It is one thing for Council to ignore citizens who speak up at Citizen's Comments at Council Meetings and regard them demeaningly as "the usual suspects" but what is happening now cannot be further ignored by Council without dereliction of duty.

      Many of us have complained for a very long time that the city is business unfriendly only to be ignored by Council and to have the incumbents to give us the campaign rhetoric that Council is business friendly and are addressing that. Well, it needs to be addressed more directly and firmly.

      Council cannot ignore nor deny what happened last week at the City Planning Meeting.

A host of "movers and Shakers" from the East side of I75 in our Renaissance District soundly blasted the proposed rezoning insanity as proposed by our City Planner Marty Kohler.  They stated and demonstrated clearly that the city by allowing an attempt at such bizarre zoning changes to their properties were ridiculous and they would not stand for it and wanted the city to stay out of their business. Now, incumbents you can further beat your drum that the only ones who think that Middletown is business unfriendly are those who don't want to comply with regulations and codes. Well, these people don't want to comply with the foolishness that was proposed. Let's hear you denounce them. You won't do it because its too hot a political potato for you to handle. Your silence will show the hypocrisy of it all or it will show your wishy washy baloney.. 

        It is preposterous to conceive that Marty Kohler could have gotten that far in his proposal without the City Planning Comission, The City manager and City Council not stopping him from embarrassing the city like this. Lennie Robinson, the McDonals's representative, the motel owners and the doctors as well as other property owners on the East side along Commerce Drive made their case so strongly that it was unaswerable. Mr. Kohler looked like a school child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. His response was pathetic.

         I have stated for years that Mr. Kohler is the most dangerous man in the city. Everything his hand touches has brought Middletown down and down and down. The East side, the downtown Mall, Lake Mistake, the downtown revitalization, HUD, CDBG, Section 8,  the Middletown Cemetary, etc., etc., all have his fingerprints all over them and all have been a failure. It is time for Mr. Kohler to resign or be fired. The City Council, the City Manager must step up to the plate and remove Mr. Kohler and those responsible for the

retaliation to citizens of this city regarding the Middletown Cemetary.. When solid citizens like Lennie Robinson and Don Thompson stand up to be counted City Council and the City manager must act responsibly. Saying that no more staff will be alloted to this issue is an evasion of responsiblity.We must have performance and accountability and those that have acted irresponsibly and against the law (retaliation is a violation of the RICO laws it is gangsterism) must not be allowed to continue to corrupt our city government. I call for Mr. Kohler's dismissal and ask all others to write, call and speak out accordingly. Enough is enough.

         Paul Nagy   

 

Just like Miss Vivian, I also know a little something about senior City staff retaliation for exposing a number of major HUD problems during my employment from 1/2/2007 through 1/20/2009.  Working with the now-defunct HUD Consolidated Planning Committee, much was exposed about waste and misguided project actitivites that occured for a number of years prior to my hiring.  Nobody from the City Council or senior City staff has ever refuted anything that I have presented to MiddletownUSA as a former employee of the Planning Department.

 

You're a breath of fresh air that the SHAKERS AND MOVERS CLUB is afraid of.  You speak the truth!.

      The philosophy is: when you can't answer it, don't answer it.

       Paul Nagy

 

http://www.blip.tv/file/2728762 - http://www.blip.tv/file/2728762

 

I had to chuckle at Kohler when asked a direct question he gave the good old city motto,

"We are not setup for discussion here."  It seems that when it comes to discussion with citizens the city is never setup to answer a question or hold a discussion unless it is behind closed doors, this is quite disheartening.

 

I challenge everyone on this blog to financially support Paul!

 

I've made a financial commitment to him and offer the same to other under-funded City Council candidates despite my current situation.  May many of you give what you can as well.

 

I'm also releasing some interesting reading materials to substantiate my allegations regarding local HUD issues.  If you're reading this Mr. Adkins, please know that my lack of money to (temporarily) proceed legally won't stop me from trying to expose the truth.  You might be surprised by what you read?

Kohler is an embarrassment to the city. I am aware of some of his decisions (preferences) and have posted as such. What is really scary is his decisions that we aren't aware of yet!!

You would think the manager and council would take note!!  NOT!!

 

As several said on that video,"nothing about the rezoning makes sense".  (Unless of course you plan to force people out of business then come in and buy up the land at very cheap prices)

 

You remain in our thoughts and prayers!

 

Miracles do happen!

 

 

God bless you and yours also Paul.

 

 

 

By me replying to this maybe kind of conspicuous

However, I believe there are a lot of points that haven't been made. In watching the planning commission meeting I observed Mr Kohler at the beginning was in total control. His job in the planning dept. is to make sure everyone effected is contacted not just 3 property owners. When Lenny Robinson got up and asked him face to face "what is his real agenda for rezoning these parcels" he got no reply. He asked Marty another question " by rezoning the church property they would have to move their parking behind the building, right?" Marty replied "we aren't set up for this type of dialogue". If it had not been for Lenny robinson contacting all the people that he did that would have passed thru zoning as fast as everything else does thru an emergency legislation. Unfortunately I have to agree that it is not just Marty Kohler although he does play a big part. Where was Mike Robinette when this was such a hot button item with the severity of the zoning change, where was his input? It all boils down once again to a few (PROPERTY OWNERS).  Who are these owners that did get contacted and didn't object to the rezoning.  Folks, just like the Middletown Cemetary. It is now fenced off with restricted hours. Before our administration gets done with these ridiculous zoning changes and ordinances they will have built a fence around the whole city just for a few individuals' benefit. I still can't believe  Marty Kohler and the staff would have recommended to approve this. This just blows my mind. Does anybody remember a song from the 70's "Signs". Signs, signs, everywhere a sign. Blocking out the scenery, out of sight out of mind. Who would do that? People creating the signs.  So I tucked my hair up under my hat and went in to ask them why? They said "Man, you must be some kind of a sinner". As I pulled off my hat, I said "imagine that" wondered down the street, looking at all those signs. That blew my mind. "                   Folks, it is time for the people to get out and vote, make the changes that are necessary and restore our city back to our all american heritage. It is the power of the people not just a few that paves the way to our future.  Thank you.

Gary Barge

1st Ward Candidate

 

He will be the independent voice who represents all Ward One residents!

        Yes, Marty Kohler takes some orders from above but he gets a lot of leeway from them. I think you are correct all of Council and the Administration needs to be held accountable to the citizens. We need to clean house. This would be a good place to start.

         Thank you.

         Paul Nagy

 

 

 

You already have CVS which appears to go against the new zoning just built and Oh God they have parking in the front.

 

Businesses can't have vehicles over 7 ft tall.........huh that sure excludes a lot of businesses.  At least they relaxed that so truckers don't have to leave their rigs on I-75 and walk to a Hotel.  Some of this stuff is just down right laughable.

 

These east end successful business owners need to align themselves with the entities west of their situation to present a clear coalition representing the confusing and conflicting direction of the planning dept. and planning commission. Where is our local Chamber on these vital business issues?

 

All concepts desired by business and property owners are not detrimental to the city, just as all city policy is not beneficial, clear or well-structured. There is enough concern throughout the city's business community to red flag admin that there are legit problems and issues with the actions and direction of our planning dept.

If any business (or resident, as far as that goes) demolishes, rebuilds, adds to or even SUBSTANTIALLY REMODELS a structure, there goes their "grandfather status" and that means that they will have to abide by all of the NEW restrictions!!!

This not only tricks-***** the Ramada, but also makes their property much less valuable to ANYONE who may want to use it for ANYTHING other than EXACTLY what, and AS, it is. (No adequate convenience of parking for a hotel or motel, and must be hidden from I-75, for example.)

 

That's what Ms. Burke, as one of the smaller business owners, was trying to point out!  Her small lot on Market St. would be virtually worthless under the new restrictions since it is too small for virtually ANYTHING on its own.  Someone would have to buy up two, or even three, in a row to make it worth owning for anything other that its current use.  That certainly narrows prospective buyers to those with much DEEPER pockets.

 

Hmm...I wonder if anyone at city hall, or on the planning commission, has made any insultingly LOW offers out that way lately???  (Especially PRIOR to that zoning hearing.)  Or maybe some obscure "alphabet" group? 

 

(An "alphabet group", for those who may not know, is a group such as an LLC or other legal entity formed with an obscure name such as "TMD Group, LLC" or "XYZ, Inc." often formed to "hide the identity of the true owners, sometimes to stay under the law".  (BUT definitely NEVER involving any city officials in Middletown, and I would NEVER mean to suggest that!!!)

 

And not only do both CVS and Atrium have parking in the front, but also both CVS and Atrium have "Drive up service", yet Kohler either wasn't smart enough or wasn't honest enough to allow the same for a fast-food restaurant at an interstate exit (at least not until exposed during the hearing).  Either way (stupid or dishonest) he is unqualified and should be discharged (if unqualified due to stupidity) and charged (if discharged due to dishonesty)!!!

 

All of his attempts to "explain it away" as being a "work in progress" and an attempt to gather input just don't cut it.  ANYONE claiming qualifications in zoning should be smart enough to realize that a McDonalds needs a drive-up just as much as a drug store or an ER, even on the FIRST DRAFT!  Even Middletown city council members should be able to see through this pitiful ruse of an explanation.  This is even more blatant than the now defunct barbeque joint's in-your-face violations that everyone at city hall CHOSE to ignore.

 

 

Middletown Journal? Here I thought it was AK Journal.

Allowing unrestricted development may help in the short term, but it won't secure Middletown long term vibrancy. Monroe is unsustainable; we can't emulate that mess.

     If Marty Kohler is one of the few people in Middletown that has long term vision than his vision will continue to make us worse than we have become these last years under his lack of expertise and long term vision. There is no project that he has put his hands on that has worked. If so, list them and let's talk about them.

      Your comment:

              "Allowing unrestricted development may help in the short term, but it won't secure Middletown long term vibrancy. Monroe is unsustainable; we can't emulate that mess."

      is shallow and thoughtless.  Do you really think that Lennie Robinson is opposed to unrestricted development? Do you really think the developers of four McDonalds in our city are opposed to unrestricted development. Do you really think that the motel owners are opposed to unrestricted development? Do you really think that the doctor's that own that property are opposed to unrestricted development? Do you really think that the longtime property and business owners- the Burkes- are opposed to unrestricted development.Yet, they flat out oppose the foolishness of the excessive and ludicrous restrictions as proposed by Kohler.

       We should be so lucky to be as productive as Monroe has been in the last ten years.

       Your endorsement of Marty Kohler is another good argument for his immediate removal.

       City Council and Administration turn our city around and get rid of Marty Kohler now!

        Paul Nagy

 

 

Paul...thank you for speaking your mind and standing on your own two feet!

Gary...thank you for speaking your mind and standing on your own two feet!

 

I wish you both the best of luck today!