possible referendum
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Government
Forum Name: City Council
Forum Description: Discuss individual members and council as a legislative body.
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1583
Printed Date: Nov 22 2024 at 2:11pm
Topic: possible referendum
Posted By: spiderjohn
Subject: possible referendum
Date Posted: Jul 16 2009 at 10:24am
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Seems the Charter Review Committee(with strong backing from the Chamber) were stunned to have their sneaky concept on eliminating the ward system shot down by Council. In an amazing show of ego, and are rumored to be working on a petition to put the same concept on the ballot, over the top of Council rejection.
I have no real issue with the voters deciding anything, and this issue should galvanize a big voter turnout(particulary in ward 2 and other community areas that will be neglected by passage of this extremely flawed thinking).
Get ready--DON'T SIGN ANY PETITION-and unite the citizens to overwhelmingly reject any such effort by those that want to control local govt.and keep things as they are(very cozy for the good ole boys that have placed us in the disaster we have today).
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Replies:
Posted By: accuro
Date Posted: Jul 16 2009 at 11:09am
| Good point sj. Maybe while they are circulating the petition we can have them add the reversal and alteration to the ordinance on allowing infrastructure funds to be diverted in 1987. Looking forward to reversing the tax rate from 1.75% as well. What would the Middletown Foundation's motivation be except to stock up 3rd ward candidates (where I live in Marconi has been inept) to continue the "special" interest onslaught and bidding. |
Posted By: MerrellWood
Date Posted: Jul 17 2009 at 8:35am
| Does anyone have more info. about the referendom thing? I sat in on the charter committee's session when they discussed the issue and I smelled a rat. Also, when the "Charter Committee" meets "Conservations With Council" thing happened.... I had more questions than could be answered. Mike Williams had an interesting editorial about the "bait and switch" technique possibly used to combine the "number of council members" vs. "ward vs. at large" thing. I'm working on a similar piece about the charter process. Anyone? |
Posted By: accuro
Date Posted: Jul 17 2009 at 9:05am
| Mr. Woods, I don't have any info as I avoid the useless and hypocritical bidding committees and cloaks, but one would assume sj would. It obviously makes complete sense. Middletown has always been run by the city harnessing a select few who they can appease to continue their juggernaught on the community and power. As I said elsewhere, instead of the city having to be troubled by the 300 citizens they focus upon today in contrast to 51,000, the emerging Top 100 will be an outcome of stacking the deck with 3rd ward condidates who will all do the bidding and council will say it was their feedback they made reliance. And behind this, is city leadership. An interesting editorial would be why and who are these "chosen" individuals and what do they get in return? Prestiage? That's laughable. |
Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Jul 17 2009 at 10:27am
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I may be speaking in disregard to the confidentiality of what I was told by a high-ranking Chamber person(and major MMF member) that the referendum was being initiated. Is he blowing smoke? Will there be follow-thru? I don't know, however I would assume there to be. I was told that only 1400 registered voter signatures are necessary to get this on the Nov.ballot, and that # is easily attainable(especially by this group). This person was amazingly determined to see this referendum and change carried out(Why?--I think we have elaborated on the "why"). Also, as mentioned, a more important referendum would be to return the prior funding back to road improvements, as opposed to going into the black hole of the general fund.
A strong campaign issue to be thrown at ALL candidates, along with directly ?ing campaign support from MMF or any personal donations from their main players.
I somewhat agree about the over-emphasis on choosing Council members, as brought up by accuro, HOWEVER a strong directionally-focused Council SHOULD give clear direction to city Admin(while currently the municipal tail is wagging the city dog). A stronger Council could mandate responses to legitimate citizen concerns and promote a more open atmosphere of care and involvement.
An up-coming issue will be the survival of our local health dept., which is the most funcional and necessary depts. in our city structure. Being taken over by the Butler County health dept. would be a major step backwards(besides--they DON'T WANT US AND OUR SUBSTANTIAL ISSUES LARGELY DUE TO THE OVER-ABUNDANCE of low-income residents stressing the process). The cost-savings mentioned by a county takeover are possibly being over-stated, as the future charges to have lesser quality replacement services provided WILL be substantial, and reduce the cost trade-off to being a much smaller savings(if any at all).
So--we have increased Section 8 to un-sustainable levels stressing our schools and public safety dept.,our demographics are extremely bottom heavy with no upward change on the horizon, and we will be adding a new SunChoke plant closely located to a city school and neighborhood. Yet our city manager is determined to eliminate our very competent city health dept., so the funding can be used to keep OTHER city dept.employees on the payroll with wage bennie increases. Make any sense?
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Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Jul 17 2009 at 10:37am
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Spiderjohn |
Posted By: Smokey Burgess
Date Posted: Jul 20 2009 at 6:04pm
Petition seeks to reduce size of council, eliminate wardsBy Ed Richter, Staff Writer 5:40 PM Monday, July 20, 2009
A local resident is spearheading a petition drive to place a proposed city charter amendment to eliminate the ward system and reduce the size of Middletown City Council on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. Jeff Michel, a Florence Street landscape designer and community volunteer, is seeking to collect 1,500 signatures by Aug. 10 to get the measure on the Nov. 3 ballot. A successful petition drive would override Middletown City Council, which rejected the recommendations from the Charter Review Commission two weeks ago. |
Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Jul 20 2009 at 7:30pm
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So--Jeff has now joined the dark side.
Such a shame, though I could smell it coming.
Slick choice for front man
Well--nothing wrong with the public making the choice.
MMF has spoken.
I would assume Mr.Picard is on board with this(though he is running for a WARD seat).
I believe that he voted this way as a member of the Charter Review Board
Hopefully we will hear a lot about this issue down the road.
OK citizens--get it right!
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Posted By: accuro
Date Posted: Jul 20 2009 at 10:18pm
The Club wanting to stack rank priorities, keeping the entitlement humming. How convenient for city leadership- the bidding club makes it so easy to manage the revolt and discontent; all teathered within W3, the parish, and life is swell. Why not throw a few petitions out there to put infrastructure funds back where they belong on roads, than in the hospital and elsewhere.  ------------- An ignorant person is one who doesn't know what you have just found out. - Will Rogers |
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Jul 22 2009 at 3:36am
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This was part of the "Moving Middletown Forward" agenda, just as advertised on their flyer, posted right here on this very forum just a few months ago!!! ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
Posted By: Smokey Burgess
Date Posted: Jul 22 2009 at 5:33am
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Mike - Last night's City Council meeting provided a forum for one member to ramble on in his all-too-familiar "humble pie" fashion about re-visiting their recent defeat of some Charter Revision Committee recommendations. Then, we had another member tell us that he would vote for the items that City Council failed to approve for placement on the November ballot. He even gave the phone number of the so-called referendum spokesperson.
These two personalities reminded me of comedian Professor Irwin Corey plus Ross Perot's plugging of his 1992 presidential bid during interviews, debates, etc. The latter is now common place in election campaigns.
What a show it is watching these folks lead us Middletonians??
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Posted By: Smokey Burgess
Date Posted: Jul 22 2009 at 5:39am
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Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Jul 22 2009 at 7:00am
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The part I found hilarious was that Marconi claimed he didn't know what Jeff wanted from reading the Middletown Journal article. Did Jeff want to reduce the number on Council or reduce the number on Council and do away with the wards. Now the First line stated:
Petition seeks to reduce size of council, eliminate wards
By Ed Richter, Staff Writer
Updated 8:54 PM Monday, July 20, 2009
A local resident is spearheading a petition drive to place a city charter amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot to eliminate the ward system and reduce the size of Middletown City Council. |
Posted By: Impala SS
Date Posted: Jul 22 2009 at 7:47am
| I would like to see Jeff come to my house with his petition, I would tell him what to wipe with it. |
Posted By: 2000+
Date Posted: Jul 22 2009 at 12:03pm
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Mr. Presta - would you repost the MMF agenda again on this particular blog so that it will be fresh in our minds again (and we don't have to go search for it). Also, it will enlighten any new readership on MUSA. Thanks. |
Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Jul 22 2009 at 12:17pm
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Moving Middletown Forward Committee Suggestions for activities
*Recruit and train candidates for ward election in 2009*
Establish committees for various activities: fundraising, issues, campaign strategy Candidate assistance
*Workshop for selected candidates: public relations, speech coaching, establish issues, raise funds ($3,000-$5,000 needed for competitive campaigns for each and establish budgets) Recruiting suggestions
*Search for candidates who have been active in their wards and have some name recognition
*set target fundraising for each candidate (1/2 support candidate, 1/2 from committee through fundraisers)
Campaign suggestions *Announce committee formation and its objectives, not giving away its main goal of recruiting and quietly helping groom selected candidates and making sure they get on the ballot before announcing campaign support for the four candidates. Keep issues to a minimum and goals for candidates. When recruiting, make sure candidates are on board concerning objectives and issues. Other goals *Consider ballot issue which would change the makeup of City Council, For example: Four wards and mayor, eliminating at large seats, would make a more manageable and responsive council. *consider future ballot issue which would make Butler County Commission more responsive by adding two members and dividing commission in what would essentially be wards. |
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Jul 22 2009 at 7:58pm
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Pacman:
Thanks for posting that! I've been sewn up by other matters recently. I'm glad that you could keep the people informed on this. I see it as an important issue in the months to come.  ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |