Double Dip Soup With A Bad Taste
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=5945
Printed Date: Nov 25 2024 at 7:11am
Topic: Double Dip Soup With A Bad Taste
Posted By: acclaro
Subject: Double Dip Soup With A Bad Taste
Date Posted: Jan 05 2015 at 10:06am
Aren't you getting tired of the mediocrity of results, but the constant rehire of non accomplished managers in the city as manager (Olson), who did not retire, but was given a contract renew when he thought he'd be fired. Then the constant bad city managers, retire from one position, rehired as another, and the school system.
This practice saves no meaningful money and is outrageous. It benefits council and school board members who want ease of continuity and accept mediocre to sub par performance.
Middletown has received a disservice IMO by the school board and city council for this practice and extending contracts for literally breathing. Passing a school levy by a few households is not grounds for measuring excellent leadership.
Of course, the current Sup will get his second bowl of soup as the BOE preferences a body than going through the process of selection, and maybe, one candidate left. But, the city and residents get mediocre results and apathy, that stymie anyone desiring to migrate to Middletown.
The same stale practices just don't change in Butler Cty. Boring and tiring.
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'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Jan 05 2015 at 12:00pm
A matter of "picking your poison" in Middletown and with the county positions when voting IMO.
In many elections, when only one is running, do you still cast a vote? I don't if it's a lousy incumbant running simply to offer a shallow protest acknowledging their mediocre performance while in office. Example: Judges, Butler County Commissioners and all others running without competition. Very few deserve a second term.
If the incumbant is challenged, I will vote for the newcomer no matter what party they represent. That may also be a protest vote while attempting to remove the incumbant. Example: John Boehner, although, miraculously, he keeps winning, even though no one has been able to tell me what he's done for SW Ohio all these years and the Dems always seem to run an "out of the mainstream" professor from Oxford, somewhat too "unusual" to consider.
Midd. School Board? City Council? If I see a new name on the ballot, they get my vote while not punching the buttons for the existing members. Unfortunately, the new, decent candidates have been few and far between to inact change and the power of the inner circle voting block usually provides one-sided numbers in the win. I know what they have done and am willing to keep trying new people until (by some miracle), we get the right combination that will be radically different than the cookie-cutter, yes-nodding puppets that seem to always occupy these positions.
Ison is no different than Price is no different than all the other levy winning, rah-rah cheerleader supers we have had that have produced exactly squat toward results........and on and on it goes. They want redundancy in this town. No new ideas are fostered and people who are not like-minded thinking are not tolerated here. That's one reason why we are in the mess we are in. Same old time-proven failed direction implemented by the same old time-proven failed group of closed-minded candidates who support the inner circle doctrine of complacency supported by a massive dose of self-centered egotism. Most are recycled just as the superintendents of schools are. They make their rounds as candidates in various functions.
I believe Fred Sennett was good at this. Ann Mort is a pro at moving from place to place, occupying various committees including council and the school board. Some say she has been effective. Others can't find one pertinent thing she has done with the exception of being the self-appointed cheerleader for the city. Her comments on council had no depth, were shallow and not worth noting. Same as a school board member. I wonder why her so-called accomplishments have been so valued. Surface fluff never trumps actual content but it seems that's what Middletown accepts.
The choices we have in this city are like pests at a picnic. They are people that never go away, offer liability rather than asset and offer nothing positive to the cause. I offer the condition of the city and the schools as evidence of that.
When will the voters start voting for candidates that will offer the correct direction for the schools and city? This would go a long way in the selection of decent people in the city manager's slot as well as all key positions.
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I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Posted By: acclaro
Date Posted: Jan 05 2015 at 1:11pm
There is a scene in the comedic movie "Animal House" in which a marching
band turns down an alley, heads into a wall and bunches together. Each
member continues stepping in place with nowhere to go. The Cincinnati
Bengals are that marching band, and the NFL playoffs are their
walled-off alley. The city of Middletown city leaders, city council, and BOE are that marching band as well, and economic development, results, reputation, rankings, are their walled-off alley.
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'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill
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Posted By: over the hill
Date Posted: Jan 05 2015 at 4:18pm
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There is a consortium in Middletown that has been successful in getting a "voting block" for people they want on certain committees or council. It's a difficult endever to break it. Bronston was able to break it because she had an organized plan in place. It can be done but it takes a real effort. You see how it works with the current city manager. I don't know why they spent the money on the guy from the college to put up the scam when they all ready had it all planned for Adkins to step in. I felt bad for the candidates that may have thought they had a chance.IMO
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Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Jan 06 2015 at 7:49am
over: "Bronston was able to break it because she had an organized plan in place"
It would appear that Bronston was never one to question the power block, or, if she did have intentions to raise issues, quickly fell into place and is, more or less, just another yes person, agreeing with any and all placed before her.
Scott-Jones seemed to start out asking alot of questions years ago. Since then, she has fallen silent choosing to (or being told by Lawrence and company) to go along with the program. Sad to see she apparently caved.
There was no hope in the beginning for Picard, Joe Mulligan, Mort, or any of the others who support the current thinking or were too weak to attempt to rock the boat if they did disagree with policy. Just puppets going along with the program.
Laubach made himself a marked man by continuing to question the status quo eventually sealing his fate as a one term councilmember. A shame that a person can't be a member of council and not feel free to ask questions that may go against the grain of the accepted protocol.
IF and when this power block is broken, by running decent candidates coupled with the voting support of the people, there will never be anyone on council that will be able to speak freely and have their ideas accepted and implemented.
Dictatorial attitudes and the hazing of individuals thinking outside the realm of the club is alive and well in Middletown. It is incredible to see this as accepted behavior for so long in this city. All it would take is for the people to take ownership of their city by removing the people in power on council, the school board and the problem children in the city building. The cancer needs to be removed for the patient to begin to heal. However, we all know the majority could care less what happens here. Frustrating.
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I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Jan 06 2015 at 9:41am
Vet
I agree..well said.
Nothing will change until the citizens get off the couch and vote for change.
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Posted By: over the hill
Date Posted: Jan 06 2015 at 10:01am
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Removing L.Mullican is a start. That can disrupt their voting block. There are others laying the ground work to do that but I'm afraid they too will be "business as usual".IMO
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Posted By: over the hill
Date Posted: Jan 06 2015 at 10:08am
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As for Scott-Jones she should be replaced also. Picard only ran to further his legal career. He attached himself to the Bronston train. He's useless. Wasn't he the one that told Adkins he didn't want to get in a pi--ing contest with HUD. Then completely caved without question and drank the koolaid? Yeah, that how you stand up to them Danny boy. IMO
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