5 days ago
Eight North Canton residents seek appointment to vacant council seat
(This story has been updated to fix an inaccuracy.)
NORTH CANTON ‒ Eight city residents have applied to fill the vacant at-large council seat.
The eight candidates are:
Jeffery Allen (Ward 3), an international visitor coordinator specialist for Chenega Corporation at NASA Glenn Research Center, according to his resume. Also served in the Army for about 11 years in various roles including intelligence and logistics.
Joshua Sauder (Ward 4), a former freelance graphic designer who owns a web development and creative studio business and apparel business.
Holly Pierpont (Ward 2), an associate vice president who manages loyalty and rewards programs for Synchrony Bank. She's also a co-administrator of the Facebook group Speak Freely in North Canton, with about 1,400 members. And she's served on various boards including the focus committee on how to finance the new fire station and levy campaigns for the North Canton City School District.
Mark S. Inzetta (Ward 4) - the University of Akron Law School graduate and attorney who operates the local restaurant Mama Guzzardi's. He's now the chief legal officer for Sbarro's in Columbus and was an associate general counsel for what is now The Wendy's Company.
Gregory Sarbach (Ward 2) - Longtime former North Canton councilman from 1991 to 2005.
Jeffry Stocker (Ward 2) - the assistant director of ticket sales for the Cleveland Guardians who's a member of the North Canton Zoning and Building Standards Baord of Appeals. He also served on the focus committee on financing the new fire station.
Kalli Paris (Ward 4), owner and lead chiropractor at the Body, Mind and Spine Wellness Center on South Main Street.
Lindsay Rice (Ward 1), a graphic designer who says she's active with the Hoover High School bowling team board of directors.
Related: New Mayor Matthew Stroia ready for North Canton leadership role
The city provided the applications of the candidates in response to a public record request from the Canton Repository.
Sarbaugh and Rice said in their applications they would not seek to be elected to a full two-year term.
Petitions for North Canton council seat
As of a few hours prior to the Aug. 6 filing deadline, Pierpont, Sauder and Stocker had filed petitions with the Stark County Board of Elections to run for the full two-year term for the three at-large council seats starting Dec. 1.
Andrew Pratt, a real estate agent who did not seek the appointment, has also filed a petition for the post. Stephanie Werren, now the at-large council member who's council president, has filed a petition seeking re-election. The other at-large council member, Christina Weyrick, has filed a petition seeking election as the council member representing Ward 3 in the next term.
Matthew Stroia, who was the council president, resigned the at-large council member seat July 25 to become North Canton's mayor. The prior mayor Stephan Wilder retired effective July 25. Under the city charter, the council president becomes the mayor.
The remaining council members have 30 days from the time the seat becomes vacant to appoint a new council member. Otherwise, Stroia would appoint his successor. However, the appointment would be to serve until the remainder of the term until Nov. 30.
The filing deadline is 4 p.m. Aug. 6 to submit a petition to the Stark County Board of Elections with a sufficient number of valid signatures for candidates to run for the full two-year term on North Canton Council starting Dec. 1.
The pay for a North Canton council member who's not the council president is $734 a month.
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CORRECTION: Matthew Stroia resigned as council president on July 25 to become mayor, the same day as Stephan Wilder's resignation become effective. The date was incorrect when this story first published.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Eight North Canton residents seek appointment to vacant council seat
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