downtown

As a small bussiness owner in Middletown, i am dissappointed in our councils willingness to help create a better image for downtown. I started sponsoring a watermelon seed spittin' contest 5 years ago, the first year of "music on main". I spent 400 dollars on shirts for the winners, and raised xxxx amount of dollars for the selected charity that year. We had a great time. The childern loved the contest, and the adults enjoyed it even more. I  made 20 dollars that day selling cold slice's of watermlon and cantaloupe. Making money wasn't the issue. It was doing my part to help rebuild downtown and attracting people there. I continued to hold the contest till this year. By participating in it, I was luckie enough to meet some of the "fantastic" people you are referring too. A lady from city asked me if I would be interested in starting a farmers-market downtown. I was honored to do my part. The first two years were a sucess. Every Friday a couple hundred people crowded the corner of broad st and central. Without playing the blame game, the third year was a disaster. The lady who contacted vendors and schedule music dropped her postion with us. She is good at starting something then passing the buck to under qualified people. I have seen her do this with several events. The fourth year was the worst and final year for me. The city said it was a safety hazard for people to be on the side walk! Do they really think we are that dumb, that are citizens are not responsible enough to walk on the side walk! We were instructed to move our booths to grass. Out of sight from the street, and out of sight from potential customers. I raised my concerns with the city, and did not get an intial respones from the "queen" like i was told i would. So, the next week i set up, and the police was called out to inform me that i was asked several times not to set up there. I was not told to not set up, I was not even important enough to contact! Frustrated, the police left issueing no citations. They did give me they ladies name that called them, you know she was sitting across the stret and was unable to come talk to me. In fact the police tried to contact her so she could come down and show what the problem was, no contact was ever made.  After all is said and done, the city has lost another good citizens who was once willing to help out. Our company has donated to the hope house, needy families, locked out workers, and workers on strike. Will continuse to help our community, but will no longer be part of the good ole boys club at one donham plaza. Good luck to all of you trying to make a difference in our beloved city.

OK young not dumb- here's how it should have happened for you. Mr. Young not dumb, we here in the city of Middletown are delighted to have you and others come up with ideas and execute them, with the end result being that people are attracted to the downtown area and that you are successful. We are encouraging anyone to present their ideas to us, the city leaders, with the hope that you will be prosperous and help us build an active downtown once again. Is there anything the city can do to help you succeed in building your business? We have removed all of the barriers that were once in place such as no yellow sign displays, no banners and other restrictions that prevented businesses from succeeding. We are also offering a lower tax rate for startup businesses as we realize that new businesses require initial large investments and we want to keep the money in your pocket for startup expenses. Please come to the city building before you start so that we can give you a start up package that includes your low cost startup vendors license and advertising help as well as helping you to set up at a location that will help you be as prosperous as you can be. We want to encourage business growth and will reduce startup costs where we can do so. If it is a lease you want, we will help you get started with a low rent- high visibility location. Hopefully, as your business grows, we can help you improve on your business venture. Please do not hestitate to contact us as we want to support you because if you succeed, the city benefits in many ways. Unfortunately, the morons running the business development area for the city are the exact opposite. That's why we need to gut the city building ASAP. They are a cancer to this city.

Young Not Dumb what service do you offer?

youngnotdumb.....
You have 2 thriving auto shops, J&E Root Beer, a drive thru, Blair Heating, Sunoco, lots of traffic on your road. Also the new car place who's doing car shows, etc. Do you have a sign for your business? Your "place" has been there for a very long time. I too am sorry you were discouraged from downtown. If the "lady" you are referring to in your initial post is who I think it is, she is no longer involved with the MSMF. The flower lady is not the only one who sets up on friday. I love the BBQ pork rinds. They are usually done by 3:00. I see lots of people there to buy. I buy also. And we also bought from you when you were set up. My husband used to talk to you guys on fridays. We had no idea you were treated that way.

spiderjohn wrote: ok mad mom--I now know your identity also. Good luck in your new location, and I consider your business as a vital cornerstone in any possible rebirth of the surroundinnng area.   From what I have seen, you do excellent work. Hopefully you will trust and understand the majority of those posting here better, and your organization will join the revolution. Ya might as well come over to the winning side, and strengthen the movement now.

Well, I will take everyone's comments into consideration when dealing with the city, when dealing with our new building. So I will keep my comments to the bare minimum at this time.

I didn't say car LOTS, I said auto SHOPS. Madison Auto and Wise Auto. Plus the Poasttown Drive Thru.

I am a little confused on your original post. Were you ask to schedule music on fridays during Farmer's Market? Didn't they move you to the parking lot by the bus station one year? Along with other vendors?

The first year we set up in the bus sop alone. ( to see how the public reacted). We lost a bit of money that year, but thought being at governers square the next year would be better. The organizer got other vendors, and schedule acts for the second year. It was great. The third year the organizer stopped her position. Some one had to try to recruit vendors, and acts to make it bountiful. Since i had already put so much time, effort, and money into it, I could not just walk away. That was the part the city had assured me help with.  Had no clue she would drop out and just leave us.