City Council Candidate’s Forum

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=6202
Printed Date: Nov 22 2024 at 10:06am

Topic: City Council Candidate’s Forum

Posted By: Vivian Moon
Subject: City Council Candidate’s Forum
Date Posted: Oct 29 2015 at 7:55am

Posted: 10:31 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015

Council, school board candidates share views

By http://www.journal-news.com/staff/ed-richter/" rel="nofollow - Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN —

There weren’t a lot of differences among the candidates running for Middletown City Council and Middletown Board of Education during a Candidate’s Forum Wednesday. In fact, most agreed with their fellow candidates’ comments.

The Chamber of Commerce Serving Middletown, Monroe and Trenton sponsored the forum that was held at the Middletown City Building. The forum was split into two 45-minute sessions — City Council and school board candidates were queried on several questions and given a short amount of time to respond. City Council candidate Roy Gordon was unable to attend the forum, but an opening statement on his behalf was read by moderator Lenny Robinson.

Nearly 60 people attended the forum.

Four candidates are seeking the two open seats on the five-member City Council on Nov. 3. Incumbent Councilwoman Anita Scott Jones is seeking her third four-year term, while three newcomers Steve Bohannon, Talbott Moon and Gordon are seeking seats.

Economic Development, fixing the streets and creating jobs were constant themes during the council portion of the forum. When asked about the streets, all of the candidates agree this has to be done but can’t be done overnight, and it needs economic development and job creation to drive it.

Bohannon said the city might look to federal and state loans or grants for additional funding for streets, which are estimated to cost $160 million over a five to 10-year program.

“The only way I can see it is if we’re bringing in high-paying jobs and bring in income taxes to this city that would help to subsidize that, but a $160 million dollars is — we can’t do that overnight…,” he said. “Federal money would basically be combined with new jobs and income.”

Bohannon said he would favor selling bonds to raise the funds if residents are interested in doing that.

Jones said the council has been working at fixing the streets little by little during her tenure on council, noting projects planned or started on Yankee Road and Oxford State Road to accommodate new plants.

“We have a 20-year plan for our streets,” she said. “You can look around the city over the past year and you can see there have been improvements.”

She said its a “conundrum” as residents want to see the streets and roads fixed but don’t want their taxes raised.

Moon said the city should use the one-time income tax revenues forecasted during the major construction projects for the new schools and the AK Steel Research and Innovation Center for street repairs and improvements. However, he said the city can’t count on the state and federal governments to provide additional funding. Moon also said he would be interested in dedicating a portion of the income tax for streets but wants to gather community input first.

“We have to be conscious of our tax rates,” he said, adding if they get too high that would drive away potential business and residents.

All three candidates were supportive of the plan implemented by City Manager Doug Adkins in revitalizing and growing the city. They also said the city needs to a better job of promoting itself starting with the residents.

Jones said, “If Middletown people weren’t talking down about the city, no one else would.” She said everyone has to start talking positively about Middletown.

Moon said, “We all need to pull together.”

He added that the city can’t ignore problems and it needs to engage them and find solutions as well a promote the positive things about Middletown.

Bohannon said, “We’re the city that loves to hate itself.” He noted that the city needs to improve its housing stock and officials need to promote Middletown and show what it has to offer.

Replies:

Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Oct 29 2015 at 8:58am

This talk about the streets wouldn't have been in any discussion if the city would have replaced the street fund money from the mid 80's that they "borrowed" for other needs at the time. It is the past city leaders who never returned the money to it's rightful fund and it is the current city leaders who have managed to keep the trend going. Now, when they are trying to get elected, all of a sudden we need to start working on the streets once again because they know that is what the voters want to hear. Typical political crap from people who want your help at voting time and then ignore you when in office. I guess being a two faced liar is the criteria for sitting in a council chair nowadays.

"“The only way I can see it is if we’re bringing in high-paying jobs and bring in income taxes to this city that would help to subsidize that, but a $160 million dollars is — we can’t do that overnight…,” he said. “Federal money would basically be combined with new jobs and income.”"

No, you're right, it can't be done overnight but it certainly should have been done decades ago (the 70's) when the city leaders saw the paper mills disappearing and AK reduced from 9000 workers to 3000 workers. They sat on their hands and did nothing while the jobs were evaporating. Why?

"Jones said, “If Middletown people weren’t talking down about the city, no one else would.” She said everyone has to start talking positively about Middletown."

    "Moon said, “We all need to pull together.”"

    "He added that the city can’t ignore problems and it needs to engage them and find solutions as well a promote the positive things about Middletown."

Jones, you and your buddies do all you can to alienate the citizens from the city leaders using exclusion methods, you ignore the requests of the people who do not agree with the inner circle of power running this city and you insist that your ideas and direction is the way to go and then have the audacity to suggest that we speak with only positive language? Clueless as to how people should react to things.

Moon, it is awfully hard to "pull together" when there is no sharing of ideas, no input requested from the people and when the city direction is controlled with an iron fist by a few inner circle power brokers. Exclusion is very popular with the city leaders when dealing with the general populace. You should know this.

    Bohannon said, “We’re the city that loves to hate itself.”

And who fostered that attitude Bohannon?

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I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.

Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Oct 29 2015 at 9:28am

As per usual, our plight is clearly the fault of the nabobs of negativism residing in the MUSA neighborhood. All of these issues(Section 8, streets, schools, job loss, quality of life business loss, the black hole where our "downtown" used to be, private property purchases/giveaways, broken promises and cronyism to name a few) were all quietly under the radar until the "bad people" on the internet started talking about them and KEPT talking about them.

We have been told for the last 20+ years that "it will take time--can't happen quickly--didn't happen overnight), with honestly very little changing. Only changes are a few minor faces pretending to be in control. Just because the latest new admin faces want to try something "new"--it is usually something that has been tried often prior and is only new to them. Most caring residents(that have not left) are tired of hearing the sos and are now sitting it out and quietly working their exit strategy.

1. Get rid of MMF, DMI.
2. Castrate the Hysterical Society
3. Open up Council meetings to encourage MORE citizen comments and involvement
4. Encourage more to volunteer to constructive community projects where their input is taken seriously and appreciated.
5. Quit counting on OPM(other peoples' money)
6. Quit quietly nickle/diming residents for services while cutting services, pretending it is not honestly a tax increase(are we the next Chicago?)
7. Give us real hope instead of demeaning those not in total agreement

If can happen
So if elected, make it happen!

Posted By: Bill
Date Posted: Oct 29 2015 at 10:00am

The call for "good news only" is straight out of the Ann Mort playbook. What is sad is that it is a bottom of the barrel argument because all other ideas seem to have been exhausted.

I have run into maybe 10 people outside of Middletown in the last year or so who have either cringed when I mention Middletown or offer me their unsolicited negative opinion of the town. Sometimes their opinion appears to be based on reputation rather than actual experience with the town, but in none of these conversations did the person say "boy, you Middletown folks really talk poorly about your own town". So the idea that seld-criticism is the reason for the town's reputation is false. And anyone who leans on that argument is simply out of ideas or unwilling to implement new ones.

Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Oct 29 2015 at 10:01am

“Jones said, “If Middletown people weren’t talking down about the city, no one else would.”

She said everyone has to start talking positively about Middletown.”

Really? Well let me refresh everyone’s memory.

In 2008 Forbes Magazine published the article on American’s Fastest Dying Towns, we were listed as #10. For months after this article City Hall continued to reference this article and even made a video concerning this article.
Then City Hall decided that Section 8 was to blame for all the problems in Middletown and almost every week in the paper was an article discussing the high poverty rate and crime in Middletown caused by Section 8 tenants and then came the war with HUD which lasted until the program was moved last year.
This year every time you read the paper its about drugs and heroin epidemic in our community.
Sooo…maybe it is not all the negative people on MUSA but those at City Hall that have kept all this bad news alive in the newspaper over the past seven years.

Posted By: acclaro
Date Posted: Oct 29 2015 at 10:34am

Mr. Bohannon's mention of bond utilization on $160 Mm demonstrates a complete lack of understanding the impact such action would have on the Moody rating, moving the city into junk bond status and few interested investors willing to invest in the bonds associated with risk. So, that is not an option.

As for positivity, the city council and city leaders are the absolute worst champions of any entity within the community. There is the call to action about the heroin epidemic, the knowledge it would cost nearly $100 Mm to pave the streets, the high crime reputation based upon statistical knowledge, the school district stuck on 'continuous improvement', poverty demographics, corruption, cronyism, money thrown out to attract a community college doing no heavy lifting while losing student enrollment in the southwestern region, and the constant discussion by council members and city leadership, how much you can buy in residential and commercial property in Middletown, because the city is so depressed. Property values have not kept up with CPI in 30 years. And that's positive news? AJS needs to be removed.

No one is tuning in to the elections, its the exit strategy that matters, and everyone knows that is occurring. Its quite easy to state the obvious. Middletown would be better to have an influx of high producing jobs and professionals. The impediment is the lack of allure to attract them, and the gradual decline over 25 years of them coming in.

Keep your eye on an AKS merger into X or another large steel company post Wainscott. On a positive note, the coffee at Triple Moon downtown is excellent. Heavy rains are coming. A public notice it might be wise to have a canoe or small boat handy, and ample life jackets to paddle before the high water rises.

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'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill

Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Oct 29 2015 at 10:42am

Correct--when I meet other area residents and mention that I live I Middletown , there is usually a wide-eyed silence. Speechless ---and I usually find myself defending our community. The local tv news networks feast on our sensationalized crime issues---it is outside the city where the negative opinions have been formed. U can see it in the faces of the brave souls who travel here for middie athletics, and when we travel to their facilities. Sorry sunny side people, we have unfortunately earned our reputation and it is widespread.

An issue left off my prior post:

8. Council/admin used VERY SHADY tactics to eliminate our ward system, then created a "special district" consisting of cherry-picked neighborhoods in the former downtown area so that they could exclusively fund pretty much anything chosen there. Hypocritical imo.
Only when we break down these man-made barriers and treat every area with the same concern will we make our town whole again and make everyone equally important and involved. Give it up and get it done! Quit talking about change and actually change things!

Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Oct 29 2015 at 10:54am

It is true that we all want better streets in our city…however…don’t forget that EPA will be riding into town in 2016 to address the problems concerning our aging combined sewer system. Where will City Hall get the millions of dollars to solve these problems and the street repairs.
Acclaro hit the nail on the head because we can’t borrow the money needed to bail our way out of this future mess.

Posted By: acclaro
Date Posted: Oct 29 2015 at 12:38pm

What Mr. Bohannon was stating indirectly was if voters wanted a long-term bond. they would vote for a tax increase, as the bond would have to have the security associated with it, of the added income coming in. The AKS deal of $5 Mm was almost a tipping point to move city out of AA- range, $100 Mm to $160 Mm would move it to lowest category with too high debt load. Levy would be only solution. No thanks for those existing stage right.

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'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill

Posted By: Factguy
Date Posted: Oct 30 2015 at 12:28pm

Steve may have been making reference to a bond and new economic development, but to pave the roads would require an extra 15,000 jobs paying in excess of $65,000 annually.

Posted By: Paul Nagy
Date Posted: Oct 30 2015 at 2:59pm

Talbott Moon has been sending out his campaign material for a position on Middletown City Council. In that literature he makes a couple of comments that I think are significant and give us great insight as to where we are as a city. He states, “His great grandparents started a life here and today he continues their legacy with his wife Saralyn…..Middletown matters to me. It has mattered to my family for four generations…..Tal takes personally his commitment to live and work with integrity. He is invested in the success of our city, both personally and professionally…..I want to continue my family legacy of investing here as a leader that helps create a stronger future for the city I call home.”

These are strong positive statements. His great grandparents and grandparents were invested in the city when there were very strong leaders in the city who knew what they were doing. They were strong business people who understood business and wanted to protect their interests. They knew how to grow a city, they were real leaders, and the banks (2) had all Armco leaders on their Board of Directors. The WHOLE city grew and prospered. When that generation passed on we had a new generation to take the helm. They were not of the same caliber as earlier leaders. They did not have the business acumen and did not and do not know how to grow a city.

So here we are. Now we have people at the helm who are small thinkers. They only want a small city. They only want a small number of people in their clique to prosper. They don’t think in terms of the best for all taxpaying citizens. They have wasted millions of dollars on stupid schemes and city property deals that they should be ashamed to be a part of. They make all kinds of excuses for their failures and blame everyone and everything else for their failures. Much of this exists because of an apathetic citizenry whodo not require the best of our city council and city leaders.

Well here it is election time again. It’s too bad and sad that we can’t remove all of council and sadder still that they won’t resign en masse. They are people who have only been interested in THEIR pet projects and power and control of city money. They have had the power for several years now and have shown they don’t know how to use it for the good of all. They have had control of the money for a number of years and have wasted and abused millions of dollars with very little to show for it. We have two council seats open and some new people are running for those positions. Will they show integrity and not be just “yes” people? Will they do any better than those who are on council now? These new candidates are all claiming integrity. Will they live it? Will they do what’s right and make a “commitment to live and work with integrity” for the betterment of all of Middletown? We shall soon see. It is time for great change.

We have one incumbent, Anita Scott Jones. She has been a part of the problem just like the other council members. Please do not put her back on council.

The Moon family does indeed have a great legacy here in Middletown. I hope it will continue. I will place my vote and prayers for Tal Moon and I hope you will also.

Thank you.

Paul Nagy

Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: Oct 30 2015 at 4:19pm

Well said Mr. Nagy. I know Tal's father, and I am confident he will win, and also Steve Bohannon. Anita Scott Jones MUST go. She is useless and used the position for personal gain.

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