Last night's council meeting
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=3606
Printed Date: Nov 23 2024 at 5:01pm
Topic: Last night's council meeting
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Subject: Last night's council meeting
Date Posted: Jan 19 2011 at 12:13am
How many times have we heard City Manager Gilleland preach about “community image”??? Didn’t we just hear her tonight moan about the need for “Improving community image” regarding the need for demolishing perfectly good sign structures simply because no business was currently occupying the building for which the sign structure is intended???
Yet Gilleland seems to be indifferent about our crumbling streets and the poor “community image” that that portrays. She let 2010 CBDG street paving funds go unspent, to carry over into this year. I guess she just couldn't find any streets in Middletown that needed repaving last year
Oh well…we saw the groundwork being laid for those funds to be spent this year for the more expensive “OLDE TYME” street lights in Director Kohler’s favorite disadvantaged neighborhood: the S. Main Street HISTORIC District!!!
(You also could have read about the scheming by Director Kohler and his pals in the minutes of one of the Historic Commission meetings included in the workbook for last night’s meeting. Here‘s the link: http://www.cityofmiddletown.org/docs/council/01182011_w.pdf - http://www.cityofmiddletown.org/docs/council/01182011_w.pdf Look on page 45 of 124, under “Old Business“ in the 3rd paragraph.)
------------- “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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Replies:
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Jan 19 2011 at 12:40am
Was I the only one who noticed Mayor Lawrence P. Mulligan, Jr. Holding up the local newspaper for a loooooonnnng screen shot by TVMiddletown (our “GOOD news ONLY" TV station)??? Could this be “payback” from the mayor to Cox Publishing for complying with City Hall's “good news only”, “positive newspaper” policy as outlined by the Master Plan Steering Committee???
Well, the front page, lead, headline story to which the mayor referred was a “good news, positive” feelie-good story that actually belonged back in the community or human interest section, rather than being the front page, headline story. It was a few days old and wasn't actually new, let alone "headline news"!!!
------------- “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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Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Jan 19 2011 at 1:15am
I saw that I couple of more people were appointed to the Cemetery Board last night.
I find it odd that for a citizen to make a comment at a City Council meeting, he or she must give his or her full name and address (and sometimes their horsepower, credit card number and secret sign, if Mayor Mulligan perceives them as hostile to any of his causes ).
However, when Council appoints people to the various boards, commissions, and committees--some of which have czar-like powers over private property rights, as well as the powers to fine and imprison--a simple name will do.
This is obviously and simply WRONG. We have a right to know EXACTLY who it is that is being appointed to these boards and commissions, AND where they are from!!! They should be identified AT LEAST to the extent as required of a citizen wishing to comment at a council meeting--at a bare minimum!!!
------------- “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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Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Jan 19 2011 at 1:18am
In fact, members of boards and commissions should be required to take an Oath of Office, just as any other public official, should they not???
------------- “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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Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Jan 19 2011 at 1:41am
Speaking of Cemetery Boards:
Please recall the entire brouhaha last fall over whether or not non-residents should be permitted to serve on city boards and commissions. As I recall, the most strident pro-non-resident council members based their argument on the fact that NO city resident had experience in actually operating a cemetery, therefore it was absolutely essential that Fred Wehr (a non-resident, but operator of Woodside Cemetery) be allowed to be appointed to the soon-to-be-established Cemetery Board.
Well, here it is--after the second meeting of January--and all five members of the Cemetery Board have been named.
Did I miss something??? Mr. Wehr’s name was nowhere to be found among the appointees!!!!
So, can you pro-non-resident council members run that argument by me again, please???
------------- “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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Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Jan 19 2011 at 2:19am
And finally (at least for tonight), the sign ordinance idiocy:
First, let me state this: The problem is NOT with the ordinance, it is with Kohler’s selective enforcement of the ordinance: An obsolete or abandoned sign on a building that Kohler likes (or perhaps is owned by a crony) is okay--no matter how worn, dilapidated, dangerous or shoddy; while if a sign is on a building or business that Kohler feels is beneath the cozy, artsy, upper-crust, elite delusions of his twisted town view, then find a reason--ANY reason to demolish not only the sign but also the perfectly good, structurally sound, expensive to replace supporting structure!! (That’ll discourage any similar “dirty- fingernail” business venture from attempting to move another similar business into the same location.)
And Manger Gilleland: “Thousands” of zoning cases per year??? Please!!! Aren’t you exaggerating just a wee bit even at “hundreds’???
And we so often hear about how hard all of your dedicated city employees must work. Here’s another clue to giving them a break: Stop letting Kohler work them day and night eliminating/preventing every possible blue-collar employer either already in or showing an interest in our fair city!!!
------------- “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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Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Jan 19 2011 at 2:36am
HistoricCommission Minutes LIGHTS FOR SOUTH MAIN STREET
OLD BUSINESS
Mr. Kohler reminded the group that this is Sam Ashworth’s last meeting. He said we will miss him as a long-time member and chairman of the Council/Commission especially for his knowledge of City and architectural history. Jim Stabler, President of the Historical Society will be taking his place. In January(or at the first meeting of the year) the Commission will have to elect a new Chair and Vice Chair. Ms. Daniel will not be in town during that month. Mr. Sherron asked if there has been any progress on the Pendleton Art Center. Mr. Kohler has not heard of anything at this time.
Mr. Kohler stated that a notice has gone out to South Main property owners that there will be street improvements on this street. Property owners may request to retain stone curb materials. Another issue that has come up in the past is improved and historically appropriate street lighting. There was reluctance to make any changes in the past because new lights would require trenching in the street area and there is also the problem of large street tree roots. Now with a repavement planned, Mr. Kohler is bringing up the project again. The answer has initially been that new lighting would not be considered, but Mr. Kohler is trying other paths. He said that something needs to be done if for no other reason than the lighting in the historic district section is inadequate and uneven. Mr. Kohler said that the good thing is that all the defective sidewalks will be replaced, unfortunately piecemeal in some places. This group does not have review power of the lighting fixtures since they are in the right of way, but any input would be welcome. Ms. Romero asked about types of fixtures that Duke Energy could install. Mr. Kohler
said that sometimes the homeowners own the lights and then could have control over the type of lights, but he does not recommend that path. He is trying to find out what are the choices. The notices to South Main homeowners came very recently for a project that is about to happen soon. Mr. Taylor said that conduit or raceways could be placed underground for later installation of lighting.
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Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Jan 19 2011 at 3:23am
Do you remember the night that Mr Adkins stood before City Council and used the 54% rule to make all of Middletown “Slumville USA” so he could use the CDBG funds on projects outside the high crime high poverty areas of 1st and 2nd Wards for which it was intended? Well we are now seeing the results of this vote of approval by City Council. The new 5 years plan presented tonight will do nothing for the worst crime and poverty areas of this City while we fund improvements in the Highland District. Yep they got us again
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