Hubbard council: Rohrer pledges to take on mayor
Ask former Hubbard City Councilman Douglas L. Rohrer why he is seeking an at-large council position on the ballot this year, and he'll deliver a litany of reasons. However, the one that intrigues us the most has to do with Mayor Arthur U. Magee.
Rohrer, who served 14 years in council before losing a bid for the 2nd Ward seat in 2005, contends that Magee, a veteran Trumbull County politician, rides roughshod over lawmakers and that there is little interaction between the legislative and executive branches.
"I'm not happy with the way the city is being run," the deputy bailiff in the Girard Municipal Court told Vindicator writers during his endorsement interview. "Magee is dominating everything."
Throughout his political career, which has included service in the General Assembly and on the board of county commissioners, Magee has shown an impatience with the slow pace of government. He correctly believes that issues are deliberated to the extreme, which undermines progress.
In addition, he has made no secret of the fact that he believes the mayor is the chief executive of the city and council provides the support.
In February, this clash between the two branches was clearly demonstrated when council decided that overtime spending needed to be reined in. Lawmakers budgeted 10 percent less to cover each department's overtime than was allocated in 2006.
That didn't sit well with the mayor, who lashed out at council members.
"We are a service business," he said. "Demands for service dictates overtime. Our people don't abuse overtime. We work when we are called out to work. They [council] are trying to micro-manage the operations of the city, and that is not their job."
But Rohrer disagrees, saying the legislative branch controls the pursestrings -- and he criticizes members of council for not being more vocal in challenging Magee.
During his 12 years as councilman-at-large and two years as a ward councilman, Rohrer says he invariably locked horns with administration officials because he refused to let them dictate.
Now, there is a void in the legislature that needs to be filled, he says.
No shows
The three incumbents, Patton Gilliland, William J. Williams and Raymond L. Moffit, are seeking re-election this year, but none chose to be interviewed by Vindicator editors. Moffit and Williams did not return the newspaper's questionnaire that was sent to all candidates in contested races in the May 8 primary election.
Gilliland submitted the questionnaire and made an appointment for an interview, but cancelled it due to illness.
Appearance at an interview is a requirement of the endorsement process.
Rohrer, on the other hand, came prepared to talk about the future of the city of Hubbard and to discuss such weighty issues as contract negotiations with the labor unions that deal with employees paying a portion of the health-care premiums now absorbed by city government.
While we would have liked to have had the opportunity to question the incumbents on their records, we find that Rohrer is sincere about serving the public and has a grasp of the challenges confronting the city.
We endorse his bid for the Democratic nomination for an at-large council seat.