Middletown Forum : Middletown Helps Residents With Code Enforcement http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/ This is an XML content feed of; Middletown Forum : Community Revitalization : Middletown Helps Residents With Code Enforcement Tue, 06 Oct 2026 16:03:02 +0000 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:34:54 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 10.12 360 www.middletownusa.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=1701 Middletown Forum http://middletownusa.com/images/blog-logo.jpg http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/ Middletown Helps Residents With Code Enforcement : RealDeal: I lived in the Dallas-Ft.... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=11418&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#11418 Author: Mike_Presta
Subject: 1701
Posted: Sep 24 2009 at 9:34pm

RealDeal:

I lived in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metro-plex for about three years in the mid-80s, and was involved with new industry to the south as well as the first attempt at DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit). While you are correct in your assessment of the old versus new in Ft. Worth, what you may not realize is this:

All of the restaurants, shops, etc., and yes, even Billy Bob’s, were all the visions of PRIVATE developers, and were implemented with “at-risk” venture capital. Some of the early ventures in that area failed (unfortunately) but there were always other entrepreneurial types waiting to test THEIR visions at those same locations. Fortunately for Ft. Worth, their leaders actually DID encourage business and tried to make it EASY for the visionaries to take their shots at success.

Such is not the case in Middletown. In Middletown, a small group wants to control ALL goings-on and do so with little regard for what makes sense commercially. They simply want what THEY want, and if others go broke trying to provide it…well, that’s just too bad. If anyone proposes a business that THEY don’t like, even if the business plan is sound, well…the Planning and Zoning folk, the Historic and Landmarks Commission, and every other red tape-wielding bureaucrat at 1 Donham Plaza will soon put the kibosh on it.

Can you imagine the horror that would result if someone wanted a zoning variance to put a stockyard in downtown Middletown for a Billy Bob type enterprise??? They would have only two chances…SLIM and NONE. And Slim won’t even make it across the city limits with the livestock for the first rodeo!!!

]]> Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:34:54 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=11418&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#11418 Middletown Helps Residents With Code Enforcement : Yes Middletown has fallen and... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=11409&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#11409 Author: THE WEAVER
Subject: 1701
Posted: Sep 24 2009 at 3:58pm

Yes Middletown has fallen and it can't get up.  Sounds like a commercial I heard on TV before.  They must start to look beyond forest and look at the trees and take care of them one at a time.  Starting with the worst first.
 
The WeaverClap
]]> Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:58:12 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=11409&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#11409 Middletown Helps Residents With Code Enforcement : Another idea for Middletown would... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=11139&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#11139 Author: RealDeal
Subject: 1701
Posted: Sep 15 2009 at 9:56am

Another idea for Middletown would be,if they want to keep the historical part of Middletown is,make the old downtown the historical area and build an entirely new up to date downtown.And the way I mean this is,I went to Ft.Worth Texas back in May.I seen the actual city itself.And then I went to the Stockyards.The Stockyards is basically for tourist purposes now,but it is the historical part of Ft.Worth. They had the old streets from way back when.Still had the old buildings that were fixed up to look nice,but still remind you of what it looked like back in the day.I know Middletown's not as big as Ft.Worth,but hey,it's an idea to get things flowing.They mostly had museums,shops,and restaruants,with a bull riding arena(yes the one you see on ESPN if you watch it).Billy Bob's Texas is the name of it.

If they'd fix the old downtown up like that and get rid of the bars and pawn shops,and tear down that waste of space they call a parking garage,downtown would look nice.But they're going to have to work on their problems and stop looking at the residents' small tiny problems that we can deal with as time goes on,when we have the money to deal with it.

Since they're constantly building out by I-75,they need to just go ahead and start making that section the new downtown.It'll be by the highway,where lots of people drive through,and there is plenty of room to work with.
]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:56:51 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=11139&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#11139 Middletown Helps Residents With Code Enforcement : Good post RealDeal ! The real... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=11120&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#11120 Author: Hermes
Subject: 1701
Posted: Sep 14 2009 at 10:07pm

Good post RealDeal !
 
The real problem as I've stated before is it's an attack on a certain class of people. The poor or working class poor who can not make repairs due to no money. The poor can not fight them because of no money and no leverage. I think that is one reason Doug Adkins decided not to force people into court because there is no money so why fine them. Then the city wants poor people to take out loans which they can not repay or even qualify for. It's a no win situation for many. And no one cares,if the city really gave a crap they would spread some that bailout money they keep trying to get and GIVE IT to the poor to make these repairs,but Oh no ! They will LOAN IT at a low interest rate. But heaven forbid if a politician actually done something for the working people.
]]> Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:07:11 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=11120&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#11120 Middletown Helps Residents With Code Enforcement : This "Clean Up Middletown"... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=11108&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#11108 Author: RealDeal
Subject: 1701
Posted: Sep 14 2009 at 5:24pm

This "Clean Up Middletown" idea is a complete crock of city officials on crack.

I swear,they're like nats that just won't stay away.Our city is in poor shape because our taxes are being used to pay these morons to go around and harass people about cracks in the porches,small spots in the over hang over the porch that need painted,garage doors being torn down and new ones put up because they don't think we should have those doors on our garage,put a new gutter up....blah blah blah. Why don't they do something useful with our taxes such as eliminate the idiots that harass people and start paying people to come up with good ideas on what to do to improve the city? Telling the residents they need to do this that and the other isn't fixing the city. Business doesn't come to a city to look at the houses.They look at the city in general and look at how well kept it is.

So my thoughts are,tear down all those crumby old buildings they say they're going to use downtown and slowly start building new ones.Forget about the ideas about the "historical" part of Middletown and the way it used to be.Think of the way it needs to be now.Bring in some recreational stuff.Some museums.Look at some of what Gatlinburg,Tennessee has.Sure,it's a tourist attraction town.But hey,it brings in money.I'm not saying go all out and put in a lot of in-door putt putt courses and game rooms,but it wouldn't hurt to bring in something.Put up some go-kart tracks here and there.Not a lot because we don't want the kids skipping school and all that,but enough to give people something to do besides worry about whether the city will be after them about a small bit of space that needs a touch of paint.

Middletown has plenty of room to bring in business and recreation,but instead they want to focus on being dictators and trying to control people.In some ways they're like Hitler.They know the people want to leave,but they know they can't because they don't have enough to just go.So they continue to do stuff to either push people to suicide or they push stuff on people to keep them paying the city to where they have nothing at all.

Sorry if some of this sounds corny.But hey,I'm venting and I think more people should.This is my first post.So hopefully it isn't too bad.lol
]]> Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:24:05 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=11108&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#11108 Middletown Helps Residents With Code Enforcement : " We will work with residents... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=9522&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#9522 Author: Hermes
Subject: 1701
Posted: Aug 07 2009 at 11:37am

" We will work with residents over the summer and fall and restart the program next spring to continue work on making our City attractive and code compliant" so this is an ONGOING thing and will never stop ??
 
And what if the city doesn't like my repairs & paint job ?
 
What about making downtown attractive ? All the broken windows,potholes & pawn shops make for an attractive city ?? ]]> Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:37:30 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=9522&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#9522 Middletown Helps Residents With Code Enforcement : " We will work with residents... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=9520&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#9520 Author: VietVet
Subject: 1701
Posted: Aug 07 2009 at 11:20am

" We will work with residents over the summer and fall and restart the program next spring to continue work on making our city attractive" ..... while we do our best to attract the most Section 8/ welfare candidates with the theme of welfare saturation, continue to maintain our desolate, vacant, brown field industrial sites, continue to lose business, employment, jobs, population, continue to plow money into a downtown area with no direction or developmental plans and continue to ignore the most basic amenities with our streets and infrastructure to the point where the streets will end up gravel and the sewers and bridges will collapse at any given moment. Atta girl, Gilleland! Way to stay focused on the important things this town needs. ]]> Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:20:06 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=9520&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#9520 Middletown Helps Residents With Code Enforcement : When does the city of Middletown... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=9519&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#9519 Author: accuro
Subject: 1701
Posted: Aug 07 2009 at 11:16am

When does the city of Middletown intend to bring its miserable streets, sewers, infrastructure, downtown, and quality of life into "code standards?" Oh the codes, the cameras at traffic lights, the complete incompetence that continues daily. Maybe they should try to reversing teh code ordinance on allowing money to be diverted for streets to be used for the "chosen ones." Middletown is such an utter and astonishingly complete mess.  ]]> Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:16:49 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=9519&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#9519 Middletown Helps Residents With Code Enforcement : "We will work with residents... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=9515&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#9515 Author: Mike_Presta
Subject: 1701
Posted: Aug 07 2009 at 10:53am

"We will work with residents over the summer and fall and restart the program next spring to continue work on making our City attractive..."
 
Hmm...attractive to WHOM????
 
Can't they understand that taste is SUBJECTIVE???   One man's trash is another man's treasure!  City Hall has NO BUSINESS dictating fashion or decorating.
]]> Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:53:11 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=9515&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#9515 Middletown Helps Residents With Code Enforcement : Taken from the August 2, 2009... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=9512&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#9512 Author: randy
Subject: 1701
Posted: Aug 07 2009 at 10:26am

Taken from the August 2, 2009 Middletown City Managers Report

As part of code enforcementefforts to bring properties back within the property maintenance codecity-wide, it became obvious that many residents had minordeficiencies.  Some lacked the ability to complete the work but, mostlacked the resources to complete even minor repairs due to the pooreconomy.  
 
The City reached out to various community churchesand service organizations to asking volunteer groups to assist theelderly and disabled in the Volunteer Improvement Program (V.I.P.). Currently the Oaks Community Church, Kiwanis, and AK retireeorganization (CARE) has adopted projects to assist with minor exteriorproperty maintenance. 

In May the program was expanded toassist low-income citizens as well.  The City was approached by MalachiYouth Opportunities Program and Butler County Workforce One regardingsummer work for at-risk 18-24 year olds.  The service agency pays forall salaries and expenses in exchange for employment at variousbusinesses throughout the County.  The Community RevitalizationDepartment set up work groups with several young people from theseprograms and put them to work in V.I.P.   They are supervised by ourBuilding Inspectors to ensure that the repairs are being correctlyperformed.  $65,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds are setaside to purchase the repair materials required. 

To dateV.I.P has completed close to 20 projects.  We will continue to workwith this program as long as funding exists and the weathercooperates.  The end result is that properties are being repaired withno material or labor costs to the City or to residents other than theBuilding Inspectors supervision time.   We will work with residentsover the summer and fall and restart the program next spring tocontinue work on making our City attractive and code compliant.


Click here to read the complete City Managers Report
]]> Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:26:15 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1701&PID=9512&title=middletown-helps-residents-with-code-enforcement#9512