I have been giving a great deal of thought to the recent post of Adam Lewis concerning posting negative things about City Hall.
    Mr Lewis with me is just pure frustration and the “Land Banking” issue is a perfect example of this problem. I saw a problem and I contacted city council members with my research of my concerns. One of the council members stated that I must have called the wrong state office.
    Well Mr Lewis just because I’m a peon with only three little grey cells does not mean that my concerns and research do not have value. Just because Mr Adkins or others at City Hall say it is so….does not make it so.
   Our city officials can not be allowed to stand before a TV camera and tell the public misleading facts about important subjects concerning our community and the spending of our tax dollars. 
   I'm happy to state that City Hall has now solved the problem. “It is ethical, it is legal, it’s perfectly acceptable,” Adkins said. “HUD is happy with it, the Ohio Attorney General is happy with it; they both have things they want us to do, this satisfies everybody.”
   So needless to say I was a bit surprised Tuesday evening that Council Members didn’t seemed to understand where the money for the fire truck was being transferred from and why.
    Once again I would like to thank MUSA for providing the community with a forum so our concerns can be heard.
Vivian Moon
   

GreyGoose
   At the last council meeting Mr Adkins stood before the members and explained his plan of using HUD Funds as matching funding for the Land Banking Program.
    Over the next few days I did a little research on the subject matter and placed phone calls to several council members. Mr. Josh Laubach was the only council member that returned by phone call.
    I explained to Mr. Laubach that I had serious concerns about Mr. Adkins plan to use HUD Funds for the Land Banking Program. That transferring HUD Funds to the General Fund and then transferring and using those funds as the matching funds for the land banking is nothing short of Money Laundering. I provided Mr Laubach with the following reasons for why the legislation should be removed from the emergency agenda of the June 19, 2012 council meeting:

1.  The guidelines for the Moving Ohio Forward Grant Program clearly state that
     HUD funds can not be used as matching funds.
2.  Mr. Adkins has not filed an Amendment to the HUD 2012 Annual Action Plan
     stating this substantial change in the use of HUD funds and requesting HUD
     approval.
3.  This major amendment concerning HUD funds has not been before the
      public for a 30 day Citizens Comment Period.
4.   HUD has not approved any changes to the HUD 2012 Annual Action Plan.
   
    Mr. Laubach stated that “Mr. Adkins has assured us that this is legal”.
He said he was going to contact Mr. Adkins and get an answer to my concerns.
I requested proof that HUD had approved Mr. Adkins plan. I have not received a phone call or an email from Mr. Laubach addressing my concerns.
    So here we are Greygoose the day before the emergency legislation for
Moving Ohio Forward Grant Program in the amount of 1.3 million dollars goes before City Council and the City has not provided me with any information or proof that HUD has approved this plan.
    Yet you come on this blog and accuse me of just sitting around bad mouthing  City Hall for no reason other than I’m frustrated. NO REASON? Then you need to go back and read this message again.
    I’m not frustrated…I’m mad as hell as I sit and watch what is going on at City Hall every day of the week.  Sooo since you are such a close buddy to Mr. Adkins I'm sure you should be able to provide us with the letter showing HUD has approved this plan.  

http://www.cityofmiddletown.org/docs/commsvc/py2012aapdraft.pdf

June 27, 2012
Tuesday

Middletown Council Members

I’m requesting that the legislation for the approval of the Moving Ohio Forward Grant Program vote be canceled until you find another funding source for this program.

Last Tuesday Mr. Adkins stood before the council and stated that HUD and the AG’s Office had approved the use of HUD Funds as the match for the Moving Ohio Forward Grant Program.

I spoke with the AG’s Office today and they have no record of an email or a phone call from Mr. Adkins requesting approval of this current plan.
The AG’s Office stated that moving HUD Funds to the General Fund would NOT be acceptable under the grant guidelines because the AG’s Office would consider them as contaminated funds.

Mike DeWine
Ohio Attorney General
Moving Ohio Forward Grant Program
Demolition Guidelines
Page 7
”Federal funds, such as CDBG, NSP and HUD, are ineligible as matching funds unless the local government is in fiscal emergency as defined in Chapter 118 of the Revised Code.”

Vivian Moon