Middletown Forum : SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING : All things in their being are...

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 04:01:15 +0000

Author: wowlijetgold
Subject: 4636
Posted: Aug 07 2012 at 4:01am

All things in their being are good for something.

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SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING : Nothing surprising here. Picard...

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 16:02:04 +0000

Author: VietVet
Subject: 4636
Posted: Jul 04 2012 at 4:02pm

Nothing surprising here. Picard just doing what he is told to do by his bosses. We all knew the approval on the second go-around was a done deal. Scott-Jones and Mr. Smith standing their ground. The good guys are still out-numbered 4 to 3 on council, at least on this one. The game remains the same.....until the people in this town wake up, give a crap enough to register to vote, educate themselves on what is happening, go to the polls and outnumber the MMF-sponsored voting block contingent who are ruining the city. Meanwhile, the city continues to go down the toilet with their game plan in place and the majority of the citizens seem not to care. The city leaders/MMF are counting on that to remain in effect.

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING :

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 14:39:51 +0000

Author: LMAO
Subject: 4636
Posted: Jul 04 2012 at 2:39pm

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING : Only in America

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 13:46:32 +0000

Author: Bocephus
Subject: 4636
Posted: Jul 04 2012 at 1:46pm

Only in America

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING : Safety levy passage = more city...

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 10:44:23 +0000

Author: Bill
Subject: 4636
Posted: Jul 04 2012 at 10:44am

Safety levy passage = more city purchasing and renovation or demo of downtown buildings.

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING : This council has been such an...

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 10:10:08 +0000

Author: acclaro
Subject: 4636
Posted: Jul 04 2012 at 10:10am

This council has been such an incredible disappointment, the runaway train of nepotism, poor behavior, and blatant bully-ism. Mr. Picard, you amaze me with your commentary. Criminals are using houses for heroin transactions? Where do you come up with such nonsense?

I state it again, for the upteenth time. When you have two brothers, an attorney (who practices before two Middletown employees), and a retired city police chief, all having one single tie that unites them all, in Red Crimson and Gold, you only have 4 out 7 that are solely with the city's agenda, and the city with their agenda.

All that money going down to Main Street for the benefit of the Mulligans, and no one cares? This is unlike any city in America.

Lets hope you all remember how they came up with these funds and pandering Dan voted to spend $1.2 Mm, when also saying the levy needed to pass because we needed the bloated fire department. This is the worst council in history, and openly self serving. It won't help your neighborhood, they'll divert the funds elsewhere, but who cares? I surrender, idiots rule.

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING : City to be part of county land...

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 05:16:17 +0000

Author: Vivian Moon
Subject: 4636
Posted: Jul 04 2012 at 5:16am

City to be part of county land bank

Grant program provides funds to tear down blighted properties

By Michael D. Pitman, Staff Writer Updated 1:31 AM Wednesday, July 4, 2012

MIDDLETOWN — City Council reversed course and agreed to have the city participate in a county land bank and receive $1.35 million in state funds.

Two weeks ago, City Council rejected the idea to join the County Land Reutilization Corp.,

also known as the land bank, and have the quasi-public nonprofit organization apply for the
a $2.7 million Moving Ohio Forward Grant on behalf of Hamilton and Middletown. The grant
would be split between the two cities so long each provides a $1.1 million match.

On Tuesday, council voted 4-0-2 to pass the legislation. Council members Anita Scott Jones

and A.J. Smith abstained; Councilman Josh Laubach was not at the meeting due to a death in
the family.

“I think this is a great opportunity for the city,” said Vice Mayor Dan Picard of the grant and

land bank. “We have so many properties that are in such terrible shape that we really need
to do as much as we can to get that under control.”

Butler County commissioners approved in May to form the land bank, which can acquire

vacant, abandoned, tax-foreclosed or other property for rehabilitation or reuse. The land
bank would then clear properties of all liens, including delinquent taxes.

The Moving Ohio Forward Grant comes from a multibillion-dollar mortgage provider

settlement shared with all states. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced he set $75
million of the state’s share of the settlement aside for the grant program, which was designed to demolish dilapidated and abandoned homes.

With the grant, Middletown can demolish by Dec. 31, 2013, around 300 vacant and

abandoned properties, about 10 percent of the city’s total. The city currently demolishes
about 40 to 50 homes a year.

Picard said the grant isn’t just taking care of bad-looking properties either.

“It’s not just an aesthetic issue, it’s a criminal issue,” he said. “These houses provide havens

for heroin addicts and other drug addicts and all for kinds of criminal activity and illicit
activity. It eats up our other resources.”

Scott Jones and Smith both abstained because they felt the legislation was being reconsidered

because it failed despite receiving a majority vote. Council voted two weeks ago 5-1 on both
pieces of legislation, but since Picard was absent at that meeting, the voted needed to be
unanimous. Laubach was the dissenting vote.

“Although I was a proponent of this piece of legislation when it initially came before us, I am

not an proponent of bringing back legislation so quickly because it didn’t go my way,” Scott
Jones said.

Smith also abstained because he was one of three council members that were not at the special

meeting last week.

“I have not supported in the past bringing back legislation once it’s failed, whether it’s

something I supported or in opposition to,” he said.

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING : In a letter to EPA Administrator...

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 07:46:06 +0000

Author: Vivian Moon
Subject: 4636
Posted: Jul 02 2012 at 7:46am

In a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Portman said that the EPA has recently begun reinterpreting federal regulations to require nearly all demolition to be subject to rules on asbestos removal.

409
    I noticed that the City is paying between $400 - $800 per house for an asbestos survey. I’m not sure why this would be needed in residential property since most products that contain asbestos are usually easily seen with nothing more than a walk around the property.
    It has been my experience that older commercial properties seem to have more asbestos products that a contractor would need to be concerned about.

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING : From MJ: http://www.middleto...

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 22:06:06 +0000

Author: 409
Subject: 4636
Posted: Jul 01 2012 at 10:06pm

From MJ:

http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/phillipsburg-receives-loan-grant-1399213.html

Another wrinkle?

Excerpt:

Portman asks EPA to rethink regulation

Sen. Rob Portman last week urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to rethink a regulation that demolitions of vacant properties be subject to an EPA rule governing asbestos removal.

Portman, R-Ohio, said the regulation has effectively barred Ohio land banks and others from demolishing vacant and foreclosed-upon homes. The state has some 100,000 vacant properties awaiting demolition, and Ohio groups – led by the Thriving Communities Initiative in Cleveland – argue that the EPA’s reinterpretation of federal regulations governing asbestos removal has gummed up the process and made it costlier for cities and land banks to demolish such properties.

In a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Portman said that the EPA has recently begun reinterpreting federal regulations to require nearly all demolition to be subject to rules on asbestos removal. Starting today, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is scheduled begin releasing $75 million to Ohio counties and land banks for demolition purposes. Portman said because of the new rules, 25 to 40 percent fewer properties will be demolished with these dollars.

“Given the staggering cost increases and the growing need for demolitions, I urge you to work with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and local stakeholders to reassess this regulation’s impact on local land banks and the communities they serve,” he wrote.

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING : GG thnx for your honest answer-...

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 12:20:51 +0000

Author: ground swat
Subject: 4636
Posted: Jun 30 2012 at 12:20pm

GG thnx for your honest answer- taking a break from cleaning up storm damage on the iPhone so I just wanted to get back to you. At some point I'll message you and explain some dealings with this city manager that I have had.