Board of Commissioners & Procedures to Speak at Board Meetings

The SMHA Board meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 12:00 noon at 400 Tuscarawas Street East in Canton.  The following procedures have been implemented for all requests to address the Board of Commissioners during a regularly scheduled Board Meeting:

  • All public requests and inquiries to speak at a Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority (SMHA) Board Meeting will be processed by the Executive Director’s Office.
  • Requests to speak are to be made in writing by emailing info@starkmha.org. For those without access to email, you may submit your request by calling, 330-454-8051, 324. All requests must be received by 4:30 p.m. on the Thursday, 1- week prior to a regularly scheduled Board Meeting.
  • Upon receipt of request you will be contacted by the Executive Director’s Office to ensure that all information regarding your request has been obtained, as well as to confirm the date, time and location of the meeting to the person wishing to address the Board.  This information is intended to assist in determining meeting room accommodations and to facilitate efficient handling of the Board’s agenda.
  • If a request to address the Board has been received after the meeting agenda has been distributed to the Board of Commissioners, then the request will be scheduled for the next regularly scheduled.
  • No speaker may address the Board more than twice in a calendar year and no speaker is entitled to speak at consecutive Board Meetings.
  • Groups of individuals wishing to speak on the same topic will be asked to identify a spokesperson.
  • Comments/questions regarding specific procurement acquisitions will not be addressed at SMHA Board Meetings.  These may be directed, in writing, to SMHA’s Director of Procurement, 400 Tuscarawas Street E, Canton, OH 44702.
  • Comments/questions regarding employment or personnel matters, will not be addressed at SMHA Board Meetings.  These may be directed, in writing, to SMHA’s Director of Human Resources/Risk Management, 400 Tuscarawas Street E, Canton, OH 44702.
  • There is a 3-minute time limit given to each speaker.  Please abide by this limit. After 3-minutes, each speaker will be asked to conclude.

2024 Regular Board Meeting Schedule

January 25, 2024 July 25, 2024
February 22, 2024 August 22, 2024
March 28, 2024 September 26, 2024
April 25, 2024 October 24, 2024
May 23, 2024 November 21, 2024
June 27, 2024 December 19, 2024

* A Board Meeting date has been updated.

The current SMHA Commissioners are:

Roger Mann, Chairman,  Appointed by Stark County Board of Commissioners
Fonda Williams, Vice-Chair Appointed by City of Canton Mayor
Nenya Ross Appointed by City of Canton Mayor
Lisa Bussey Appointed by Stark County Court of Common Pleas 
Tim Shetzer Appointed by Stark County Court of Common Pleas, Probate Division

Term Length: 5 years
Compensation: Members serve without compensation
Authorization: Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3735

Roger Mann, Chairman

Fonda Williams, Vice-Chair  

Nenya Ross

Lisa Bussey

Timothy Shetzer