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By Ed Richter
| Wednesday, July 16, 2008, 09:24 AM
A bus with about two dozen Middletown residents loaded up on bus at the Manchester Inn today, July 16, at about 9 a.m. as it headed to Paducah, Ky.
The delegation of various community stakeholders are traveling to Paducah to take a look at how that community transformed and revitalized its downtown area by developing an artists relocation program that began in 2000.
When she was being interviewed for the city manager’s position late last year, Judy Gilleland said the Paducah model struck her as a possible way to revitalize downtown Middletown.
The overnight trip is being sponsored by the Middletown Community Foundation and will include presentations by city, business and banking officials, tours of the downtown area as well as meeting with several of the artists who helped to develop the program.
Mike Scorti, Foundation president, told the participants, “if you live in a town long enough, you are the town.”
Scorti hopes that one person will come back from this trip with one fantastic idea to help the entire community.
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By Ed Richter
| Wednesday, July 16, 2008, 08:58 AM
People coming downtown today for the Broad Street Bash may see a welcome sight, particularly if its hot and sunny.
A new sunshade is expected to be ready today at Governor’s Square Park, according to city Planning Director Martin Kohler.
The sunshade for the park was something that several Middletown City Council members had been asking about.
The cost of the sunshade will be about $13,000 and will be paid through the Downtown Capital Improvements Fund, Kohler said.
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By Ed Richter
| Wednesday, July 9, 2008, 01:55 PM
A full house is expected tonight at the Middletown Planning Commission as opponents and proponents will speak on proposed changes to the city’s zoning code as it relates to setback distances for industrial zones as well as a proposed zoning change for the 157-acre Bake-Martin parcel off of Ohio 4.
If the planning commission should approve the zoning change for the property and the zoning code on setbacks, the matter will then go to Middletown City Council for final approval. It would also facilitate the construction of a $350 million coke-making and electric generation plant that would provide coke and electricity to AK Steel Corp.’s Middletown Works.
While that is the procedure, there is also a strong possibility the issue could be the focus of a possible vote to change the city’s charter or end up in a courtroom before a judge.
Tonight’s meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the council chamber on the lower level of the Middletown City Building, One Donham Plaza.
If the last round of public hearings before the planning commmission is any indication of tonight’s meeting, you might want to have an early dinner and arrive early to get a seat because it could be a very long night.
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By Ed Richter
| Friday, June 27, 2008, 04:03 PM
No matter how big or small a community might be, eyesores such as dilapidated buildings, houses, properties, etc., are something that every community has in common.
Among the Agenda 2008 priorities that Middletown City Council has set this year are finding ways to address these issues because they are a quality of life issue. It also makes it that much harder for city officials to sell the community to prospective industries and businesses to create the jobs our community needs.
Many people can agree on what should be done, but as the community is also finding out with Middletown’s streets, it’s going to take some money and don’t look for the state of Ohio or the federal government to write the check to make things better.
So for the weekend, we’d like you to tell us where some of your “pet eyesores” and nuisance properties are in Middletown as well as sharing your thoughts on how to pay for abating these issues. It’s very easy to identify the problem, but it’s much harder to come up with ideas on how to pay for addressing them.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas.
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By Ed Richter
| Monday, June 23, 2008, 09:07 AM
A special meeting of the Middletown City Council and the Butler County Commissioners will be held at 6:30 today, Monday, June 23 at the Manchester Inn.
The council and commissioners will be meeting for dinner with discussion on several issues. Council will be updating the commissioners on its priorities as outlined in Agenda 2008 as well as discuss the street improvement plan which was recently recommended along with an income tax increase to pay for it.
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By Ed Richter
| Tuesday, June 17, 2008, 10:24 AM
If you are planning to attend today’s, June 17, Middletown City Council meeting, it could be a long night.
The topics of discussion at the work session include a proposal to reorganize the city’s departments, truck parking at the Kmart store and vehicles parked on unpaved areas.
The business meeting will feature public hearings on the proposed Wellington Manor apartment complex on South Towne Boulevard, the proposed 2009 budget request for the Middletown Public Library, and the vacation of part of an alley between South Sutphin Street and Superior Avenue.
During the city manager’s report, a discussion is planned on the issues of Section 8 housing administration as well as the Street Improvement Subcommittee’s proposal for an income tax increase for street repairs and repaving. At that time, public input will also be solicited by council as well as from CONSOC Housing Consultants of Columbus, the city’s contractor, and by the Butler Metropolitan Housing Authority.
Council will also consider ordinances on water and sewer tap-in waivers as well as leasing some land at Smith Park to the Light Up Middletown organization to build a storage building.
The work session starts at 5:30 p.m and the business meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Middletown City Building.
It might also be a good idea to have an early dinner as this could be a long night.
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By Ed Richter
| Monday, June 9, 2008, 01:10 PM
Last Tuesday, Middletown City Council voted to go into executive session to discuss contract negotiations.
However, Law Director Les Landen also had intended to have council include a discussion on pending litigation but did not advise Mayor Lawrence P. Mulligan Jr. to include that in the motion to go into executive session before the public meeting ended on-camera.
After the public meeting ended and Landen’s request for a second discussion became known, Mulligan reopened the public session only to amend the motion to enter executive session and re-vote.
Council then went into executive session to discuss both topics.
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