Housing - from last council meeting

Chief Muterspaw

Your sincere concern for our city has never been in doubt. This forum is trying to tell city hall how we feel and what we think about our city government. It’s expressed here because council has made it impossible to express our concerns publicly at council meetings. Opposing views and even discussion of alternative ideas falls on deaf ears. The City Manager has had total control of the city building and Council for the past two years. Doug has already had his chance and his plan has failed miserably. In this two year time frame, a minimum of revitalization has been almost exclusive to downtown. Monetary aid and favoritism has been bestowed on a chosen few. That chosen few have squandered the considerable funds and favors.

The nice newer businesses downtown offer only a few, low paying entry level jobs. I hope I’m wrong , but I doubt that many new downtown businesses can survive. Where and who are their clientele? The homeless drug addicts?? Now Doug wants to blame our problems on what HE perceives as housing shortfall … problems brought on by city MISmanagement. He is punishing small home owners whom the city could be helping by using available government programs. The pest infested, drug addict occupied, eyesores (that should have been among the 400 properties already razed) are still standing while the retiree who may be unable to mow his grass is harassed and fined out of existence.   Doug admits to tutoring council before meetings and they approve of anything he wants, like good little sheep.   Doug’s blatant MISmanagement was the cause of Middletown losing management and funding of HUD. He can not or will not see any point if view other than his own. WE may never convince HIM that his plan is taking us backward not forward or at best we are just marking time. He is repeating the previous administrations’ mistakes. THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE.

We need schools that perform academically. New buildings don’t educate the kids.    Our swimming pools are gone. Our beautiful golf course is gone.     AK Corporate is gone. AK Research is still here, just on the other side of town (no new jobs). None of the larger industrial businesses we lost have been replaced.   The city fought public outcry against welcoming the high polluting Sun Coke plant. We have increasing problems with drug addicts and dealers, thieves and prostitutes. And city hall keeps saying everything is just fine.                                                                                                                      

Chief Muterspaw wrote: All I'm saying is that we have a Manager and Council that cares. It hasn't always been that way. Give this administration a chance and let's all move forward together to improve this city. I will never convince you or get you to change your minds, not that I want to, but I know how us at the City building want positive change as much as you do. Give Doug a chance. He's working hard to clean it up. Have a great week...hope things are great for all of you.

Ok, Chief Muterspaw. I will issue a challenge to you. If, as you claim, council and the city manager care about the city, and are moving forward to improve the city, how about setting up a community meeting to form a dialogue between the city officials, including yourself, and the mainstream residents of this city. How about all council members, who seem very reluctant and non-existent here, participating along with the city manager and other department directors explain to us your gameplan and, more importantly, actually letting us respond with no time limits as is in the council meeting format. Three minutes is usually not enough time to get you points across.

As to the comment that Adkins is working hard, I have a response. It is one thing to work hard. Nothing wrong with that. But, if one works hard with the wrong focus and the wrong direction, the hard work is wasted and does not benefit the city. Like the schools, not enough progress over these many decades has been made, even with the most laid back effort. The city leaders have been dragging a-- for decades as to viable city progress.

The HUD program, from the start, was not the proper focus nor the correct direction. It has devastated the city while targeting low income, crime and city image. The removal and the non replacement of the street repair funds from the 80's are the wrong focus and direction. The removal of blighted homes in the city, leaving empty lots, rather than rebuilding on the demolished lots is the wrong focus and direction. The practice gives an abandoned look to certain parts of the city. The taxpayer millions spent on the downtown dream for an arts mecca is the wrong focus and direction, particularly in a blue collar city like Middletown . The buying of real estate, using taxpayer money, for hundreds of thousands of dollars and then giving the building away to the friends of the city for a buck is the wrong focus and direction. Etc. Etc. There is a pattern here of ignoring the basics and concentrating on the last things this city needs at this point. All the projects now, especially in the downtown area, is ill timed. The downtown project should have been started when the basics were in place. The foundation of this city is crumbling and your city leaders want to make the downtown a showplace. Exactly bass-ackwards. Basics first. Mr. Adkins......Basics first. Roads, sewers, bridges, fire and police service. Let the dam downtown develop through the private sector. No city involvement at all. It is rather obvious, based on all the city screw up attempts, that the city doesn't have a clue how to deal in real estate.

We will be awaiting a city sanctioned community meeting announcement with city officials and the people as the participants.

I think the point you are all missing is this...

We are paying for the sins of past poor leadership. I'm not afraid to say it. When we brought all those vouchers in, it created a nightmare for us. The current administration and leadership did not do this regardless of what is going on. More than half of our major crimes seem to be by people who originally are from other cities or states, including last night.

Nobody in the city building or council now brought this here. Others who are long gone did. The City leaders now are trying to clean up someone else's mess. You mentioned I cannot defend poor leadership. No I can't. But I can tell you the leadership the brought all of this into the city is gone and has been for a while.

That's pretty much where we are at in a nutshell. Like I said I'm never going to convince you of that. Nobody is more sick of dealing with that then our police officers and firefighters I can tell you that.

Already doing most of that...

If it was that easy to get everyone on board it would've happened already. You know that. Have a great week.

Chief

The point that you may be missing is that the past poor leadership has been replaced with more poor leadership.

Section 8 housing was, at first, under control for a few years. Until Nelson Self was pushed out, the program was a plus for Middletown. But the (then) admin decided to to ignore the rules and misuse the program in ways that should never have happened. DOUG THEN KNOWINGLY CONTINUED THE MISUSE.   The current admin IS NOT BLAMELESS. It’s agreed, the resulting problems certainly are a heavy price to pay by ALL of us.

The victims of the drug dealers and addicted thieves pay the heaviest. Our police pay too. But a lot of them are not residents of Middletown and they can go home to get away from the “nightmare” when off duty, our beleaguered resident victims have to live with it.

Too continue … the loss of our golf course, Sebald Park, Bicentenial Commons all occured under the current admin!!! The failed attempt to revitalize downtown has drained the city coffers … all current admin!!!

Note has been taken that VietVet’s challenge to you for a community meeting has been duly ignored.

Thank you for the response Chief. Refreshing approach. Was hoping by now that the city manager would have done this in a community gathering rather than a one on one as he suggested. The one on one would allow Mr. Adkins to target individuals and would have never worked due to the trust factor.

By staff, do you plan on bringing just your police department staff or staff from the city building? Are you planning to invite the city manager and the council members as well?

Will it be an open forum where any question will be fielded or are there boundaries as to the questions asked?

You can associate a name to the person at the meeting but I doubt the link will be there to associate a face to a screen name here. Too incriminating.Vindictivefactorenters the picture. There is still an adversarial posture between the city officials and the MUSA participants on certain occasions.

An opportunity to ask questions to city officials is all we ask. A fair honest answer is all we expect. A common ground ending with understanding from both sides is all we can hope for.

Appreciate this. A tad bit disappointed that it didn't come from the city manager himself in this manner but the police chief has made the offer instead.

[QUOTE=Analytical] SpiderJohn -

Anybody on this board who doesn't attend Chief Muterspaw's little get together is a complete hypocrite.  There....I said it.

Okay Vet,

Analytical,

buddhalite, spiderjohn, VietVet, Vivian Moon, Whistler'sMom, Mike Presta, etc. -

The more constructive people attending, the better for everyone and more heat on Admin/Council if they choose not to attend or ignore the event.

Public Safety and Admin people don't like being stereotyped and don't all think alike any more than those here posting. We are all individuals and should be looked at similarly.
Approach the gathering with a positive open mind, dedicated to improving dialogue and actions from everyone.

Could be a very positive lead in to the summer!!