Q And A With Gary Lee Barge
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=1802
Printed Date: Nov 23 2024 at 2:11am
Topic: Q And A With Gary Lee Barge
Posted By: randy
Subject: Q And A With Gary Lee Barge
Date Posted: Aug 22 2009 at 9:55pm
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Tell us a little about yourself and what qualifies you to represent your ward? I was born and raised in Middletown. Married with 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren. I had a very successful business for 15 years. It was owner/operated Barge's Auto Repair, Inc. Was a member of the Park Board/co-chair, and was also on the Tree Commission. I graduated from Middletown High in the OWE program and also have certification of small business administration from Des Moines, IA. I have been spearheading the clean-up for the Hydraulic Canal that is located in the First Ward since the end of 2005. I have been successful in getting a public hearing for the Hydraulic Canal with the State of Ohio Division of Surface Water. The public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 23 2009 at the Middletown Community Center on Lafayette across from Douglas Park.This is more than I can say for the current council members to whom this has been brought to their attention on numerous occaissons. For the full interview click here http://www.middletownusa.com/view_news.asp?a=4596 - Questions And Answers With Gary Lee Barge------------- Call me for a www.CameraSecurityNow.com" rel="nofollow - www.CameraSecurityNow.com quote 513-422-1907 x357 |
Replies:
Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Aug 23 2009 at 9:20am
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"What are your thoughts on Middletown's Section 8 situation and what would you like to see happen? As we all know we are in a recession Section 8 is very essential to the survival of many people at this time. However when the economy starts to turn around Section 8 needs to be reduced and that will be determined upon the economy. I also feel that the Section 8 vouchers ought to be distributed equally for all cities not just one. With the creation of jobs the number of Section 8 assistance would dwindle. As a council member I would suggest that we not spend 2 years plus to stay with the same system and would also recommend that we set a limit on the vouchers and not exceed them every again." ==============================================================================
Gary, Some financial analysts feel that the recession ended in June of this year. Any recovery in Middletown from the ending of the recession will lag behind other City's and parts of the Country due to Middletown's financial status, lack of jobs, poor condition of the city economically, etc. It could be weeks or more likely months if not years before Middletown sees a ray of light at the end of the tunnel.
If you decide to wait for the recession to end in Middletown to tackle the Section 8 issue, you will never find an opportune time to do it.
The Section 8 Vouchers are not distributed to City's in a the way you describe. I know of no other City in Butler County or the State of Ohio for that matter that would be naive and lets just be blunt here dumb enough to place their city in this type of mess. Middletown basically served itself up to be the Section 8 capital of Butler County and I am sure the other city's are just ecstatic with keeping it that way. BMH and Warren Count is the place for these vouchers to go and even then you will have a significant Section 8 population.
"With the creation of jobs the number of Section 8 assistance would dwindle." What jobs, Middletown has no jobs and an unemployment rate approaching probably 13%. When you concentrate so many Section 8 Vouchers in one area that has no jobs you are basically sustaining poverty. If the Vouchers were moved to Butler and Warren County and people on Section 8 could live where there were actually jobs then yes your statement may be true. But you have concentrated a huge amount of poverty in one area and there are no jobs and I don't foresee a significant number of jobs being created in Middletown in the next 5 yrs. for people on Section 8 vouchers.
If Middletown's population has declined as the census is estimating it has to about 48500 then Middletown will have approximately 1 Section 8 Voucher for every 29 residents. I could find no other city with a ratio this high when I searched the Internet. There may be some but I couldn't find one not even New York City. This is way out of proportion to what it should be.
"As a council member I would suggest that we not spend 2 years plus to stay with the same system and would also recommend that we set a limit on the vouchers and not exceed them every again." Back in March of this year we were told the number of Vouchers in Middletown would be cut by attrition to about 800. The Middletown Housing Authority, AKA City Council, has failed to act on this issue hence you are already 6 months behind in your wish to act. With a declining population the Section 8 Vouchers should be cut even further to about 350-450, which is more in line with Middletown's population in the County.
Gary remember you not only have the 1662 vouchers, you have a 500 person waiting list and Public Housing also. Middletown should place a moratorium on any new Low Income housing period, until such time if ever they come back to be a self-sustaining city that could possibly support such endeavors. Right now we can't.
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Posted By: Gary Barge
Date Posted: Aug 23 2009 at 8:46pm
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Pacman, You are exactly right but until I am elected along with 3 other new council members there is nothing we can do about it. Yes the city is the one that authorizes the vouchers. If the council had not been asleep at the helm they would have already tackled this situation instead of leaving it lay stagnant like they have the canal for so many years. Yes jobs will come to Middletown if common sense were applied.
Gary Barge
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Posted By: tootie
Date Posted: Oct 04 2009 at 12:45pm
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Mr Barge, After meeting with you at the EPA hearing I was impressed with the way you handled yourself at the meeting. I would have had to bite my tongure several times. You gave me your contact information after our lengthy phone call. You were kind enough to come to my home and look at the situation I am having with Middletown. Without going into great detail you assured me that as a councilman for the first ward it would not have gotten this far out of control. Thanks for the time you spent and the information you gave me to correct the situation with Butler County due to the fact that Middletown administration made it impossilbe. My problem was solved. Thank you Mr Barge. You've got my vote for the first ward.
tootie
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Posted By: Murdock
Date Posted: Oct 04 2009 at 12:47pm
You're SOOOOOOOOOOOOO great Canal Guy!!!!
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Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Oct 04 2009 at 12:58pm
Hey Murdock- obviously you are in the opposing camp judging by your smart --- little comments on here concerning the opposition. Tell all of us anti-incumbant supporters why you think the current crop of council members are worth keeping. Give us the high points of their accomplishments to date. OR- Could you be one of the incumbants per chance? 
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Posted By: Gary Barge
Date Posted: Oct 04 2009 at 1:10pm
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Thanks Vietvet you got that right Gary Barge
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Posted By: wasteful
Date Posted: Oct 04 2009 at 2:32pm
| Took current council 3 years to figure out that Section 8 in Middletown is excessive and to get a contract with the same people that brought us the excessive Section 8. Although I don't think that was an achievement as most of us on here came to the same conclusion about Section 8 in about 24 hrs and could have hired a new Contractor in a few weeks. |
Posted By: Nelson R. Self
Date Posted: Oct 04 2009 at 3:13pm
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Vote for Gary Barge in November! |
Posted By: Nurse Ratched
Date Posted: Oct 04 2009 at 6:12pm
| Medication time, boys. Medication time, boys. |
Posted By: Bocephus
Date Posted: Oct 05 2009 at 1:22am
| Hmm let me see...do I want to vote for armbruster who is useless as representation or would I want to see Mr.Barge who at least seems to care about the status of the city? Thats a no brainer for me and my family members. I hope if elected MR. Barge that you show as much passion for making this city better as you did trying to get the canal issue fixed. |
Posted By: Gary Barge
Date Posted: Oct 05 2009 at 8:03pm
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Bocephus,
I've always had a lot of compassion for our city. That's why I've stepped up for the second time to run for council. As you may not know I ran in 07 and got 2100 votes on a shoestring budget. If elected you would have my utmost respect for all the issues and the citizens in the 1st ward and throughout the city. Also as you may know, trying to get anything done with the current administration is like trying to pull teeth from the Abominable Snowman.
Gary Barge
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Posted By: tootie
Date Posted: Oct 05 2009 at 8:15pm
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Murdock,
You seem to be the only one carrying on about the canal. Do you live by the canal ???? What's your beef with Mr Barge? At least he doesn't appear to be associated with a certain group of people in town who think they run Middletown. I can only assume you may one of them or BFF's with them. I came across a paper today listing Armbrusters supporters. I also came across a paper listing the panel for Wed. nite's forum. How interesting that one of Mr Armbruster's supporters is on the panel. So it would take a lot to convince me the hands behind the scene are not still in play. And if it takes $10,000 to win a $5000 a year little old council seat then there is something wrong with that picture. So why don't you go float a boat down the canal for yourself. Have a nice day.
tootie
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