| September 13, 2009 Weekly Update From City Manager To city Council |
| Tuesday, September 15, 2009 8:18:09 AM - Middletown Ohio |
Posted By: Randy Lewis
Budget 2010
Staff will be meeting on Wednesday in another budget worksession.
Council consideration will begin in early October and we would like to
have a package ready for council that provides for our city priorities
as much as possible given our current financial constraints. With our
revenue projections updated, we will need to trim another $1M from the
budget over the next three years to meet our goals. These are tough
meetings given that we will be seeing some employee layoffs. Again,
our goal is to provide as much advance notice as possible to affected
employees. Even though the budget has not been reviewed by City
Council, if a position is discussed for reduction, we have made the
employee aware of this discussion so that there are no surprises.
Group Workcamps Foundation
The City of Middletown is working with SELF (Supports to Encourage Low
Income Families) to bring Group Workcamps, a faith, mission based
organization to Middletown in the year 2011. They are working in
Hamilton in 2010. Group Work Camps Foundation is a non-profit
organization that coordinates home repairs across the nation. The goal
is to make a profound, visible impact within neighborhoods. Campers
commit more than 12,000 hours of free labor to the community. SELF has
asked for a committment from the City of Middletown to proceed for
2011. Unless I hear otherwise from Council members in the next couple
of weeks, we will be giving them that commitment. There is very little
needed from the city; more staff time than funding. A very worthwhile
endeavor. For more information on Group Workcamps, go to
www.groupworkcamps.com.
Nuisance Assessments
The Finance Department has submitted the 2009 nuisance assessments to
Butler and Warren Counties for placement on the property taxes. The
totals are approx:
Noxious Weeds $333,000
Litter 78,000
In
comparison, last year’s billing were $133,593 for Butler County. The
increase is more directly linked to our increase in enforcement and
abatement, but the downturn in the economy has not helped with blight.
While this is capital upfront, it is well spent since we have made it a
priority to aggressively enhance our city image.
Staff requested
an additional $25,000 for nuisance abatement; I decreased the request
to $15,000, which was then appropriated by Council at a recent
meeting.
At the current pace of complaints and expenditures
the additional funds will be exhausted in approximately 4-6 weeks. Our
Chief Buidling Official did a great job of summarizing our 4 possible
scenarios regarding the continued program of abatement:
1.
“Begin a policy of abating the nuisance complaints for curb appeal
only. In other words, only the front and/or side of the properties
will be maintained. This policy is currently being implemented. From
the first day of implementation, complaints regarding our contractors
failing to “finish the job” have been coming in with some complainants
calling multiple times to express their frustrations.
2.
Abatement of only the complaint driven nuisances. Currently, there are
a number of properties which are on an “Auto Recheck” list or if they
have been previously contracted, they will be contracted again without
the notification to the Property Owner/Tenant. Cutting out these auto
rechecks and auto contracted properties may reduce the total number of
complaints contracted; however there are so many properties in the City
of Middletown that are vacant and/or considered abandoned for whom
there is no property owner to take responsibility this will mean a
great number of properties left unmaintained.
3. Continue to
contract properties as before with no cut-back measures. As previously
stated, the additional funds allotted will most likely be exhausted
within 4-6 weeks at our current level of contracting. Once funds are
exhausted, additional requests for funds may be required or a cessation
of the program will be necessary.
4. Stop the abatement of
nuisance complaints for city alleys. As the summer comes to a close,
the tall grass and weeds at alleys have the potential to become a
safety hazard.
This year, Community Revitalization has stepped
up its nuisance compliance program. Coupled with the ever greater
number of vacant and abandoned properties due to the economic downturn
the initial funds allotted for nuisance abatement was pushed beyond its
initial limit.
This office has made every effort to
encourage property owners and tenants to abate these issues wherever
possible; again, given the economic climate, those efforts were not
always successful. Despite the approach of fall, nuisance complaint
for trees, shrubs and tree limbs and trash will most likely continue to
make demands on our budget.”
We will do our best to balance the
complaints against the nuisance abatement budget. We may have to
return to council for an additional appropriation. Again, I believe
that a couple of hundred thousand dollars per year (if we collect only
a portion of the assessments from property taxes) is money well spent
as we spruce up the city.
Upcoming Events
September 14 Park Board Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Conference Room 2C
September 16 Lone Star Steakhouse ribbon cutting, 10:45 a.m., 6780 Roosevelt Avenue (please note new date)
September 18 Farmers Market, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. - Central & Broad St.
September 23 EPA Public Hearing on Aeronca Discharge Permit, 6:30 p.m., Middletown Community Center, 800 Lafayette Avenue
September 24 Bodyworks Massage & Fitness Grand Re-opening/ribbon cutting, Noon – 2:00 p.m., 1004 N. University Blvd.
September 25 Farmers Market, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. - Central & Broad St.
September 30 McGohan Brabender Senior Solutions ribbon cutting- 3909 Central Avenue, 12:15 pm
October 1 Chamber of Commerce Monthly luncheon, 11:45 a.m., Senior Citizens Center, 3907 Central Ave.
October 2 Farmers Market, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. - Central & Broad St.
October 6 Middletown City Council meeting, 5:30 p.m., Council Chambers
October 7 Candidates Forum, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers
October 9 Farmers Market, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. - Central & Broad St.
Links for additional information:
City Manager’s Weekly Update: www.cityofmiddletown.org
Middletown Community Calendar: http://www.calendarwiz.com/middletowncalendar
Pothole Patrol: www.cityofmiddletown.org or call 727-3691 (Option 2)
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