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Safety Levy Is On The Way!

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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: Jan 27 2011 at 8:42am
Mike, I want to re-iterate I understand and agree with your point on the lack of "sunshines". But, isn't that the nature of the beast in the city and others. Look at AJ Smith and Mike Robinette, we could speculate they were talking about any number of public issues and dealings out of the public (in conjunction with trying to get a womanto take off her clothes).
 
At the retreats, you and I know they talk about the issues you bring forth. They meet for coffee, there are no secrets not known. We can seethe blatant nepotism but no one iscalling for resignations or new ordiances prohibiting such. But how do you go about establishing it as fact?
 
My sole point is a State auditor would find no wrong doings at city hall. CSH did not, and moving money around seems to be well supported with the ordinances. If you are stating ordinances are being violated, that's a different story.I know there are which include the historic section.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Observer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jan 27 2011 at 9:21am
My point was not that there couldn't be improvments in the way our city gov't conducts itself but rather, that throwing out suggestions that CSH would risk their busienss reputation and possibly criminal charges over a contract with the city just doesn't make sense.  I have no problem with people questioning their gov't and holding them accountable.  Call me naive that's fine, we can disagree.
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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: Jan 27 2011 at 9:44am
Anderson Consulting's top audit Partner and a few others who audited Enron, went to prison, lost their CPA license, and were humilated. I agre eit would defy logic for CSH to put into jeopardy, their reputation, livelihood, and criminal consequence on anything that would serve Middletown. They are also moving, so the correlations or cause and effect makes no sense. I agree sunshine should come through, and shell games take place, but I suggest, supported by the financial section of the city ordinance, until proven otherwise.  Questionable government financial maneuvers, but no criminal wrongdoing IMHO.   
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TudorBrown Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 08 2011 at 12:00am
Originally posted by Observer Observer wrote:

I think it's very unlikely that a quality company like Clark, Schaffer and Hackett would purposefully look over an error during an audit,  Working for a small business I know that no client is worth the decades it takes to garner an excellent reputation, like C.S.H has.  I can only imagine the lawsuits, firings and financial damages that would result from purposefully overlooking errors.  As for unintentionally overlooking something...I would venture to say an out of town group would be equally likely to make the same potential unintentional error.



I'm sure a reliable, known company like C,S,H are behind this massive cover up involving hundreds of city employees, city council, and city administration! LOL

Tell us more Mr. Nagy!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TudorBrown Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 08 2011 at 12:19am
Originally posted by Paul Nagy Paul Nagy wrote:

Acclaro/Observer,Due to another situation not related to the city I had occassion to look up the definition of audit in bookkeeping terms and it struck me funny saying, "2. An account as adjusted by auditors; final statement of account.".
         Paul Nagy
         

So you're basically claiming that the art of recording, classifying, and summarizing in a significant manner and in terms of money, transactions and events which are, in part at least, of financial character, and interpreting the results thereof is bogus?

Bravo my friend, Bravo!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Paul Nagy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 08 2011 at 7:45am
Ahhh Tudor,
        If you are suggesting that our city financial department and administration have never made a financial mistake, misrecorded funds, made intentional exclusions, moved money in and out of accounts wrongfully and even illegally, diverted funds to special interests, and have not been supported by finance committeees, accountants and special interests, then you my friend get the Grand Pubah Pollyanna Award of all time.
        Such trust after the years of experience with this city administration is too high for me and I cannot attain it.
            pn
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote middie83 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 08 2011 at 9:26pm
The city manager has requested department heads from public safety to come to her with a plan to cut 20% if the public safety levy fails. 3 council members have come up with an idea to cut over 30 members from the fire department and contract EMS services with JEMS. They would put only 2 personnel on 4 fire trucks. (thats 8 guys to fight a fire and the first 2 guys driving have to stay outside to pump the fire truck so 6 guys!) 6 guys can not fight a fire!! These city council members are willing to put your safety at risk!! They are willing to roll the dice and play a game of chance on citizens lives!! The fire department is already having to call in squads and additional fire trucks from Monroe, Franklin, Madison, ect. on a daily basis to help with emergency calls due to lack of manpower. The fire chief will not publicly say this....well because the City Manager has told him not too and he is her puppet!
I'm not asking anyone to stand up for public safety wage increases, better benefits or more money of any sort. But decreasing personnel can not happen. It's not a scare tactic, people will be hurt and die if we continue to cut. Council promised us to at least maintain current levels if the last levy passed and they have broke that promise. We need help standing up against them and their games!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb 09 2011 at 6:20am
Don't cut fire personnel. Maintain the correct level. Cut high paying city building papershuffler jobs, dole out those job duties to the ones who remain behind. Take the salary money/benefits costs used for these high salary jobs and transfer this money over to maintain the 30 firefighter jobs that will be cut. We need fire protection as a basic. We do not need more papershuffling, meeting going, high paying director, manager, asst. manager, supervisor, lead person jobs who are not actually contributing other than to pass information up and down the ladder. Each dept. should have one person who runs it and all report to them. Don't need all these intermediate levels between the boss and the worker. Those "fatcat" days are over. Time to cut all intermediate levels. Lowest qualified level runs department. JMO
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2011 at 7:06am
Good Lord, does the city have no shame on begging?

Here's some more "priming of the public" for safety levy approval....

City braces for $3.7M in cuts
Police and fire departments may lose $2.6 million in funding

MIDDLETOWN — Police officers and firefighters may see their jobs on the line as city officials will look at cutting $3.7 million from the budget, theAt a special City Council work session Thursday, Middletown staff presented a financial report showing the city in dire straits due to $1.7 million in state budget cuts. That number almost doubles to $3.1 million by 2013 — at which point Middletown would become insolvent with a negative cash balance of $4.1 million, according to reports prepared by the finance department.

majority of which will likely come from public safety

SO, YOU DROVE THE BUDGET INTO THE GROUND, YOU WEREN'T FRUGAL WITH THE MONEY IN A POOR ECONOMIC SETTING,YOU HAD AN INDICATION THAT LESS MONEY WAS COMING FROM THE STATE, WHICH HAS NO MONEY EITHER, YOU HIRED THROUGH THE BACKDOOR WHILE TELLING THE PEOPLE YOU WERE REDUCING AND NOW, YOU WANT THE RESIDENTS OF THIS TOWN TO BAIL YOUR PATHETIC CARCASSES OUT AGAIN....IF WE DO, WE ARE THE FOOLS.


EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LAST SAFETY LEVY MONEY WE FOOLISHLY GAVE YOU?

About 71 percent — or $21 million — of the city’s total budget goes to the police and fire departments. As such, City Council agreed for city staff to ask those departments to absorb the majority of the cuts — $2.6 million — to keep Middletown in the black for at least the next three years.

How those cuts will look exactly is yet to be determined, but both police Chief Greg Schwarber and fire Chief Steve Botts agreed it likely will mean a work force reduction.

“Neither budget here can absorb some kind of cut without reductions in personnel,” Schwarber said. “If I add up my total budget, only $1.4 million is non-personnel.”

NO SYMPATHY HERE BOYS AND GIRLS. PRIVATE BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN CUTTING FOR MANY YEARS. WHAT MAKES YOU IN PUBLICLAND THINK YOU ARE SPECIAL AND IMMUNE TO DOWNSIZING? YOUR LUCKY TO HAVE HELD ON FOR THIS LONG.


Another item under consideration is generating revenue from a street light assessment. By adding a $3.50 charge to utility bills, Gilleland said $750,000 could be generated yearly


GOOD LORD! GRASPING AT STRAWS AND LOOKING UNDER THE COUCH CUSHIONS FOR LOOSE CHANGE JUST BECAUSE THE CITY'S LOUSY ECON. DEV.DEPT. HASN'T GOTTEN UP OFF THEIR DUFF THE LAST 20 YEARS AND BROUGHT JOB/COMPANY TAX REVENUE INTO THIS TOWN, AND YOU'VE RELIED ON GOV. HANDOUTS. IT IS NOW CATCHING UP WITH YOU AND YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO GO BUT TO BLEED THE PEOPLE DRY.

It still will be several weeks before Gilleland said each department will be able to present information and figures on how the cuts will impact each city department

STOP AGONIZING OVER IT AND START CUTTING. MERCY! IT AIN'T LIKE IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
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Bocephus View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bocephus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2011 at 1:48pm

We need new leadership in this city these people are clueless about how to lead us through this mess thier main concern seems to be how to keep the meetings out of the general publics view,what the hell is wrong with the people of Middletown to sit back and watch these clueless people keep fumbling around while the city is going down the sh*ter? Time to think out of the box maybe one thing that could be looked at is contracting with the County for Police services? Its allmost like no one has a clue what to do,I offer to send my wife down these to show these people how to budget I am sure that she could straighten this out for them in a few days.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hermes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2011 at 7:27pm
They add $3.50 to my bill and I'll take a chain saw to the damn thing !! No more light,no more charge.
 I agree Vet,they are grasping at anything and everything.THEY created this friggin mess and now they want a bail-out from the people !! I'm still waiting on MY bail-out from the federal government !! Since it's my tax dollars that went to the banks and auto manufacturers how soon before I get a dividend check ?
These idiots created a welfare town by taking federal & state money for all their little pet projects and now the welfare checks have stopped and they all have the deer in the headlights look about them.Maybe they can charge for riding that million dollar bike path ? Could put up toll booths at each end of town,that might work. How about a toll booth at the exit off I-75 ?!! Approve
No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bocephus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2011 at 8:25pm

They better put some street lights on my street if they are gonna charge me for the electric bill.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TonyB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 07 2011 at 9:12am
Hermes - they're not going to charge you for the street light on your street, they're charging you $3.50 a month for all the street lights in town. I don't agree with it but understand that it's for all the lights.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 07 2011 at 3:23pm
If they start this program, it will be a shame not to see everyone receiving the bill to write the check for $3.50 less than the amount.

If the city is that cash-strapped, they could always turn out the lights!
(The party's over anyway around here) the way the town is being run.

Speaking of turning out the lights.....why don't they do that at One Donham Plaza. Ain't nothin' worthwhile comin' out of that building anyway to keep 'em burning.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TonyB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 07 2011 at 11:07pm
I'd be much more interested if those lights at the city building are all energy efficient bulbs as well as all of the street lights. You want to cut the budget, stop wasting energy!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 02 2012 at 3:46pm
Today's Journal...

City to hear tax recommendation
Council subcommittee favors 0.25% public safety continuing income tax

MIDDLETOWN — A council subcommittee will recommend to City Council on Tuesday that it ask voters to renew the city’s 0.25 percent public safety levy in August, but make it a continuing income tax.

Following a series of three public informational sessions, the subcommittee chaired by Councilman A.J. Smith concluded that the residents who attended didn’t want the levy to expire at the end of the year, which would result in potential deep cuts in the police and fire departments

WELL, COUNCILMAN SMITH, YOUR CONCLUSIONS MAY BE WRONG. TO TAKE THE DESIRES FROM A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE CITY POPULATION WHO ATTENDED YOUR MEETINGS AND CONCLUDE THAT THAT IS WHAT THE MAJORITY WANTS IS PURE FOOLISHNESS. BECAUSE IT IS WHAT YOU AND OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS WANT, YOU TWIST AND TURN THE TRUTH TO ACCOMODATE YOUR NEEDS. TYPICAL NONSENSE FROM CITY LEADERS. YOU KNOW, THERE IS ANOTHER WAY THAT COULD HAVE GOTTEN YOU MORE INPUT AND LARGER NUMBERS FOR YOUR CONCLUSIONS AND OPINIONS FROM A MORE DIVERSE AUDIENCE.......TELEPHONE THE PEOPLE AND ASK THEM POINT BLANK. MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED PROBABLY AGREED WITH YOUR LITTLE LEVY. MAKES IT EASY TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS FROM THAT CROWD MAKEUP. IT'S ALSO NOT ACCURATE.

The subcommittee presented residents with several options, including placing issue on the November or August ballot, making it a 0.25 or 0.5 percent tax, and placing a sunset on the tax or allowing it to continue

AGAIN, THIS IS A SKEWED OPTIONS PACKAGE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THE PEOPLE A NO LEVY CHOICE. IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY REFLECT TRUE RESULTS, JUST THE RESULTS YOU WANT TO SEE.

“We can’t afford to cut anymore, and if we can’t pass this levy, we’re talking about cuts that equate to $2.8 million to $2.9 million,” Smith said

WHAT ABOUT THE FOUR FIRE CAPTAINS SOMEONE MENTIONED IN ANOTHER POST? ANY MORE HIGHER ECHELON POSITIONS THAT HAS BEEN CONVENIENTLY LEFT OUT OGF THE EQUATION? DO WE STILL HAVE AN ASSIST FIRE CHIEF? HOW MANY OTHER "ASSISTANTS" DO WE HAVE THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT OFF THE RADAR?

“The citizens get a clear message of what we’re putting out, and our message won’t get intertwined with any of the other political parties,” he said. “I just hope the citizens will continue to support the firefighters and the police officers.”

SMITH, YOUR REAL MESSAGE IS NOT HARD TO SEE. YOU ARE PITCHING THIS LEVY ON BEHALF OF THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN THE HOPE THAT YOU CAN SECURE A POSITION IN THE POST COUNCIL DAYS. THE THEME HERE IS TO BE A BUDDY TO THE FIRE/POLICE IN THE HOPE OF FUTURE EMPLOYMENT WITH THEM, RIGHT?

The city would have to pay to put the issue on the August ballot, but the total cost won’t be known until after the special election, according to Butler County Board of Elections Deputy Director Jocelyn Bucaro. Based on past votes, she said it could cost the city between $1,600 and $1,900 per precinct; the city has 36 precincts

36 PRECINCTS TIMES 2 GRAND PER PRECINCT. THIS COMING FROM A CASH-STRAPPED CITY, ALWAYS CRYING THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO CONDUCT CITY BUSINESS..........UNLESS IT'S TO BLEED THE PEOPLE DRY THROUGH EXCESSIVE TAXATION OF COURSE. THEN, MONEY IS NO OBJECT.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bocephus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 03 2012 at 10:19am

AJ helping to decide whats best for the city ? now thats comical its sad times when people as dumb as this guy can help to decide anything that affects other human beings.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr 04 2012 at 6:14am
Today's Journal...

Council considers public safety levy
Continuing 0.25% income tax issue may appear on August ballot

MIDDLETOWN — City Council will vote Thursday morning on whether it will ask residents to renew a 0.25 percent income tax public safety levy in August. According to proposed legislation, a continuing levy instead of one with a sunset provision is being considered.

The current 0.25 percent public safety levy expires at the end of the year, and with it would go an estimated $2.9 million collected annually for the police and fire departments. The police and fire budgets are a collective $21 million.

If we had to lose the $3 million, that’s more police and firefighters that would have to be let go,” said Vice Mayor Dan Picard, a member of the public safety levy subcommittee. “We’re not asking for an increase, we just want to maintain what we have

ACTUALLY, YOU NEED TO REPHRASE THAT DANNY BOY. THE ORIGINAL .25% SAFETY LEVY WAS A NEW TAX, THEREFORE, AN INCREASE IN TAXES. YOU ARE JUST WANTING TO MAINTAIN THE INCREASE IN THIS NEW TAX FROM LAST YEAR. THIS IS THE SAME TACTIC THE SCHOOLS USE. IT STARTS OUT AS AN EMERGENCY LEVY- HELP US OUT JUST THIS ONE TIME. WHEN THE EMERGENCY LEVY IS READY TO EXPIRE, IT IS PUT ON THE BALLOT AS A CONTINUING LEVY, WHICH WHEN READY TO EXPIRE, IS PRESENTED TO THE VOTERS AS A PERMANENT LEVY.....AND THEY'VE SLIPPED ONE PAST THE VOTER AGAIN BECAUSE THEY COUNT ON YOU FORGETTING WHY ALL THIS TRANSPIRED. THE SCHOOLS AND THE CITY HAVE NO INTENTION OF SETTLING FOR A ONE TIME EMERGENCY SCENARIO. THEY HAVE THEIR SIGHTS SET ON A PERMANENT MONEY FLOW FROM THE BEGINNING. THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO HERE COUNCIL. GUARANTEED, IF THIS LEVY IS APPROVED FOR A SPECIFIC TIME, WHEN IT IS CLOSE TO EXPIRING, THE CITY WILL PRESENT IT TO THE VOTERS AS A PERMANENT LEVY. PEOPLE, IF YOU APPROVE THIS CONTINUING SAFETY LEVY, THEY WILL NOT BACK OFF YOUR WALLET. THEY WILL PURGE EVERY DIME IF YOU ALLOW THEM TO. VOTE NO AND STOP THIS CRAP BEFORE THEY BLEED YOUR WALLET DRY. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR SAFETY, JUST YOUR MONEY. CAN'T TRUST THEM. THEY SAID THE FIRST LEVY WAS TO MAINTAIN THE FORCE. INSTEAD, THEY CUT PEOPLE....MORE WORKER BEES THAN PAPER SHUFFLER BOSSES. DO YOU REALLY HAVE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THEM THIS TIME?
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From the MJ:

Special election called for on Middletown safety levy

By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer Updated 9:41 AM Thursday, April 5, 2012

MIDDLETOWN — Voters will be asked in August if they want to supplement the police and fire departments by renewing the city’s 0.25 percent income tax public safety levy.

Council voted 4-1 Thursday to place the measure on the ballot, but not before a brief discussion on whether it should be a continuing levy, which was what passed, or have a five-year sunset provision. Mayor Larry Mulligan and Councilman Josh Laubach were excused from the meeting.

“I think that we need to consider a five-year sunset on this to give it the greatest chance of passing,” said Councilman Joe Mulligan, who voted against the legislation.

The current 0.25 percent public safety levy expires at the end of the year, and with it would go an estimated $2.9 million collected annually for the police and fire departments. The police and fire budgets are a collective $21 million.

A resident earning $50,000 a year currently pays $125 a year toward the levy, or less than $10.50 a month. That payment would continue if the tax is approved by voters.

Council needed to pass three ordinances — to allow the city to impose the income tax, place it on the August ballot and pay for the special election — before April 9 so the legislation could take effect by the May 9 deadline to place the items on the Aug. 7 ballot in Butler and Warren counties.

Mulligan said there will likely be three types of voters in August: those who won’t support any tax, those who would support a continuing levy, and those who would support a levy with a sunset provision but not the continuing levy.

“Our success will be in those last two segments,” Mulligan said.

Councilman A.J. Smith, chair of council’s public safety subcommittee, disagreed. He said the voters will be “die-hard fans” of public safety, those who vote against any tax and thee uninformed voters who Smith added he feels can be convinced of the need.

“August is our best chance to get it, a continuing levy would make the most sense,” Smith said.

Councilwoman Anita Scott Jones supported Mulligan in asking for a sunset provision, but a motion to change the proposed legislation from a continuing income tax to a tax with a five-year sunset clause failed.

“I think it needs to be publicly said that there are people who have an issue with the continuing (levy) at this point ... They don’t have a problem with the renewal,” Scott Jones said. “Everyone knows I’m a supporter of police and fire, but we also sometimes have to take our personal opinions out and speak as the voice of those we represent.”

Councilwoman Ann Mort said a continuing levy “wasn’t my first choice, but I believe it is the best choice at this point.”

The anticipated cost of the election is estimated to be between $50,000 and $80,000 by the Butler County Board of Elections. The exact cost will be billed after the election.

The public safety subcommittee will meet at noon Tuesday to discuss the levy campaign on the second floor of the Middletown City Building, One Donham Plaza.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul 02 2012 at 7:58pm
Had two firefighters passing out "vote yes" pamphlets on Sunday. Didn't have the heart to tell them my decision. They explained it won't raise taxes. (OK- but it won't guarantee the public won't be lied to again either)

This morning, had to call the squad at 0530 hours. They picked up the wife again with blood clots forming in her legs. When I got to the Emergency Room, talked to one of the medics who transported her. Told him how I felt, that I wanted to show my appreciation for all the times we have used their services and vote yes. Then, told him there was a tendency among many of us to vote no because they promised no reduction in force on police and fire and reduced the numbers anyway, basically creating a lack of trust with the voters and making them liars. He understood when I told him I wouldn't give the cost of the powder to blow the hell out of city hall and the people who reside within and, with a grin, acknowledged the comment. The police and fire people understand it's not them, it's Gilleland and the others who are the problem and NEVER do as they say they will do.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike_Presta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul 03 2012 at 9:32pm
Vet,
 
So sorry to hear about your wife's setback.
 
Your family remains in our thoughts and prayers.
“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul 04 2012 at 3:27pm
Originally posted by Mike_Presta Mike_Presta wrote:



Vet,
 
So sorry to hear about your wife's setback.
 
Your family remains in our thoughts and prayers.


Thanks Mike. She is due to be released on Friday as soon as they get her blood thinned out enough to prevent clotting. Still doing the Heparin blood clot busting therapy as of today.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike_Presta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul 04 2012 at 4:06pm
Vet,
The daily care of an invalid loved one can be overwhelming.
She is in good hands for the time being.  Give yourself a break.  Take a rest.  Drink a cold beer or two.
You deserve it.
“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul 12 2012 at 6:18am
C'mon guys..............today's Journal.....

Calls increasing for area fire departments

A rescue vehicle left a fire department in Hamilton and Middletown a little more than once an hour on average last year and calls this year have grown to 32 calls a day.

But not all calls force firemen into burning buildings. More than 85 percent of the calls this year are for calls other than fighting fires. Health-related, hazardous materials, false alarms or other reasons topped 80 percent of their total calls in 2011.


Middletown fire crews are on pace to repeat calls for service last year, but Fire Chief Steve Botts points out this has been done with less firemen.

The city cut six firefighting jobs when balancing the 2012 budget. That was two people per shift and it forced the department to eliminate one fire truck out of service and move an ambulance to a station outside of its service area.

“It’s proving we are doing everything we can with the resources that we have,” he said.

Last year, Middletown went on more than 10,200 calls, but only about 2,000 were for fire calls. Hamilton went on 11,656 calls and more than 2,600 fire calls last year.

In spite of the number of calls, response times in Hamilton and Middletown remain within the national average


Middletown’s response times have increased by about 15 seconds per call since cutting six firefighters.

The city is trying to maintain what it has by passing a 0.25 percent public safety income tax levy in August. If it passes, they will accept a two-year federal SAFER Grant worth $1 million.

Botts said they can’t accept it yet because if the levy fails — which generates $2.8 million — the city can’t guarantee the staffing levels required by the grant

So, the city will get 2.8 mil if the levy passes PLUS applying for the 1 mil SAFER Grant. Think 3.8 mil is enough to maintain a full staff?


I use the medical service quite a bit for my wife. My Anthem and her Medicare pay for the ambulance runs. Middletown charges $732 per run plus mileage to Atrium. Insurance picks up ~ $600 of that.

The medical people, fire and police do a great job and I would like to support them but I question if the money actually goes toward public safety or in one of the "special projects" fund. The city lied to us last time by telling us it was to maintain manpower when they actually cut people. It is a shame the fire and police folks may have to go without because the city has created a no-trust factor with the voters with their constant lying.

Funny, the stories concerning the public safety folks and their beehive of activity always show up right before the old safety levy is to be voted on. Otherwise, don't hear too much from the Journal concerning their activities. Just primin' the pump. Too obvious.
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