Incumbent and challenger vie in Democratic primary for Uhrichsville mayoral nomination
UHRICHSVILLE ‒ Democrats Mark Haney and James Zucal are facing off in the May 2 primary for mayor.
Haney is the incumbent in his first four-year term. He was previously a City Council member and president. Zucal is in his third year as a council member. The winner will face Republican and political newcomer Suzanne Bower in the November general election, and any independent who might file petitions.
The victor will get a $22,000 annual salary and the responsibility of overseeing a budget that totals $5.85 million this year. The city has a workforce of 35 that swells to 120 people in the summer, when extra seasonal employees are hired.
May ballot: Contested primaries brewing for Dover, Uhrichsville mayor positions
Zucal, 58, and Haney, 49, have many of the same items on their to-do list: improving or demolishing dilapidated buildings, putting ballfields at Gorley Street Bottoms, making a trail to Claymont High School, adding a boat ramp, improving streets, attracting businesses and growing the city's economy.
Each claims his qualifications make him the best person for the job.
Who is James Zucal?
Zucal points to his education and experience. He was service director in New Philadelphia from 2008 to 2016, and the city's assistant service director before that. Now retired, he was service and safety director for the city of St. Clairsville from 2016 to 2020. Before holding those positions, he worked for the Tuscarawas County Auditor’s Office.
“I have the knowledge and the experience to carry this city into the future,” Zucal said, adding he would put together a professional team to manage city government. He pointed to his experience managing multi-million dollar projects to improve and upgrade streets, sidewalks and water, sanitary and storm sewer systems.
Zucal has a bachelor's degree from Kent State University in geography, with a focus on municipal government, forestry and mapping. The Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School graduate is a New Philadelphia native and lifetime Tuscarawas County resident who has lived in Uhrichsville 30 years.
Who is Mark Haney?
Haney is a graduate of Claymont High School who attended Ohio Dominican University and Kent State University at Tuscarawas. He works as a compressor station operator for Eastern Gas in Gilmore.
He points to the experience in local government he has obtained as a member of the Claymont City Board of Education from 2004 to 2007, Ward 1 councilman from 2008 to 2013, council president from 2014 to 2019, and mayor since 2020.
“I feel that I’m the best candidate because I’m the most experienced," Haney said. "I’ve been here 16 years. I’ve seen it all in the city government here. I understand this community better than my opponent because I’ve lived here my whole life. I’ve got a lot of ties to this community.”
They disagree on the validity of a tax-sharing agreement forged in 1998
Zucal and Haney disagree about an income tax sharing agreement reached in 1998 between the city of Uhrichsville and the village of Dennison.
The pact settled a tussle between the neighboring towns over where Claymont High School would be built. Prior to the consolidation that created Claymont, each community had its own high school. The agreement provided that Uhrichsville would pay 37% of city income taxes collected from Claymont High School employees to Dennison. Uhrichsville, where the school is located, would keep the rest.
Uhrichsville honored the deal through 2020, but has not paid anything to Dennison since.
Dennison is suing Uhrichsville in Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court for nonpayment of the share of taxes it contends the city should have paid. The total owed is $44,276, as of the April 6 payroll, according to the office of Dennison Mayor Greg DiDonato. The suit is scheduled for trial July 27.
Zucal said the city should have negotiated with Dennison before stopping the payments.
Haney said he asked Dennison's mayor twice to discuss the agreement, made in a "letter of intent," without success. He said the agreement should have had a time limit, and the village should have negotiated with the city before going to court.
He said the city maintains the road to the high school and provides fire and police protection.
“I represent the taxpayers of Uhrichsville and it is my job to look at every dime that we spend," Haney said. "If we’re giving money away that could be used to put sidewalks in or pave streets or (buy) new park equipment, we have to look at that.”
Zucal said he wants to restore the friendship with the neighboring village and townships, avoiding lawsuits at all costs.
“The tax sharing agreement was an agreement that was put together ... in good faith, by some of the prominent community members back when the high school was built," Zucal said. "I think they did a good job with it."
Housing issues
Zucal is unhappy that the city administration missed an opportunity to apply for state building demolition money through the Tuscarawas County commissioners in 2022.
Money available: Uhrichsville misses application for building demolition funds
Proven: County department head: Uhrichsville was notified about demolition funding
A Tuscarawas County government department head refuted her claim. He provided documentation showing that Haney and Everett received and opened a notice about the program.
"We deserve better," Zucal said. “We need to quit missing out on opportunities. We need to act like a city and be at the forefront. We need to be at the front in getting our fair share.”
He wants to bring to Uhrichsville the same sidewalk replacement program he helped to design and implement in New Philadelphia. He'd also like to pave alleys.
"Most of the people in Uhrichsville park at the back of their home," Zucal said. "So what they drive on every day to get to their garage is an alley.”
Haney said he wants to see the demolition and rehabilitation of dilapidated structures, but the legal process can be time-consuming.
“It takes a long time to get rid of some of these houses," he said. "When I became mayor, I was naïve. You can’t do it 60 days. It’s impossible. I found out some of these houses are going to take two to three years for us to acquire and tear down. Believe me, I want to tear them down as much as the next person. I want to sell those lots and have people build houses."
He said some landlords are willing to rehabilitate foreclosed properties.
Haney said he is trying to help a new owner who wants to finish the incomplete Kutcham Drive development off North Water Street Extension.
“I want to see him build houses in the city,” he said.
Citing their accomplishments
Asked to cite his accomplishments, Haney said he was proud of putting emergency medical service in the fire department. Before 2020, Smith Ambulance of Dover provided primary coverage.
"It generates revenue to pay for itself instead of us giving tax dollars away,” the mayor said, adding that he has also hired additional police.
Zucal voted against bringing EMS in-house.
EMS vote: Uhrichsville council gives emergency medical service contract to fire department
Zucal said he is proud of writing legislation, approved by council, that developed downtown design standards and a board to implement them. The entity has yet to be empaneled by the administration.
Zucal said he has promoted fiscal responsibility as a member of council’s finance committee.
They agree about the water park
Haney and Zucal agree that the city water park is an asset. The facility, opened in 2008, was financed with $4.5 million in bonds. The city still owes $2.44 million on the project.
“The waterpark, until paid for, will never pay for itself," Haney said. "You’re talking a $4 million asset with a 30-year loan that has an operating cost every year. We do everything in our power to make it operate fiscally responsible.
"It’s a great asset. It attracts a lot of people from different areas to the city, which also brings in revenue to other businesses in the city," Haney said.
Zucal called it the city's "crown jewel."
"It’s a good business," he said. "We need to attract more people to come to our water park. We need to continue to invest in our water park. We need to keep it modern and current and have a good city presence in how we operate the waterpark.”
Haney said the administration plans for the facility's maintenance and repair every year.
Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com.
On Twitter: @nmolnarTR
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Councilman Zucal and Mayor Haney seek Democratic nomination May 2
