The streets---again

Today's Journal....

Millions spent to improve streets, but more is needed, councilman says

MIDDLETOWN — The city will spend $2.1 million this summer on road improvement projects, but one councilman said Middletown needs to find ways to increase the amount.
The amount the city is spending on road improvements is not enough, said City Councilman Josh Laubach, who’s been a strong advocate for the city to invest more money in road repairs.
“I don’t think we are keeping pace with our current rate of repairs,” he said.

JOSH, THE CITY HASN'T KEPT PACE WITH STREET REPAIRS SINCE THE 80'S WHEN THEY CONVINCED THE VOTERS TO MOVE THE STREET MONEY TO ANOTHER FUND AND NEVER STARTED PLACING THE MONEY BACK INTO THE STREET ACCOUNT AFTER THAT. I WONDER WHAT OUR STREETS WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE IF THE MONEY AND THE YEARLY MAINTENANCE WOULD HAVE BEEN KEPT UP FOR THE LAST TWO DECADES. DID THE CITY THINK THE STREETS WOULD LAST FOREVER WITHOUT SOME ATTENTION?

Council is anticipated to approve the Main Street improvement project, which will resurface the road from First Avenue to 11th Avenue, and repair sidewalks, curbs and gutters. Decorative lights, which will be paid through property assessments, will be erected as part of the project.

IMAGINE THAT. MAIN ST. GETS THE ATTENTION BEFORE MANY STREETS THAT ARE IN A HELL OF A LOT WORSE SHAPE THAN THIS AREA. WONDER WHY?



Laubach said over the years, the city has spent more on personnel-related costs, which has contributed in directing money away from repairing streets. While he’s not advocating a tax levy for street repairs, if the city’s costs continue to rise, that may be the only choice.

NOW WAIT A MINUTE JOSH. DON'T GO TALKING ABOUT A TAX LEVY FOR STREET REPAIR WHEN YOUR COUNCIL, AND COUNCIL'S BEFORE YOURS, MADE NO ATTEMPT TO REPLACE THE FUNDS TO THE ORIGINAL STREET REPAIR FUND BUDGET. ASKING THE PEOPLE TO CORRECT YOURS AND PREVIOUS COUNCIL SCREW UPS IS FLAT OUT WRONG. I WOULD IMAGINE MOST VOTERS WOULD SEND A STRONG "NO" TO THAT IDEA. YOUR CITY MANAGER, ASKING CITIZENS TO CONSENT TO THEIR BLOCK RECEIVING NEW ASPHALT, AT THEIR EXPENSE THROUGH ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS DIDN'T HELP YOUR CAUSE IN ENCOURAGING THE PEOPLE'S COOPERATION EITHER.

“If we don’t prioritize a greater amount of funds, we’re going to get to a point of no return,” he said.

WHY PRIORITIZE GREATER AMOUNTS TO THE STREETS AFTER ALL THIS TIME? WASN'T A PRIORITY FOR TWO DECADES WITH COUNCIL. WASN'T THEN AND DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE IMPORTANT ENOUGH NOW FOR A CONSENSUS ON COUNCIL TO ACT ON IT. AT THE RATE OF MONEY SPENT TO MILES IMPROVED AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT YOU AREN'T MAKING A DENT IN PLAYING CATCH UP, IT PROBABLY IS TOO LATE ALREADY. YOURS AND PREVIOUS COUNCILS HAVE WAITED TOO LONG. YOU"RE HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING UP WITH THE MAIN THOROUGHFARES. YOU WON'T START ON THE RESIDENTIAL STREETS FOR ANOTHER 20 YEARS AT THIS PACE AND BY THEN, THEY WILL HAVE TURNED TO GRAVEL. THE SEWERS ARE GOING THE SAME WAY. YOU GUYS FAILED TO TAKE CARE OF ONE OF THE MOST VITAL ASPECTS OF THE CITY. WHILE YOU WERE WORKING ON YOUR PET PROJECTS, NONE OF WHICH INCLUDED THE STREETS, WE WERE ALL DODGING THE MINI-GRAVEL PITS IN THE STREETS. NOW YOU REALIZE THE NEGLECT? WHY? YOU ALL WERE DRIVING ON THE DAM STREETS TOO, WEREN'T YOU?

Gotta love the misleading Journal headline:  "Millions spent....". 

Again  our Spineless Ones looking after their own.I can point out other streets that need repair more then the Great Historical Main Street.Congrats to you Mayor and Mr.Kohler,again you show how much you care. BUTTWIPES!!!!!!!!!!