Middletown Forum : LAND BANKING

LAND BANKING : acclaro wrote:sj, you didn't...

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 06:47:32 +0000

Author: VietVet
Subject: 4618
Posted: Jun 21 2012 at 6:47am

acclaro wrote:

sj, you didn't wait until Day 3. So here goes:I eliminate the Mayor position as a council member, and appoint a tribunal panel of three, drawing a 150,000 salary, split 3 ways.M tribunal is Jim Wendell, to help uplift real estate, Tim Lewis, and drum roll please.......sj, ergo....well....you know.My work is done, Middletown is put back on a path of recovery, and I am out of a job in two days. My replacement is the tribunal of the three acting as Mayor.

What?

No Ann Mort to continue her expertise as PR specialist for the city?

No Mike Robinette to continue his highly acclaimed work on Econ. Dev.?

No AJ Smith to be the go between in union negotiations? He was at his best when he was the spokesperson for his union buddies during the SB5 thing.

No Sam Ashworth given a created position from Ms. G to lead one of his worthwhile causes on behalf of Gilleland while the city pays him some high cotton salary?

No Marty Kohler to continue his bangup job in the planning development of the city nor to provide a heartwarming welcome to new businesses?

No MMF'ers included to keep the ball rolling providing guidance to council and to watch them work their magic with the $83,000 in the old account?

No Lawrence Mulligan the Third (say that with reverence mister) in place to smile, give us his best Stanley impression and play city representative at social functions, delivering his infamous town cryer statement that "all is well" in the city? But who will tell the scripted lies in the State of the City address?

No more "Bright Past/Brighter Future" for the city slogan?

No more Danny Picard or Billy Becker playing "Jay and Silent Bob" as they sit in that big easy chair behind the all important desk and offer.....nothing.

Gilleland is gone? Who is she going to get to make her decisions for her now? How will she function in life? Which town will she try to ruin next?

Adkins gone in your scheme of things? What will we do in dealing with our town that he has deemed as a "54% slum town"? Hey, and how about all that excess Section 8 he is leaving behind? How do we get them to leave?

What about Leslie Landen? Now there's a person to keep. Any law you want changed, altered, mis-interpreted or swung in your favor to accomodate the situation.......he's your man. Invaluable asset to the city. Just make sure it's emergency legislation or don't even bother the man.

Alot of perplexing issues here acclaro. I like the tribunal idea. We could simulate Rome with your tribunal idea and throw some of these people to the lions, burn 'em at the stake ala Salem Mass. or just "Hang 'Em High" at Broad and Central....vigilante style.

Need to stay away from guys like the Spider and that "rabble-rousing" Presta. Unlike the rest of us, they seem to want to stir up too much trouble by stating trivial, non-important facts and bringing to everyone's attention the city's constant screwups with supporting data. Alot of nerve from these two individuals. Vivian's another, with her facts as statement backups. Shame.

LAND BANKING : sj, you didn't wait until...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:00:26 +0000

Author: acclaro
Subject: 4618
Posted: Jun 20 2012 at 3:00pm

sj, you didn't wait until Day 3. So here goes:

I eliminate the Mayor position as a council member, and appoint a tribunal panel of three, drawing a 150,000 salary, split 3 ways.

M tribunal is Jim Wendell, to help uplift real estate, Tim Lewis, and drum roll please.......sj, ergo....well....you know.

My work is done, Middletown is put back on a path of recovery, and I am out of a job in two days. My replacement is the tribunal of the three acting as Mayor.

LAND BANKING : No job for me, acclaro? Entert...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:24:12 +0000

Author: spiderjohn
Subject: 4618
Posted: Jun 20 2012 at 1:24pm

No job for me, acclaro?
Entertainment-inspector-Ed-consultant
Part-time with bennies of course
I was born to lead and know everyone and every corner of this town
Plus I live here( for now)

LAND BANKING : GG....you wanted solutions,...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 11:43:35 +0000

Author: acclaro
Subject: 4618
Posted: Jun 20 2012 at 11:43am

GG....you wanted solutions, you have them.

As for last night, become a political beast for a moment. Council would not appropriate funds and then ask the city residents to pass a Sr Citizens and public safety levy, no matter what "alleged" leverage to be. That's why it failed. Terribly misguided strategy and funding effort. When you state you can't afford to pay for a public pool and come up with $.5 Mm to a Mm a few months before an election----it doesn't look good. That's why it went down.

Bring residents IN, don't TEAR DOWN, to resolve the problem.

LAND BANKING : agreed..... just hate seeing us...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 10:55:50 +0000

Author: greygoose
Subject: 4618
Posted: Jun 20 2012 at 10:55am

agreed..... just hate seeing us miss out on the opportunity to rid ourselves of so much blight.

LAND BANKING : oooor...maybe City Hall should...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 10:16:36 +0000

Author: Vivian Moon
Subject: 4618
Posted: Jun 20 2012 at 10:16am

oooor...maybe City Hall should have been more frugal over the past five years and they would have had the needed million dollars of matching funds in the General Fund.

LAND BANKING : Last night's council meeting...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 09:28:03 +0000

Author: greygoose
Subject: 4618
Posted: Jun 20 2012 at 9:28am

Last night's council meeting was painful to watch. Does Mr. Smith have anything between his ears? Although I am very disappointed in Mr. Laubach's decision, it was obvious to me that he was voting for what he thought were the right reasons (Ms. Viv must have got to him more than she thought).

LAND BANKING : Bill, there are, I am...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 08:32:54 +0000

Author: acclaro
Subject: 4618
Posted: Jun 20 2012 at 8:32am

Bill, there are, I am a silent partner in one nationally that targets private equity and sourcers, and the F1K (sorry Fortune 1000). In two years ,it has done $20 Mm focusing upon sourcing strategies as it relates to people, processes, and procurement. I'd guarantee a reduction of at least 30% in Middletown's budget and better performance. We take a % of benefit and a fixed rate fee.

DAY 2

I assess my internal cabinet staff, and make an evaluation I need to make changes. I accept the resignation of Marty Kohler, decline Judy Gilleland's offer to retire and double dip in Middletown, and tell Les Landen, I wish him the very best in his retirement and his new adjunct professor role in UD teaching constitutional and municipality law.

I bring in a Planning Director with the order the city will have a balance of 50/50 in corporate payroll and residential property tax. To boost the renter market, I have before council an ordinance that the first year a new resident rents in Middletown, there is no (0%) income tax, with the exception if they are paying the city rate or greater, they file, to claim the reciprical value. But if you are in West Chester, Mason, Deerfield Township, where there is no tax, as a new renew renter in Middletown, you will pay no taxes. That approach continues in year 2, it bumps up to .5% increments, and within 4-5 years, but at max, it will only be 1%. My intent is to fill vacant houses, spur private investment in property, and bring new potential residents in that will stay, and eventually buy (acquire excess inventory). So in contrast to tearing down housing stock, I have private incentives to occupy, based upon a simple tax code. It passes council 7-0.

Next, I tell the residents there will always be transparency and accountability in the GF, and all city transactions. I immediately abolish retainer contracts with people and firms not qualified to perform. I don't have an attorney under attorney/ client privilege handling my business development activities. I have an open dialogue with residents on financial codes used, what they mean, and I post that on te city website. Transparency is the key to credibility.

After that announcement, I walk down the hall and meet the my head of the water department. I state in 30 days, the business model will change. Water will not be a profit center, but he/she will drive out every unnneded dime out of the value chain, and I want that figure monthly. I then tell my residents and businesses, in ll facets of what the city offers, the costs will be simply costs, no making a net EBITDA return of 10% or greater, no cash cow, you simply pay for the cost plus amortization of any nominal added fee. In turn, my strategy is this provides a point of leverage to sell to new residents, new businesses, and those ripe for moving into Middletown, you have the best costs in Ohio, for property, house, and traditional expenses for maintaining your house. Gouging just isn't an acceptable business practice for a city service, period.

At noon, I have plans to round up all of my staff and I announce I have uncovered a startling revelation upon my review of the dictionary and alphabet, and that P becomes before R. I state I want it instilled in them, this is a PR campaign, but different than public relations. P- stands for proactive. R- stands for Reactive. As P comes before R, we are adopting a PROACTIVE stance and attack in every support role we play in supprting our constituencies. I also reiterate P stands for People and Place, and that people in in our place, community, are the reason we are here, who pays our bill, and that is our only focus, unpon them, in meeting their needs, through our core functionality. I bring in Perryville Consultants to do a 3 day workshop so EVERYONE iis on-board with pro-activity.

I have my head of purchasing evaluate the assets which are acquired, which are subject to variable costs. I work with he/she to combine common asset acquisition to other cities, and within the state, and where possible, I have an initiation of a state or global purchasing agreement based upon economies of scale and scope.

On my city fleet of vehicles, I begin shifting to acquisition strategies from ownership to lease. I engage with my public safety employees and tell them I want their burden of costs to be the average mean of the private sector, and pay that is competitive, but not higher, than private sector. We come to an agreement, or I reduce staff by 40% in Fire, and augment that with paid volunteers. I outsource the transport from resident home to Atrium (elsewhere). I eliminate the vehicles used in fire department transport, and I sell the assets, which come back into the General Fund.

Next, at about 10 am, I tell my staff I am reducing my salary to 50% of what is paid over a 5 year contract, and I agree to take 5% of the costs I drive out of te budget in waste as a bonus and through a deferred pension payment. I then proceed on my trip to Chicago, where I have meetings with Baxter Healthcare, Caremark, Aon Hewitt, Comdisco, Sears, Hormel, and about 30 F500's, about the Illinois tax rate rising to 67%, and I offer tax incentives to move to Middletown. I also assemble a small team of suppliers to GE Aircraft to target for migration to Middletown, whom in turn, provide products to GE in WC.

By 1 PM- I have a meeting with the city Revitalization Director and I tell he/she, I don't want federal money to tear down buildings, I want to find and bring in grants that offer tax incentives to buyers, regardless of whether this is first home, second home, or 20th. My goal is to offer incentives of at least $5,000. on the first acquisition of a new property in Middletown. If you are a resident, great, the credit is there for buying another property. Within 3 years, I have the housing glut taken care of, associated with renter tenants and new buyers, instead of a wrecking ball doing the work for me.

At 3 PM, I tell my HR Director I want in place within one month or sooner, an Ombudsman, that sits between the city and and resident, business, or other entity, to resolve conflicts. I don't want matters handled in court that can be resolved in this manner. I also task the police chief to actively initiate and help transform Middletown, into a hub of Citizens Watch groups in all neighborhoods which encompass Middletown.

By 4 PM, I eliminate the nonsense associated with Midldetown's brandiing on messaging. I relinquish Bright Past, Brighter Future. I am on the phone with Cisco Systems, and enter into an agreement where Middletown is wifi-ed throughout the city and community, At 4:30 PM, I am on the phone to the President of Cincinnati State telling him Middletown will offer $5,000 in housing purchase credits per house, if he will commit to 100 professors and staff, and a Dean in Middletown. By 4:45 PM, I am speaking to the CEO of Accretive Health, and state Middletown would be perfect for relocating the fastest business growing in America associated with Revenue Cycling, and when can I get on her calender.

Day 3 tomorrow.

.

LAND BANKING : GG... "Let me be clearer...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 06:56:14 +0000

Author: VietVet
Subject: 4618
Posted: Jun 20 2012 at 6:56am

GG...
"Let me be clearer in my statements. I am in 100% agreement that this city has been poorly managed for a very long time. I’m just not indicting the “current” administrative leaders for the mistakes of the past. At this moment in time, my positive endorsement is limited to the administrative side of our government; specifically the City Manager and the Director of Community Revitalization. In my opinion, their job performance is above the norm and is being performed in difficult circumstances. I stated earlier, that I think Mr. Kohler has been very damaging to the city"

AGREE WITH THE CITY BEING POORLY MANAGED FOR A LONG TIME.

GG..
"I’m just not indicting the “current” administrative leaders for the mistakes of the past".

THE CURRENT CITY LEADERS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE MISERY. THEY ARE JUST AS GUILTY AS PAST LEADERS. THEY'VE JUST ADDED THEIR OWN BRAND TO THE CITY'S INEPT DIRECTION. WE HAVE HAD NO COUNCIL MAKEUP IN THE LAST 3 DECADES THAT ACTUALLY HAD THE SKILLS TO LEAD THIS CITY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. NO LOGICAL COMPETENCE LEVELS IN CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR COUNCIL IN A LONG TIME.

GG...
"At this moment in time, my positive endorsement is limited to the administrative side of our government; specifically the City Manager and the Director of Community Revitalization".

CAN'T SAY THE SAME GOOSE. THIS CITY MANAGER IS ABOUT AS INEPT AS IT COMES. SHE CAN'T MAKE A DECISION ON HER OWN. CAN'T MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO WHAT THIS CITY REALLY NEEDS. (BASICS FIRST- QUICHE (ARTS AND CULTURE) LATER). CART BEFORE THE HORSE MENTALITY. SHE CAN'T UNDERSTAND THAT THIS TOWN HAS A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NASCAR/BURGERS/SOFTBALL/FOOTBALL/BEER DRINKING/WORKING CLASS INTERESTS TYPE PEOPLE. NOT WINE DRINKING/ CHEESE EATING/ARTZY/FINGER FOOD/OPERA-LIKING/SOPHISTICATED TYPE PEOPLE. YOU TAILOR THE TOWN'S NEEDS TOWARD THE MAJORITY OF INTERESTS. GET THEM SATISFIED. THEN, YOU ENTERTAIN THE SMALL GROUP OF ARTZY_LOVING FOLKS. BACKWARDS NOW. SINCE SHE AND HUSEMAN (sp?) HAVE ARRIVED AS THE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK, IMO, THE CITY HAS GONE FURTHER DOWNHILL UNDER THEIR GUIDANCE. NONE OF THE CITY BUILDING PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A "CITY GUIDANCE" POSITION HAS THE CORRECT FOCUS NOR A CLUE ABOUT WHAT THIS TOWN NEEDS. THAT INCLUDES THOSE ADMINS. FROM THE PAST 2 DECADES. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE "OLD SCHOOL" CITY ADMIN PEOPLE WHO COULD WORK WITHIN A BUDGET AND STILL DELIVER SOMETHING OF CONTENT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY? WE USE TO SEE THINGS GET DONE AROUND TOWN THAT HELPED THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE. NOW, WE ONLY SEE SPECIAL NICHE PEOPLE GET THE ROYAL TREATMENT. THE REST OF US ARE NOT EVEN CONSIDERED....UNTIL TAX TIME WHEN THE CLOWNS WANT YOUR SUPPORT.

GG..
"I stated earlier, that I think Mr. Kohler has been very damaging to the city".

VERY MUCH SO. PERHAPS THAT'S WHY THEY FIRED HIM IN LEBANON AND, LIKE FOOLS, SOMEONE HIRED THE CLOWN TO JOIN OUR CITY TO SCREW IT UP ALSO. (WHY?) HE HAS BEEN A VIRUS SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE AND GILLELAND HAS CATERED TO HIS NONSENSE (WHICH IS ANOTHER MISTAKE THE WOMAN HAS MADE). BOTH SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED A LONG TIME AGO.

LAND BANKING : Mike_Presta wrote: <font...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 06:19:53 +0000

Author: VietVet
Subject: 4618
Posted: Jun 20 2012 at 6:19am

Mike_Presta wrote:

Acclaro:

With all due respect, that’s all crazy talk!

All we need to make Middletown a booming success is a
renewed downtown, and that is a fact.
And all that will take is this:

1.
Give all of the property owners downtown a grant
of $5,000 per frontage foot (or so) to rebuild all of the storefronts in olde
tyme fashion. (The money for this is available in the General Fund on the third Tuesday of any month, IF you can pick the correct shell after "The Wizard" shuffles them.)

2.
Fill all of the downtown properties along
Central Avenue and Main Street with artsy-type stuff, including olde tyme crafts,
and antique shoppes.

3.
Do accurate historic interior restorations of all of the
old buildings downtown (using tax money of course). Put special emphasis on the opera house and
other performing arts venues. (Hire
Sammie to be in charge of this, at a six figure salary, of course.)

4.
Hire a maestro or two, a couple of museum curators,
and some Shakespeare-in-the-Park type theatre producers, all on the city
payroll, to start performing arts programs in our grand downtown venues.

5.
Hire Knight Goodman to throw out the first pitch
at opening day of our “new” olde tyme baseball team, the “Middletowne Rusty-red
Stocklings”.

6.
Find Professor Harold Hill to start a boys’
band.

Everyone
knows that this is the ONLY approach that will work, and that it is the ONLY
thing that we should try…

…again…and
again…and again…and again…

(Just in case there is any doubt, ALL of the above was said with toungue in cheek--That means that I am JUST KIDDING!!!)

Mike, you forgot #7 on your list.

7. Hire a small orchestra, tailored after the small group of musicians on the deck of the Titanic as she sinks, and place them at Broad and Central, playing "calming music" as the people panic when the ship starts to go under.