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Tuesday's Council Meeting |
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Mike_Presta 
MUSA Council 
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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 Topic: Tuesday's Council MeetingPosted: Jan 15 2011 at 8:54am |
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I have had a chance to skim the workbook for Tuesday's council meeting, and believe me when I tell you that it contains some interesting reading.
I hope to perform my usual review of the workbook, and post comments prior to Tuesday's meeting.
If any of you would care to read the workbook for yourselves, here is the link:
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 9:11am |
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Some of the most intersting aspects are the several minutes of Historic Commission meetings. It is farcical how, on the one hand, they persecute homeowners over the details of roofing shingles and the like while, on the other hand, they fall all over themselves making excuses to allow the junk auto hoods as siding for the Pendletown Art Center smack in the middle of "historic" downtown Middletown!!!
Of course, the "Commission on Landmarks and Historic Structures" was abolished as of October 7, 2010, by City Ordinance and as of this very moment City Council has only appointed THREE members (less than a quorum) to the "Historic Commission" that replaced it. Yet these people merrily roll along acting as if they are actually a public body whose actions have some sort of official standing.
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 7:33pm |
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The HUD Annual Action Plan: This is the usual page after page of gobbledygook. Judge the efficacy of this “Plan” for yourselves by examining the “Antipoverty Strategy” in its entirety: Antipoverty Strategy 1. Describe the actions that will take place during the next year to reduce the number of poverty level families. Program Year 2 Action Plan Antipoverty Strategy response: Over the next year the City of Middletown will attempt to reduce the number of poverty level families through the following methods: 1) Stabilizing the housing base through code enforcement, housing rehabilitation, emergency housing repair and homeownership assistance programs. The city realizes that with out stable housing, it is difficult to focus on educational attainment and employment goals. 2) The Economic Development Director. Mike Robinette, will focus on creating and maintaining quality jobs that will enable individuals to rise from poverty to self sufficiency. 3) Provide social, educational, and networking activities through the Community Center. On the bright side, the City sees fit to pave 1000 lane feet (less than one quarter of one mile) using CBDG funds. (My guess is that this will be an alley in either the South Main Street or Highlands area.) |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 7:42pm |
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Program Year 2 Action Plan General Questions response: As noted in the Strategic Plan, based on the latest U.S. Census data and Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) information, the City of Middletown qualifies as a low- to moderate income area on a citywide basis. … Work will continue in these target neighborhood(s) until all available efforts have been depleted or until statistics show the area has become self-sustaining. For the FY 2011 action plan, the City will continue to focus on the Douglass and Harlan Park neighborhoods. It is our intention to start focus on the Highlands and El Dorado neighborhoods as well. … |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 7:51pm |
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The 30-day Public Comment Period ran from January 18th, 2011 through February 18th, 2011. The City of Middletown will consider any comments or views of citizens received in writing, or orally at the public hearings… Note that the “Public Comment Period” runs after the public hearing. |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 8:15pm |
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From the MINUTES, COUNCIL ON LANDMARKS AND HISTORIC DISTRICTS, September 9, 2010: OLD BUSINESS Mr. Kohler noted that the revised Historic Preservation Ordinance was passed by City Council. 5 to 2 vote. There is still some opposition expressed by some Council members. The ordinance will take effect in 30 days. This council will become known as The Historic Commission. Procedures will be generally the same. There are more detailed guidelines than before. In my opinion, Mr. Kohler is legally incorrect!!! On September 7, 2010, “ Ordinance No. O2010-56, an ordinance adopting a new Chapter 1210 (Historic Historic Preservation) and repealing the present Chapter 1210” was passed. In the process of “repealing the present Chapter 1210” the “Council on Landmarks and Historic Structures” was ABOLISHED, not just renamed. A new body, the “Historic Commission” was established by the NEW Ordinance 1210. Although there is nothing in the new ordinance establishing a procedure regarding whether the members of this new commission were to be elected or appointed, City Council did see fit to appoint three members in late December. THREE members is less than a quorum, and no more members have been appointed to date. |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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VietVet
MUSA Council
Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 9:03pm |
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On the subject of HUD and Section 8, I thought the "plan" was to reduce the poverty levels in this town by reducing the excessive number of Section 8 vouchers and sending the new applications to other towns in Butler County. What happened to that idea? The answer to the poverty is to get the overabundance of Section 8 out of here, create some jobs that will pay decent wages to create upward movement in the standard of living, and to stop the attraction of offering Section 8 housing in this town.
Can anyone tell me how home rehabilitation, emergency housing repair, and code enforcement is going to reduce the poverty levels? If you fix up properties in low income areas, the families who occupy these homes in these areas are still low income, aren't they? After you fix these places up, the low income people won't be financially able to keep them up and they will fall into disrepair again. They have no disposable income to do home repair. You can stick these people in mansions, but it is still up to them to raise their income level isn't it? How may have the capabilities to do that? Does this make sense? Anyone? "The Economic Development Director. Mike Robinette, will focus on creating and maintaining quality jobs that will enable individuals to rise from poverty to self sufficiency." Horsemanure! Robinette hasn't done diddly squat since 2007 or 08 when he arrived as to "focusing on creating and maintaining quality jobs". Lip service. As usual, the focus on street repair/paving is a joke as to money allocated. Purchase of a loader and roller says we are going to continue patching the potholes-no serious attempt to actually redo the roads. This "Historic Commission" and the three people chosen....who chose them, what were their qualifications, and what was the method used to make the choices? Buddies of Kohler and Mulligan perhaps?? Friends of the South Main and Highlands people perhaps? |
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 10:02pm |
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MINUTES HISTORIC COMMISSION November 23, 2010 These minutes are especially comical in my view. While discussing the Pendleton Art Center (a structure built around 1900), we find the following phraseology: “it has been remodeled several times”; “It is difficult to apply the downtown development guidelines to a project such as this.” “the building as it currently exists has little architectural merit.” “there is little architectural integrity to preserve” “The guidelines do not encourage creating fake old buildings.” “Mr. Robinette feels that it is important to have a variety of styles in a downtown area.” A roll call vote was taken. The motion was carried 4 to 1. Yet, the “yeas” and the “nay” were not recorded!!! Next, the “unofficial” Historic Commission turned its attention to this HISTORIC structure (built in 1930) at 1724-26 Central:
First, note that Kohler did not object to the OBSOLETE SIGN! Second, just as with the PAC building, this building “has been remodeled several times”. Third, note that “ Ms. Romero questioned the use of several pieces of corrugated metal installed in window openings on the first floor façade. These were added by Mr. Dailey. Commission members requested that these items be replaced with more appropriate materials (which may need to be reviewed by this Commission).” Perhaps Mr. Dailey should have use JUNK AUTO HOODS!!! No members of this august body seem to “question” the “appropriateness of JUNK AUTO HOODS, as acceptable materials. Fourth, The use of a “frame is galvanized aluminum, treated to resemble antique copper” even though, as noted above “The guidelines do not encourage creating fake old buildings.” Then the historic gang turned their attention to: 1300-06 Central Avenue, the HISTORIC “Buck’s Sports Bar”!!! Simply stated, the good folks at Buck’s wanted to replace the old, drafty, second-floor windows. Bear in mind that this is also a building that has “been remodeled several times” since its construction in 1910 (later than the PAC building). But HORRORS, “The proposed replacement windows have no divided lights.”!!! (For those of you who are architecturally challenged: “Divided lights” means that instead of a single pane, a sash is divided into more than one pane of glass. A “sash“ is the frame into which the pane--or panes--of glass are set.) “Ms. Tong said that the reason for that is the additional cost of dividers for the 21 windows in on the two street elevations. Ms. Romero feels that the absence of dividers would change the look of the building significantly.” Mr. Robinette did NOT state whether or not he “feels that it is important to have a variety of styles in a downtown area” in THIS case!!! “Even though the original windows have unequal sashes, the Commissioners would be happy to see replacements with equal sashes and the divided (true divided or not) light sash on top.” “Mr. Sherron made a motion to approve the window replacements on the condition that the upper sashes have real or faux divided lights.” Hmm…Isn’t “faux” just a fancy word for “FAKE”??? I thought I read somewhere that: “The guidelines do not encourage creating fake old buildings.” I guess that the “guidelines” DO encourage the harassment of legal businesses that this gang of elites find objectionable. There certainly DOES seem to be a double standard!!! |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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LMAO
MUSA Citizen 
Joined: Oct 28 2009 Location: Middletucky Status: Offline Points: 468 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 10:08pm |
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I just wish Kohler would cut that patch of hair off.
Kohler and the Spineless Mayor will sit people as they wish.Nothing is going to change unless people of Middletucky does it instead of sitting back and letting it happen.
Here we have a spineless council person that thinks he is "GOD" and do as he please's.We have others on council sitting in their chairs with their fingers up their butts Nothing will change until the"PEOPLE" take back are city..
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 10:18pm |
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From the minutes of the:
MASTER PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE December 16, 2010, 6:00 pm Middletown City Building, 4 th floor Engineering ConferenceMembers Present: Doug Bean, David Binder, Dave Myers, Saundra Pearce, Mike Sanders, Mike Scorti. Staff Present: Marty Kohler, Planning Director The topic for the meeting was to review Chapter 6 of the 2005 Master Plan dealing with Quality of Life issues. The meeting open with a discussion of factors that make a community a great place to live. Items mentioned in random order were: • Clean and well maintained • Community service groups • Farmers market • Sense of community • Town square/center • Sense of culture - uniqueness • Individual uniqueness • Quaint feeling • Small town feel (20,000 pop.) • Activities and events • Downtown anchor • Downtown center for government and civic services • Downtown retail • Feeling of being safe • Positive newspaper I leave you to draw your own conclusions!!! |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 10:30pm |
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From page 63 of 124 of the workbook (paragraph four): “Is it possible to attract the Creative Class and also be a factory town?” I submit to you that it is the opinion of Mr. Kohler, and several others at City Hall, that the answer to this question is a resounding “NO!!!” They have taken it upon themselves to do everything possible to keep all types of “non-creative” businesses OUT of this city, except for those needed to cater to the wishes and needs of an elite class. This is ruining our city and condemning a large portion of our citizenry to a life of poverty and squalor. The “words” to the contrary do not matter. Examine the actions!!! |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 10:37pm |
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From page 64 of 124 of the workbook (paragraph one): “we need to develop a dog park” |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 10:40pm |
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I can't go any farther!!! I have to take a break.
Perhaps I'll go to Applebee's. Hopefully, I will NOT run into any of the scoundrels from City Hall there!!!
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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VietVet
MUSA Council
Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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Posted: Jan 15 2011 at 11:45pm |
Good Lord! All are clueless,,,,how 'bout...... Decent paying jobs Decent infrastructure and streets Competent government officials making progressive decisions for the benefit of the citizens Eliminating minority special interest projects for city money expenditures (art center crap) and spending city money on projects that will benefit the majority. Business friendly aka staying out of the way of business and helping with tax incentives for new business and encouraging advertising/marketing Fast response fire and police service Working with the schools to improve performance Correcting the low income/Section 8 problems by reducing to the proper amount Filling the overabundance of vacant stores in all areas of town All the crap that was suggested above doesn't address the real problems and reflects a "rose-colored glasses" mentality. These people must be of the artzy group mentality because they sure as hell aren't connected with the real world. "Quaint feeling?" "uniqueness?" What wine bottle have these people been sucking on? Fru fru suggestions IMO. Why does the commercial from Gieco come to mind with the DI counseling the wimp on the couch and throwing the tissues at him? 
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 16 2011 at 7:01am |
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Next, regarding the paving equipment: Perhaps the City Manager has a short memory??? Perhaps someone should remind her how much more “bang” the city got for its paving “buck” when it subcontracts out paving repairs--not just in quantity, but also in quality!!! North Breiel Boulevard and other pothole permeated areas of the city in the spring of 2009 should serve as a good example. Of course our City Manager was brand new then, and much less under the influence of the local “illuminati“. |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 16 2011 at 7:11am |
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Next, here we are, back on the “sign” crap again. Please notice that no obsolete signs on any of Kohler’s precious “sacred cow” properties are pictured. I wonder why that is??? The main things that are “obsolete” and need to be “abandoned” by this town are Kohler, Landen, and their ilk. You can fault AJ Smith for a lot of things (and I’ll stand with you) but everyone must admit, he is correct about one thing: IT IS TIME FOR MARTY KOHLER TO GO!!! Kohler is inept, plays favorites when he should be impartial, and is a pox upon the future of this city!!! |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 16 2011 at 7:29am |
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Next, RESOLUTION NO. R2011-01 returns for a “second” reading in its “doctored” form!!! Don’t ANY of our council members actually READ this stuff??? They still haven’t bothered to explain why $1,274,685.00 of APPROPRIATED FUNDS are being transferred FROM account 546.990.54502 TO account 546.990.54502--the VERY SAME ACCOUNT NUMBER!!! These funds were ALREADY APPROPRIATED in 2010, they are already in THAT account!!! Am I the only one that finds this STRANGE??? Shouldn't SOMEONE on Council be asking WHY???? |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 16 2011 at 7:46am |
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And that finally brings us to Legislative Item 4, our HUD Annual Action Plan. Council may as well take this and pitch it into Lake Middletown for all the good it is going to do. It is nothing more than a WASTE of our federal tax money, it has accomplished nothing to date, and as I have pointed out above, it will do nothing but pay the salaries of our local bureaucrats for another year while they accomplish nothing for another 12 months. It is a con and a sham, and a waste of the people’s money while real needs go unmet! I’ll not dignify it with further condemnation!!! |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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Vivian Moon
MUSA Council
Joined: May 16 2008 Location: Middletown, Ohi Status: Offline Points: 4187 |
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Posted: Jan 17 2011 at 7:41am |
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Then the historic gang turned their attention to: 1300-06 Central Avenue, the HISTORIC “Buck’s Sports Bar”!!! Simply stated, the good folks at Buck’s wanted to replace the old, drafty, second-floor windows.
Bear in mind that this is also a building that has “been remodeled several times” since its construction in 1910 (later than the PAC building). But HORRORS, “The proposed replacement windows have no divided lights.”!!! (For those of you who are architecturally challenged: “Divided lights” means that instead of a single pane, a sash is divided into more than one pane of glass. A “sash“ is the frame into which the pane--or panes--of glass or set.) “Ms. Tong said that the reason for that is the additional cost of dividers for the 21 windows in on the two street elevations. Ms. Romero feels that the absence of dividers would change the look of the building significantly.” Mr. Robinette did NOT state whether or not he “feels that it is important to have a variety of styles in a downtown area” in THIS case!!! “Even though the original windows have unequal sashes, the Commissioners would be happy to see replacements with equal sashes and the divided (true divided or not) light sash on top.” “Mr. Sherron made a motion to approve the window replacements on the condition that the upper sashes have real or faux divided lights.” Hmm…Isn’t “faux” just a fancy word for “FAKE”??? I thought I read somewhere that: “The guidelines do not encourage creating fake old buildings.” I guess that the “guidelines” DO encourage the harassment of legal businesses that this gang of elites find objectionable. There certainly DOES seem to be a double standard!!!
I’ve got lots of questions about this “Historic Commission”. |
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Mike_Presta
MUSA Council
Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483 |
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Posted: Jan 17 2011 at 6:25pm |
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“• Positive newspaper” So…these people want to control the news media in our fair city. Perhaps that is why all of The Journal’s discussion forums were eliminated. Is the goal of true journalists supposed to be “good news only”??? Or is it supposed to be the TRUTH, clear and unvarnished, no matter how painful it might be??? Does it further good citizenship to HIDE any unsavory facts, any actions that might reflect poorly upon local government, any misdeeds by public officials--or to expose such information so that they can be corrected, reformed and made better??? Is it the purpose of a city’s “newspaper of record” to abet government misdeeds and to DECEIVE the public--or to INFORM the public and to hold government accountable to The People??? Is a “newspaper’s” purpose “news”--or PROPAGANDA??? Does City Hall want it to be “The Middletown Journal”--or does Cox now publish “The Middletown Pravda” ??? Please, do not take my word for it!!! Just read the minutes of the “Master Plan Steering Committee” and then judge where Mr. Kohler and his cronies stand on these questions!!! The question is, what should be done about it??? |
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“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012
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VietVet
MUSA Council
Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008 |
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Posted: Jan 18 2011 at 7:23am |
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The Journal is losing readership subscriptions so fast, they are desperately trying to sell them in the entryway to Krogers. Feel sorry for the person sitting at the table. He/she has no product to offer anymore. Cox Publishing has ruined a once-proud, homegrown newspaper. Now, just AP filler stories, stories from out of town, and city leader propaganda sent to them with a "you must print these lies" message, all presented with poor grammar, spelling and a definite lack of investigative journalism included.
The Journal is a rag. It is losing readership faster than this site is gaining that readership. MUSA has taken the place of the Journal as to town interest and truth. As time goes by, the people are migrating here to receive their dosage of truth. The Journal has made it's choice to cower down to city leaders. They have chosen unwisely. Now, they are paying the price in sales. JMO |
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middletownscouter
MUSA Citizen
Joined: Oct 11 2010 Location: Sunset Park Status: Offline Points: 501 |
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Posted: Jan 19 2011 at 10:45am |
For years the Journal has called and asked if I wanted to subscribe. For years I've given them the same answer. We only want the Sunday paper, and we go out and buy it every Sunday. If they had Sunday only delivery we would sign up. They continue to try and push their "weekend" package but they can't understand that we don't want the paper on Friday or Saturday - just Sunday's. I don't really care that it would be cheaper to get home delivery of the weekend package than it would be to buy the Sunday paper at a store, we're talking about a buck and a half a week. I don't want to waste the paper and create more garbage that we don't need. They fail to understand this, so they fail to get me as a subscriber. |
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