May 17,2009 Middletown City Managers Report

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I found this in the Budget Discussion and found it funny and thought i would share it with you.

IF there is a pay
reduction/furlough for employees it must affect all employees,
union-non-union, all funds, not just general fund.    Employee pay is
already below area, reductions would place us farther behind in
addition to the affect on employee morale.

View  Middletown City Managers Report From  May 17, 2009

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randy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Official Joined: Jan 13 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1586	Post Options Post Reply Quote randy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: May 17,2009 Middletown City Managers Report Posted: May 21 2009 at 9:51am
	I found this in the Budget Discussion and found it funny and thought i would share it with you. IF there is a pay reduction/furlough for employees it must affect all employees, union-non-union, all funds, not just general fund. Employee pay is already below area, reductions would place us farther behind in addition to the affect on employee morale. View Middletown City Managers Report From May 17, 2009

Pacman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pacman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 10:11am
	I'll tell you what Randy. Fire all 400 employees downtown and reduce pay by 3% then put out ads for all new employees I guarantee you in less than 2 days every job at city hall would be filled. Randy millions of people are out of work. Millions more are taking pay cuts and benefit reductions and the City is overly concerned with a possible employee "morale" problem. Most City employees are making well above the average salary for residents in Middletown and we have a employee "Morale" problem. You want to see a "Morale" problem talk to the hundreds of people like I have who have lost their jobs in Middletown. The employees should be glad they have jobs and the excellent benefits that they do. The last time I checked there were roughly 51,000 people in Middletown, lets see 51000 vs 396, now the way the residents morale is heading that is a real issue. So we are below what other cities are paying their employees. Well lets just turn that around. Are the other city's in the area concerned that they don't have a 22% poverty rate, a failing school system, excessive section 8, below average salaries for residents, poor infrastructure, a downtown that the city is overly obsessed with, etc., etc., etc. No well why don't we share the wealth and let them have some of these issues. The City needs to start being overly concerned with it's 51000 residents and the City as a whole.
	When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. Thomas Jefferson

Go Buckeyes! Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Immigrant Joined: May 15 2009 Status: Offline Points: 34	Post Options Post Reply Quote Go Buckeyes! Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 10:23am
	I would vote for Pacman and Viet Vet for City Council with no reservations! Keep the stinky feet of the bureaucrats to the fire! Go Bucks!

randy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Official Joined: Jan 13 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1586	Post Options Post Reply Quote randy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 10:40am
	I like that idea Pacman but it would take 2 hours to fill those jobs. 4 people could do the job they do. Buckeyes, I would vote for my 2 year old niece over what we have at city hall now. At least she would spend money on candy and puppies. Now who wouldn't like to go to city hall and pick some candy and a puppy? If you go there now all you get is a headache, I'll take candy over a headache any day I do like the idea of some people from this site running in a few months they would have my vote

VietVet Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008	Post Options Post Reply Quote VietVet Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 10:55am
	randy- "reductions would put us further behind in addition to the affect on employee morale". HORSE MANURE!! I've been downsized three times since 1994 and have survived. Private industry does it all the time. I see no difference in downsizing the public sector in the same manner when a situation calls for it. Why do we hear talk of what a tragedy it would be if any public sector employee loses their job but it's just " the way it is in the private sector"??? It's just the way it is at the old place of employment nowadays. Ain't nothin' secure. Deal with it and move on.

randy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Official Joined: Jan 13 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1586	Post Options Post Reply Quote randy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 11:05am
	Vietvet--I could not agree more.

Pacman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pacman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 11:28am
	This has been obvious to many resident for some time. I wonder why previous administrations and Council Members ignored this for so long. Instead previous admins have encouraged an influx lower income residents which has caused the current imbalance. Per the Current City manager: "We should recognize demographically what is occurring in the community: decrease of upper income levels and increase of lower income levels. Make efforts to retain balance of income levels." Gee I wonder whose fault this is......any takers at City Hall.
	When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. Thomas Jefferson

randy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Official Joined: Jan 13 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1586	Post Options Post Reply Quote randy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 11:45am
	how many upper income families want to live next door to section 8 housing? Think that has played any role in them living? hope all of those living near the old hospital are ready cause once they finish tearing it down what do you think they will put there? CAN YOU SAY SECTION 8!!

409 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Mar 27 2009 Status: Offline Points: 1014	Post Options Post Reply Quote 409 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 11:58am
	Randy...one of the houses at the corner of Superior & Florence is already for sale!

randy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Official Joined: Jan 13 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1586	Post Options Post Reply Quote randy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 12:03pm
	so are you saying that the upper income are already trying to move?Well maybe they heard the same rumor i did. I live in that neighborhood (kinda) may i should drive around and take some pics and see just how many houses are for sale.

409 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Mar 27 2009 Status: Offline Points: 1014	Post Options Post Reply Quote 409 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 12:08pm
	Kinda looks that way. Although it could be just a coincedence.

randy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Official Joined: Jan 13 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1586	Post Options Post Reply Quote randy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 12:13pm
	oh i dont believe in those

VietVet Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008	Post Options Post Reply Quote VietVet Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 1:33pm
	Section 8 in among those old homes around the old hospital area? There are some influential people who live in those large upscale homes. The character of the area was defined many years ago. These are fine older homes built for executives from Armco and the paper mills. Remind me of the homes in the movie "Uncle Buck". Any Section 8 housing would absolutely destroy the value of these homes and cheapen the richness/class of this area. If this is true, where is Sam Ashworth, the historians of this town and the property owners resistance? George Crout will roll over in his grave if this is true. You can't ruin a time aged area like this with Section 8 junk. It would be like parking a rusted Pinto along side a Ferrari. Too much contrast for it to work. Leave it alone. Leave it as green space to respect the area around it if the only choice is Section 8.

Pacman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pacman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 5:37pm
	Randy the question is: How many upper income People want to move into a City with an under performing school system? How many upper income people want to move into a City with a demographic that is so economically out of balance, due to the actions of the City itself? How many upper income people want to move into a City with a greater rate per capita of Section 8 than New York City? How many upper income people want to move into a City where the basics of retail no longer exists? How many upper income people want to move into a City where the main concern is 396 employees vs 51000 residents? How many upper income people want to move into a city with crumbling infrastructure? How many upper income people want to move into a city where the constant drone from the city is about HUD funds day in and day out? How many upper income people want t move to a city with few if any job opportunities? How many upper income people want to move into a city with the local reputation that Middletown currently has? How many upper income people want to move into a city whose housing ownership is declining in favor of rentals? How many upper income people want to move into a city that shows no clue or inclination to try and even resolve any of these issues or even acknowledges most of them? "Middletown has a bright future"......Middletown City Manager
	When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. Thomas Jefferson

Nick_Kidd Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Resident Joined: May 15 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 112	Post Options Post Reply Quote Nick_Kidd Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 8:41pm
	But Pacman, with all the problems Middletown has, at least we have some of the highest taxes to make up for them. We have the second highest property tax rate in Butler county. We were the highest until last year when Lakota district passed us by a few pennies. Of coures Lakota has an excellent school district. We also have the highest income tax rate of the cities we are competing with for job growth. Blue Ash and Mason have 1% income tax rate while Monroe, Lebanon and Franklin have 1.5% income tax rate. The least amenities, some of the lowest performing schools in Ohio, crumbling infrastucture, red light cameras, corrupt government, high number of section eight housing and higher taxes, you would think that bussinesses and people would be fighting to come here!
	Government is not the answer to problems, government is the problem.

Pacman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jun 02 2007 Status: Offline Points: 2612	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pacman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 8:49pm
	To few people paying enough taxes to support a City of this size. To Much Poverty, which results in a low tax revenue.
	When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. Thomas Jefferson

Nick_Kidd Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Resident Joined: May 15 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 112	Post Options Post Reply Quote Nick_Kidd Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 8:50pm
	I forgot to mention that we painted house numbers that were hard for our inspectors to read and painted a gutter last week. So I expect that the floodgates of businesses and people moving here to start at any moment.
	Government is not the answer to problems, government is the problem.

Go Buckeyes! Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Immigrant Joined: May 15 2009 Status: Offline Points: 34	Post Options Post Reply Quote Go Buckeyes! Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 21 2009 at 11:06pm
	A former city employee told me that some housing code enforcement staff go out of their way to aggravate certain selected people. Is there truth to that? I think that the answer to that question is fairly obvious. Selective enforcement. A realtor friend told me that the inspectors will perform follow-up inspections of 2,300 Middletonians on the hit list. What a time to crack the whip???? Oh well, think of the revenue to be generated from fines that will reduce the huge deficit. Bah humbug!

spiderjohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749	Post Options Post Reply Quote spiderjohn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 22 2009 at 9:46am
	No way the municipal judge will fine these citizens for these minor cosmetic situations. These citizens are not criminals, and these citations are non-violent and victemless. Our local judge won't buy into this blatant citizen harrassment during such troubling economic times. Just another smokescreen to divert attention from the economic development inactivity and the time wasted on meaningless activity of our Council. Not to mention the haphazard preferential spending of the govt.grant $$s. Hey--let's all worrry about parking on the street or out of yor driveways!! Serious stuff!!

Hermes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: May 19 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 1637	Post Options Post Reply Quote Hermes Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 22 2009 at 2:13pm
	"No way the municipal judge will fine these citizens for these minor cosmetic situations." {from spiderjohn} Doesn't the court system recieve a percentage of fines levied ? If so wouldn't it benefit the court as well as the city to levy fines on citizens ? If cited to court they would get court cost plus any fines and anyone who can't pay either would be making payments and in a state of perpetual debt to the city as well as the court. Correct me if I'm wrong.
	No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !!

Go Buckeyes! Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Immigrant Joined: May 15 2009 Status: Offline Points: 34	Post Options Post Reply Quote Go Buckeyes! Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 22 2009 at 2:56pm
	*A BETTER USE OF $2.144 MILLION IN HUD NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM FUNDS???* Good Afternoon Judy - In view of concerns raised by three City Council members plus some local housing industry professionals regarding Middletown's proposed use of $2.144 million in HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP-1) funds, I again present this alternative recommendation. It was presented by me to senior Community Revitalization Department staff last October more than two weeks before the HUD submission deadline. Sadly, it was ignored by a now retired senior staff person. First of all, the proposal that CRD staff and their paid consultant concocted does put the City of Middletown in the real estate business. And, it has the potential of adding twenty (20) more homes to the large inventory of unsold and non-rehabilitated properties already owned by the City. My proposal was quite simple and produced far more "bang for the buck" than what was approved for submission to HUD last December at a City Council meeting. In budget form here is my strategy: Neighborhood Stabilization Program -- Proposed Activities & Budget $ 450,000 Down Payment & Closing Cost Assistance (DPA) Provide Seventy-Five (75) Forgivable Loans @ $6,000 Each For Income-Eligible & "Bankable" Home Buyers $1,195,000 Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Provide Seven-Five (75) Repayable Loans @ $15,000 Average Each For Income-Eligible & "Bankable" Home Buyers $ 375,000 Property Demolition Program -- Remove Fifty (50) Blighted & Dilapidated Properties @ $7,500 Average Each $ 124,144 Program Administration, Legal, Appraisal, Other Expenses Including Home Buyer Education & Counseling (LifeSpan) ________ $2,144,000 Total The above plan DOES NOT call for the City of Middletown to acquire, rehab and resell Twenty (20) homes. Instead, it calls for the City to make available down payment/closing cost and rehab financing in working with home buyers, participating lenders and real estate professionals. Instead of Twenty (20) households assisted this proposal assists SEVENTY-FIVE (75) home buyers! It is predicated upon using a variety of lending products including FHA 203 K and similar bank purchase/rehab mortgages. It continues the success of the Down Payment/Closing Cost Assistance Program that the Middletown Board of REALTORS, local mortgage lenders, neighborhood residents and former City staff developed dating back to the Fall months of 2007. Not only does this concept provide 350% of the benefit of the current plan, it is based upon all housing rehabilitation funds being repaid to the City via no- and very low-interest secondary financing. By the way, I submitted this to HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Program representatives and they voiced no objection to this proposal. A number of members of the now defunct HUD Consolidated Planning Committee and other local informed housing industry professionals have endorsed this approach. I trust that you may give serious consideration to this proposal that is cost-effective, productive and non-bureaucratic. Sincerely, Nelson Self

Go Buckeyes! Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Immigrant Joined: May 15 2009 Status: Offline Points: 34	Post Options Post Reply Quote Go Buckeyes! Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 22 2009 at 7:54pm
	To: Ed Richter, Middletown Journal I remember Doug Adkins, Interim Community Revitalization Director promising the City Council a revision to the City of Middletown's late 2008 application for $2.144 million NSP funds. It was promised within 90 days (sometime in April or early May)??? What happened??? You remember the City Council meeting in January where City Councilmen Becker, Schiavone and Marconi raised major concerns about the City's ability to implement any type of purchase-rehab-resale homeownership program. They cited the FHA Dollar Home fiasco, huge losses in other rehab activities, etc. etc. as the reasons. When they suggested making the NSP activity heavily based on property demolition there was no opposition (in fact there was support) from the City Manager. The video tape of the meeting confirms what we all know. Nelson Self

Nick_Kidd Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Resident Joined: May 15 2009 Location: Middletown Status: Offline Points: 112	Post Options Post Reply Quote Nick_Kidd Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 23 2009 at 10:33am
	To Go Buckeyes!, You are exactly right about the selective enforcement. I have personally seen it many times. After I ran for Mayor in 2007 and started exposing some of Middletown's problems, I was hauled into their kangaroo court on Feb. 1, 2008 because I wasn't outside painting in Jan. When I called a council member and ask why, since that program was suspended from Sept. until May. The answer I got back from the dept. head was "Yes the program is suspended, but there is no ordinance that says that they can't haul me into court anyway!" Even though there was no justification for the malicious procecution I still had to pay $180 in court cost. Spiderjohn the municiplal judge does not hear these cases, our magistrate does and your guilty no matter how much evidence you have. You will pay court cost even if every word the inspector wrote was a lie. That is what all of this is truly about, how the city can steal more of our money. Nelson please call me (424-6036) as I want to use some of your information in an appeal to the state auditor. We must work together to stop the abuses in city hall. One way to slow down the abuses is instead of sueing the city over these abuses, sue all of the individuals involved under a civil rights violation. Under a civil rights lawsuit they're on their own to hire their own attorneys. Let them take responsability for all the money missing out of the auto and gas fund and the fund to separate the sanitary and storm water sewers downtown. Does anyone know the location of all of the new red light cameras? I want to get a digital record of the yellow light timing. I may have a surprise for the city over the old cameras.
	Government is not the answer to problems, government is the problem.

Go Buckeyes! Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Immigrant Joined: May 15 2009 Status: Offline Points: 34	Post Options Post Reply Quote Go Buckeyes! Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 23 2009 at 11:48am
	City Hall hates Mr. Self because he saw first-hand what others have tried to expose to the citizens of our community. You are so right Mr. Kidd. I will tell him.

Go Buckeyes! Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Immigrant Joined: May 15 2009 Status: Offline Points: 34	Post Options Post Reply Quote Go Buckeyes! Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: May 24 2009 at 6:44am
	I AM TOLD................. "A few years back HUD first approved use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) monies by the City of Middletown to replace former General Fund housing code enforcement activities. However, there was (and still is) a stipulation by HUD that CDBG funds be spent only for personnel costs and related activities that are strictly limited to eligible lower-income census tracts." I AM TOLD.................. "A policy adopted last August by a recently suddenly retired senior City staff person may have compromised the HUD requirement stated above in that housing code enforcement staff conduct these activities beyond the eligible areas (citywide). And, is it possible that personnel from other Community Revitalization Department divisions may be performing these duties because of declining building activity in Middletown?" INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW..................