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COUNTY FUNDS IN JEOPARDY? WHAT ABOUT MIDDLETOWN?

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Nelson R. Self View Drop Down
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    Posted: Feb 25 2010 at 4:53pm

County must use $4.2M in federal funds before government takes it back

To:  Ryan Gauthier/Kevin Aldrich, Middletown Journal ....... What's Middletown's $2.144 M "NSP-1" status?

By Josh Sweigart, Staff Writer Updated 2:41 PM Thursday, February 25, 2010

HAMILTON — Nearly a year and a half after federal lawmakers gave Butler County $4.2 million to deal with the housing crisis, county leaders are still trying to figure out what to do with it.

With only six months to go before the federal government takes unused money back, commissioners heard a list of options today, Feb. 25, from county Community Development Director Donna Everson.

Monroe library

Commissioners said they’re open to spending $1 million renovating a former dialysis center in downtown Monroe to give the city’s lending library a permanent home, but only if the city agrees in writing to pay for ongoing staffing and maintenance.

Everson said the building was appraised at $600,000 and renovations were estimated at $600,000, so the city may also need to help with the initial costs.

“(The federal money) can provide the books for this library, we can provide computers, chairs, shelving, (everything) from start to finish,” Everson said.

Seven Mile gas station

Commissioner Donald Dixon expressed concerns time and again that the money be spent carefully, and that the owners of dilapidated properties not profit from it.

He called for the county to consider foreclosing on an abandoned gas station in Seven Mile. They plan to turn the land into a community park instead of buying it.

Others agreed that could save a few thousand dollars, but it could also drag on much longer.

Everson said it could take $19,000 to get clear title to the gas station, and $200,000 to clear it and remove the gas tanks — unless the tanks leaking. Then it could cost untold amounts more. But the village would be the property owner, so would have to pay the additional cleanup.

Demolishing blighted homes

Dixon also criticized a plan to tear down blighted buildings on unwanted land at no cost to the landowner. He called instead for the county to either take possession of the property, or assess the landowner for the cost of the demolition.

The properties in question ranged from a string of homes in New Miami to an abandoned Steak and Shake in West Chester Twp. Those buildings will continue to sit empty as Everson looks into Dixon’s proposal.

As they argue over the details, the clock is ticking. “We have to obligate all of it by Sept. 30. If we don’t obligate it, it’s gone.”

Other plans

Some plans commissioners did agree on:

• Spending $1.1 million to build two apartment buildings with four, one-bedroom apartments each. The units would be for Developmental Disabilities clients becoming adults or who have elderly caretakers.

• Spending $1 million on acquiring and rehabilitating blighted homes in partnership with Neighborhood Housing Services.

Grant awarded in 2008

The federal grant came through the Neighborhod Stabilization Program, created in 2008 to combat blight and foreclosure “Through the purchase and redevelopment of foreclosed and abandoned homes and residential properties,” according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Web site.

The county received $403,742 to administer the program.

Commission President Gregory Jolivette said it has been red tape that has kept the money from actually doing any good over the past year and a half.

Hamilton and Middletown have their own federal grants, together totaling $4.5 million, and have outlined plans to demolish or improve blighted properties.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175 or jsweigart@coxohio.com.

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Hermes View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hermes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 25 2010 at 5:01pm
Refering to commissions "ideas" what does any of that have to do with the "housing crisis ??!!!
 
Call me ignorant but somebody some where is full of it !!
 
I think when DC is passing out "my money" they need to stipulate this money is for a housing crisis and not a friggin library !!!!!!!!!! Angry
 
What kind of drugs are these people on ?
No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !!
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Nelson R. Self View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nelson R. Self Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 25 2010 at 5:10pm
Hermes -
 
These funds were not given to local government entities like the City of MIddletown, only to provide outlandish subsidies of up to $75,000 per home as a certain senior City staff member recently stated.  These are taxpayers funds and we should have some say in the matter!
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Nelson R. Self View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nelson R. Self Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 25 2010 at 5:31pm
Hermes -
 
As I've noted before, what does $300,000 + for commercial property acquisition and demolition in downtown Middletown have to do with this HUD Residential Foreclosure Prevention program??
 
It wasn't too long ago that our senior City staff told us how these NSP-1 funds were used to acquire the vacant Apostolic Chuch on Central Avenue and then to demolish it along with the adjoining Barb's Pub.
 
It would appear that there may possible be a litany of new unanswered questions that the Middletown Journal has yet to investigate.
 
Time and time again we read investigative stories about Butler County and the City of Hamilton.  Is there truly a "hands-off" policy when it comes to the City of Middletown?
 
There's no better time than now Ryan & Kevin to do some fact finding!  Ed Richter was provided with a wealth of documentation on the mess and nothing ever became of that!
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acclaro View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acclaro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 25 2010 at 7:23pm
Nelson- I haven't attempted to read the details associated with the stimulus package, as I view it as a Ppayback for Obama to the teachers and the unions, but when a municipality gets these funds, are they paid back by the municality, or truly a gift from heaven, or the state, which cities like Middletown try to get their hands on every free crumb they can? If its to be paid back, and I realize I'm mixing the bailout scenario with loans and interest for GM, etc., in the same big bucket, but I have been very curious is this just fed money being thrown out to a municipality? And if so, is there any obligation to pay it back from the city albeit who receives it- Middletown, Xenia, etc?
 
I assume its a freebie, otherwise Middletown would be absorbing considerable debt I don't think they'd be able to pay back. Of course, I realize its the future generations whom are really getting the pain from this, but your numerous comments had me intriqued as to the nature of the "deal." If its free...Middletown employees and the city leadership must be on bended knee daily, thanking for the gift called a recession.   
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hermes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 26 2010 at 9:29am
Originally posted by Nelson R. Self Nelson R. Self wrote:

Hermes -
 
These funds were not given to local government entities like the City of MIddletown, only to provide outlandish subsidies of up to $75,000 per home as a certain senior City staff member recently stated.  These are taxpayers funds and we should have some say in the matter!
 
Nelson - That has been my argument all along. When the city or the county gets these monies it appears to me they are "mis-directing" the path which it was actually meant to be spent on. And apperently the fed doesn't care because it seems there is no follow-up from anyone in DC. And I agree that we the tax payer should have a say in all this.
No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !!
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