and as a Stark County commissioner before being elected Canton's mayor in 2015 as an independent and then reelected in 2019 as a Democrat. The 77-year-old Ward 8 resident opted not to run for a third term.

Council President William V. Sherer II, who won a five-way Democratic primary election and then defeated Roy Scott DePew in the general election, officially takes the helm as Canton mayor on Monday.

Bernabei, a lifelong Canton resident and U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam, was personable in his approach and was always in attendance at Canton events. As he steps out of the spotlight, the Canton Repository asked him to reflect on his tenure as mayor.

Here's what he had to say:

How would you sum up your eight years as mayor? What do you consider the highlights of your time as the city’s chief executive? Are there any lowlights for you?

I would sum up my eight years as mayor as hopefully transformative for the city of Canton.

We have:

• Gone from budgetary deficit of $5 million to surplus of $12 million.

• Implemented new technology (new 911 radio centralized dispatch, video crime center, security cameras) in our safety forces.

• Invested hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure and neighborhood improvements (water, sewer, paving).

• Revitalized downtown Canton (Centennial Plaza and DoubleTree Hotel).

• Invested in parks and recreation (spray, playgrounds, Thurman Munson Stadium).

• Invested in future growth and expansion (fiber network under construction).

• Brought new efficiency in multiple departments and services (new vehicle fleets, capital and operational (sanitation, sewer, water).

• Built a first-rate building code and residential code enforcement division (15,000 neighborhood inspections/per year, daily litter cleanups, high grass mowing).

• Funded tens of millions of dollars in community development.

• Established a professional Planning Department.

• Grew economic development and employment (Hall of Fame Village, Amazon and multiple economic development projects).

• And developed high-quality leadership across all city department heads and cabinet personnel.

But there is much more to do.

What were some of the most challenging and unexpected issues that you tackled?

Some of the most difficult times were the impacts of COVID-19 (keeping all city employees safe but working without reduction in services) and the civil unrest as a result from the George Floyd case.

Is there a project or action that you wish you could do over again or would have done differently?

I would not do any project over but would only wish that everything — projects, policies and procedures — could be implemented faster!

Is there something you wish you could have finished before you left office?

We have many projects in the pipeline. They include the redevelopment of the Renkert Building/Marriott Hotel, Granger Building and Harter Bank Building/Key Bank Tower, and Canton Memorial Civic Center improvements downtown.

There also are improvements planned at Weis, Harmont, Crenshaw and Garaux parks, along with fiber and broadband expansion, the Newton Family Apartments housing project in the Shorb neighborhood, 11th Street SE reconstruction project with a roundabout at Market Avenue S, and opening of the Hall of Fame Village water park.

If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about Canton, what would it be?

The city of Canton failed in the 1950s to annex everything or most everything in Stark County using our robust and plentiful water system, as Columbus did in the 1950s. Today, Columbus and Franklin County are virtually synonymous.

Any new residential; any new commercial development is in Columbus as a result. Poverty and crime in the inner city of Columbus are very similar to Canton but are offset greatly by the outlying development.

Belden Village could have been to Canton what Polaris is to Columbus. Canton’s landlocked borders dictated much of Canton’s future thereafter.

How were your relationships with other government and non-government offices?

I want to thank our other governmental partners — county, state and federal, for help on many projects. Special thanks to our foundations and nonprofits and their numerous volunteers. We all need to work collaboratively to progress forward.

How involved do you plan to be in city government once you retire? Only giving advice when asked, making phone calls when you see something needing to be done or volunteering for a city committee?

I will only give advice when asked! If asked, I will volunteer for city government. I intend to do other non-government volunteer service.

What advice do you have for the incoming mayor?

Set the example by work ethic and performance. Make every decision in the city’s best interest, which may not necessarily be popular or politically helpful to yourself.

What are your immediate plans, and any long-term ones, when leaving office?

Spend more time with (my wife) Bebe and family!!

Any last comments?

Thank you to all the special people who have helped and supported me as mayor, Stark County commissioner, law director and all my other jobs in public service, beginning with Bebe and family; my co-workers in every job; and ending with the voters of Canton and Stark County who have always supported me. It has been my great honor to serve as Canton’s mayor and in these other elected positions!!!

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Thomas Bernabei reflects on his time as Canton mayor