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Good job, Sam and Ann!!! |
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Mike_Presta 
MUSA Council 
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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 Topic: Good job, Sam and Ann!!!Posted: Feb 24 2009 at 2:25pm |
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From today's E-Journal:
At this week’s Middletown Convention and Visitors Bureau meeting, that board will have to ratify a previous vote from its October meeting when it approved a $154 expenditure in violation of Ohio’s Open Meetings Law, commonly known as the Sunshine Law.
According to the minutes of the Oct. 23 meeting, then-President Sam Ashworth “reported that the board had agreed by email to fund a year’s subscription for the Community Calendar website that Ann Mort administers.” Ashworth resigned from the CVB, “due to personal commitments,” according to minutes from the Dec. 11 CVB meeting. The state open meetings law prohibits the public’s business from being conducted outside of a public meeting, including email. Any actions taken in violation of the sunshine law are invalid and are usually required to be to redone in a public meeting. **************************************************
Here is the link if anyone cares enough to read the entire story:
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Middletown News
Prominent MUSA Citizen 
Joined: Apr 29 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1100 |
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Posted: Feb 24 2009 at 2:46pm |
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This sounds like a witch hunt to me.
$154 is not a major expenditure or new expenditure. I believe the original decision to utilize the service constituted a grandfather clause.
Either way, its the little things that get in the way of the big picture.
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VietVet
MUSA Council
Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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Posted: Feb 24 2009 at 3:24pm |
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Jonathan- IMO, this has nothing to do with the $154 amount as much as it has to do with the fact that there was a violation of a law and the fact that the public, if they care, have to constantly monitor these people to make sure that they don't violate the laws. Somehow, someway, when people are placed in elected or other important positions they tend to forget that other people are watching their activities closely and they may have a tendency to "bend the rules" a little.It is a big deal to some of us if these people are secretive in their behavior.
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Feb 24 2009 at 3:36pm |
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Oh really? One might wonder if this is only the tip of the iceberg. When was the last time you saw any MINUTES of a CVB board meeting? Have they "voted" on any other expenditures by phone or email?
How much money has been "voted" right into a member's pocket?
It all could be nothing!! I certainly don't know. But I do know this:
There are way too many boards and committee meetings that have not submitted meeting minute to council in a long time!!! (Check the council minutes.) And how many have neglected to record the "yeas and nays", which is required by law, for each motion?
When people are dealing with the people's business, and spending the people's money. there just has to be RULES, and they MUST be followed.
There are 6 or 7 people on this CVB board of trustees, not counting Dave "I will not run again" Schiavone. The telephone seems to be an awfully strange way to hold a meeting!!
When was the last time YOU held a six-person conference call???
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Vivian Moon
MUSA Council
Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187 |
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Posted: Feb 24 2009 at 4:44pm |
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Mike you are correct!
To many of these back door meetings makes for bad business... Are Ann Mort and Sam Ashworth paid any type of salary from the City for CVB? If so how much? |
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 2:31am |
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I sit corrected!! YOU are RIGHT, Mr. Haller!!
 The BIG picture is: "How did Sam and Ann end up sitting on a $120,000 stockpile of taxpayers' money?!!?!?"
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Vivian Moon
MUSA Council
Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187 |
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Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 5:13am |
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"She also made a pitch for the CVB to consider becoming a partner with other organizations to fund a full-time coordinator to help revitalize downtown. However, that person would not be a city employee. Gilleland said she is hoping for the CVB to be a partner in funding the position for at least two years.
The board said it would discuss the matter at its March meeting." Several weeks ago we find that Ms. Gilleland went before the Middletown Comunity Foundation and requested that they fund a 3rd "Revitalation Director" for just the downtown area for an annual salary of $60,000 for 2 years. Now we find that she has made the pitch again to CVB to fund this 3rd director. Why do we need another Director for just downtown? Who is this director that is going to do such great things to the downtown area? |
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VietVet
MUSA Council
Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 6:25am |
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What is Ginger Smith doing these days in her role as Revit. Director?She now has help on loan from the legal department and now Gilleland wants to place a 3rd for the downtown??? Is this job that overwhelming for one person and their staff, or is it an indication of the lack of abilities of the people who have been placed in these slots? Do you think Billy Murphy's coming back as a "Director/Consultant" to help us in the downtown area?
 If so, good idea- he did a great job as the Econ. Director.  As to Mort and Ashworth's bed tax nest egg of $120,000- must be alot of folks stopping in the old Hacienda to enjoy our hotel ammenities.  With a two year stint at $60 grand, wonder what makes Gilleland think that someone will make great strides in two years in the downtown area when there ain't been nothin' happening of any significance in the last twenty? 
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Vivian Moon
MUSA Council
Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187 |
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Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 7:09am |
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February 22, 2009 NSP Funds"According to our advisor, HUD guidelines do not permit the NSP funds to be used entirely for demolition and at least 25% must be used for housing to assist those under 50% of the median income guidelines. We will continue to explore the options. Just as with all new federal programs, it takes quite a while to roll out all of the rules for usage. As we discussed at council, we would prefer demolition since we do not have the staff to undertake or supervise rehabs. I did talk with Senator Voinovich’s staff about this topic and they are working to assist in this area as well." Vet I'm having a really difficult time understanding any of what is going on with this program.
In the comment above the City Manager states that we don't have the staff ..???? I don't understand this statement at all.??? In the past the demo jobs were completed by sub contractors. Why wouldn't you sub contract out the rehab also? What did they do the last time with this rehab program. Don't we have someone on staff that are making these big bucks that has the ability to act as a super to over see these rehabs? Please tell me why I can't understand this program and the problems they are having?  QUESTION: When is the next Housing Sub Committee Meeting? I think we all need to show up and get a few answers. |
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VietVet
MUSA Council
Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 7:57am |
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Vivian- if you go back and review the Feb 17th Council meeting, Scott-Jones, when Council is discussing the Section 8 authorization to give Ginger Smith permission to use the money to purchase qualified properties,reads a passage that said that the money could be used for demolition. The document gave a list of choices of what to do with the money. Again, all Council members approved the authorization to free up the money to allow Smith to purchase qualified homes for rehab/resale WITH- WITH- the stipulation that Council could channel the money from rehab to demo. at 100% and left the door open to change their mind.
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Middletown News
Prominent MUSA Citizen
Joined: Apr 29 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1100 |
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Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 9:10am |
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Do you see no good in people?
Are Sam and Ann in a conspiracy to benefit from $120K?
You make some accusations I would not state in public for fear of reprisal of libel.
Sam and Ann have done more for this community than most. I for one am indeed grateful to both Sam Ashworth and Ann Mort.
Just read a MUSA Google search on Sam Ashworth:
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Middletown News
Prominent MUSA Citizen
Joined: Apr 29 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1100 |
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Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 9:11am |
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Hey here is a search on Mike Presta, not bad:
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 10:30am |
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Too bad that the internet wasn't around in its present form back in the '90s, '80s and late '70s. You'd have been amazed at what a search on Mike Presta might have turned up then.
More to the point, there is nothing libelous about asking the question "What are Sam and Ann (The CVB, a public entity which I believe is publicly funded) doing sitting on $120,000 in these fiscally trying times?"
If they want to sue me for that, bring it on!!! Just remember...people will have to testify under oath (and under the possibility of the penalties for perjury)!
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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John Beagle
MUSA Official 
Joined: Apr 23 2007 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1855 |
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Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 1:57pm |
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NIMBY - This isn't the place for that, this is for economic development. I am trying to publish the good about Middletown. So people might relocate or locate their business here.
I have a vested interest, since I am a commercial office space landlord in Middletown. So lets balance things a bit. After all, there is good in Middletown, all you have to do is look, because it isn't hard to find. |
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spiderjohn
Prominent MUSA Citizen
Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749 |
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Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 2:46pm |
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great job, Mike!!
keep it up!
we all need to know these things.
If it means we get booted from here, then it is this forum's and the citizens' loss
maybe I should open my own site
sorry mr.B--just calling it like it is.
u da man Mr.P!!
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spiderjohn
Prominent MUSA Citizen
Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749 |
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Posted: Feb 27 2009 at 2:50pm |
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and anyone thinking the CVB or Community Foundation sgould research the history of the failed Downtown Partnership funded by the city.
I know--I was on that board.
When you have no power, you can't force property owners to do anything.
We still have the same property owners, who wanted to run it themslves.
They haven't accomplished much, and millions have been thrown away downtown.
jmo
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