http://www.middletownjournal.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/middletownnews/entries/2010/02/01/councilman_calls_for_terminati.html - Councilman calls for termination of department head

By http://www.middletownjournal.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/middletownnews/entries/2010/02/01/councilman_calls_for_terminati.html#postcomment - Ryan Gauthier | Monday, February 1, 2010, 04:25 PM

Trouble appears to be brewing at the Middletown City Building, with newly-elected 3rd Ward Councilman A.J. Smith calling for the termination of Planning Director Marty Kohler.

In an e-mail sent to City Manager Judy Gilleland, Smith criticized Kohler’s comments at a January Planning Commission meeting regarding a proposed Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

“Once again, we have alienated developers and businesses that are interested in bringing jobs to this city by making recommendations that enforce ‘stringent’ ordinances,” Smith wrote. “We need to learn how to be more flexible.”

Planning Commission members voted 4-1 in favor of the 18,670-square-foot medical office building, which will occupy a 3.83-acre lot in 4300 block of Union Road.

The commission approved a combined preliminary and final development plan for the center with several modifications: relocating commercial trash containers and a smoking shelter to the west side of the building; the construction of temporary access to Union Road until it is widened; and mounding and landscaping along the east side of the property will be confined to a 15-foot strip between the parking lot and right-of-way.

Smith said he did not understand why staff members recommended not granting variances that would allow the smoking shelter and dumpster to remain where developers proposed them. He said it is a “prime example” of Middletown being unfriendly to businesses.

“Marty Kohler, in my opinion needs to be let go,” he wrote. “He is a detriment to this city and it’s [sic] future!”

Smith, 20, was elected to Middletown City Council just last November.

 

Who owns the adjacent property that they will be forced to purchase???

Will the sale of a small piece of the adjacent property decrease the desirability or flexibility for its development???

This is a "subjective" judgement, a matter of "taste"!!!  Who made Mr. Kohler the judge of "taste" for all of Middletown???

Our veterans have put their lives on the line in their service to our nation.  If some of them wish to step outside of the non-smaking building, to a place sheltered from the rain to have a smoke ( a LEGAL activity, and taxed.by both this state and the federal government I might add) who is Mr. Kohler to make it more difficult for them to do so, especially when they may be handicapped and find it difficult to negotiate the extra distance in the first place???

Hopefully this will be front page in tomorrows edition.

Could lend itself to an interesting meeting tomorrow evening.

May be some high blood pressure!

 

Funny how the Journal has a habit of burying things and blocking comments. Makes one wonder what the connection is between the Journal and the city.

 

Givum Hell AJ !

 

Josh:  You should stand with him, this is for the VETS!!! 

 

PS:  Where anyone personally stands on smoking is is immaterial.  It is a LEGAL activity, and heavily taxed by both the federal government and the State of Ohio!