Can we Say Business Unfriendly
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Government
Forum Name: City Manager
Forum Description: Discuss the city manager administration including all city departments.
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2605
Printed Date: May 13 2024 at 3:24am
Topic: Can we Say Business Unfriendly
Posted By: Business Unfriendly
Subject: Can we Say Business Unfriendly
Date Posted: Jan 29 2010 at 7:34pm
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In the process of moving my business in Middletown I sat down this morning with a list of the usual things to do: 1) Called Duke Energy got the power and gas situation taken care of in less than 5 minutes...about a $300-500.00 bill a month.
2) Called Cincy Bell got the phones switched over in record time.
3) Called AT&T and canceled service with them no problem.
4) Called the Insurance company got that all taken care of no sweat.
5) Called Time Warner for new Internet Service No problem.
6) Called supplier #1 about $2000-3000.00 bill each month changed no problem.
7) Called Supplier #2 about $1000-1500.00 bill each month changed no problem.
8) Then I made a big Mistake and called the City of Middletown Water Dept.
 I asked to switch my service to the new address. Service that I have had for 6 years. Oops that was a mistake forgot I was taking to someone at City Hall in Middletown. The City says, I must bring a copy of the lease, a copy of the IDs of everyone involved and a deposit of $100.00.
I tell them I already gave you a deposit 6 years ago and all I want to do is transfers the service to the new address and just apply the original $100.00 deposit to the new address. Oops that would be to easy and business friendly.
The City, says no I must bring down a new deposit, a copy of the lease and ID's of everyone involved, I guess my old money is no good, and they will apply the old deposit to the outstanding balance. I say there is no outstanding balance.
I ask why the city is so difficult to deal with, no answer. I hang up.
Can someone explain the logic of the above conversation, so that I can just flush my one toilet and wash my hands in my new place of Business in Middletown and all to the tune of $50.00+/- a month?
I should have taken the $10,000.00 offer I got from a developer in Hamilton and moved my business to Hamilton. The city makes absolutely no sense in how it operates.
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Replies:
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Jan 30 2010 at 5:55am
| Hmmm...they probably will want you to take care of any unpaid balance the last person left!!! |
Posted By: wasteful
Date Posted: Jan 30 2010 at 8:05am
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This does make very little sense. You can order service from any other utility in Middletown with basically very little complication, but then you have to jump Through all of these hoops for water service.......why? If as you say you have one toilet and a sink you definitely don't fall into the high volume water use category and if you have already established service with them for the last six years.....again I am left scratching my head. Yup Middletown is open for Business.......but you must be inconvenienced at every turn for no reason. A little word to the wise at City Hall apply a little.....just a little logic to you rule making process and the whole process will be much simpler and your reputation in the eyes of businesses and the citizenry will improve and, "Middletown will have a Bright Future". I am still shaking my head at the above city logic.
Anyone from the city care to clarify the reasoning on the above logic. I mean he/she can get a phone, cable service, gas and electric, insurance, internet service etc. over the phone and they can't get water service transferred without having to take time out of their day and jumping through hoops.....and to not even establish new service, just transfer service. Anyone?????????????????????
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Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Jan 30 2010 at 10:51am
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And of course the business person must do this during regular business hours!!! So, that means if it is a one-person business, the person has to lock the doors and spend an hour or more taking a trip to city hall and back!!!
As my father used to sayregarding retail business: "You can't make any money with the doors locked!!!" ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
Posted By: Nick_Kidd
Date Posted: Jan 30 2010 at 11:38am
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If the water dept. is the only problem you have with the City of Middletown, you are indeed lucky. Several years ago I wanted to buy a building to expand a business in Middletown. When going for the permits, I learned that the city had added a building permit to the zoning and occupancy permits already required. This was even if no changes were to be made to the building (another revenue generator that lost the city more money than it ever took in.) Since I wanted the permits before I bought the building, I could not get them in to inspect the building (inspect what?). So the answer I got from the chief building inspector was: "buy the building and then we will come and inspect then let you know if we will allow you to use the building!" Needless to say the business and the jobs were located out of Middletown. This was only one of the many times that the "fine people in the city building" caused me and others to move businesses out of town. ------------- Government is not the answer to problems, government is the problem. |
Posted By: Business Unfriendly
Date Posted: Feb 01 2010 at 9:26pm
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Mr. Presta that is exactly what I am going to have to do, lock the doors and drive down to City Hall, lose several hundred dollars worth of business, piss off a bunch of customers who come expecting the place to be open and it won't be, because City Hall can't change the address on a City Water Account and change the meter number on the account.
I think I will bring my first born with me and see if they want him also.
Mr. Kidd the problem is I have plenty of other issues to deal with, rather than spend 1-2 hrs. running around needlessly for something as simple as a Water Bill, when the matter should be able to be resolved with a phone call or at the most by fax machine.
Unbelievable.
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Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Feb 02 2010 at 7:01am
Sounds like a great "put 'em on the spot" question to ask Council at tonight's meeting. Can you all explain why a business has to close it's doors during business hours to come to the city building to get a water meter account/meter number changed? Then, watch as Gilleland and the rest of them get that glassy "deer caught in the headlights" look in their eyes as they stammer for a passification "non-answer" as is so typical of this bunch. After the stammering and looking around to see who will answer the question, it always ends with Mulligan taking the reigns and saying "we are not set up, at this time, to answer questions".    Atta boy Lawrence! Great comedy from a pathetic bunch.
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Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Feb 02 2010 at 7:07am
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Business: Can you send an emissary?? I would be pleased to stand in your stead, and run this errand for you...at NO CHARGE, too!! ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |