Community Revitalization - Transparency and Accountability

Transparency and Accountability

Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Government
Forum Name: Community Revitalization
Forum Description: Middletown Community Revitalization News
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3124
Printed Date: Dec 22 2024 at 2:02am

Topic: Transparency and Accountability

Posted By: Nelson Self
Subject: Transparency and Accountability
Date Posted: Jul 11 2010 at 12:54pm

Transparency and accountability are musts if we are to have faith in local government. This applies to the NSP-1 grant in particular.

Replies:

Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Jul 11 2010 at 2:01pm

You mean these reports, come on people:

http://www.cityofmiddletown.org/nsp/ - http://www.cityofmiddletown.org/nsp/

Posted By: Nelson Self
Date Posted: Jul 11 2010 at 2:05pm

Thanks, Pacman. In reviewing this information on the NSP-1 grant I've encountered some very interesting concerns. Questions will be forthcoming.

Posted By: Nelson Self
Date Posted: Jul 12 2010 at 9:33am

Pacman -

I just finished reviewing the HUD information that the City of Middletown released on its' website. As you look through the following data, several questions arise:

1) the City's application for $2.144 Million in HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Program - Round One funds did not include a Downtown Commercial Acquisition/Demolition component. To date, the City has spent almost $300,000 for this purpose. Where is the City Council and HUD approval for this plan amendment? This money spent could have demolished at least 40 more vacant, foreclosed and blighted houses. How come?

2) the City's application for $2.144 Million in HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Program - Round One funds included a Vacant/Foreclosed Residential Property Acquisition/Rehab/Resale component. They stated that 20 residential properties would be involved. On the City's website, it stated that ELEVEN (11) homes were projected to be involved for a cost of over $1.0 Million. Where did the other nine houses go? I found it interesting that over $100,000 was spent acquiring one house. Go figure? Do we know the name(s) of the REALTORS involved with these transactions? How much will each of these ELEVEN HOMES cost to rehabilitate? Which REALTORS will be given the listings for the sale of these homes?

Thanks Pacman for bringing this conflicting data and resulting questions to our attention.

Commercial Property Demolition (2009 - )

1325 Central Ave 1329 Central Ave 810 Verity Pkwy 2818 Verity Pkwy

Residential Property Demolition (2009 - )

215 Baltimore St 403 Baltimore St 408 Baltimore St

527 Baltimore St 1903 Casper St 1810 Columbia Ave

814 Fifteenth Ave 1509 Forest Ave 1120 Garfield St

1909 Henry Ave 624 Moore St 1425 Oxford State Rd

232 Park St 1504 Penfield 715 Seventh Ave

1721 Sheffield St 823 Seventeenth Ave 813 Sixteenth Ave

830 Sixteenth Ave 723 Tenth Ave 2301 Wilbraham Rd

1317 Woodlawn Ave 1909 Woodlawn Ave 2302 Woodlawn Ave

214 Young St 604 Yankee Rd 1117 Young St

City-Owned "FHA Dollar Homes" Demolition (2009 - )

115 Crawford St 2100 Grand Ave 2011 Linden Ave

2007 Pearl St 2106 Pearl St 1508 Taylor Ave

Private Residential Property Acquisition (2009 - )

2605 Elmo Pl ($58,000+) 1016 Gage Dr ($128,000+)

3523 Jewell Ave ($35,000+) 915 Malvern St ($13,000+)

100 Red Bud ($65,000+)

Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Jul 12 2010 at 10:01am

Nelson you are getting to much into spinning everything. The info is public knowledge posted right on the cities website, you just needed to go find it. Have a wonderful day spinning.

Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Jul 12 2010 at 10:03am

Nelson Self wrote:

In reviewing these reports I have encountered some very interesting items. Further questions will be forthcoming. I'm sure that City staff will provide all of the details? Thanks, Pacman.

Maybe if you asked them instead of spinning everything on here you would get the answers you are looking for, just a thought.

Posted By: Nelson Self
Date Posted: Jul 12 2010 at 10:07am

As Sargeant Joe Friday used to say, "Those are the facts." You have now entered my NO SPIN ZONE.

Posted By: Nelson Self
Date Posted: Jul 12 2010 at 10:10am

Pacman -

Over one year ago City staff were advised by legal counsel not to communicate with me. I hope that this ends your infrequent and unfounded questions. If I knew who you were I'd love to talk with you face to face. You might find some of my assortment of documents to be very interesting.

In five years let's compare notes to see if you are right or that Miss Vivian and I were correct?

Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Jul 12 2010 at 10:34am

No insults Nelson just stating the Facts. I am not located downtown. I would suggest if these questions are so burning for you then have your attorney ask them. To come on here continually and ask the same question about HUD over and over is not working. I think most people, myself included, do not know enough about HUD funding to understand all the fine points of dealing with HUD on Grants, Foreclosure funds, etc. Trying to just get a basic understanding of Section 8 was enough for me and then I didn't even scratch the Surface there. If you want to continually ask the city about HUD issues here might I suggest you open just one topic and post your questions there now and in the future rather than opening multiple Topics about HUD funds.

Have a good day.