Code Enforcement

Randy I read it and then just shook my head.  Why bother go tonight the plan clearly states basically we don't care if we have a concensus of the citizens we are doing what we want.  What good would it do to go say I don't agree with it.  The city is acting not in the best interest of the the majority of citizens or businesses.  The city can't take care of it's own property, yet they are going to go after citizens who can't or won't take care of theirs.  Now the ones that won't and can do the repairs is one thing, but the others.  What about the cities obligations to the citizens to maintain their properties and to act in the best interest of all of its citizens. 

Many of you younger people will not remember the last time the city did this same thing. You should know that the city wrote 160 citations to downtown businesses that "ranged in severity from bare light bulbs to stained ceiling tile." All the businessmen had to take their time to go to court and pay a $100 fine (and I would guess, court cost). The only REAL problem the inspectors found was a lot over grown with weeds, but it turned out the the city was the owner. Just as today, the city code was a joke and the only real problems was with the city property. The article about the citations was picked up by businessmen in Cincinnati, which made Middletown the punchline of the area jokes. This action before helped ruin Middletown's reputation and run off all of the small businesses trying to survive downtown. Now we have new people on council and a new city manager, so they can start making all the same mistakes again that made Middletown the #1 fastest dying city in the counrty with a population under 100,000. Why to go council, keep ignoring our streets, our image, our reputation and don't serarate the sewers downtown. That will really help us attract businesses, jobs and non-section 8 citizens! 

It would appear that the city is more interested in "making money" from fines than they are from actually helping people. The only thing they will accomplish from this "plan" will be to drive out what few homeowners there are in some areas and be left with more abandoned houses. I for one am and have been seriously considering abandoning my house and getting out of this town. I would love to get out before the coke plant goes into operation too. Not only is this town unfriendly to business that also extends to it's citizens as well. While houses can be used to and are allowed by the city to operate as "half way houses" for drunks & drug addicts and police & fire are constantly being called to certain residence I dare them to say anything to me about my property !!