Middletown Town Hall with Josh Laubach

Good for you, sir!!! An elected representative should seek the feedback of their constituents and I applaud you as well as Mr. Smith for holding these kinds of meetings. I encourage anyone who can attend to do so.

Unfortunately, this is the same day and time as a meeting of the Butler County Republican Party Central Committee. 

Mr. Laubach-

Hello,
I will try to cover a few of the questions from above. If other people from council or staff show up, it is not a conspiracy. Anyone is welcome to attend and I encourage them to do so. The location was picked to mix it up. The Moorman's have a very nice facility and have offered their space in the past. I will be holding at least 5 more of these events and it’s difficult to limiting the meeting spaces to just the 3rd Ward.
Acclaro, I am assuming you are talking about having a fund dedicated to infrastructure? The short answer is yes. I have been an advocate of such a fund in the past. I think there are some limitations on how such a fund could gain revenue. However, council and the public need to have a clear picture of the money we are putting into our roads and where that money comes from. We have been using federal welfare to get recent road construction completed with very little local dollars going into these projects. I disagree with this principally and practically.    
Also, your second question implies that you cannot support Police/Fire and support the changes in collective bargaining. I disagree. Years of negotiations in the current format have resulted in personnel cost that are not realistic or obtainable in the long-term. I agree that these individuals deserve the most we can offer and if it were possible, I would advocate giving more to them. However, the problem is that we cannot afford the $23million going to these two areas under the current contracts. The council and the city must have the ability to reduce that expense. Under the current collective bargaining system, the only way to reduce that expense is by cutting jobs. I DO NOT want to see any of these individuals lose their jobs. My job is to tell the truth no matter how painful it is and provide basic services for the citizens of Middletown. Again, the current system will result in less protective services by having fewer police and firefighters. That is a system where everyone loses.

Mr. Laubach, thak you for your expeditious response. Firstly, Vet is aboslutely correct; the easy fix to the years of taking once dedicated infrastructure funds that were required by ORDINANCE, to simply have that ballot language put back in place, and voted on by council. Frankly, I don't think legilatively, it requires a vote by the public, it can be done by council. To fahsion this, its easy to obtain the origianl langauge fashioned prior to the change, albeit the records for the period in the 1980's, I believe it was 1986, and simply alter it. Its intent then was to be a few years. The outcome was 25 years and counting.

City finances, infighting discussed at forum
Laubach says Middletown could face $1.8M debt without belt-tightening

Twelve residents, including Mayor Larry Mulligan, attended the two-hour forum.

Tony Barnett, 53, of Middletown, who said he is against S.B. 5, urged Laubach to do what’s necessary to get the city back on track.

Barnett questioned whether it was smart for a city in such financial difficulty to purchase several downtown building for the proposed Cincinnati State campus without certainty the school would locate here.

Laubach stressed to Barnett and others at the forum that the school has had offers to move to other locations, but has a high interest in moving to downtown Middletown

You didn't answer the question Mr. Laubach. Barnett wanted to know why the city purchased buildings WITHOUT CERTAINTY, especially when you stated the city is in financial distress. Why roll the dice when you are cash strapped? The reason that the school had offers to move to other locations shouldn't have caused this "knee-jerk" reaction in major money spending on the city's part, should it? Especially without a FIRM COMMITMENT. Wrong answer that didn't address the question.

What--Me Worry?

I have a good deal of respect for Mr. Laubach, and I would have been at his meeting if not for a prior commitment.

Oops, I meant for the opening of PAC!!!

Acclaro,

The numbers and specifics were covered in some depth last night at the meeting. I cannot control what comments the Middletown Journal prints from two hours of talks. I would be more than happy to have a one on one discussion with you or anyone else on this board to be as specific as possible. As for your concerns on the roads; I agree completely. That is why I have proposed the creation of the Road Fund. If you would like more details, I would be happy to share them with you as it unfolds.

Mr. Presta,

It would have been nice to see you last night. You bring a good dynamic to the discussion. However, I understand you have other obligations. To your point concerning the Work Sessions; I have no problem with with them being televised and I would like to see that happen. In terms of location, yes, I like the upstairs round table format. I personally feel it is better suited for non-formal talks.

Josh

Mr. Laubach, thanks for the response. Indeed, it is a shame the MJ apparently published a fraction of what was discussed. It is not necessary to respond, as I believe, perhaps correctly, you are in the mold of Paul Ryan from Wisconsin. The runaway train and entitlement can not continue. Its killing Middletown, and riuning the property values that dedicated and committed buyers placed their trust and fortune, in Middletown having proper focus in their responsibilities.

Here’s a thought:

City council has declared what was once a “business conference room” to be a “PUBLIC meeting room” for their work sessions. (It MUST be a “public meeting room” or council would be in violation of the “open meetings law”!)

Perhaps Chief Botts or Ashkicker could advise us of the posted safe capacity for the small “public meeting room” where council work sessions have been being held???