Meet The Candidate Event
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=4141
Printed Date: Nov 23 2024 at 9:05am
Topic: Meet The Candidate Event
Posted By: Paul Nagy
Subject: Meet The Candidate Event
Date Posted: Sep 23 2011 at 3:03pm
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Meet The Candidate Events:
MEET THE CANDIDATE FOR MIDDLETOWN MAYOR - PAUL NAGY
September 27, 2011 from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Middletown Public Library Community Room
September 29, 2011 from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Java Johnnies, Central Avenue
October 4, 2011 from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Midletown Community Center, Lafayette Ave.
There will be other candidates present also. Please come and bring a neighbor and ask any questions you have about city matters or the candidates. Any one that needs to contact me please call:
513-217-1356
Thank you.
Paul Nagy
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Replies:
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Sep 24 2011 at 12:48am
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Mr. Nagy,
I would be pleased to be one of "the other candidates present" this coming Tuesday, September 27th at the Middletown Public Library at 6:00 pm, and at the other "Meet The Candidate" events as well.
I would also welcome the opportunity to field any questions that any First Ward voters may have for me. ------------- “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: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Sep 24 2011 at 6:09am
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Middletown residents invited to forum of council, mayoral candidates By Andy Sedlak, Staff Writer
The city’s mayor and three City Council seats will be decided by voters Nov. 8. The Kiwanis Club of on Oct. 13 at
The hope is the 90-minute forum, moderated by incoming Kiwanis Club President T. Duane Gordon, is fueled entirely by voter-submitted questions. “A good question is, first of all, clear,” Gordon said. “It’s not asking four or five things at one time ... it’s something that’s not confusing.” Organizers would like to alternate between emails and live questions from audience members, Gordon said. Attendees are asked to arrive about 30 minutes in advance to submit questions. Candidates for mayor are incumbent Larry Mulligan Jr. and challenger Paul Nagy. Candidates for the unexpired First Ward seat — appointed Councilman Tom Allen will not seek election — are Ann Mort and Mike Presta. Candidates for two at-large seats are incumbent Anita Scott Jones, current Fourth Ward Representative Dan Picard, Todd Moore, Nick Kidd and Joe Mulligan. The second at-large incumbent, Bill Becker, will not run for re-election. Mayor Mulligan said local forums are “important” and “generally well-attended.” “You hear stuff from the audience afterwards, sometimes they follow up with encouragement or with additional questions,” he said. “It’s a good way for candidates to introduce themselves.” TV Middletown’s cameras will be there to broadcast the event live. “To my knowledge, no one was planning to do it this year,” Gordon said of hosting the forum. “I thought this was something our volunteers could put together.” |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Sep 24 2011 at 7:19am
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“To my knowledge, no one was planning to do it this year,” Gordon said of hosting the forum
So the plan was to ignore forums prior to voting, even though we have new candidates who need an opportunity to explain their ideas? Brilliant idea. 
At least Mr. Gordon and the Kiwanis picked up the ball and are doing the right thing. Why didn't the Journal sponsor a forum? They are in the business of communication aren't they? Mercy, what a newspaper. How about the senior center sponsoring one for their constituency? No holds barred Mr Nagy, Mr. Presta, and Mr. Kidd and Mr. Moore. Nice to hear Becker is not running. Too busy triple-dipping and no time now for such a low paying trite job as a city councilman. Gotta get the most "bang for the buck", right Becker? Too bad we're still stuck with Picard on the ballot. |
Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Sep 24 2011 at 8:49am
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I think Mr Becker can see the hand writing on the wall and doesn't want to answer any of those really difficult questions about the past........ |
Posted By: acclaro
Date Posted: Sep 24 2011 at 9:38am
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I have a personla friend whom lives within a house or two of Mr. Van Ardsdale, the police chief, on Rosedale and across from the Akers (young son, apernts who founded the packaing company). He told me the chief was home every day about 4 PM, walking his two dogs, mowing grass, and usually can be seen 2-3 times a week at Steak and Shake, official business of course, discussing budgets over breakfast. Yesterday, he accompanided Mr. Mulligan in the morning, to pay homage to Dr. Owens. Strange a police chief is sent to be an official representive of Middletown, but he's licking his chops at fines for the new students arriving in waves.
To address Vet's other post, the city and Mr. Mulligan are playing this for all they can. look at Dr. Owens statements, he says still considering, contemplating, hopeful, anything, but this deal is done. The present will be maybe a financial aid office, an information site, and I predict besides Greentree, one part of a subset of a curriculum. But, just like the airport deal, they will spin this as a huge deal, a win, just like they play up The Atrium's move, as a huge "reinvestment" in Middletown. And AK staying here while execs bolt to West Chester because of tax benefits, a "victory", because the Works stayed and SunCoke came in, nothing which involved the city, other than guarding the construction.
Vet's point on Mr. Becker and the triple dip is accurate, these chiefs, that was my point to Mr. VA, chief, get straight salary, detective work is where the real overtime is, so when they retore, they want to make up for lost time, and every dime they can make. Public life, what a life. What a statement the "teachers" at State sent for being out a week, and how much overhead did Cincinnati State absorb through hirung adjunct teachers for a quarter, or is that all a ruse?
Progress is not being made in Middletown. State won't bring it, everything that has happened is magnet business brought in for AK, other established companies. A nice campaign message for the non incumbants as to where in the heck is this town heading, other than south.
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Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Sep 24 2011 at 11:10am
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credit where it is due A huge shout out THANK YOU to Kiwanis and Flash Gordon for stepping up to do the right thing by sponsoring the candidate's forum. I'm sure the incumbants don't want to face the many obvious ?s from the citizens concerning their past direction, expenditures, priorities and future direction.
You can be sure that the MMF-sponsored names like Mayor Mulligan and Mrs.Mort are following the MMF-documented position of avoiding the issues, and running their campaigns as quietly and as expensively as possible. Follow the money trail.
Hopefully there will be other forums(the Chamber? the MJ?) where we can get a true understanding of all positions and plans.
Time is right for new blood into the system. We will never move ahead by following the course that we seem to be on. Pack the house--submit your ?s in the proper form and manner. Let's get this right and make it everything that it should be. An informative wake up call to the voting citizens of our community. If you are not registered to vote--register!!
Time to take back our community!
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Posted By: ground swat
Date Posted: Sep 24 2011 at 5:34pm
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Forum??????????????? Heres my question. Do you want to continue on the same path we have been following for the last 20 years or don't you. This will not come off nicely but anything is better than what I have seen and paid for the last two decades. All do respects to all that are running. You have the guts that I don't. Bravo!!! |
Posted By: Marianne
Date Posted: Sep 24 2011 at 5:55pm
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Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Sep 24 2011 at 8:15pm
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[QUOTE=ground swat] Heres my question. Do you want to continue on the same path we have been following for the last 20 years or don't you. QUOTE]
Ground swat: Great question!!! And it is a question that every voter (and every resident of Middletown) should be asking themselves. As for myself, I think not!!! That is exactly why we should stop electing politicians and others who are beholden to all of the so-called movers and shakers in town. We should forget about the candidates who try to tell us that “there is nothing wrong with Middletown…” or “If you don’t like it, leave…”. We must begin electing people who have some common sense, and who are actually willing to admit that we have problems, will face those problems, and solve them … people who will do so with only the best interests of our city and the citizenry as a whole in mind!!! I am a straight talker. So, let me tell you right now: If you DO “want to continue on the same path we have been following for the last 20 years”, then do NOT vote for me!!! If you DO “want to continue on the same path we have been following for the last 20 years”, you will find others on the ballot who will make that happen for you. ------------- “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: thoroughman
Date Posted: Sep 24 2011 at 10:42pm
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Mr Nagy, I am glad you have decided to run for Mayor. You have my vote sir. I will plan to be at the event. I am not sure if you remember me from 2009? I ran for 4th ward council seat. I do plan to run for office again someday. I will praying for you and your strength to be renewed daily. May God bless you and your work, Pastor Robert Thoroughman ------------- Jesus move in our city like never before seen! |
Posted By: Nick_Kidd
Date Posted: Sep 25 2011 at 9:30am
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Mr. Nagy & Mr. Presta,
I will also be pleased to be one of the "other candidates present" at the "meet the candidate events." Vet, I agree that these events should be "No holds barred" as any and all questions should be asked and answered. Only by the citizens knowing the candidates and holding our elected officials responsible can we begin to turn our city around. Ground swat, to answer your question "NO" I will not continue the downward spiral we have been in for many years. As most of you know, I have been trying to change the direction of our city for many years. ------------- Government is not the answer to problems, government is the problem. |
Posted By: Paul Nagy
Date Posted: Sep 27 2011 at 7:03am
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Today is the day. The first meet-the -candidate meeting will be this evening at 6:00 p.m. at the Middletwon Public Library, Community Room. Please come and bring someone with you. I have done my homework on the issues and I will be very specific on issues such as Economic Development and Section 8.
If you don't come and tell others there is no way to win without a strong grass-roots effort. We need your participation more than ever in a very real way. Last election the other candidate spent $25,000 and had the very-well organized Middletown Moving Forward behind him. It is the same this election. Its hard to compete with that and we need citizens to support our efforts. Please come by and bring others. Other candidates will be there.
Thank you.
Paul Nagy
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Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Sep 27 2011 at 10:49am
| Mr. Nagy, Mr. Kidd, Mr. Moore.....did any of you design a handout for the purpose of telling voters what you're all about? A yard sign indicates support in one's front yard, but a handout at the door might allow the voter, who is sick and tired of the current antics of the well-known incumbants, to feel as if they have an alternative and another direction in which to take this city. We're never going to sway the voter who is locked into the MMF sponsored catastrophies for candidates we have had to endure, but if we can convince the undecided folks who aren't in their camp to throw support your way, perhaps we can overcome their voter base and win for a change. Just a thought. |
Posted By: Paul Nagy
Date Posted: Sep 27 2011 at 10:56am
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Vet,
You are absoluely correct. I will have two handouts this evening. Thanks for the post.
pn
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Posted By: LMAO
Date Posted: Sep 27 2011 at 12:32pm
| Hopefully I will be able to attend one of the other events.Leaving town here in a few hours. I pretty much know who I will be voting for but I want so much to listen to the B.S. that our "SPINELESS ONES" that are up for re-election has to say. How many lies they can come up with on a blink of a eye.To bad they cant be taped or are they? |
Posted By: Paul Nagy
Date Posted: Sep 27 2011 at 2:11pm
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Mr. Thoroughman,
I certainly remember you and hope you will return to the political scene soon. If you have the opportunity to attend the candidate meetings I wish you would and bring a lot of people with you. We need a real grass roots effort to win this election. It will take dedicated people like yourself to get the job done.
Keep praying for me and I will answer with the best thats in me.
Thanks for remembering me and posting.
pn
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Posted By: LMAO
Date Posted: Sep 27 2011 at 3:14pm
Mr.Nagy you have my vote as well.Time for new blood to sit in those chairs.Mullethead has worn out his welcome.
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Posted By: Paul Nagy
Date Posted: Sep 27 2011 at 4:43pm
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LMAO,
Thank you for your support and I hope to see you at one of the meetings soon. I'll answer with the best thats in me.
pn
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Posted By: What A City
Date Posted: Sep 28 2011 at 7:22am
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Where was everyone? The few that were there heard comments from Mr. Nagy. Mr. Kidd and Mr. Presta.
And that has always been the problem, hasn't it...... we are all concerned (to the point of being outright mad) about our city. We are always bashing the current crop of MMF sponsored office holders and the town-destroyers at city hall.............
but.........not quite mad enough nor concerned enough to jump in the car and drive 5 minutes down to the library to offer some support to those who want to change it for the better for us. ( I say this realizing some have important things to accomplish on a day to day basis, but the lack of attendance happens more times than not) Folks, we are never going to beat them at their game unless we put up more numbers than they do and that means setting it up before the election in November.
How about next time? Will you offer your support for change? Will you help in attempting to throw out the waste we have now in office? Would you pass out some fliers in your neighborhood? How about placing four or five candidate signs in some key locations around the city in your specific area of town? Take just a few minutes of your time and may....just may make a difference if we try. If not, they win again, we end up with no representation seeing our side of things, Mort, Mulligan and Picard sitting behind that council desk ignoring the regular citizens once again while the city keeps spiraling downward and that's bad for all of us.
Please reconsider and attend. Do it for yourself. Do it for your family. Do it for your town. Don't cost nothin" but a little of your time.
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Posted By: acclaro
Date Posted: Sep 28 2011 at 11:57am
| I don't agree the lack of attendance to listen to ideas and positions, is a sign of apathy. The ones whom know there is status quo, don't need to be told what a candidate's position to be. Those on the fence, or on the other side, need to be persuaded. If they did not attend, that's the candidates fault or an entrenched position hard to change. Do agree without organization, effort, walking the neighborhoods beating down doors, meetings at coffee shops doesn't yield change. Neither does complimenting the work of council and Mayor to sell building to a Boston based firm. Why change course direction when the deal must be overseen. Chalk up a perceived victory for downtown, as buildings "off-loaded", State pays nothing, and the Boston company absorbs all risk. Who cares if it doesn't work out, Boston owns them now. |
Posted By: Paul Nagy
Date Posted: Sep 28 2011 at 12:45pm
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Acclaro,
So much to talk about from your post that I'm not sure where to begin.
The issue is not that of lack of attendance to listen to ideas and positions is a sign of apathy but the fact of not getting involved is certainly a sign of apathy and has ben historic in Middletown and that is why we have come to where we are. (Long run-on sentence). However, I want to know the ideas and positions of all candidates that are going to direct our lives and handle our tax money. Look where we are now because we didn't really find out where many council members stood.
As far as complementing the Mayor and council to sell buildings to a Boston based firm, I don't know anyone who did that. I was complimenting them on bringing Cincinnti State to Middletown. I think its a small step in the right direction even though I strongly disagree about the manner in which they did it . The building situation is a tragic blunder from beginning to end.
I think we should all care that it works out for Middletown.
As always thanks for your posts. You always make us think.
pn
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Posted By: ground swat
Date Posted: Sep 28 2011 at 5:25pm
| Again know offense but there are other manners in finding out about the candidates. |
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Sep 28 2011 at 10:30pm
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Ground Swat:
You are correct. and even though I plan to attend all three of the "Meet the Candidates" events, I thought I would post something here to let folks know a little more about me and how I think.
Every so often during the last several years, someone has challenged me to come up with my plan for “community revitalization” or “economic development” and I have posted a “Ten Point Plan” that I thought was a good start. This began long ago, on the Middletown Journal's former blogs.
Since I am now running for City Council, I thought perhaps it was time to dust it off and have another look at it. I have done so, and to me, it rings just as true today as it did several years ago when I first dashed it off, so here it is, complete with my informal introduction from years ago:
**************************************************************** While I am sure that I, and several of the others that have posted here, either alone or in concert, could come up with a viable plan in just a few days, such a plan would be much too long to post here. Conceiving the plan Is not the problem. The problem is to convince anyone at City Hall that any mere ordinary citizen, outside the inner circle, can possibly have anything valuable to say. All that aside, here is a brief outline, with no detail of course, of the plan: 1. Immediately reprioritize the city budget, recognizing that the first purposes of city government are public safety and infrastructure. Look at ALL areas of city finances, and NOT just those accounts that recent administrations have chosen to call the “General Fund”. 2. Immediately eliminate all charitable, cultural, entertainment, amusement, and similar items from the budget, at least until city finances improve. 3. Immediately resume having City Council work session in public, as well as conducting all other public business in public. 4. Immediately remove all Council members, relatives of Council members, or any other persons having possible conflicts of interest from all public boards and commissions, and from the boards of directors of any organizations receiving tax money from the city of Middletown. 5. Immediately begin making Middletown truly business friendly. Revise all building codes that unnecessarily add to a potential business’s costs, such as unnecessary dormers, unneeded wall breaks, and similar architectural features. 6. Immediately issue a policy paper to all city department heads, instructing them to distribute it, and explain it, to all employees that there will no longer be any unwarranted impediments to business development. Further instruct them to explain to all employees that there is no such thing, for example, as “the right architect“. The right architect is any architect licensed to practice in the state of Ohio, or licensed in any state with reciprocity agreements with the state of Ohio, and that any employee found violating these directives will be summarily discharged. 7. Immediately issue a policy paper to all city employees involved in engineering, planning, zoning, and other business development-related fields instructing them that personal preferences can no longer be tolerated while conducting city business. Include in this policy paper instructions that no city employee’s tastes shall be imposed upon, or even suggested to, any potential business enterprise, and to purge all local codes and ordinances of personal preferences. Include a warning that any violation of this policy will result in immediate summary discharge. 8. Immediately abolish all city codes or ordinances banning, or even discouraging, signs visible from I-75, or from the surface streets in the areas surrounding Interstate highway interchanges, when such signs advertise goods, products, businesses or services available in the City of Middletown. 9. Immediately and in writing, explain to the City Law Director that his first duty is to the citizens of Middletown, and that this duty supersedes any directives from city council. 10. Empanel truly independent charter review committee, with the purpose of proposing changes to the city charter that: A) Mandate that Middletown’s city government return to the true purposes of a municipal government; B) Emphasize the division of powers within the city; C) Ease the procedure for recalling elected officials, and the implementation of the immediate discharge of non-elected officials, who violate city ordinances, charter provisions, or State of Ohio General Law; and D) incorporates the Ohio Attorney General’s “seven tests for compatibility of offices” into the Charter. ------------- “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: acclaro
Date Posted: Sep 29 2011 at 12:30am
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Mr. Nagy, my apologies I did not take nor have the time to make my point more artfully. You are most homorable and gracious. I was making an attempt to show graciousness can be misperceived. Part of the undertaking at the C State deal, is to demonstrate "progress" bu city council and the Mayor. That being said, you are solidfying your opponet's position, in a classic "gentelmen's" manner. Nice guys rarely finish first in elections. They will say they have to keep momentum going. Wait and see.
City won't lose much on deal, and better to hold buildings, than to have the whole downtown torn down. Correct, lets hope C State puts 12,000 students annually in Middletown, with every program they have. Failure not an option, and nicely structured deal. Teach it, and they will come.
Apologies again for my less than skiffully disguised remark.
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Posted By: Paul Nagy
Date Posted: Sep 29 2011 at 4:53am
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Acclaro,
As usual your observations are quite poignant and important. I am giving them lots of thought and will apply them as opportunity and ability allow. Please keep posting your conclusions and ideas.
Thank you.
pn
p.s. No apologisies needed. This is what makes democracy great.
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Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Sep 29 2011 at 7:42am
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I feel that I have a pretty good grasp of most candidates and what they represent. I have pretty much decided who will get my votes and why. So I will probably skip the forums unless asked to participate as a questioneer(?) Yes--I have done this b4, appointed by the Chamber--slim chance of it happening again though. Change is necessary if we are going to move anywhere. Until bright younger faces emerge, I 100% support Paul Nagy for mayor and Mike Presta as my ward rep. I hope that the C St deal pays off eventually, especially since my wife and I have contributed to Dr.Owens' scholarship fund. Seems like an expensive and round-about way to do business, and our Council/Mayor take way too much credit for doing little more than grovelling and throwing money at the feet of Dr.Owens. C St has controlled the cards throughout imo--all we have done is cave in whenever requested. Should be a positive move in an area completely void of direction. I hope that it works and is a game-changer. Culinary school food was excellent at the coronation--we could use a couple of new restaurants in the city. Obviously I don't understasnd or know enough about this arrangement to have more of an opinion, not that my opinion matters. The citizen and his right to know/be informed continues to take a back seat here, and that is probably my biggest concern about local govt., since they have a very poor tracck record of success. Time for all new faces on MMf. Do those terms ever expire, or were these people appointed for life? How many past and current city employees serve on this body?
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Posted By: AKBobby
Date Posted: Sep 29 2011 at 7:58am
I dont understand your point on this Acclaro. Is the Police chief not supposed to be home at 4pm and walk his dogs? Is he not supposed to take a lunch during the work day? Whats wrong with eating at steak and shake 2-3 days a week as you said? Should he eat in his office? Would that make you feel better? Help me understand your point? So regardless of all the council meetings, advisory board meetings, public relations things after normal hours a chief does, he should do more? You lost me. What hours do you want him to work? What is acceptable to you? I dont know the new chief as well, but I know the last one probably put in 60 hours a week minimum and the chief in Middletown dont get paid what the Fairfield and Hamilton chiefs make. I agree progress is very slow in middletown but to complain the chief is home at 4pm to walk his dogs is reaching. Maybe the chief is there at 7am everyday. who knows. ------------- AK - What is going on with that? |
acclaro wrote:Posted By: AKBobby
Date Posted: Sep 29 2011 at 7:59am
Paul I dont know you but I really like your ideas on here. I wish you the best in your campaign and maybe you can get this ship righted! GOOD LUCK ------------- AK - What is going on with that? |
Posted By: acclaro
Date Posted: Sep 29 2011 at 10:06am
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Mr. Nagy, it is I who learns a great deal from your postings, and voice. You speak with clarity, and have composure, and always take the "high road." Few do, and its important to have that seen and reflected often, as you always do, I thank you for that. A good lession for life and daily interaction.
I view this election pretty darn simple, there two two camps of leaders, the incumbants, the new candidates. Many on council see the city as they choose to see it, rosey, ignoring reality, and always masking the grim statistics and reality within Oz, or those whom can acknowledge the challenges, embrace them, while remaining above the fray and showing class.
If you want to be told what to do, and ignored, cast your vote for Mr. Picard, Mr. Mulligan, and Ms. Mort. If you wish to have your voice heard, to be respected that opinions matter, and that challenges remain, which solutions can be found, regardless of the difficulties, there are many strong alternatives. I LiKE MIKE and Paul Nagy are two I LIKE, as I can hear, I am not deaf, and open ears is a refreshing change to many in need of hearing aids and unshack themselves from the cloak and dagger of the Yale skull and bone silence. Something in my head leads me to believe Ohio may be putting some cash behind the curtain in the deal with Boston at Cates and Kasisch's level. Too smooth and filled with risk, to not see bigger tuna in the ocean than placating to the need of Middletown.
Oh well, get those classes rolling, does make for an attractive bedroom community when you have MUM and C State in town, at .25% of cost of Miami, UC, OSU, and Kenyon. Of course, if you can get into Kenyon, $$$ is not an issue. Roll em, roll em, get those students moving, Raw Hide! Make it 10,000 by 15.
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Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Sep 29 2011 at 4:15pm
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Don't forget the "Meet the Candidates" event today, Thursday 9/29/2011, from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. at Java Johnnies, Central Avenue!!!
------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |