Andrew Smith Interview

Seriously? This is the most bullshi* answer I've ever heard. Smith didn't even answer the f***in' question! The question wasn't "is what you want more important that what the citizen's want." He completely side stepped the question because he couldn't get an answer from his sponsor (whose name I'll leave out) that paid for his campaign and is pulling his strings.

I can't wait to vote you out of office Smith. You are Obama Jr. and you are going to ruin this town.

Perhaps it may not be a bad idea to give these new folks a chance to thoroughly understand the many issues that we have discussed on this site before we start passing judgement. I would think everyone would think that is fair. These new council people have the downtown to study, understand and act upon, the street program that has been neglected for years, the cemetery issues between the city and the volunteer group trying to maintain it, the business owners in town that need all the cooperation from the city that they can get, the East End "gateway" plans as well as all proposed development throughout the city. How to help the Econ. Dev. Department obtain decent paying jobs in this town, eliminating the overabundance of Section 8 and bringing the numbers to an acceptable level. The rampant poverty levels that have invaded the town. Cooperating with the schools to assure that they are as efficient as possible in providing the best education available. Dealing with the Towne Mall owners and how best to use that high visability area. ..... and so many other issues. Yep! They all have an overwhelming number of problems that they need to find answers for. Not only do these new people have these issues to deal with, but they must attempt to change the culture and attitude of the current city leaders who have helped create this mess that we are in. I don't envy their situation, but will encourage them rather than to criticize- especially since they haven't sat in their council seat as yet, nor made one decision as to the direction of this city. Encourage these people until they give us reasons to question them. Perhaps some patience is needed at this time.

You could be right justwatching. I've certainly been wrong many times before. There is one way to find out if Mr. Smith (and Mr. Laubach) will continually "beat around the bush" and avoid providing clear answers to questions. After the first of the year, and during his (their) first few council meetings, choose a topic (or several topics) and ask him (them) point blank, in front of the TV Middletown cameras and the viewing public, what his (their) opinions are. I would hope that he and Mr. Laubach have gotten the message that we don't want to hear the old "we're (I'm) not prepared at this time to answer the question" crap like we hear from Mulligan and crew. They also could make the correct choice which is to NOT follow Mulligan's lead in not responding to the public. There's nothing Mulligan or any of the others can do if they choose to answer the questions asked. I know that they have gotten the message that this is not the correct way to deal with the public's concerns.

justwatching wrote: ...how is he going to come up with answers on the spot other times?

Well, they could always do it the easy way!!!  Just ask ME!!!    

"I don’t believe that what I would like to see changed is most important, but what our citizens would like to see changed; for they are the true stakeholders in our community." quote from A.J. Smith

I have shared my thoughts on the needed changes I would like to see in Ward 2 and the entire City with Mr. Smith...Sewers and Streets and the Big Question we all want to know about "Where's the money?" 

Good question Murdock.  They moan, groan and bitch about everything and then they don'r vote.The leadership also would rather moan, groan and bitch rather than get out the vote go figure.  The other funny part is that people on here that post and talk about issues are basically looked down upon, but let the 2nd ward complain about something and most of the time the city can't move fast enough to placate them.

You dont need to explain the actions of the other Wards that did not vote....my question was why do the people in the 2nd Ward  NEVER vote???