Excerpts:

“In some cases, such as Middletown’s Middfest, city contributions have dropped to zero.”

But in MidFest’s case, have they really dropped to zero??? Or have the taxpayers continued to provide things such as police coverage (including overtime), utilities, and event set-up???

“It’s a depressing story,” said Virginia Ritan, chairwoman of Middfest. “There aren’t many alternatives in our particular area. It’s a tough time.”

Here’s a thought:  FUNDRAISING EVENTS!!!  Just as with the Historic Society and other groups around town, why do you think that there is no other source of funding other than the TAXPAYERS???  If you really think that yours is such a worthy cause, go out and do some FUNDRAISING!!!  Sure…dipping into the public trough is easier…but it is NOT the ONLY way.  Witness the Waynesville Sauerkraut Festival (arguably the most successful festival in the area), which, according to The Journal article:

“The Sauerkraut festival, which fills the streets of Waynesville during a two-day weekend every October does not receive any financial support from the village of Waynesville and pays for police overtime and electric use, said Chamber head Dawn Schroeder.”

Charge a fee for booth space.  Get corporate sponsors.  Have fundraisers during the rest of the year.  Heck, raffle off hams, food baskets, gift certificates to local supermarkets and restaurants. Hire the Knights of Columbus to run a blackjack tent.  If you really think that this event is worthwhile, find a way to make it pay its own way!!!

“Mulligan said he can understand how festivals can be seen as an economic development tool but doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.”

On one hand, it would be easy to say that Mulligan, a bank vice president, doesn’t understand the term “return on investment” (ROI), given the lousy ROI we have realized on the “investments” that have been made with Middletonians’ money under his watch.  But on the other hand, he certainly seems to understand the personal “return” he and his friends may realize on the “investment” of Middletown’s taxpayers’ “investments”, and they are too numerous to mention.  (They include the “period” fake gas lamppost lighting.  Can anyone document the “period” when there were gas street lampposts on South Main Street—or any other street in Middletown for that matter???  I have researched over a thousand photographs of early Middletown and have found a picture of only ONE single gas street lamppost, in front of the original Oglesby-Barnitz Bank building, and that gas light appeared to be PRIVATELY—not publicly-- owned and operated!!!  It’s too bad that our history-loving citizens couldn’t learn a lesson from that history and provide their OWN fake gas lights in front of their properties, instead of mooching electricity off the taxpayers.)

The last time I went to MiddFest it was poorly attended, the buildings were cover in bird poop and the smell of the sewers downtown were ripe. Vendors complained that they were being overcharged for space and could not make any money.
Several years ago a MiddFest worker told me they were ashamed to bring the visiting country into Middletown because it looked so bad. He laughed and said that next year they were going to blindfold the visitors, bring them into town under the cloak of darkness or fly them into Hook Field so they couldn’t see the condition of the City.
PLEEZE.....This has nothing to do with ROI…