Excerpts from The Middletown Journal’s “Farler should step down…” editorial:

“In July, the Attorney General’s Office offered an opinion that a conflict of interest exists because both the school district and township are in Butler County (not to mention the very same township) and Farler would be required to participate in preparing district and township budgets that compete for tax dollars.”

“The Attorney General’s opinion is sound.”

“And just because there’s never been a conflict …, that doesn’t mean there will not be one in the future. In fact, the likelihood of some conflict seems higher than ever before.”

“And while personal animosities have likely entered into the current dispute, and will keep it alive, there’s nothing personal in nature about the Attorney General’s Office opinion.”

“This is a question of good government and not permitting situations rife with potential conflict to develop.” “Farler seems to be is missing the point about public service. We’re glad that he and others want to work to serve their township and school district, and that it is ‘something’ he loves; but men and women unselfishly enter public service to improve their community and their country, not for personal gratification and aggrandizement.”

“If he doesn’t, we urge … the county Prosecutor’s Office to resolve this question through the appropriate legal channels.”

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While The Middletown Journal seems to always be quite willing to take neighboring political entities to task when they are in the wrong, they seem NEVER to apply the same standards to City Hall in Middletown!

For years I have been pointing out to The Journal’s editorial staff, and to anyone else who would listen, that situations similar to this are officially ENCOURAGED by Middletown’s legislative authority while the City Law Director and The Journal turn a blind eye.

In Middletown, the Tree Commission, the Park Board, the Golf Commission, the Airport Board, the Planning Commission, and all of the other boards and commissions ALL compete for pieces of the taxpayer-funded city budget pie! What makes Middletown’s situation even more egregious is that not only do all council members stubbornly cling to positions on multiple such boards and commissions, but these very same council members are the ones who APPROPRIATE the money, confirm the decisions, and/or approve the actions of the very boards and commissions on which they sit and whose actions they help steer!

Not a conflict of interest?? It is the very definition of “conflict of interest”!

And this Opinion of the Attorney General (OAG) is not something new. There have been similar OAGs from past Ohio Attorneys General in response to queries from municipal officials of integrity for over one hundred and fifty years. Middletown officials have refused to ask for an OAG despite strong urging from this writer.

And, my friends, it is not OAGs alone upon which I base these conclusions. There is also case law relevant to very similar situations, and the case law indicates that THE PARTY (in effect) VACATED THEIR FIRST POSITION WHEN THEY ACCEPTED THE SECOND (CONFLICTING) POSITION.

People, Middletown is currently operating with NO (none, nada, zip, zero) legal, legitimate city council members!!!

What about it, Middletown Journal? Will you apply the same ethics to editorialize against Middletown’s City Hall that you apply to our neighbors???

County Prosecutor Piper: Do you have the courage to help us clean up our mess???