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Monday, November 25, 2024 |
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Revitalization? |
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buddhalite 
MUSA Citizen 
Joined: May 11 2017 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 499 |
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 Topic: Revitalization?Posted: May 11 2017 at 11:27pm |
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I am back in Middletown (the best city in SW ohio - maybe anywhere) after a 10 year absence. Yes, I had to leave - the career took me elsewhere - BUT now I AM BACK! Now that the formalities are out of the way - here's something for y'all (can you tell I was in the South for 10 years?) to bite off and chew..... Revitalization can only happen to something that once recently had vitality. Kinda like the person who has a massive heart attack....there's only so long that any kind of CPR will be effective. Downtown is beyond the point of resuscitation. I just took a midnight stroll before the storms hit all over downtown - coming in from Central avenue..... Face it Middletown. It's over. Every penny spent on that run down cesspool of vacant buildings, leaking roofs and overpriced square footage is worse than wasted - it may as well be lit on fire because at least then you can watch the flames - it is way more entertaining than watching your tax dollars be spent on a wasteland. I know, I know.....your Grandfather used to walk you down to the old ice cream shoppe (old English spelling used on purpose) every Saturday and it was so much fun and the ice cream was so much sweeter and the picnic table you used to eat at reminds you of the crap in front of the giant mural someone wasted time and money painting...oh yeah and the stone facade on every building reminds you of an O'Reilly auto parts store (wait....never mind about that last part). Face it council - boards - taxpayers...your hard earned tax dollars are being wasted - and have been for umpteen years. There will be absolutely no hope for this city unless council and the taxpayers wake up. Development of dilapidated buildings and millions spent in keeping antiquated systems running - WHY?!?!?! Blow it up - it's cheaper in the short and long term - and frankly spend the money to entice real business and get the east end properly developed (it's the only place any REAL businesses want to be anyway) and get to work! Come on Middletown - stomp your feet into every council meeting - vote and vote new - kick out the old Middletown families from power - and let's make Middletown Great Again .... no, wait .... Let's Make Middletown Magnificent!
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"Every government intervention [in the marketplace] creates unintended consequences, which lead to calls for further government interventions." -Ludwig van Mises
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VietVet
MUSA Council 
Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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Posted: May 12 2017 at 7:42am |
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If you are looking for some common sense thinking in a city government, you have returned to the wrong city. ALL, and I mean ALL disposable city money has gone into their downtown area for many years now while the rest of the city has been ignored and left to fend for itself. The east end has developed due to private sector activity and has been infinitely more successful than the downtown as well. You saw what the millions that have been plowed into downtown has yielded as you drove down Central Ave. Still many storefronts vacant. Still considered by the vast majority of people living here to be a destination not worth going to as it offers little to no relevance to the needs of most. And yet the city leaders and the small contingent of downtown worshipers seem to hold on to a false notion that it is of interest to many here. Totally out of touch with the demographics while demonstrating incredible denial on their part. The vast majority living here do not have the disposable income to afford the art work nor the gourmet menu food offerings down there but it still doesn't deter them from insisting that this theme is working. They will not listen to reason nor will they give up on the idea that someday their gameplan will work out.
As for the O'Reilly deal, it has been discussed on this site. Their little rules and the interference of the Historical Committee seems to be the roadblock to what should be a private sector endeavor. Still, the city insists on sticking their nose in the private sector's business and insult to injury is added with the inclusion of this pompous little group who want to control the architecture downtown. Ridiculous situation. Self promoting egos are a problem here. I guess some people have to do something to massage their little egos and stay in the limelight. Newbies who don't know any better and have helped ruin a once nice city. It does no good to approach council with your concerns. They are on board with the downtown plan and will do as they are told to do with no resistance. They are good puppets/team players as is required to be on council. No independent thinking people allowed here. No questions asked. Tried cleaning house several times. Keep getting the same cloned council members with the yes-nodding bobblehead approach. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. |
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I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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whistlersmom
MUSA Citizen
Joined: Mar 11 2016 Status: Offline Points: 722 |
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Posted: May 12 2017 at 12:40pm |
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buddhalite welcome back!
to the fray. And thanks for your much appreciated input!!! We have been fighting “city hall” on this blog all along...to no avail. The average Middie resident has lost interest due to systematic maneuvering by council to squelch all opposing ideas especially when waste and corruption are being exposed. This forum is obviously being monitored by city hall but we are not reaching enough of the general Middie population. We will get nowhere without more support. Nothing could make city hall happier! How can we get citizens to “march their boots down to council meetings”? So many I talk to feel totally hopeless and helpless to make any significant changes toward improving their situation. We desperately need to find and elect two new honest council members who will not be cajoled into continuing the narrow minded, demolition bound, self preservation of the current city hall. We DO think that recent comments here have made a difference in SOME city hall decisions. But we need to speak in a more far reaching public forum. Because city hall controls the media which reports only their self praising rhetoric, none of the media solicits opposing thoughts to any of the cities’ propaganda. While continuing to make pertinent complaints we must find effective ways to confront the problems, get people involved and collectively find solutions. And then implement them!!!! Got any suggestions on how to proceed? How can we get media coverage for our plight? Exposure of misappropriation of funds thru the mandate of the State Treasurer’s office for transparency in government “checkbooks” needs more attention. Wouldn’t more complaints to this office be helpful? The contact information has been on this blog before but here it is again: Josh Mandel, State Treasurer of Ohio’s web site : http://www.tos.ohio.gov/Contact_Us and phone numbers: Toll Free: 800-228-1102 Columbus: 614-466-2160 We also previously suggested that our bloggers contact the State Auditor’s office (who we think is presently looking into an audit on Middletown). The result of an audit...the state takes over...would be the most expedient path to a solution...side stepping the hassle of displacing the current city hall, some of whom might be found personally responsible. State Auditor’s contact info: 11117 Kenwood Rd. Blue Ash, Ohio 45242 513-361-8550 Toll Free: 800-368-7419 Fax: 513-361-8577 Southwest Counties: Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Fayette, Hamilton, Highland, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Warren |
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"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing" Edmond Burke
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buddhalite
MUSA Citizen
Joined: May 11 2017 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 499 |
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Posted: May 18 2017 at 2:21am |
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You know,
I'm not sure that forcing audits always has the expected result. Sometimes you dig up skeletons that cost the city way more than just letting the rotting corpses lie. I can think of a certain college that unfortunately after a sneaked in audit ended up uncovering some stuff that cost them 3.2 million in hush monies and payoffs to keep tens of millions from being spent to 'correctly' solve the problems. I guess the answer is that at some point - the people have to rebel. It has always been this way throughout history. If the people will not stand up and rebel - then the powers that be will run amok. Think about it! We just saw it in November with Trump. Finally the people, the providers, the one who actually foot the bill - got mad. We got change - but only when we all stood up and said we had enough. All I can say is that I'm ready to stand and say it - and vote 'em all out - but the flesh is weak - and so are the citizens of our great town. How do we stir the people? Someone (one of us) has got to become the Mayor. Whom will it be? If one of us stood up and had the following platform for Mayor - watch out! Here's all anyone needs to say - to get elected by the providers in this town: 1. No more downtown spending except for mandatory and necessary utility/road repairs. 2. No more dead big-box retail - get it filled to keep down blight in every part of town (any town that does this wins!) 3. East end development is key to getting Middletown back on track AND JOBS!!! 4. Slow and steady on the multi-family housing - that's doing more to kill property values than anything else. 5. Fix the tax valuations (for the butler folks) once and for all and oh yeah - stop letting Butler County treat us like the ginger step sister that no one wants to take to the prom. 6. Start spending funds they way they are supposed to be spent. 7. Don't spend what we don't have and expect others to pick up the tab. 8. No more status quo. A complete 180 degree turn from the past looking toward a brighter future. See ya old money power hungry families! That's all there is to it. I did all the hard work - now - whom will it be? Let's put our money where our mouths are!
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"Every government intervention [in the marketplace] creates unintended consequences, which lead to calls for further government interventions." -Ludwig van Mises
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Joshua
MUSA Immigrant 
Joined: Sep 20 2015 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 29 |
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Posted: May 18 2017 at 2:01pm |
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Has it ever occurred to you downtown naysayers that you might be in the minority?
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spiderjohn
Prominent MUSA Citizen 
Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749 |
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Posted: May 18 2017 at 3:45pm |
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Not sure about that, but I admire your positive spirit.
Do your part, Josh---work to make it better--make your world Yes it is improving----fortunately you missed the brutal and extremely wasteful decades Most of us experienced that period and the millions that did little other than deemphasize and ignore the rest of the city and business community So now we pay the price, and the improving former downtown(it is improving!) is pretty much all that is left It is up to you and your generation to make this a proud city again I believe that you can do it But listen to what is said here--don't blow it off These people are real, have been here for most of their lives and care about the city as much as anyone And please try to do things with your own money instead of depending on the taxpayers |
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buddhalite
MUSA Citizen
Joined: May 11 2017 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 499 |
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Posted: May 18 2017 at 3:57pm |
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If we were in the minority - downtown would be a bustling area of economic activity.
You are entitled to your own opinion - but the facts aren't in your favor.
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"Every government intervention [in the marketplace] creates unintended consequences, which lead to calls for further government interventions." -Ludwig van Mises
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VietVet
MUSA Council
Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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Posted: May 19 2017 at 6:26am |
Nope, never occurred to me. IMO, the demographics of this city can be described as low to moderate income/low to lower middle class. Use to be a solid middle to upper middle class city in the good days. Gone downhill since the 70's. The vast majority of the residents are overwhelmingly blue collar and compared to Springboro, West Chester and Mason, income starved. The people like NASCAR, not Formula 1. They like a dollar menu hamburger, not a 15 buck gourmet one. They like beer, not wine and wouldn't consider a wine/cheese tasting event. They like video games and sports, not opera. Most prefer football over soccer. They are not "cultured" nor do they want to be. They wear blue jeans and a T- shirt, not Dockers and a button down shirt and loafers with the little tassles. They could care less about the arts theme downtown. They shop Wal-Mart, Meijers and Gabe's, not Macy's. They want a bargain and can't afford to spend what little money they have on more expensive items. They will buy a 30 dollar pair of casual shoes and ignore the 100+ dollar Rockports. They work factory third shift or rotating shift jobs. They buy Murray lawn tractors, not Kobotas, Cub Cadet or John Deere's. They clip coupons to save a few bucks and do an occasional garage sale. A 5 dollar cup of Starbucks is totally out of the question and a McD's cup of coffee is as close as they will get to gourmet. This is a blue collar town. Always has been and probably always will be. The downtown artzy/cultural group is a small special niche one who offer nothing of interest to the vast majority of people living here. Only the more affluent people who are in the upper crust income wise and consider themselves to be "culturally interested" people are interested in and can afford the downtown offerings. The majority have no reason to go down there. It offers nothing for them and they couldn't afford it anyway. JMO |
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I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Joshua
MUSA Immigrant
Joined: Sep 20 2015 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 29 |
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Posted: May 19 2017 at 8:50am |
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Spiderjohn
I appreciate the approach and I actually love doing my part. VietVet I agree to an extent of what you posted. If this town is not for the artzy/fartzy stuff then I guess those things will eventually go away. While they are here however, I and many other people will enjoy taking part. |
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