Can we Say Business Unfriendly

In the process of moving my business in Middletown I sat down this morning with a list of the usual things to do:

This does make very little sense.  You can order service from any other utility in Middletown with basically very little complication, but then you have to jump Through all of these hoops for water service.......why?  If as you say you have one toilet and a sink you definitely don't fall into the high volume water use category and if you have already established service with them for the last six years.....again I am left scratching my head.  Yup Middletown is open for Business.......but you must be inconvenienced at every turn for no reason.  A little word to the wise at City Hall apply a little.....just a little logic to you rule making process and the whole process will be much simpler and your reputation in the eyes of businesses and the citizenry will improve and, "Middletown will have a Bright Future".  I am still shaking my head at the above city logic.

If the water dept. is the only problem you  have with the City of Middletown, you are indeed lucky. Several years ago I wanted to buy a building to expand a business in Middletown. When going for the permits, I learned that the city had added a building permit to the zoning and occupancy permits already required. This was even if no changes were to be made to the building (another revenue generator that lost the city more money than it ever took in.) Since I wanted the permits before I bought the building, I could not get them in to inspect the building (inspect what?). So the answer I got from the chief building inspector was: "buy the building and then we will come and inspect then let you know if we will allow you to use the building!" Needless to say the business and the jobs were located out of Middletown. This was only one of the many times that the "fine people in the city building" caused me and others to move businesses out of town.

Sounds like a great "put 'em on the spot" question to ask Council at tonight's meeting. Can you all explain why a business has to close it's doors during business hours to come to the city building to get a water meter account/meter number changed? Then, watch as Gilleland and the rest of them get that glassy "deer caught in the headlights" look in their eyes as they stammer for a passification "non-answer" as is so typical of this bunch. After the stammering and looking around to see who will answer the question, it always ends with Mulligan taking the reigns and saying "we are not set up, at this time, to answer questions". Atta boy Lawrence! Great comedy from a pathetic bunch.