MAYOR’S ANNUAL REPORT
STATE OF THE CITY
January 7, 2008

Dear Massillonians:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! May the new year bring you and your family a prosperous, healthy 2008.

The City of Massillon continues to progress. Our continued industrial diversification continued in 2007. Bill Hawk, Inc., which relocated from Dover, provides pipeline construction services to the oil and gas industries; Kraft Power, which relocated from Canton, specializes in the distribution service and assembly of natural gas and alternate fuel engines for power generation; and, Earthwalk Orthotics, Inc., which relocated from the Canton area, manufactures prescription foot supporting devices and insoles designed to treat foot disorders. The following two companies announced their intentions to come to Massillon . These were: (1) Patent Health, which is locating to the old “Republic Steel” office building, could have as many as 500 employees eight years from now. They are a direct sales and marketing company for health and related products; (2) Vision Power a bio-mass steam generating company will construct a new facility, to be named Vision Corr, LLC, adjacent to FiberCorr on 17 th Street N.W. This new venture will assist FiberCorr in meeting their future energy needs. We are pleased they chose Massillon to establish business operations and their financial investments here are greatly appreciated. At the present time several companies are considering Massillon for their site location.

The City of Massillon continues to grow in land area. The Prophecy Massillon Annexation, which will add 78.614 acres to the City, will be officially annexed into Massillon in March. This annexation proposal consists of the former Fleming Companies buildings and land. At the present time, Shearer’s Foods, of Brewster, has a distribution center at this location. Also, Americold Logistics has a facility at the Prophecy Massillon locale. This is in addition to their distribution center/warehouse on 17 th Street S.W. Genco has established a facility at Prophecy Massillon in addition to its existing plant on Sterilite Avenue S.E. There are many opportunities to fill the remaining existing buildings as well as vacant land at the Prophecy Massillon site. The City of Massillon will work very closely with the property owners to fill up the available space. As all of you know, Shearer’s Foods is considering this location as a site for a new manufacturing facility. An announcement is forthcoming by Shearer’s in the near future.

The new Massillon housing market remains strong even in this national “dip” in housing investment. For the ninth consecutive year, the City of Massillon has issued building permits for over one hundred housing units. That is a tremendous accomplishment. All of Massillon should be proud of this feat. Building permits totaling $11,427,100.00 were written in 2007. This consists of 107 housing units which include the following: 67 single family homes and 40 condominiums. This represents the largest number of housing units in any Stark County community! These 107 units were divided between three school districts. These were: 68 housing units were built in the Massillon City School District ; 22 housing units were built in the Perry Local School District and 17 in the Tuslaw Local School District . Hopefully, 2008 brings more housing in our City. There are a few more housing allotments in the planning stages, at the present time. The City continues to work with neighborhood associations to strengthen existing neighborhoods. We also encourage more neighborhood associations to be established and others to re-establish themselves.

I would like to take this opportunity to inform our citizens that 2008 could see the establishment of some types of agreements with our township neighbors. As a result of the Prophecy Massillon Annexation, an agreement was signed between Perry Township and the City of Massillon . A committee will be formed to begin the process of coming up with a strategic plan for the Stark County Farm area. This planning strategy will include the Stark County Commissioners, the Village of Navarre as well as Massillon City and Perry Township . Also, we had some very preliminary discussions with Jackson Township concerning fire protection. A new northeast Massillon fire station is needed and we have discussed the potential to work with Jackson Township on a mutually agreeable site and building to serve both our communities. Lastly, we would like to begin discussions with Tuscarawas Township on a variety of topics. We will begin to formalize talks with Tuscarawas very shortly. If these discussions bring positive results that would result in better relationships with our neighbors and benefit everyone, both short-term and long-term.

In closing, everyone involved in City Government must continue to review our budget and carefully watch spending. All of us must work together to make Massillon an even greater community.

Once again Happy New Year!!  

Respectfully,