City Economic, Permits, Administrative Services Positions Settled But Still Debated

Here's the bottom line: Eric Bowles will serve as North Canton's economic development director as well as the superintendent of permits. as the director of administrative services.

According to Mayor David Held, just because Bowles serves two entities, it does not mean he has to do the work for both, only that he is responsible for both. Bartos acts as a link to the offices of economic development and permits and inspections and will work to help bolster business within the city. Bartos was originally hired as permits director. 

However these appointments did not sit well with everyone at Monday night's meeting. Chuck Osborne spoke for five minutes about why he disagreed with the mayor's decision and explained that he thinks it's all a part of a plan to make Bartos a future city administrator, filling the shoes of Mike Grimes.

"It seems to be public knowledge that the city's new permits superintendent was hired on the recommendation of a neighbor of Mayor Held," Osborne said, referring to Bartos, even though Bartos works in administrative services. "I would not call this an acceptable hiring process for North Canton's next city manager."

He continued, "... there is no manner of transparency and accountability in cronyism and that is what your recent closed-door appointment ... can be called."

Held said Osborne's comments were frustrating and said he brings up partial truths.

"I did interview Bartos and I liked him as a candidate. I believe in my position that he would be the best person," Held said. "What frustrates me most is that you asked me (if you could) serve in this position and I denied you. I just didn't want you in that position and because of that you're frustrated and you want to declare there's a covert operation behind the scenes which is just not true."

Here's what North Canton Patch and other local media have reported about the staff restructuring:

• North Canton Patch reported Sept. 20 in this story, "," that Held would like to hire an assistant city administrator to help City Administrator Michael Grimes in his duties. The position would pay $60,000 and would replace a permits and inspection position that has been vacant since the beginning of the year. That way, Economic Development Director Eric Bowles would continue handling both economic development and permits and inspections.
• North Canton Patch reported Nov. 15 in this story, "," that the city had hired Bill Bartos as superintendent of permits. Bartos' salary is $60,000. Mayor David Held said Eric Bowles, who was pulling double-duty handling permits and inspections and serving as economic development director, would handle solely economic development. Held said, "It’s much more work than one person can do effectively." 
• North Neighbor News reported Nov. 23 in this story, "City Considering Staff Restructure," that the city might create a director of administrative services position, with that person reporting to City Administrator Michael Grimes. The city would then combine the director of economic development position (held by Bowles) and superintendent of permits and inspection into the single title of director of permits and development. The money saved by eliminating the position of economic development director would be used to fund the director of administrative services position, NNN reported.

"(Bowles) has demonstrated that these position titles and duties can be successfully combined," Grimes wrote in a legislation request to North Canton City Council Nov. 15.

*North Canton Patch Editor Morgan Day contributed to this article.