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City Manager: 4 options for Weatherwax

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ktf1179 View Drop Down
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    Posted: Nov 11 2013 at 6:31am

By Rick McCrabb

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

While it’s getting cold outside and most golfers have put their clubs away for the winter, the future of Weatherwax Golf Course, which is looking for ways to reduce its budget because of lower tax revenue, remains a hot topic in Middletown.

City Manager Judy Gilleland told City Council at Tuesday’s meeting that she “strongly” recommends the city make decisions early in 2014 regarding the future of the golf course.

She said the golf course is budgeted to receive a $400,000 subsidy for 2014. She said $220,000 of that money is a debt payment, which will need to be paid whether the course is open or closed. She said it costs the city more to keep the course open than simply make the debt payment.

Due to restrictions from the 1970s, the golf course land must be maintained as public-owned open space.

Gilleland said the city has four options:

  • Put a Parks and Recreation levy on the ballot;
  • Close Weatherwax and maintain the property as public open space;
  • Close Weatherwax and transfer the land to another public agency to maintain as open space;
  • Continue to operate the golf course and lay off additional general fund employees to fund the subsidy.

Poff makes suggestion

Harvey Poff, a former Middletown police officer with a strong public safety background and former City Council member, suggested instead of cutting police officers and firefighters as the city is considering, adding a .5 percent payroll tax. He said based on current projections $12 million could be generated by 2016.

He asked council to delay its decision on the cutting public safety for at least one year.

“Let’s let this settle,” he said.

Downtown church thriving

The Rev. Carrie Jena, pastor of The Gathering, a downtown church that serves the less fortunate, told council that her church is growing and “changing lives.”

Since the church opened in the basement in the First United Methodist Church in 2006, The Gathering has moved twice because of growing membership, and weekly church attendance has jumped from 25 to about 125, she said.

“This gives me great hope,” she told council.

She called The Gathering “a different kind of church” because it breaks some of the stereotypes. People are encouraged to come to church dressed as they are, and everyone, regardless of their circumstances, is welcome.

While she understands why council is concerned about store fronts and economic development, she said the city will be “defined by its people.”

Later, Judge Mark Wall of the Middletown Municipal Court applauded Jena and said he wondered why some of his “regulars” were no longer showing up in court.

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Neil Barille View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Neil Barille Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 11 2013 at 7:48am
Don't listen to Poff.  Does he even live in town anymore?
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VietVet View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 11 2013 at 8:53am
I don't see another option on here.....sell the course to a private entity, even if a loss is taken, to get it off the budget as it has been a city subsidized drain for years.

I find it interesting that the city can buy buildings, give out loans to the MMF and the Moormans for their precious downtown. but can't find money to keep a golf course open for the general public. Guess when they prioritize where they want to direct the money, the general public takes a back seat to their little harem downtown. They always seem to find money when THEY need it for their little self-centered projects. Hey, they can always apply for another "Energy grant" and mis-apply it as they did the "bike path" fiasco which didn't have a dam thing to do with energy savings.

Disagree with Poff's suggestion to add another .5% to the income tax rate. Does Poff work,and if so, will he be a participant in contributing to this additional half percent he is suggesting. If not, what does he have to lose by suggesting it? More taxation to a 1.75% income tax rate in this city isn't a real inviting thing to do to attract people to this city. We are already over-taxed (overcharged- water and sewer rates) in every facet including property taxes versus the services we receive. Not a good deal.

"City Manager Judy Gilleland told City Council at Tuesday’s meeting that she “strongly” recommends the city make decisions early in 2014 regarding the future of the golf course."

For cryin' out loud, how many years are they going to "discuss" the golf course? Been an on-going topic for a decade. Make a dam decision council. Mercy. If it's such a cash drain, unload the dam thing......OR, GET SOME JOBS IN HERE TO GENERATE THE REVENUE YOU NEED TO RUN THE COURSE. ONE OR THE OTHER. IT DOESN'T TAKE A PHD TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nick_Kidd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 13 2013 at 8:55pm

“Gilleland said the city has four options:

·                      Put a Parks and Recreation levy on the ballot;

·                      Close Weatherwax and maintain the property as public open space;

·                      Close Weatherwax and transfer the land to another public agency to maintain as open space;

·                      Continue to operate the golf course and lay off additional general fund employees to fund the subsidy.”

 

Gilleland can only think of putting a levy on already over-taxed people or once again holding our public safety hostage for more money. The only other choice is to destroy Weatherwax and turn it into open space.

 

“She said the golf course is budgeted to receive a $400,000 subsidy for 2014. She said $220,000 of that money is a debt payment, which will need to be paid whether the course is open or closed. She said it costs the city more to keep the course open than simply make the debt payment.”

 

Gilleland, if you subtract $220,000 in debt payment from the $400,000 subsidy you have $180,000 for other expenses. What will it cost to keep Weatherwax mowed for green space? How much will it cost to maintain the clubhouse and parking lots? Maybe you plan to just ignore maintenance and let everything fall in like you did with the Orman Building and Rose Furniture Building. Those cost us nearly $1 million to do something with after the city government refused to do minor roof repairs. Now that is how to save money! (That money was stolen from other accounts. Where did the $300,000 dollars for the Rose Furniture Building come from after Judy said they were broke and fired police patrol officers?)

 

“Due to restrictions from the 1970s, the golf course land must be maintained as public-owned open space.”

  This prevents the sale of Weatherwax to private investors after all these talks of such a sale.

 

Gilleland, maybe if you could pry your mind away from destruction, you could look at the number and qualifications of the directors, asst. directors, managers, asst. managers, etc. at Weatherwax. At one time, most were retired from the city or otherwise connected with the people in the city building. 

Also, many of the workers were the children of council and city administration. Maybe you could save money be using only qualified workers and have fewer workers. Cutting the gravy train for unqualified workers and management(friends of city hall) might save that $180,000.

   Some other suggestions to find extra money:

1. Return the money you stole out of the Auto and Gas Fund. That amounted to about $4 million per year ($3.28 million from the state Auto and Gas Fund and nearly $700,000 from a one mill property levy tax that can only be used for street repair.) $4 million per year times the six years you’ve been here is $24 million. This money was never used as intended, so it was either stolen or misappropriated, either is a felony. Of course, we would expect you to reimburse the city at the same rate you make citizens reimburse the city: times three. That would make your total reimbursement $72 million.  

   This is only one of the many funds that you’ve cleaned out. There are many more including: Sewer Separation, storm water sewer, overcharges on water, sewer & trash, etc. etc. etc.
Government is not the answer to problems, government is the problem.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike_Presta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 14 2013 at 4:05am
How many years, and how much time, has Gilleland (and her  minion's) WASTED dithering with the process of determining options such as marketing Weatherwax  as a private golf course when it was NEVER LEGAL to do so in the first place???  Shouldn't she have had them determine the actual options available BEFORE wasting staff's (and Council's) time on completely unviable options???
 
This is almost as imbecilic as the procedure she has in place for senior citizens to obtain the water and sewer discount!!!  
“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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike_Presta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 14 2013 at 4:28am
On January 30, 2012 (nearly two years ago) Mayor Lawrence P. Mulligan, Jr., was quoted In the Middletown Journal regarding certain city expenditures, that he didn't "believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them."
 
Well, Your Honor, as much as you may like the way she kowtows to your and your cronies' "downetowne dreams", it is becoming very obvious that our city manager is NOT "making the return on investment necessary to keep on funding her"!!!
 
It is high time for you and city council to take action to ensure that ALL of the citizens of Middletown get a fair "return on their investment!!!"
 
 
“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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 14 2013 at 9:58am
Originally posted by Mike_Presta Mike_Presta wrote:

How many years, and how much time, has Gilleland (and her  minion's) WASTED dithering with the process of determining options such as marketing Weatherwax  as a private golf course when it was NEVER LEGAL to do so in the first place???  Shouldn't she have had them determine the actual options available BEFORE wasting staff's (and Council's) time on completely unviable options???

 

This is almost as imbecilic as the procedure she has in place for senior citizens to obtain the water and sewer discount!!!  


WELL MIKE, I WASN'T AWARE THAT A SENIOR COULD APPLY FOR REDUCED WATER RATES SO I WENT TO THE CITY SITE AND FOUND THE OLD FORM TO APPLY FOR THOSE WATER RATE REDUCTIONS.......

STARTED FILLING THE FORM OUT AND QUALIFIED FOR THE 65 OR OLDER CRITERIA. INCLUDED THE PART THAT MENTIONS A 100% DISABLED PERSON IN THE HOUSE (WIFE) PROVIDED PROOF ASKED FOR, THAT I WAS 65 WITH A DRIVER'S LICENSE, PROVIDED PROOF THAT SHE WAS 100% DISABLED.......AND THEN I READ THE NEXT HURDLE....

THE COMBINED HOUSEHOLD INCOME CAN'T BE MORE THAN $25,000!!!!!

WHAT A CROCK OF CRAP! JUST LIKE QUALIFYING FOR MEDICAID..GOTTA BE DIRT POOR OR SPEND DOWN YOUR MONEY TO THE POOR HOUSE AND GET RID OF EVERY ASSET YOU HAVE WORKED YOUR A-- OFF FOR OVER THE YEARS TO QUALIFY.

THANKS CITY OF MIDDLETOWN.......FOR NOTHIN'...... WHAT A-------!

I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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bumper View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bumper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 14 2013 at 1:12pm
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