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Investigation of Middletown police

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whistlersmom View Drop Down
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    Posted: Nov 05 2017 at 6:35am

Have you noticed that the Journal-News hasn’t said anything about the Channel 9 investigation of Middletown’s James Cunningham and the Middletown police? That shows where their loyalties are and their biases too! The Journal’s staff writer, Ed Richter, has already moved on to some really “important stuff” like the front page article about Downtown Middletown Inc’s new director, who from all indications will carry on the city’s misguided focus on the downtown. Essentially, the Journal-News is aiding city hall’s cover-up of their corruption by failing to report it. Ever heard of the sin of omission?

Mr Adkins, City Council and the Police Department have remained silent and unwilling to answer to anyone. That’s how they operate … ignore the problem until citizens forget about it and hope that it gets buried under the piles of propaganda that Ed Richter publishes for Mr Adkins.

Yep, they think they can get away with anything. But those problems aren’t going to just go away and there is a growing stench around city hall that should remind us … there’s something very wrong here!

In case you missed it, here’s the first post about Channel 9’s investigative report. The black print denotes additions to the original post.



WCPO, Channel 9 TV news, has been doing investigative reporting on local police departments. (You can see it on WCPO.com) Three days in a row, their reports included a segment about specific complaints on Middletown police officers (three officers to be exact). The reports exposed records of misconduct from excessive and unnecessary use of force to sexual harassment. They reported an incident witnessed (by fellow police officers) where Lieutenant James Cunninghamdrilled” in the face, a mentally ill homeless woman while she was in custody.

Perhaps the most scandalous of these reports was the numerous filings against Lieutenant James Cunningham by fellow police officers (both male and female) concerning sexual harassment. Many of the complaints were made BEFORE he was promoted to lieutenant! There was minimal disciplinary action taken by Major Hoffman (who maybe should be held complicit?) for Cunningham’s numerous and serious violations. Cunningham, as a police officer, was doing the very things for which he could arrest others. It’s shameful that good officers have been subjected to such working conditions.

There are many other incidents that went unreported or ignored and buried. This investigation encompasses only the last 3 years. But what other violations and suspensions have occurred and been condoned by the police department and municipal court over the other 25 years of Cunningham’s tenure? This is the tip of the iceburg.

Since our city manager, Mr Adkins, has requested Cunningham for some of his “special” projects unrelated to policing, such as locating blight for the city to seize (or buy … like Bar Boca for $35,000) and tear down. It would appear that Adkins is also complicit!. Adkins had to know about Cunningham’s record, in fact, Mr Adkins was Prosecutor for the city when Cunningham was a patrolman and sergeant.

Cunningham has been allowed to retire rather than be fired or held responsible for his actions, thus continuing to be rewarded for bad behavior and Middletown residents are paying for it. He has demoralized our police department, maligned our residents and been the source of deep embarrassment to the city. NOW OUR TAX DOLLARS WILL PAY FOR HIS RETIREMENT!! One more financial/ nail in the city’s coffin.

Where was council when all this corruption was taking place? Were they waiting for instructions from Mr. Adkins or were they just oblivious as usual? Shouldn’t council have some questions for Mr Adkins at the next council meeting about ethics and civil rights? Oh, … but council hasn’t taken the blinders off! So Adkins will hide his complicity behind the cover-up of silence a while longer.

Wonder if the group of people who have been abused or maligned by Cunningham have thought of going for a civil suit? And could that civil suit include other police officers and city officials?

Wait ‘til you read some quotes from Channel 9’s in depth, online report! Read a summation appearing on MUSA soon.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing" Edmond Burke
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whistlersmom View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote whistlersmom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 06 2017 at 7:56pm

The WCPO.com report on October 30, 2017, titled “Discipline isn’t always uniform when police break the law,” reveals an internal investigation of Corrections Officer McIntosh of Middletown PD, who was found guilty of an “unreasonable and unnecessary use of force,” but was “not criminally charged or fired.” WCPO aired the police video. According to WCPO’s report:


On Feb. 5, 2016, Holloway was in Middletown City Jail's booking room for 2 minutes, 26 seconds. He was there because he failed to appear in court over a petty theft.

McIntosh's search lasted 21 seconds.

According to an internal investigation, he claimed Holloway took his hands off the door and tried to turn around. Surveillance video proved that was a lie.

McIntosh then shoved Holloway into a cell door, the video showed, then into the cell itself. Video shows McIntosh went into the cell and stayed there with Holloway for 25 seconds.

In the internal investigation, Holloway claimed McIntosh punched him in the back before video showed McIntosh slam the cell's door so hard it didn't latch shut. Holloway has chronic pain in his shoulder and back. He told McIntosh about the problem, but both Holloway and another officer said McIntosh didn't care.


"It hurt bad enough that I was crying," Holloway said. "It literally put me in tears. It put me to my knee."

Lt. Leanne Hood, who investigated McIntosh's use of force, found him guilty of an "unreasonable and unnecessary use of force" for how he grabbed Holloway's shirt and for slamming him into the door. She couldn't verify Holloway's claim McIntosh had punched him.


Middletown police suspended McIntosh for a day without pay -- but allowed him to use holiday pay so he wouldn't lose any money. The department sent him to a psychologist to see if he was mentally fit for duty; the psychologist found he was.


McIntosh resigned three months later but went virtually unpunished and even received a recommendation for a raise just 9 days after the incident.

Chief Rodney Muterspaw and City Manager Doug Adkins had agreed to talk with WCPO about this incident but later refused. The reason for refusal? Maybe it would lead to further questions about so many other equally heinous (or worse) incidents which had been covered up.

WCPO then reports that ..Monday morning, after this story published, Adkins posted

lengthy blog post responding to WCPO's requests for information ...” (See

the City Manager’s Blog on CityofMiddletown.org)



In Mr Adkins’ post he had the gall to say I answer to City Council and the residents of this community. Not to WCPO. As far as I can tell Mr Adkins has answered to nothing and no one, especially to the residents who are effectively gagged and blindfolded. City Council says only what he dictates to them, ... so they already have all his answers to their unasked questions.



Then he tried to hide all the unreported, hidden wrong doing in the police department by pointing out the good things that a few of our good police have done. Looks like the proverbial grasping at straws.



Sorry, Mr Adkins, but no amount of “good works” makes the “wrong doing” all OK, especially when the “wrong doing” goes virtually unpunished and gets swept under the rug.



Then his post rambles on, and out of the blue, he gives us the definition of discipline: “training to act in accordance with rules.” Just what rules, to be applied where or to whom, isn’t clear. After that he says the goal is “behave appropriately.” Well, let’s apply that little goal to city hall and add ‘behave ethically’ to it!!!

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing" Edmond Burke
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whistlersmom View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote whistlersmom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 08 2017 at 5:39pm

Everyone should read the report by WCPO.com on 11-1-17 about Middletown police Lt. Cunningham. The following is some excerpts with comments in red. Where excerpts have been underlined, it is for special emphasis.

“We reviewed thousands of disciplinary records from 40 police departments serving the Tri-State, focusing on the agencies in seven metro area counties in Ohio and Kentucky. Reporters studied thousands of incidents involving police in large and small law enforcement agencies.

We weren't sure what we would find when we began collecting these records, but our goal was making sure the public was aware of how law enforcement agencies handle discipline.

We identified 37 incidents of dishonesty among law enforcement employees over the past four years. Penalties ranged from counseling, where a supervisor talks with the employee about the behavior, to termination.”



“But Cunningham's case stood out because city officials refused to release any information about the law firm's investigation of the sexual harassment allegations. They said the investigation fell under attorney/client privilege and did not qualify as a public record.

Lt. Cunningham's case is by far the most complicated.

He received a 30-day suspension in October 2014, after the city's investigation into sexual harassment complaints led to a secondary investigation into Cunningham's use of force against a homeless woman he arrested for disorderly conduct.

Ultimately, the harassment allegations led to a July 2015 "conciliation agreement" with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission in which Middletown agreed to pay $15,000 in damages and prevent Cunningham from supervising the complaining officers for at least two years. Cunningham was also required to receive 30 hours of training "on anti-discrimination laws, sexual harassment, LGBT awareness, bullying, workplace communications and professionalism," according to the settlement document Middletown supplied to WCPO.”

Remember this report was only for the last few years. Lt. Cunningham has been doing this and worse since day one on the police force. The tax payers paid the $15,000 in damages, not Cunningham; that and the cover-up of his conduct by multiple police supervisors over the years is inexcusable. How many times did Cunningham get suspended? How many complaints were filed against him? How many complaints were intercepted by Major Hoffman or other supervisors that refused to make a report? How many honest police officers left the Middletown police force because of this corruption?

“Two years after the settlement, this is the first time the matter has ever been publicly reported. After WCPO began asking questions about Cunningham's discipline, the department announced this week that he will retire on Nov. 1.

The allegations against Cunningham stayed out of the public eye partly because the officers didn't want media attention, their attorney said. They just wanted to change the culture of the department.

The reason they wanted to change the “culture of the department” was because much more of the department’s “culture” was corrupt than just Cunningham. The corruption in Middletown is not limited to the police department! Inspectors, administration, municipal court and revitalization have liars, cheaters and thieves, also.

"They weren't looking for a shakedown," Gerhardstein said. "They were looking to feel safe at work. They were able to achieve some of those goals by making sure Lt. Cunningham went through training. They couldn't get him fired. It's just not something the city would agree to. But they were hoping to make things better."

That’s right “they couldn’t get him fired. It's just not something the city would agree to.” If you’re a crooked employee in Middletown city government you’ll be safe! The powers that be will protect you, cover for you, and refuse to take reports against you. Also you will get raises and promotions much faster than your honest co-workers.

Middletown City Manager Douglas Adkins defended his handling of the Cunningham case in an April 2015 affidavit.

"Because of his record (ha ha ha) and length of service, I did not believe that a termination would withstand the arbitration process," Adkins said. "I believed a lengthy suspension (with pay, therefore a vacation) and a last chance agreement were more effective tools than an unsuccessful termination."

But Gerhardstein was skeptical of the arrangement, especially after he learned that Cunningham served most of his 30-day suspension with 25 unused vacation days.

"The city's investigation was designed to protect Lt. Cunningham," Gerhardstein argued in a 2015 filing with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. "No written reports were collected from the 70 witnesses interviewed by the city and now the city refuses to release any documents from the investigation claiming they are attorney/client privileged."

The city never released investigative reports, but Middletown did provide several hundred pages of records about Lt. Cunningham to WCPO. Hundreds of additional documents came from the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

The records also show that Cunningham had more than 40 use of force incidents in his record.

In a 2006 internal memo, Major Mark Hoffman said Cunningham had been involved in 44 incidents with "no prior discipline" in the prior 12 years. But Hoffman recommended a 3-day suspension for a Feb. 6, 2006 incident  in which Cunningham punched a teenager in the stomach after a foot pursuit.

The May 2014 incident involving a homeless woman was initially deemed justified by Middletown Lt. John Magill. But that changed after the sexual harassment case heated up in September.

In a March 2015 affidavit, former Middletown Police Chief David VanArsdale said he asked Middletown's law department to investigate sexual harassment allegations when he first learned of them in July 2014. In the course of that investigation, he said city lawyers "became aware of a use of force complaint against Lt. Cunningham," VanArsdale said in the affidavit. "The investigation revealed evidence of an excessive use of force."

An arrest report on May 28, 2014 shows Cunningham's initial account of the incident was that he "moved" a homeless woman's mouth to keep her from spitting on him: "I put my hand across her mouth to prevent her assaulting me and moved it to her right."

That account cleared a supervisory review of the incident when Magill documented that the homeless woman, Jewell Gabbard, "showed no injury" when he visited her jail cell. Magill concluded that the use of force complied with department policy.

But Cunningham's account began to unravel in early September, 2014, when Det. Cris Kelly – who witnessed the incident – told Middletown Police Major Rodney Muterspaw that Cunningham didn't just move the woman's mouth away from him.

"No, he drilled her," Kelly said. Muterspaw, who was promoted to chief nine months ago, documented Kelly's account of the incident in a Sept. 9 email to his former chief, VanArsdale.

"He said in a text message later that he regretted not coming forward earlier," Muterspaw wrote. "Gabbard was mentally ill and should not have been struck."

Two days later on Sept. 11, Gabbard filed a handwritten complaint alleging Cunningham hit her while she was handcuffed on May 28.

"He hit me real hard," Gabbard wrote. "Had a bad headache for a while."

Gabbard's report was taken by Lt. Leanne Hood, who also happened to be one of the seven officers who accused Cunningham of sexual harassment in the summer of 2014. In a December 2014 affidavit, Hood alleged Cunningham had "a long history of harassing people in the department … Lt. Cunningham has been close friends with Chief David VanArsdale for a long time. They bike together, kayak together and drink together quite a bit when off duty. The chief has made it clear that he supports Cunningham and will not take action against him."

If VanArsdale was protecting Cunningham because of his personal friendship, he is as guilty of wrong doing as Cunningham.

Hood also claimed in the affidavit that Middletown Law Director Les Landen "had prior knowledge of Cunningham's sexual harassment of city employees" and "personally witnessed several incidents" involving a former law department employee.

Magill, Hoffman, David VanArsdale, Les Landen, Doug Adkins and many others knew about Cunningham being a bully with a badge and protected him. This shows just how deep dishonesty and corruption goes in Middletown. Council, you are the elected officials who are responsible for allowing corruption and it’s cover up, not to mention failure to protect the citizens. If you can not get this under control, we, the citizens should remove you from office and get someone for council that can get rid of the corruption. The least that we expect out of local government is honesty and integrity (something that’s been lacking for years).

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing" Edmond Burke
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote buddhalite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 08 2017 at 11:30pm
Mom,

I get it - where there's smoke - there's fire.  I only knew him from public meetings - and I never heard nor saw anything from him that would make me think poorly of him.....

However - I heard no one on this board publicly support any one running for council in yesterday's elections.  I didn't see anyone here run for office.  I didn't hear anyone here stand up and say not to vote for anyone either (and one that was running is an old hat a council).

I've said it before - someone here (hopefully more than one) can stand up and run.  Give the people of Middletown a real choice for council and/or Mayor.  

Someone?  Anyone?

The only thing that now matters is elections.  We failed this time around - let's not do it again in '19. Let's not forget - if we can get 3 elected - we CONTROL the city!  It's our time to stand and lead!

Bob
"Every government intervention [in the marketplace] creates unintended consequences, which lead to calls for further government interventions." -Ludwig van Mises
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote middletownscouter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 9:33am
It shouldn't be that hard, Bob, given the horrendously poor voter turnout in town.  I posted about that in another thread.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote buddhalite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 10:12am
Scouter,

I agree - but the issue is no one wants to do it.  We tend to want to cry and complain about all that is wrong - but then follow it up with inaction.

I keep saying it - who is it gonna be?  Who is going to stand up and run and win?

Bob
"Every government intervention [in the marketplace] creates unintended consequences, which lead to calls for further government interventions." -Ludwig van Mises
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote middletownscouter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 10:59am
Originally posted by middletownscouter middletownscouter wrote:

It shouldn't be that hard, Bob, given the horrendously poor voter turnout in town.  I posted about that in another thread.

Okay, maybe I spoke too soon there.  Just did a little number crunching on this forum.

[I'm pulling these from looking at the memberlist so if that isn't entirely accurate, I apologize and Mr. Beagle can correct me.]

MUSA has a total of 1,694 registered members.  The first registered users are from 23-Apr-2007.  The most recent was 25-Oct-2017.

Side note is that not counting the admin accounts, the earliest registered user who is still active on this board is spiderjohn, and the only other non-admin user who was among the first 100 to register that is still active is VietVet (Way to stick with it you two!).

Now looking at activity (which appears to mean the last time a user logged into the site), the numbers start to dwindle.  Of the 1,694 registered members:
  • 356 (21.02%) have not been active in this decade (since 1-Jan-2010);
  • Which conversely means that 1,338 (78.98%) have been active since 1-Jan-2010.
  • But since 1-Jan-2015, only 230 (13.58%) of users have logged in, and
  • Since 1-Jan-2016, that number creeps down to 150 (8.85%) users.
  • Only 102 users (6.02%) have logged in within the last 365 days (since 9-Nov-2016),
  • And 94 of those (5.55%), have been active since 1-Jan-2017.
  • Over the last six months since 9-May-2017, that number drops to 73 (4.31%), but
the really telling number is that in the last 30 days since 9-Oct-2017, only 29 users have been active.  That's 1.71% of the userbase.  Now that looks solely at who has logged into the system, not who has actually contributed.  Of those 1,694 users, only 655 have any points (which I believe translates to # of posts though I could be mistaken).

So looking at a standpoint of contribution, with a criteria of the user having at least 1 point (aka 1 post), the numbers break down to:
  • 137 (8.09% of all users, 20.92% of contributing users) have not been active in this decade;
  • Which conversely means that 518 users (30.58% of all users, 79.08% of contributors) have been active.
  • Since 1-Jan-2015, only 131 users have contributed (7.73% of all users, 20.00% of contributors), and
  • Since 1-Jan-2016, that drops to 97 users (5.73% of userbase, 14.81% of contributing members).
  • Only 69 users (4.07% total / 10.53% contributors) have logged on in the last 365 days, and
  • Only 65 (3.84% total / 9.92% contributors) have been active since 1-Jan-2017.
  • In the last six months since 9-May-2017, only 55 (3.25% total / 8.40% contributors) have been active, but
  • In the last 30 days since 9-Oct-2017, only 27 contributing users have been active, which accounts for only 1.59% of the total userbase, and 4.12% of contributing users.
I'll be more than happy to stipulate that by contributing user it could account for someone who created an account to post about something from a Middletown in a different state, or just straight up spam as happened fairly frequently several years ago.  Which just pads the numbers a bit more I think.

In the end what it looks like is a dwindling userbase.  There are currently only 27 of us using this system with any regularity who are generating content.  Why?  Maybe it's because social media sites like Facebook are taking over the scene.  Maybe it's because far more people are accessing content through their phones via apps rather than on a computer and web browser.  Maybe it's because of the quality of content and people don't want to engage in a never ending back-and-forth shouting match over the consistently same topics.  As it stands we don't see our public officials on here anymore, and I personally don't blame them since not only are they only now talking to a very small group of people several of whom are not even citizens of this town.

And this may just be a parallel example of the process in general.  1694 users with only 27 active here.  50000 voters with only 11000 going to the polls.  What do we do to fix these trends?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote FmrMide81 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 11:07am
There is only one solution-replace elections with Colosseum-style fights to the death. It's not about politics anymore-it's about entertainment
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote whistlersmom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 12:08pm

The point of this topic or thread and the first two posts within it (please read from the top), is investigation of the corruption in City Hall.


Holding Council responsible for permitting, abetting, and continuing the corruption and it’s cover up is important. So, the investigations need to be brought to the forefront and kept in the public eye.


That will, hopefully, help bring about the desired changes in Council/City Hall. 

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing" Edmond Burke
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FmrMide81 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 1:22pm
With all due respect to Mr. Burke:
Evil is kickin' some serious ass and nothing in this godforsaken town is gonna stop it
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote spiderjohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 1:54pm
Come on bud bob
Many of the # scouter mentioned as visitors have tried a lot of things with admins,councils and on their own. Many have served on boards,committees and have attended/spoken to numerous councils and city officials.

Stop acting like nothing ever happened before you came around, and honestly what have you accomplished?

Not an attack—keep trying!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote buddhalite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 3:25pm
No, it is an attack - but it is what it is.  This board is full of whiners who can't live for today - they can only live in the past.

It's sad really - nothing is going to change - mark my words here - what Adkins has council believing about their powers and his is absolute garbage - the only way to oust Adkins (if he's your goal) is to oust council and get people who will.

The issue here - with most of y'all - is you tried - something happened - and you cowered back into your hole and now just whine on the message board that isn't being read by more than a handful of people.

You gotta keep on keeping on!  You can't give up - you can't just walk away - you gotta keep going!

The thing is - I WAS THERE - you weren't - and you know I'm right which is why you wrote your response.  There's no defense for apathy - even if it once was followed up with action.

Bob
"Every government intervention [in the marketplace] creates unintended consequences, which lead to calls for further government interventions." -Ludwig van Mises
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote spiderjohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 4:17pm
apathy??
u r f'n crazy, dude
what have u accomplished other than shoving your face around?
nothing that you say or propose is new or earth-shaking
that crew believes that they r doing the right thing
LISTEN TO ME---YOU WON'T CHANGE THEM

no one here has cowered from anything
no one has walked away from anything
u have attended a few council meetings and been allowed to speak---bfd--most here have been there/done it
a lot goes on around town that u probably know little about
on what boards/committees are u on or been placed?
how are you helping the community?
tell me..........
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Analytical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 4:54pm
SpiderJohn -

While we may have had some philosophical/programmatic differences over the past 8.5 years, the following excerpts (from an earlier post of mine) says much about you and your unwavering commitment to Middletown:

"Your opinions certainly carry a good deal of clout in many circles.

I've always maintained that city staff plus city council would be well-served to evaluate/act upon the contents of your posts of the past decade given your years as a successful Middletown entrepreneur and civic-engaged resident/buiness owner."

Respectfully, may I suggest that further comments not directly pertinent to WhistlerMom's "Investigation of Middletown police" concerns, simply be moved to an appropriate new topic/heading?  At times, I've not adhered to what I'm now suggesting.  For new members, it makes for easier and topic indexed reading.

Thank you.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote buddhalite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 5:00pm
You see - this right here is why no one stands up either.  Rather than encourage one another to get out, stand up, run for office - it always ends up in a knuckle dragging ape crap fight over who has done what and when.

And frankly, I'd love to run for office (and I'm doing some sideline work to make it happen) but you people make it seem like everything is hopeless and nothing will ever change.  Well - I want no part of that.  

You can't just encourage people and get them elected and then bend their minds - you gotta beat everyone to death long before they ever get there about stuff that happened years ago - and that's the discouraging part.

I belileve that the best is yet to come for this city - but for that to happen - I gotta believe, you gotta believe - we all gotta believe and living in the past - isn't belief.  Jesus taught us that - that's why we have to be like Paul - no matter what has happened we gotta get out there and do the work we've been called to do and do it happily.  No looking back - no sour grapes - no respecting of persons.....

I just honestly don't know what to think.  All I'm trying to do is stay positive and make a difference and all this forum does is dwell on the past with a no-hope look to the future.  

If we are going to change this city - we gotta get our heads out of the sand.

Bob
"Every government intervention [in the marketplace] creates unintended consequences, which lead to calls for further government interventions." -Ludwig van Mises
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote spiderjohn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 5:12pm
I encourage you--always have
go for it!
but you won't get there by criticizing others from here
stay positive--keep your face out there
get to know Ami and Joe
still--you haven't really done anything special or out of the norm
you r going to have to come up with something

good luck!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Analytical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 5:16pm
Bob -

It's always a good thing when citizens like you are committed to making a positive difference.  If you should decide to run for elected office in 2019, I'm convinced that more MUSA Blog participants than you might guess, would be willing to help you in your quest.

As a potential candidate, you have a wealth of participant talent in many areas germane to public administration, housing and economic development.  They can provide technical and experiential know-how that would be of great benefit.

As I said in my recent private message to you, I apologize for any comments of mine that were less than appropriate.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Analytical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 5:19pm
Now, out of fairness to Whistler'sMom, let's start a new topic heading for any additional comments that may be posted.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 8:26pm
buddhalite:

I will vote for you for council. Just answer some questions.....

If elected, will you stand up for the people and not cave in to the pressure when you do? Will you make your decisions based on fact and not be influenced by the pressure you will feel when pressed for the always present unanimous "yes vote by other council members? Will you be like Anita Scott-Jones who started off strong for the people asking prying questions on behalf of the people and then faded away and became just another rubber stamping approval robot? Or, will you be like Josh Laubach, who, against the entire council, including the pressure from Larry Mulligan and the city manager, managed to stay until the end while being treated like an outcast because he wanted to ask the hard questions?

Which one buddhalite? I want someone with some guts. Someone who will thumb their nose at any pressure from the MMF/Mulligan/city manager positions. Someone who will "THINK ON THEIR OWN" and not feel beholden to anyone but the people. Someone refreshing for an change.

Will you be for the people or play the court jester like all the rest of them have done to date? Will you be bullied by the dictatorial power structure in place in this city?

The right choice gets my vote (and, I'm sure, many others here) and I will keep voting for any new candidate that DOES NOT mimic the cloned candidate we continue to see time after time. The Bronstons, Mulligans, Picards and Bohannons of the world are commonplace as to candidate selections each time. No quality/no substance/no competence/ no logic.....no guts. That is why we are in bad shape as to real leadership in this city, the state and the country. Dare to be different. Dare to be for the people.
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Mike_Presta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 09 2017 at 11:03pm
 BuddLite:

Listen, kid, you have a lotta nerve coming on this forum and talkin' trash the way you have, just because you've posted a few dozen times and gone to one or two city council meetings.

If you think none on here have ever run, you just haven't looked hard enough.  Also, some on here have attended over a hundred council meetings and spoke at most of them.  We have also served on some city committees and applied for seats on many more. as well as being one of the very few to attend every meeting of the School Facilities Committee.

We've also put a lot of time, effort and treasure into trying to organize resistance groups.

I'm sorry that several of us have gotten too old, too ill, (and even too dead in the case of our dear friend Pacman) to keep up the pace that you deem appropriate.

So far, all you have really done is talk.

Get back to me when you have attended at least 20 council meetings (and spoken at at least 10 of them) and have actually run for elected office.  

PS:  And after you have posted at least 1000 serious posts!
“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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote buddhalite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 10 2017 at 12:29am
Ah, so now the measure of being able to speak is how many posts someone has?

I fail to see how that equals anything.

Mike - if you have tried to organize resistance groups, great!  If you ran for office (must have been either before my first stint in our city or when I was gone...great!  I'm GLAD!  You're the first one here that I know who has.

I'm thrilled that you did/are.  That's a foundation to build upon.  Why are you tearing me up?  I wasn't talking to you....I was referring to someone else's harping on the past.  That's all.  It is a fact that I was at the council meeting - and I've been at many (you don't know how many I have/haven't for the record) and no one else here was.  There was plenty on the agenda to oppose - but it was pretty lonely at the podium.  No attack there - just fact.

I'm seriously considering running for office in 2019.  Which one and the details of funding and such I can't say.

Viet, thanks for the vote in advance. ;-)  However - in my manifesto which I plan on publishing soon (before December 1) my whole platform that I have outlined.....well.......it kinda makes me the candidate of NO.

No cronyism.  Period.
No backdoor deals.  Period.
No bowing to pressure.  Right is right - wrong is wrong.  Period
No more spending on pipe dreams.  Period.
No more emergency legislation for anything that isn't a TRUE emergency.  Period.
No more wanton seizing of property.  There's a better way.  And if you do it right - it doesn't cost the city a dime.  Period.

I will have my own website at all times - and will gladly publish position papers and reasons for decisions with anyone anytime.  I have no reason to do otherwise.  I will be approachable by everyone.

Oh yeah - and I don't bend to anyone's pressures.  I am sure that when I do run the status quo will be firmly against everything for which I stand.  Oh well.  The reality is if I am going to run - it's going to take every minute of the next two years to win - I already know that.  I already know that there's just as many people here who hate me as there are who will support me.  I could care less about all that.

I want one thing at the end of the day....the one thing that will put this city back to its once greatness......jobs.  You see, if we get jobs back in this city - the funding problems solve themselves.  We get to do all the maintenance we need to do when we need to do it. We quit investing any and all city earned money on downtown (I'm not talking about re-purposed state and federal grant monies) and use it to get real businesses to come to our real city - open factories, open warehouses, put people to WORK!  When everyone is working - the drug problem will shrink, the finances will self-heal, the city will grow and everyone will be happy when Middletown is great once again.

Does any of that answer your question?

And by the way - I believe that there's one on the current council who is already in our court - the poor councilperson is just so outvoted that they just go along to prevent consistently being the 'no' member so when they do go against the grain it stands out and is 

Bob
"Every government intervention [in the marketplace] creates unintended consequences, which lead to calls for further government interventions." -Ludwig van Mises
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Mike_Presta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 10 2017 at 4:01pm
Originally posted by buddhalite buddhalite wrote:

Ah, so now the measure of being able to speak is how many posts someone has?

I fail to see how that equals anything.
...

Bob

Then you fail to understand your very own posts!!!

You attacked the members of this on-line community.  
One measure of the members (while granted, not the only one) is the number of serious posts said members have written.

Then you say you weren't talking to me?  Your posts certainly sounded as if they were directed at all members of this forum when you where whining at being the only one at the last council meeting.  I was just pointing out that it was not unusual for four or five of us to be at meeting after meeting in the past, and for most of us to speak.

And if you think I was the only member of this forum to run for office you are wrong again!!

Paul Nagy and Nick Kidd ran for council and/or mayor multiple times.

By the way, Paul and I have both successfully ran twice for our local precinct seats on the Butler County Republican Central Committee, and presently serve on same.  What public office do YOU hold?

“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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote whistlersmom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 14 2017 at 11:39pm

Applause with sincere gratitude is due to WCPO, ABC Channel 9 News for reporting their investigation of Middletown’s police department and other Middletown city officials involved in wrong doing and it’s cover up.


Because the Journal-News, a Cox media affiliate (and CBS’s Channel 7), refuses to report anything uncomplimentary and unapproved by city hall, Middletown residents are effectively kept uninformed; all easily done with the aid of staff writer Ed Richter whose job it is to take dictation from Mr Adkins. Pretty simple, and too easy!?!?


City hall has successfully kept the city’s corruption from becoming public. Our residents seem not to care about the corruption because they are either uninformed or misinformed by the local propaganda paper, Journal-News. The public can not care about things of which they have no awareness. This will continue unless the corruption is exposed, expunged and then exterminated like vermin.


Perhaps constantly keeping the public (our residents and tax payers) informed of past and current corruption will prove to be city hall’s nemesis. Relentlessly publishing their corruption and unethical conduct as far and wide as possible, just may be our best opportunity to rid the city of corruption and the corrupt and unethical. Printing and delivery is the final hurdle to making this happen. The goal is a new honest, ethical city government.

Lest it be forgotten again, here are some of the reported “low lights” exposed by the WCPO Channel 9 News investigation of Middletown’s police department and other city officials involved in wrong doing and it’s cover up.

  • Of the “thousands of disciplinary records from 40 police departments serving the Tri-State” reviewed by WCPO, Cunningham's case stood out because city officials refused to release any information about the law firm's investigation of the sexual harassment allegations. They said the investigation fell under attorney/client privilege and did not qualify as a public record. Lt. Cunningham's case is by far the most complicated.” In a “conciliation agreement” with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, the city of Middletown agreed to pay $15,000 in damages. Cunningham paid nothing and the entire matter was hidden from the public view for two years.


  • Several hidden records were revealed on Cunningham. So, how many more damning records remain hidden on him and others in all of our city government? Middletown residents are routinely kept in the dark about anything that city hall is afraid to make public. What are they afraid of???? Is it fear of being held lawfully and financially responsible for whatever is being so carefully kept hidden?


  • City hall was still controlling the investigation: The allegations against Cunningham stayed out of the public eye partly because the officers didn't want media attention, their attorney said. They just wanted to change the culture of the department.” "They weren't looking for a shakedown," Gerhardstein said. "They were looking to feel safe at work. They were able to achieve some of those goals by making sure Lt. Cunningham went through training. They couldn't get him fired. It's just not something the city would agree to. But they were hoping to make things better." Our police wanted to feel safe from one of their own . . . Cunningham!!!


  • Middletown City Manager Douglas Adkins defended his handling of the Cunningham case in an April 2015 affidavit.” The affidavit lamely defends Cunningham, citing his “record and length of service.” At the time of the affidavit there had been no public exposure of his record of corruption! Adkins said. "I believed a lengthy suspension and a last chance agreement were more effective tools than an unsuccessful termination." Adam Gerhardstein, the attorney for the seven officers who accused Cunningham of harassment, said on camera in WCPO’s interview: “… The city's investigation was designed to protect Lt. Cunningham ..." Gerhardstein argued in a 2015 filing with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. "No written reports were collected from the 70 witnesses interviewed by the city and now the city refuses to release any documents from the investigation claiming they are attorney/client privileged." Mr Adkins has explained in detail on his blog that he informs Council of how he expects them to vote on his recommended, predetermined resolutions and ordinances. The police department seems under that same umbrella of control … Adkins, himself, handled the city’s investigation and it’s cover up!!


  • Mr Adkins virtually insulated himself and Chief Muterspaw from exposure: WCPO attempted to interview Cunningham and Middletown Police Chief Rodney Muterspaw. Both declined.” This refusal occurred on camera and was aired on WCPO news and Adkins can be heard saying “We’re not going to do this tonight” to reporter Craig Cheatham. On Mr Adkins ‘October 30, 2017 blog in CityofMiddletown.org, he says “”Let me expand. We’re not going to do this anytime ...” In other words, if Adkins prefers to keep hidden any information that might expose some dirty laundry to the public, he will do so ... at will!!!


  • In Mr Adkins’ October 30 blog, he conveniently ignores WCPO’s findings in their investigation and instead focuses on police good deeds. But even further, Adkins has been hiding, for years, a long record of misconduct in Cunningham’s personnel file which began very early in his “career” as an officer. Cunningham’s file shows he was unfit from the start. Adkins was the city prosecutor early in Cunningham’s “career” and had to have knowledge of Cunningham’s ugly personnel file. As city manager he has oversight of our police. Adkins, along with all of Cunningham’s supervisors and our law department have colluded to protect him and themselves.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing" Edmond Burke
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote whistlersmom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 18 2017 at 1:16pm

Who do you call for help when you have been robbed, assaulted or harassed? Maybe our police department?? Maybe not!!!


After all, Middletown’s PD has it’s own internal criminal activity and also perpetrates crimes upon the public, such as a defenseless, elderly homeless woman in handcuffs whose offense was not answering Lt. Cunningham’s question. All of this goes virtually unpunished and is therefore may be allowed to be repeated under the blind eye of our administration who aid and abet by covering it up??? Doesn’t that make the administration just as guilty???


Knowing this, would you call the Middletown PD?

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing" Edmond Burke
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote buddhalite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 18 2017 at 8:38pm
Seriously??

Come on now - I can't say I know Mr. Cunningham well enough to pass judgment - but even if he is someone we might not want on the force - are we really going to condemn the rest of the force in one fell swoop?

Surely not - and for the record - when I need them (like I did this past Sunday) you better believe I don't hesitate to call them.

Bob
"Every government intervention [in the marketplace] creates unintended consequences, which lead to calls for further government interventions." -Ludwig van Mises
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