'I just had enough.' Canton Local school board's Scott Hamilton resigns after 26 years

CANTON TWP. – Longtime Canton Local school board member Scott Hamilton resigned Friday morning from the board, citing politics in a board executive session the day before and division on the board.

"I am extremely disappointed with the politics displayed yet again at our board meeting yesterday as well as the division that still exists within our board. Therefore, effective immediately, I am hereby resigning my position on the Canton Local Board of Education," Hamilton, a board member since 1998, wrote in an email to Canton Local board President Tom Kovesci. "It has been an absolute privilege to work with my fellow board members, administrators, and staff. It has been especially rewarding to work with all the remarkable students, many who have gone on to do great things in their career, and more importantly, in their lives."

By Friday afternoon, Hamilton's picture and name had been removed from the school district's Board of Education website.

Executive session discussion spurred resignation

The board met Thursday afternoon at Canton South High School for an executive session not open to the public to "consider the employment, appointment, or discipline of and/or a complaint about a public employee or official."

Hamilton, Kovesci and board members Annette Davis and Brandi Noll attended the meeting. Rick Knight was not present because he was on a trip, Kovesci said. He said Knight listened in on the executive session by phone.

State law does not generally allow a public body to go into executive session to discuss "the discipline of an elected official for conduct related to the performance of the elected official's official duties or for the elected official's removal from office."

Hamilton and Kovesci declined to reveal which public employee or official the board members discussed in the meeting.

“I can’t go into that because there’s laws against that," said Hamilton. "I really don’t want to get into it. I’ll just say that serving on the board hasn’t been enjoyable for quite a while due to the politics. ... It’s just been the continual politics and division that we faced for several years and I just had enough.”

When asked which laws he was referring to, Hamilton cited the Ohio School Boards Association.

"I’m trying to keep this as low key as I can," Hamilton said. "I still want to have a good relationship with the board and administration (and I'm not) into bad mouthing the administration."

What happened in executive session?

Kovesci, who's in his first term on the board, said whatever was discussed in executive session would not affect the district's property taxpayers, the use of their tax dollars, the education of students or the district's staff.

Kovesci and Hamilton said they did not expect any litigation to result from the matter that led to Hamilton's resignation.

“I'd just like to thank Mr. Hamilton for what he's done over the years. Appreciate everything he did and good luck moving forward," said Kovesci. "We’re following board policy to replace the board member. ... That’s already in the process, and that’s really all I got."

When asked in an email why Hamilton resigned, Superintendent Brett Yeagley issued this statement: "Mr. Hamilton was on the Canton Local Board of Education for 26 years. Canton Local Schools is grateful for Mr. Hamilton's years of service to the district, and we wish him nothing but the best."

Finding successor on the Canton Local school board

Hamilton's seventh four-year term on the board was set to end at the end of 2025. By state law , the remaining members of the board will appoint Hamilton's successor to serve the rest of his term at least 10 days after the board seat became vacant.

A statement issued by the board said a board member must be 18 years old or older, be a U.S. citizen, lived in the district for at least 30 days and be registered to vote. The deadline for applicants to submit applications to be a board member is 8 a.m. Thursday. Applicants should submit applications to Canton Local Board of Education Treasurer Jason Schatzel at jason.schatzel@cantonlocal.org or 600 Faircrest St. SE, Canton OH 44707.

The board has called a special meeting to interview applicants 3 p.m. July 26 in Canton South High School's Community Room.

Hamilton had been on board more than 26 years

Hamilton was first elected to the board in 1997. He first took office in January 1998. He said he believes his 26 1/2 years of service is the longest of any Canton Local School board member in the district's 200-year history.

In 2022, the Massillon prosecutor's office pursued a felony theft charge against Hamilton, whom store employees accused of stealing at least 166 bales of pine shavings from Tractor Supply Co. in Massillon over five months. Hamilton's attorney said the matter was a misunderstanding and that Hamilton had paid for the pine shavings. Hamilton, then the board president, eventually pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of theft, paid more than $1,000 in restitution and was sentenced to 40 hours of community service. He since then has denied knowingly stealing from the business.

Related: Canton Local school board president guilty of theft, stole 166 bales of pine shavings

After his conviction, some residents demanded Hamilton's resignation from the board and the board voted 3-2 calling for Hamilton to leave the board and to censure him. Kovesci, Knight and then-board member Chris Cole voted for the nonbinding resolution. Hamilton stepped down as board president but refused to resign from the board.

Hamilton had opposed renewing the contract of Cole's wife to be the Canton South High School volleyball coach.

Cole then later that year filed a criminal complaint against Hamilton saying Hamilton stole yard signs that called for hm to resign. The Stark County Sheriff's Office charged Hamilton with misdemeanor theft. But the Canton prosecutor dropped the charge because the signs Hamilton allegedly took were on public property in Canton Township and Canton. So they were no longer Cole's property. Cole did not seek reelection to the board in 2023.

Related: Sign-stealing charge dropped against Canton Local school board member Scott Hamilton

In January, Massillon Municipal Judge Edward Elum expunged Hamilton's sole misdemeanor theft conviction in the Tractor Supply Co. case.

Related: Judge OKs expunging criminal conviction for Canton Local Board of Education member

Hamilton said nothing that happened this week had anything to do with his past court cases.

Hamilton, 62, a manager for the suspensions systems company Hendrickson, has three adult children who graduated from Canton South High School. He said he would continue to assist Canton Local School students with grants from his and his wife's Scott and Edie Hamilton Foundation. Hamilton said he would continue to support the Canton South Booster Club. And he said he would still coach youth baseball, not affiliated with the district, for boys ages 5 to 8, which he's done for 30 years.

"I’m proud of working hard for the kids and that’s going to continue even though I won't be serving on the board," Hamilton said.

Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com. X formerly Twitter: @rwangREP.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: 'I just had enough.' Canton Local school board's Scott Hamilton resigns after 26 years