City of Middletown My Town Video

Given that this was done on the day of the firefighter layoffs and on company time, was this the smart thing to do?

http://www.wlwt.com/news/29989574/detail.html?taf=cin

I think it's funny, but I'm totally with you Voleye. It has definitely generated some buzz.

Bill wrote: That is absolutely painful to watch.

I agree!

I tried to watch it earlier but I got the chills and had to stop.

Trying again now. Wish me luck!

I wonder how many of these city servants even live in town? I suspect at least half of the public safety (71%+ of our budget) aren't even city residents.

so whose town is it really?

From the Journal.....

City manager defends musical video
Complaints include it was in poor taste after recent budget cuts, layoffs

MIDDLETOWN — City Manager Judy Gilleland is defending a campy YouTube video created to entertain city employees at a recent holiday luncheon.

The video has generated a fire storm from Facebook users and bloggers, saying the video was in poor taste after the city recently stripped millions from the general fund budget, which included the elimination of firefighter positions.

“I know if I was laid off, and then I saw my bosses prancing around in a goofy video, I’d be a little upset,” Harvey said. “I’ve gotten a lot of phone calls, that’s for sure   



But the camp, Gilleland said, was the point. After budgetary hardships, cutbacks and debate, a laugh was in order

BUT JUDITH.....WE GET PLENTY OF LAUGHS FROM YOUR DAY TO DAY ACTIVITIES IN RUNNING THIS TOWN. WE DON'T NEED A POORLY DONE. HAYSEED VIDEO TO TEACH US TO LAUGH.

“Times are tough for the entire nation,” she said. “It’s been a very difficult budget year here in Middletown. We’ve experienced a reduction of 27 positions — six of which were fire positions ... (but) we have about 350 city employees here whose moral we have to keep moving in a positive direction so they can be reminded of why we’re here and why we’re doing the jobs we’re doing.”

"WHO'S MORAL WE HAVE TO KEEP MOVING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION?"-JUDY G.

WHAT A CROCK OF CRAP. WHO'S BSing WHO HERE .....JUDITH?

“I can’t control people who are going to think negatively about things ... they’re going to do that regardless,” Gilleland said. “If you make any decisions, you’re open to criticism

BINGO....AND YOU PROVIDE US WITH MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO DEMONSTRATE THAT NEGATIVITY, DON'T YOU....JUDITH.

The lyrics were written by Gilleland and city historian Sam Ashworth.

GOOD LORD!, I WOULDN'T HAVE TOLD ANYONE THAT. NO SHAME APPARENTLY. NEVERTHELESS, GLAD THE BOYFRIEND GOT INVOLVED AND YOU GAVE HIM A LITTLE CREDIT, JUDY.

Some, she said, have offered to pay the $200 next year to make another.

YEAH, RIGHT. YA GOTTA LOVE THE LITTLE FIBS ALONG THE WAY THAT TAKE THE STING OUT OF THE EMBARRASSMENT.

“I feel like the holiday video was done very appropriately and for the right reason,” she said. “It was to bring some joy to an otherwise dreary year.”

MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE INTENT, BUT ENDED UP THE BUTT OF MANY JOKES ON YOU TUBE, CREATING ANOTHER EMBARRASSING EVENT FOR THE CITY. LAURA WILLIAMS WOULD BE PROUD ABOUT NOW.

for those of u who didn't watch this legend play in my living room:

Wow who cares? You guys will cry about anything. If you don't think keeping up good morale is important then you guys have never held a job. It's a funny and goofy music video that probably took each department 10 minutes to do. Geez, much whining and crying about nothing.

AKBobby wrote: Wow who cares? You guys will cry about anything. If you don't think keeping up good morale is important then you guys have never held a job. It's a funny and goofy music video that probably took each department 10 minutes to do. Geez, much whining and crying about nothing.

It's more than that to some AKBobby. The whole thing, including the effort, the professionalism, the bumpkinish effect it had as a final product, re-enforces the town's image as a low budget, flea-market entertainment, laughing stock in the region. If we're ever gonna get to 50% of where the West Chesters, the Springboro's, hell, the Monroe's and frikkin Franklin's are now, we better put the brakes on this type of image killing behavior. It is intended as a light hearted, funny, comical type of production, but it is the epitome of what we are now and how we are looked at. It didn't help in creating a more sophisticated reputation and mires us in the "joke of the area" category. Need to try to have some class in what we do for a change.JMO

How offensive it is to see Jolly Judy sprawled out in her slenderizing Lane Bryant outfit.  And, there's Mr. Adkins wearing his "Festivus" toke.  After all, he has so much fun lavishly spending/wasting our hard-earned Federal tax dollars. 

Here's the link the City Managers Weekly NewsLetter