Middletown Forum : Agenda 2008- Journal Article-Dec 28 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/ This is an XML content feed of; Middletown Forum : City Manager : Agenda 2008- Journal Article-Dec 28 Mon, 05 Oct 2026 22:59:46 +0000 Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:53:46 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 10.12 360 www.middletownusa.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=815 Middletown Forum http://middletownusa.com/images/blog-logo.jpg http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/ Agenda 2008- Journal Article-Dec 28 : I'll put our Boys' Band... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3840&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3840 Author: Mike_Presta
Subject: 815
Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 12:53pm

I'll put our Boys' Band up against any other city's this side of Chicago!!!]]> Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:53:46 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3840&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3840 Agenda 2008- Journal Article-Dec 28 : So Mom exactly what does the Local... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3833&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3833 Author: Pacman
Subject: 815
Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 8:00am

So Mom exactly what does the Local Chamber do for the small business owner?  Do they have a stance on the excessive Poverty in Middletown?  Do they have a stance on the excessive Section 8 in Middletown?  Have they contacted their members about these issues for comments, ideas, concerns?  Do they have a stance on the Signage issue at this time?  Have they formed a committee of local businesses owners to even look at these issues and discuss them with the City?  The City doesn't appear to even want to acknowledge that these matters even exist.   Do they feel that these issues are even important or is it a "don't ask and don't talk about it matter"?  I was a member of the chamber for a few years but I didn't see much value in it for the small guy so I dropped it.
 
To me these are prime issues that need to be discussed by the Chamber in Middletown among the Business community, but I feel like the sole voice of concern about these issues in Middletown, as no one else really even cares or dares to talk about them.
]]> Sat, 17 Jan 2009 08:00:20 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3833&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3833 Agenda 2008- Journal Article-Dec 28 : My business pretty much "dropped... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3831&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3831 Author: MadisonMom
Subject: 815
Posted: Jan 17 2009 at 12:17am

My business pretty much "dropped off the face of Middletown" in December.
We have had a busy week, but not with any local businesses. Our out of town clients who trust us and keep coming back. We are looking up, but not locally. Did City Council do any of this for us? Chamber? NO.
We did it ourselves with our reputation and close contact with those "good" clientele. Our service speaks for itself.
]]> Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:17:02 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3831&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3831 Agenda 2008- Journal Article-Dec 28 : Jonathan how much more constructive... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3829&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3829 Author: Pacman
Subject: 815
Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 7:16pm

Jonathan how much more constructive do you want us to be, than we need to tackle the issues that are killing this City.  Education, Poverty, Section 8, Businesses leaving/closing, infrastructure, etc.
 
Naive is not having an ongoing discussion about these issues with your Community and at least trying to resolve some of them and just telling the community, we have "great parks" and "Middletown has a Bright Future".  Now the citizenry would probably be more incline to go alone with the "Bright Future" if we saw some progress being made on the big ticket issues.  Not Business signage issues being enforced at the worse possible time and Red Light Cameras playing Musical intersections.
 
If I followed the City's response to everything.  I would look at my business and smileBig%20smile and think Pacman you have a "bright future" in Middletown.  But don't worry about your business being down 25+%....and don't do anything about it, just keep smiling Big%20smile and  telling yourself you have a "bright future" in Middletown.  Hey Spider maybe you should try that too.Wink
 
]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:16:58 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3829&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3829 Agenda 2008- Journal Article-Dec 28 : The best things in life are right... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3825&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3825 Author: Middletown News
Subject: 815
Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 4:44pm

The best things in life are right here. Don't be so naive to say anyplace is any better than right here in Middletown.
 
I'd rather have the company I work for in Middletown than any suburb in Detroit. (The whole state of Michigan for that matter, lol)
 
But seriously, everyone is struggling. The big cities are going bankrupt as is California.
 
We are no different.
 
Lets be constructive in our criticisms and helpful with a few solutions.
]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:44:14 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3825&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3825 Agenda 2008- Journal Article-Dec 28 : We are ideally positioned... Bread... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3824&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3824 Author: Mike_Presta
Subject: 815
Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 4:22pm

We are ideally positioned...
Bread and circuses...
A fresh coat of paint...
Don't be so negative...
Don't dwell on the bad things...
Just give us a little time and things will get better...
 
THOSE are all of the same things that they were saying THIRTY YEARS AGO, when I left, and TEN YEARS AGO when I moved back, and last summer, and last week, and TODAY!!!
 
WHAT "good ideas"???  It's the same old program that we've been hearing about for years, that "just needs a little time"!
 
"Parachutes do NOT work when you're trying to jump UP!!!"
 
 
]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:22:41 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3824&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3824 Agenda 2008- Journal Article-Dec 28 : I think you missed my point. I... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3823&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3823 Author: Pacman
Subject: 815
Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 4:19pm

I think you missed my point.  I have no problem with festivals at all the more the better.  But everytime the issues in Middletown surface that need to be solved, Poverty, Education, taxes, Section 8, Downtown, Businesses leaving town or closing, we get the same blank stare and response.
 
We have great parks, Middfest, Balloon festival, Broad St Bash.  These Festivals don't solve the issues.
 
I wasn't here in the past like you, hence I don't dwell on the Middletown of the past, I have only been here for 5 years, but I have seen it decline just in that short amount of time.
 
The point is to take the issues which are hurting this City the Most and move them to the front burner and lets move ahead with at least making an attempt to tackle them, instead of constantly leaving them on the back burner.
 
 
]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:19:31 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3823&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3823 Agenda 2008- Journal Article-Dec 28 : Money coming into the city from... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3820&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3820 Author: VietVet
Subject: 815
Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 3:42pm

Money coming into the city from events is always a good thing. No problem with that. No problem with any of the events that you listed in your previous post. I hope they create more social/money-making opportunities for you and the city. You said, "The path forward comes from the good ideas that people from all walks of the community have"- That's true-I agree- now- do you want to offer any suggestions on how the "people from all walks of the community" are suppose to be heard by leadership after they do present their ideas? THAT'S THE PROBLEM- WE ARE IGNORED by a group of people who want to run the city THEIR WAY, not the PEOPLE'S WAY! How are we to " move forward" (your words) if we suggest ideas that are ignored by the leaders? Solution- get rid of the leaders that are preventing the city from "moving forward"- replace with more cooperative people who will listen to/act on the ideas of the people and address the public's concerns. Ms. Gilleland may have been trained to "manage tough situations like this", but she is still at the mercy of and is being held accountable to cooperate with the group that can spare her or sacrifice her to the lions. She can only resist the Council/influential people up to a certain point- then she has to back off. IE- she can't divulge what she may be really thinking. Solution to allow Ms. Gilleland freedom to become much more effective- get rid of the leaders that are preventing her from effectively managing the city.( hey- that's the same solution as listed above- imagine that!)Looks like it's a wash- get rid of the current leaders.]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:42:57 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3820&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3820 Agenda 2008- Journal Article-Dec 28 : .....and its those events that... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3819&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3819 Author: drumford
Subject: 815
Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 3:17pm

.....and its those events that get people coming into our city limits, buying from local vendors who pay taxes into the city coffers.  Middfest alone breaths over a million dollars into local businesses.  This years Ohio Challenge was a HUGE success.  There are many cities across this country in much worse shape that don't even have those types of events let alone cities in other countries.  I don't advocate Rose colored glasses to the same extent that I don't advocate bleak colored glasses.  The way I look at it is there is still plenty of opportunity to make things better, this doesn't have to be a permanent situation for Middletown and the path forward comes from the 'good ideas' that people from all walks of the community have.  Three years ago when we bought our building city council was in serious disarray and deserving of the criticism.  However today I do see progress being made and I do believe we have a better group in council making better decisions and that is JMHO.  Our new city manager has actually been trained to manage tough situations like this unlike her predesessor.  Ms Gilleland was named in The Dayton Business Journal's 40 Under 40 a few years which is an impressive recognition.  I think if given time you will see some progress but we need to look forward and stop dredging up the mistakes of the past.]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:17:45 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3819&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3819 Agenda 2008- Journal Article-Dec 28 : Mr, Drumford, just how far can... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3817&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3817 Author: Pacman
Subject: 815
Posted: Jan 16 2009 at 2:22pm

Mr, Drumford, just how far can a community get on:
 
DART
Middfest
Balloon Challenge
Main Street Art and Music Fest
Broad Street Bash
We have Great Parks
MUM
Middletown has a Bright Future
TV Middletown with its same Old Rose Colored Glasses Shows where nothing is discussed about the issues of Middletown that need to be addressed and bringing in some people to discuss these issues and who may have some answers, as we sure aren't getting any locally.
 
For 5 years all I have heard is Parks, Middfest, Balloons, MUM, etc. and things have progressively gotten worse and yet we have Great Parks.
 
There has to be more substance to Middletown then a Balloon Fest, Great Parks and handing out Rose Colored Glasses as people enter the City Limits.
]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:22:17 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=815&PID=3817&title=agenda-2008-journal-articledec-28#3817