The Martin Chronicles can hardly believe it. There are only a little more than 4 full days until Election Day in malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's Villa Hills. Come November 4, it will be 1,461 days-give or take a few calamitous hours-that the malfeasant Martin won the mayor's office by the narrowest of margins. How? By offering up a stinking garbage truck over-loaded with lie after lie after lie after lie after lie.
Martin is clearly facing difficulty in his taxpayer-funded effort to gain yet another four, very dreadful years sitting in the mayor's office. Many residents have told our reporters that they have told Martin "thanks, but no thanks" when the diminutive dictator has come a-knocking on their door. Many other residents have expressed outrage about Martin's corruption, incompetence and incessant lying. Martin's "yard sign count" is way down from 2010. In a one-on-one race, we'd be prepared to predict that the mismanaging Martin was about to go down in a landslide defeat of historic proportions.
But, this is not a one-on-one race. The undeserving Martin has been the beneficiary of a four-way race. Think about that for just a moment. Martin could actually be re-elected with just 26% of November 4's vote. If that doesn't scare the heck out of you, it most certainly should. Martin is banking on that, after all.
So, here we are again. We are on the brink of the final weekend before the all-important voting begins in Villa Hills. The Martin Chronicles is a firm believer in "past is prologue". Having written that, we are going to make some predictions about what Villa Hills residents will see in the closing days of the campaign.
Here's what will-or, in some cases, better-happen:
- Any mayoral or council candidate who is not out "walking and talking" on this final weekend before the election is absolutely begging for defeat on November 4. Despite what terrible candidates like Mary Koenig and Summer Berger seem to believe, the residents absolutely deserve to hear the "issue positions" of all of the candidates before they cast their votes next Tuesday.
- Martin and his corrupt surrogates are bound to be travelling pillar to post in Villa Hills dishing dirt on each of his three-far-better-opponents this last weekend before the voting begins. If any of Martin's opponents decide to take this weekend off, they do so at their election peril. Look for a door-to-door flier from unidentified Martin supporters accusing his three opponents of embezzlement, drug abuse, tawdry sexual liaisons, attempts to run his granddaughter over with a car, building a team hell-bent on destroying the city and several other false types of misdeeds.
- Martin and other snout-in-the-taxpayer-funded-trough surrogates will position themselves Monday night at the intersection of Buttermilk Pike, Collins Road and Western Reserve waving "Elect Mike Martin for Mayor" signs and smiling at the residents driving by. Any of the three Martin opponents who are not occupying that same space, doing the same, exact thing Monday evening are begging for election failure.
- Martin and more likely other snout-in-the-taxpayer-funded-trough surrogates (like Martin's mean-spirited wife Janet and bucket-headed $47.50 per hour taxpayer-funded bookkeeper Cordelia Schaber) will position themselves at the polling areas waving signs saying such dishonest things as "Elect Martin and Keep the City Moving Forward". Opponents of Martin's rampant corruption and abject mismanagement better be there countering Martin's abject lies to stop "low information" voters from making another huge mistake.
- Martin and-more likely-his surrogates will VIOLATE ELECTION LAW-as they did in 2012-by passing out literature supporting the tiny tyrant inside the legal borders allowing such activity. If the three Martin opponents aren't fully ready to capture the Martin surrogate's ILLEGAL ACTIVITY on videotape and counter-act their incredible LIES, they are begging for defeat on Election Day.
Election Day is almost upon us. There is truly a tremendous chance for the voters to fix the mess the corrupt and incompetent Martin has intentionally created.
Are the voters up to the task?
The Martin Chronicles often writes about the comments posted on the various social networks. They can be entertaining, enlightening and sometimes disturbing. One thing these posts clearly betray are the deep divisions and hard feelings malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin has fostered amongst the residents of Villa Hills.
We are sometimes actually taken aback by the twisted logic employed by some to defend Martin's incredible incompetence and rampant corruption. We unwaveringly defend everyone's right to express their opinions. But, we also think these opinions would be easier to respect of they contained at least a tiny bit of logic.
This is precisely why we respect the posts of people like Jimmy Lynch. First of all, Jimmy Lynch doesn't try to mask his true feelings with phony, cynical bi-partisanship or political correctness. More importantly, Jimmy Lynch always provides irrefutable documentation for his posts by including actual city records.
So, The Martin Chronicles has decided to issue a challenge to any and all social network posters who believe they are up to the task. We are going to ask a few essay questions. All we ask is that those willing to take on this challenge re-state the question along with their answer when the post on the social networks. We'll start looking for the answers right away.
1. Please explain why it is a sound decision for a mayor of a Kentucky City of the Fourth Class to hire his personal attorney to serve as City Attorney. Include in your explanation why there are no potential conflicts of interest or-at minimum-appearances of impropriety in such an arrangement.
2. Please explain why there is no reason to be concerned that the aforementioned personal attorney hired to serve as City Attorney has billed the taxpayers approximately $250,000 in less than two years.
3. Please provide a logical defense for a mayor of a Kentucky City of the Fourth Class spending approximately $500,000 of taxpayer money on various lawyers and legal actions over the past two years.
4. Please provide a logical defense for spending approximately $50,000 of taxpayer money to resolve drainage problems and improve a little-used city park when only $12,000 of taxpayer money was budgeted for the project.
5. (See question 4) Please explain why there is no reason to be concerned about spending approximately $50,000 of taxpayer money to resolve drainage problems and improve a little-used city park when that little-used city park happens to abut the properties of three city councilmembers who regularly support the agenda of the mayor of a Kentucky City of the Fourth Class.
We firmly believe these are all very fair questions. We have several more. But time is limited. The Villa Hills' election is rapidly approaching.
We hope at least some of the social networkers are ready, willing and able to answer these very fair questions. Every voter-including the low-information ones-should have the opportunity to see the rationale for why all of these things have actually happened in Villa Hills.
So, please post your answers. You never know. Your answers could actually change our opinion about what we currently believe to be examples of current, malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's profligate waste of taxpayer money. Gee, we might even stop describing Martin as "malfeasant".
We are waiting for your answers.
The Martin Chronicles has never been the least bit shy about making its beliefs known. We firmly believe-backed by mountains of irrefutable facts-that Villa Hills malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin is one of the most abjectly corrupt and thoroughly incompetent elected officials to hold office anywhere, at any level and at any time.
Martin is a tremendous example of the reason "politician" is considered to be a dirty word. Why? Because Martin is "politician" as con artist. Despite his below-average intelligence, Martin has the almost sinister skill of convincing otherwise intelligent people that he is on their side when it is really only all about him.
Martin banks on the inattentiveness of the low information voters:
- Martin busts four straight annual city budgets but still uses taxpayer money to send out a propaganda piece in this year's tax bills falsely claiming that he is running "budget surpluses".
- Martin claims that he is some masterful manager who regularly counsels department heads on his plans to "move the city forward", and yet admits under oath that he never once sat down to talk with former Police Chief Dan Goodenough before railroading that police chief out of his job. Why? Martin whined that he "only gets paid $200 a month".
- Martin claims in his taxpayer-funded propaganda piece that "the drama of the past is behind us". This despite the fact that he has-in some form or fashion-run off ten of the twelve council people who have had the misfortune of working with him over his four dreadful years in office. Just look at the current "golden moment" council. The three best members simply threw up their hands in disgust and walked away. A fourth has decided to challenge Martin for the mayor's office. Only the mean-spirited Koenig and clueless Wischer have said, "Thank you, sir! May I have another?"
- Martin blathers on about some twisted version of "truth and integrity" even after four judges have ruled that his actions over several years "fit the very definition of forgery", after the Villa Hills Ethics Board reprimanded him for misuse of city personnel and resources, after he was chastised by a respected judge for illegal destruction of city records, after Martin was convicted on seven of nine counts of Official Misconduct and Neglect of Duty and even after-after several years of lies-his secret plan to disband the local police department was revealed to the public.
You get the picture. And that is just the tip of Martin's ugly iceberg of lies and deceit. Martin has conned a lot of people for a long time. He's still conning people. That is why he very well might be victorious in next Tuesday's four-way Villa Hills' mayoral race. He doesn't care. He just wants to win. Bad, bad, very bad.
Now, to the exact point of this post. The Martin Chronicles offices have been inundated with irate phone calls and e-mails today. Hundreds of residents are highly upset that the tiny tyrant has tackily hung a banner over the sign to the city's entrance announcing Villa Hills' lofty position is America's suburbs.
These phone callers and e-mailers are outraged because they believe that Martin did that for purely political reasons. And, he most certainly did.
These phone callers and e-mailers are outraged because they believe that Martin wants low-information voters to think that he deserves credit for Villa Hills' lofty position in America's suburbs. And, he most certainly does.
These phone callers and e-mailers think the way think the way the sign is displayed looks terrible. And, it most certainly does.
These phone callers and e-mailers think the timing of the tacky display is offensive and a sign of desperation. And, it most certainly is.
But, The Martin Chronicles wants everyone to take a deep breath. Sure, Martin is an undeserving opportunist. Sure, Martin is a dishonest, shady character. Sure, Martin couldn't manage his way out of a paper bag. Sure, Martin has lied time and time and time again. We listened to all of your irate phone calls and read your upset e-mails. We agree with you.
Even still, residents should be proud of their community. With the important proviso that the community was deemed to be worthy of that pride despite Martin's incessant wrongdoing. It's as simple as that.
Resident's should also be proud that they live in a nation that gives them the opportunity to fix the problems of all levels of their government. It is a blessing passed on to them by some very wise people. Everyone has the opportunity to go to the polls next Tuesday to clean house. They most certainly should.
Tacky sign or no, Martin must absolutely go on November 4.
The Martin Chronicles has had many stretches of incredible readership growth since we launched our pesky little blog on October 8, 2011. Some notable examples include the period of time when Martin was trying to ram through his massive road tax, when Martin was caught red-handed illegally destroying city records, Martin's removal hearing when he was convicted on seven of nine counts of Official Misconduct and Neglect of Duty, when Martin's secret plan to disband the local police department was revealed and the sham kangaroo court Martin used to railroad former Villa Hills Police Chief Dan Goodenough.
But, over the last sixty days The Martin Chronicles has witnessed its greatest growth ever in new readership. Oh, sure. We know why. People are very interested in the four-way mayoral race between current malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin, long-time Villa Hills resident and selfless volunteer Ernie Brown, septuagenarian, short-time resident Irvin Callery and current-councilmember-fed-up-with-Martin's-sinister-shenanigans Holly B. Menninger-Isenhour.
The Martin Chronicles is "happy to tell you" that we are pleased with the growing interest in the rapidly-approaching election (and as the mendacious Martin once dishonestly said, we are not suing you. Even though he really was). But we do digress.
The mayoral race has certainly been exciting:
- Martin's yard signs go up. And then they come down when the here-to-fore uninitiated resident is educated about Martin's costly-to-the-taxpayer chicanery. Insiders tell us that even the dumber-than-a-brick Martin knows he's in a bit of electoral trouble. But the little liar certainly won't go down without a mudslinging fight. He still believes he can win with about 26% of the low-information voters casting a ballot for him.
- Selfless volunteer Ernie Brown is campaigning hard. He did a great job at the Prospect Point event and at the Sensible Citizen Town Hall. He has impressed residents with his grasp of the facts. Sure, some folks hold inexplicable grudges against him. Heck, we know what that's like. Some people just can't handle the truth. Brown would be much better than the law-breaking Martin.
- Septuagenarian, former Covington Mayor Irvin Callery is also campaigning aggressively, mostly thanks to far younger relatives and friends. The aging Callery has an obvious base of support. Many residents do worry about the fact that Callery will be approaching eighty years old at the end of a potential first term, however. Callery would be much better than the law-breaking Martin, even at the former Covington mayor's advanced age.
- Current councilwoman Holly B. Menninger-Isenhour is giving it her best effort. The Martin Chronicles applauds her for acknowledging Martin's abject lack of transparency and reckless spending on lawyers and legal actions. She took a big risk walking away from her council seat. You never know. A minority-majority of Villa Hills voters may choose to elect their first-ever female mayor. Menninger-Isenhour would be marginally better than the law-breaking Martin, despite her poor performance during her one term on city council.
The election is rapidly approaching. There is a great deal at stake. Despite what snarky, non-voting teenagers, their over-defensive mommas and the civic club asshats perpetually say, the dishonest Martin must go. This little crook has wreaked havoc and brought great embarrassment on Villa Hills.
Whether its the selfless Ernie Brown, the rapidly-aging Callery or the meandering Menninger-Isenhour, change is crucial for the future of Villa Hills. The Martin Chronicles would be fine with any of these taking the tiny tyrant's place in the mayor's office on January 1, 2015.
Let's hope that change is just a few hours more than a week away.
The Martin Chronicles believes Villa Hills mayoral candidate Irvin Callery is a decent fellow. This despite the cheap shot he took at us in the dinosaur media. By the way, thanks Irvin. Your cheap shot pushed our readership even higher. But we do digress.
Besides, any of the three people running against current malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin would certainly do a better job than the diminutive dictator. The mallet-headed Martin has set the mayoral bar as low as it can possibly get. The three best words to describe Martin's tenure as malfeasant mayor is, "Stink. Stank. Stunk. But we do digress again.
Callery certainly has his base of support:
- Callery's Villa Hills' supporters are desperate to see someone in the mayor's office possessed of a triple-digit IQ after four years of Martin's abject stupidity.
- Callery's Villa Hills supporters are desperate to have someone competent and honest in the mayor's office after four years of Martin's incompetence and corruption.
- Callery's Villa Hills' supporters are desperate to see someone who brings a track record of mostly telling the truth after Martin's four years of lie after lie after lie after lie.
- Callery's Villa Hills' supporters are desperate to have someone who is professional and knows how to effectively manage employees after Martin's massive unprofessionalism and the diminutive dictator's dishonest mishandling of the local police department's former leadership.
- Callery's Villa Hills' supporters are desperate to have someone who can effectively manage city operations after Martin's mishandling of the city's now-mostly-defunct street repair program, vendetta against the police department and the miniature mullah's wild spending on city administrative employees-and worse yet-lawyers and legal actions.
- Callery's Villa Hills' supporters are desperate for someone with experience after seeing Martin-who served two terrible terms on Villa Hills council, was correctly voted out after his judicially justified FORGERY ARREST-and then came back two years later to win the mayor's office by the narrowest of margins, bringing four years of non-stop, public embarrassment to the city.
- Callery's Villa Hills' supporters are desperate for someone who will find a different solution to the city's problems after four years of Martin's tax increase, after tax increase, after tax increase, after tax increase, after tax increase.
But Callery has his very staunch detractors as well:
- Callery's Villa Hills' detractors believe that Callery was "asleep at the switch" while now-imprisoned former Finance Director Bob Due was stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the taxpayers of Covington.
- Callery's Villa Hills' detractors are uneasy about the mayoral candidate's constant references to his "experience in Covington". As one resident put it, "Villa Hills ain't Covington!" Many people are pointing out the fact that Martin's Villa Hills overpaid-by-the taxpayers' City Administrator/Clerk Craigory T. Bohman was once a Covington City Commissioner and that the current Villa Hills' Police Chief once served on the Covington police department. As another longtime resident put it, "If we wanted to be Covington, we wouldn't have incorporated the City of Villa Hills in 1962".
- Callery's Villa Hills' detractors don't think the city needs another "shifty politician". These detractors are convinced that it was actually Callery himself who falsely planted the story at the civic club that he planned to withdraw from the mayor's race only to get the opportunity to get an unchallenged interview by the dinosaur media.
- Callery's Villa Hills' detractors think the former Covington mayor is nothing more than the mendacious Martin's "Trojan Horse", who-despite pleas from several Villa Hills' residents to instead run for city council-is in the race simply to guarantee Martin's reelection is a heavily-divided vote. These detractors point to the fact that Callery eagerly jumped at the chance to serve on one of Martin's crooked committees.
- Callery's Villa Hills detractors think the former Covington mayor was driven by his unchecked ego to move to Villa Hills about three years ago-seeing the corrupt and incompetent Martin as "easy pickings"-simply to redeem himself after his stinging defeat to Denny Bowman some year's ago.
- Callery's Villa Hills' detractors worry about the former Covington mayor's advanced age. Callery is a septuagenarian, after all. As one Villa Hills' resident pointed out, "Callery would be pushing 80 years old at the end of a first term. Will he really have the energy it's going to take to clean up the terrible mess made by that crook Martin?"
- Callery's Villa Hills' detractors claim the former Covington mayor is simply and ego-driven opportunist. These detractors worry that he would work hard to turn the reigns of power back over to the malfeasant Martin in the event that he wins on November 4. Detractors say that even Callery understands that he is simply "too damn old" to effectively run the city.
For the purposes of full disclosure, The Martin Chronicles has no preference in the 2014 mayor's race, with one very clear exception. We fully believe that Martin has been an incompetent and totally corrupt failure. He needs to go. And he needs to go now.
November 4 will be here before you know it.
The Martin Chronicles has been learning as much as we can about the nine candidates vying for the six open seats on the 2015/16 Villa Hills city council. Contested council races are always a tough call. Much like in the four-way mayor's race, we hope the residents are doing a better job of educating themselves before they vote on November 4.
We do know that candidates Berger, Hilgeford, Koenig, Yost-Vaden and Wischer have proudly identified themselves as "The Martin Five". They are all pushing Martin's dishonest myth that Villa Hills is a "city moving forward". This false claim is being made despite four years of media embarrassment, four straight "busted budgets", a disgracefully mistreated local police department, virtually no street repair, incredible sums of taxpayer money squandered on lawyers and legal actions and multiple tax increases.
Sure, at least some of them will be elected. The math of the race absolutely assures that. Residents should clearly understand, however, that a vote for any of those five is also a vote for the malfeasant Martin. Some are actually happy about that. Many others, not so much.
We also know that candidates Bruns, Kilburn and Ringo ended up paying the price for Martin's incompetence and corruption at the ballot box in 2012. Despite a record of selfless work for the residents, these three were voted out in the vain hope that a new council would calm things down and put an end the embarrassment.
We now also know that no council can really work with the mallet-headed Martin. What we once referred to as Martin's "golden moment" council after they were victorious in 2012 have faced nothing but turmoil, threats, evasion, lawsuits and continued scandal since taking office on January 1, 2013.
"Martin World" has been so bad for the tarnished "golden moment" council that the three best councilmembers chose not to even run for reelection this year. A fourth councilmember is so fed up with Martin's antics that she decided to challenge Martin for the seat in the mayor's office. That should tell the residents all they need to know about Martin and "The Martin Five". But it remains to be seen if it will.
We'll tell you what we've learned about the nine city council candidates:
- Summer Berger - We do know she has been "closely involved" with a bizarre, former Villa Hills councilmember. How? We've read the court documents. We also know that she helped spark yet another lawsuit against Villa Hills taxpayers by her reckless behavior while serving on Martin's so-called "Safety" Committee. But we don't know much else about Ms. Berger. Why? Because she consciously chose to avoid both opportunities made available to her to field questions from the residents during this election cycle.
- George Bruns - Mr. Bruns has been a public servant for his entire adult life. He began serving the residents when he joined the local volunteer fire department when he was a teenager. Mr. Bruns has lived in Villa Hills almost his entire life. He served ably on Villa Hills' city council as a strong advocate for all things relating to public safety. But, Mr. Bruns was punished for being a-now we know justifiably-outspoken critic of malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin in 2012.
- Dave Hilgeford- By most accounts, Hilgeford was once a solid citizen who was always willing to serve the public. But, again-by most accounts-something has gone terribly wrong. Former friends of Hilgeford are mystified by the inexplicable loss of his once well-know "independent streak". These former friends are at a loss to explain Hilgeford's recent erratic, dangerous behavior and his bizarre public actions.
- Greg Kilburn - Mr. Kilburn is an attorney who was chairperson of Villa Hills Public Works committee during the well-documented time when the most street repair was done in the city's history. Mr. Kilburn was actually once a close friend of Mike Martin. But, Kilburn came to realize Martin's deception and gross incompetence. So, Martin took special joy in encouraging voters to defeat Kilburn in the 2012 election.
- Mary Koenig - The Martin Chronicles has never shied away for our low opinion of Ms. Koenig. She is the ultimate example of an elected official who has simply been around far too long. Koenig was first elected to city council in the last century-1989 to be exact. She is the "good old boy" she always rails against. Besides, she is the only person who was at the epicenter of the suspicious firings of two Villa Hills Police Chiefs.
- Scott Ringo - Mr. Ringo is clearly the smartest candidate in the nine-person field. In fact, he would be a great choice for Villa Hills' next mayor. It speaks volumes about Mr. Ringo that he chose to run for council instead. He is a huge advocate of public safety and a logical road repair program. Mr. Ringo clearly understands city budgeting and would make the maximum use of every taxpayer dollar. Mr. Ringo was also a victim of the wrong-headed 2012 "housecleaning".
- Jennifer Yost-Vaden- She is the most obvious Martin "Kool-Aid" drinker. Despite all of the dinosaur media-reported problems of Martin's mis-administration, Ms. Yost-Vaden is a "true believer". She actually tried to defend Martin's $500,000-plus abject waste of taxpayer money on lawyers and legal fees at the Sensible Citizen's "Mulligan" Town Hall. We aren't prepared to say that Yost-Vaden is clueless. But, she is clearly off-base.
- Gary Waugaman - Businessman Mr. Waugaman has been a long-time volunteer. He gives his time and his money to St. Joe's. He was willing to serve on multiple committees under the malfeasant Martin. Despite his health problems, Mr. Waugaman has never said "no" to a request to help any worthwhile cause.
- Brian Wischer - Mr. Wischer is another self-proclaimed member of "The Martin Five" who wants you to falsely believe that the-Martin-and-his crony-caused-troubled Villa Hills is actually a "city moving forward". He is telling dreadful lies on the campaign trail. Do you want an example? Of course you do. Mr. Wischer is actually telling residents that railroaded, former Police Chief Dan Goodenough "wouldn't have received his retirement" is it wasn't for him. And so it goes. This is currently "Martinville", after all.
The voters' decision won't be easy. There simply aren't enough good choices. The voters need to decide exactly how much burden they will place on the next mayor after January 1, 2015.
November 4 is almost upon us.
The Martin Chronicles offices just received a call from one of its reporters, who is combing the streets of Villa Hills. Our reporter was approached by about a dozen residents from the neighboring city of Crescent Springs.
These out-of-towners told our reporter that the misguided Martin came a-calling on them to ask for their votes and to place yard signs. Our reporter was told that Martin reacted combatively when the bewildered Crescent Springs' residents informed the tiny tyrant that he was "fishing in the wrong pond".
One stunned man said, "It was as if Martin just snapped. We all told him we should know where we live. I suggested he go back across the border in to Villa Hills. What a strange little guy." Yeah, that had to be Martin.
Is Martin's search for votes outside his city and act of desperation? Is Martin just stupid? Of course you know the answer.
The answer to both questions is "yes".
The Martin Chronicles reporters will be out in full force as we enter the final full week of the election campaign in malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's Villa Hills. We are expecting everything and anything to happen.
As most of the candidates-and our rapidly growing audience-now realize, we have eyes and ears everywhere. We will be able to report every move every candidate makes in the closing days of this important race. Most importantly, we will immediately correct every lie that's told. Those lies will most certainly come fast and furious from the mendacious Martin and others. Rewriting recent history is difficult, after all.
So, how is the election taking shape? For the purposes of full disclosure, we still aren't ready to begin predicting results. November 4's outcome is in the hands of Villa Hills voters. Yes, that's exactly how it should be.
But that raises some interesting questions. Are enough voters truly engaged? Have enough voters been watching the train wreck that has been Martin's past four, miserable years in the mayor's office? Have enough voters finally realized that it does matter who sits in the mayor's office and in the six city council seats? We will know the answers to these questions soon enough.
We do know that Martin's base of support is significantly smaller than it was four years ago. Since narrowly eking out victory in 2010, Martin is no longer seen as some "nice little fella" who a razor-thin majority of voters offered the chance to show what he could really do. Sure, he did show what he can really do. And what is that? To dishonestly orchestrate a corrupt and incompetent disaster.
But the 2014 mayor's race is quite different. Martin is facing three opponents, not one. Despite his well-documented record of abject failure and malfeasance, Martin needs far fewer votes to be reelected than he did to be elected in 2010.
Martin still has some base of support that he continues to dupe. He even has the "Martin Five" council candidates assisting his dishonest efforts to push the lie that Villa Hills is a city "moving forward". This despite convictions for official wrongdoing, a reprimand from the Villa Hills Ethics Board, four straight busted budgets, almost no street repair, a publicly abused local police department and multiple tax increases.
Remember, Martin doesn't need a majority of votes to win this time. He simply needs just one more vote than the three other candidates. Martin could conceivably win with just 26% of November 4's mayoral vote. While such a result isn't likely, it could happen.
One of the other three candidates has to break out of the pack. Brown, Callery and Menninger-Isenhour better be campaigning-and campaigning energetically-over these final days of the campaign. Villa Hills residents deserve a better city government than the one they have endured these past four years. Even if an as yet-undetermined number of those residents have yet to realize that obvious fact.
We'll examine the city council race next.
The Martin Chronicles appreciates the "shout out" we received from the dinosaur media the other day. Despite the fact that more people read our blog than anything the failing Gannett products publish.
While we're on the subject, we stand by our report about the rumors being circulated by malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's supporters at the civic club claiming that Irvin Callery intends to withdrawal from the Villa Hills mayor's race and publicly throw his support to rival candidate Ernie Brown. The circulation of those rumors is a fact, whether Irvin Callery likes it or not.
While we're on that subject, Irvin Callery is completely off base when he claims that The Martin Chronicles supports any of the current mayoral or council candidates. That baseless claim is just a lame attempt by Callery to change the subject.
Does The Martin Chronicles believe that certain candidates would do a better job representing the people of Villa Hills than others? Of course we do. If a majority of voters understand that fact when they go to the polls on November 4, there will certainly be some major changes in Villa Hills currently-mangled and mismanaged city government.
We do believe it is well past time for the corrupt and incompetent Martin to be swept in to the dust bin of history. We have always made that quite clear.
But we don't favor any of his three rivals. Brown, Callery and Menninger-Isenhour are all better choices than Martin. Heck, Dave Garroway's chimpanzee sidekick J. Fred Muggs would do a far better job than the corrupt and incompetent Martin.
Muggs for mayor?
The Martin Chronicles has already told you about the wisecrack offered up by a long time political observer in malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's Villa Hills. In case you have forgotten, it went like this, "Villa Hills city finances have been a real shell game during Martin's four terrible years in office. It's far past time to get rid of the nut who has been running this tawdry con on the taxpayers".
So what about this shell game? Would you like a few examples? Sure you would. Why?Because you have to cast a vote for the next mayor and six council members in just about 11 days.
- The malfeasant Martin and his willing accomplices have camouflaged some of the more than $500,000 absolutely wasted on taxpayer-funded lawyers and legal actions in innocuous budget line items such as "pre-paid expenses", "resident resources (whatever the heck that is)" and yes, even "office expenses".
- The malfeasant Martin recently used more than $5,000 of taxpayer money to pay the Lexington-based law firm of Sturgill, Turner, Barker & Moloney, PLLC. Why is that significant? Because that law firm is representing Martin personally in the four current lawsuits the mismanaging mayor's reckless behavior has generated.
- The malfeasant Martin and his willing accomplices have exploded the budget for the money to "improve" a park that almost no resident even knows exists. Martin's current, "golden moment" council approved a little more than $12,000 for the pointless project. Martin has actually squandered more than $48,000 on this useless white elephant waste of taxpayer money to-date.
- The malfeasant Martin continues to sit on the alleged $15,000 dollars he and incumbent council candidate Brian Wischer claimed was collected from some poor insurance company after the Amsterdam Village sign was damaged by a drunk driver more than a year ago. Why hasn't the still-missing sign been replaced? If $15,000 was actually collected from some poor insurance company as Martin and Wischer claimed, where is it now?
- The malfeasant Martin has cleverly kept a-taxpayers-on-the-hook-$217,000 fine from the State of Kentucky for "pension spiking" out of the city's financial records. Yes, the taxpayers have been kept in the dark about this tawdry piece of Martin mismanagement. But its worse than that. Martin has paid his personal-and now City-Attorney Toad V. McMurtry (of Gerner & Kerns) roughly $7,000 to contest the fine. Oh, by the way, Martin, McMurtry and Craigory T. Bohman have already accused to former police officers of "pension spiking". So, how can Martin object to the fining of his abject mismanagement?
The preceding shocking examples are just the tip of the iceberg of Martin's abject waste of taxpayer money. The reality is far worse. If Martin is somehow re-elected, the financial fallout to the taxpayers will be staggering.
Its time to clean house on November 4.
The Martin Chronicles reporters are out in full force on the campaign trail in malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's embattled Villa Hills. We are hearing all kinds of discussion and speculation as we enter the final 12 days of the race.
1. Our reporters have heard rumors and rumblings that former Covington Mayor Irvin Callery is soon going to graciously drop out of the four-way mayoral race and very publicly ask his supporters to give their vote to fellow challenger Ernie Brown. Why? Because-above all else-Mr. Callery realizes that the most important thing for the city is the defeat of the corrupt and incompetent Martin.
2. Sources at the civic club are telling us that most of the rank-and-file regulars have already written-off the mismanaging Martin. The club chatter is whether Ernie Brown or Irvin Callery is the better choice to take on the sure-to-be-monumental mess Martin has made over the past four years.
3. The Sensible Citizens completely exploded the Martin-Koenig myth that the civic-minded group is "partician". How? They provided yet a second public forum for the three new council candidates (Hilgeford, Yost-Vaden and Berger) who consciously chose to "no-show" last week's Town Hall event.
a. Boo-Bird "Martin Five" member Dave Hilgeford stabbed his fearless leader Martin
in the back by announcing that he supports Holly Menninger-Isenhour for mayor.
Hilgeford raised eyebrows at the Sensible Citizen "Mulligan event" by telling
attendees that he made that decision because he and Menninger-Isenhour are
frequently "walkin' the dog". Hey-oh! Get the kids out of the room!
b. Jennifer Yost-Vaden went a long way confirming the suspicion that she is nothing
more than a Martin Kool-Aid drinking mouth-breather when she said she had no
problem with the more than $500,000 of taxpayer money has wasted on lawyers and
legal actions.
c. Summer Berger showed everyone her low regard for the residents she pretends to
want to serve by brazenly "no-showing" the Sensible Citizen "Mulligan event". First
year law student Berger provides the perfect rationale for William Shakespeare's line,
"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers".
4. While we're on the subject of lawyers, our tipsters inside the law firm of Gerner & Kerns are happy to tell us all they know about Martin's personal-and now City-Attorney Toad V. McMurtry. These snitches are convinced that McMurtry is busy trying to insulate himself from any malpractice charges that may come if Martin is indeed defeated. These insiders say that McMurtry is telling anyone and everyone who will listen that Martin never takes his advice and instead does whatever he wants. We understand McMurtry's desperation. But after $239,000 of taxpayer money has been siphoned out of the city treasury-we still hope it doesn't work.
November 4 is now right around the corner.
The Martin Chronicles had a very distinguished, long-time Villa Hills resident pay a visit to our offices today. To a person, our entire staff enjoys meeting with this legendary long-timer. Especially when this person brings several pizzas as was the case today.
Everyone gathered in the break room to enjoy pizza, soft drinks and conversation about the final two weeks of the election campaign in malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's embarrassed burg. Oh, this race has been a doozy.
Martin has been telling bold-faced lies about his wild spending on lawyers and legal fees. Martin used taxpayer money to pay city employees to print and mail a piece of political propaganda. The "Martin Five" council candidates have been making flowery promises about "communication" and "transparency" and then no-showing the only opportunity to answer serious questions from inquisitive residents prior to Election Day. Martin apparatchik City Administrator/Clerk Craigory T. Bohman has been photographed going on private property to remove campaign signs. The high crimes and hypocrisy have been epic.
After about twenty minutes of political chatter, our distinguished guest stood up and said, "Is everyone ready to play a game?" Always up for some fun, the entire staff emphatically said "yes!"
Our colleague began this way. "We all know Martin has built a pernicious political career on making all kinds of vicious, baseless claims about his opponents, right?" After unanimous agreement, our guest continued. "We also know that Martin has created a ridiculous myth that he is just a pure-as-the-driven-snow, good government evangelist who has always struggled against the forces of evil, right?" Again, unanimous agreement. So, are you ready to play a game called, "What if the shoe were on the other foot"? Everyone was "in"!
Okay, so "Mister Truth and Integrity" is a challenger instead of the incumbent in the current race. The imaginary incumbent mayor has done every corrupt and incompetent thing that the real Martin has actually done so far and no one really knows "Martin the challenger". Are you with me so far? Of course we were.
Our visitor continued. So, what would "Martin the challenger" do? As is his wont, he would make vicious, baseless claims against the incumbent right? Sure he would. Heck, he does it all the time. Imagine "Martin the challenger" entertaining his civic club buddies (CCB) with a pack of tripe in preparation for handing out his dung door-to-door the final weekend of the election campaign.
Here is how "Martin the challenger (MTC)" would do it:
MTC: "Did you know that Mayor Incumbent just purchased a 2015 Ford F-150?"
CCB: "Wow, really?"
MTC: Oh, yeah. And those F-150s start at $25,000.
CCB: Woo-eee.
MTC: So where does a shoddy-at-best handyman get that kind of money, anyways?
CCB: Gee, how?
MTC: Think about it for a minute. Didn't Mayor Incumbent use your money to hire his personal attorney to serve as City Attorney?
CCB: Yeah, he did!
MTC: And haven't you seen the documents on Facebook that prove Mayor Incumbent has paid more than $239,000 dollars in less than to years to a guy who was his personal attorney? Guys, that is your money!
CCB: Yeah, we've seen that! Holy (EXPLETIVE)!
MTC: Well, how can you be sure where all of your taxpayer money really went?
CCB: Yeah, we don't know! (EXPLETIVE), the city financials on the crappy city website don't make any sense at all!
MTC: That's what I'm talkin' about!
CCB: (EXPLETIVE)
MTC: But it sure doesn't end there.
CCB: Huh?
MTC: Well, think about it? Didn't Mayor Incumbent get his city clerk a 50% pay raise to take on the role of city administrator?
CCB: Yeah, that's right!
MTC: And didn't that clerk/administrator then pay Mayor Incumbent a lot of money to supposedly do shoddy-at-best handyman work on his home in Erlanger?
CCB: (EXPLETIVE)! He did do that!
MTC: So, do you know what money laundering is?
CCB: Uh, huh. What?
MTC: C'mon! Doesn't that sound exactly like some crooked kind of payback?
CCB: Yeah. Yeah, uh. Yeah it does.
MTC: Can't you see it? Mayor Incumbent is ripping you off. He's just a taxpayer-robbing crook!
By the way, the REAL MALFEASANT MAYOR MARTIN just purchased a 2015 Ford F-150.
The Martin Chronicles read the dinosaur media's contribution to the city council race in malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's Villa Hills with amusement. It's obvious that the two incumbents and three of the seven challengers (the five Martin has described as "my candidates") are desperately hoping to convince the voters that the past four dreadful years never happened. But the past four dreadful years have happened.
Mary Koenig and Brian Wischer have supported the events of the past four dreadful years with their actions and with their votes supporting Martin's "agenda of vendetta". Dave Hilgedford and Summer Berger have supported the events of the past four dreadful years by willingly allowing Martin to use and misuse them as mindless mouthpieces on various city committees. Jennifer Yost-Vaden also seems perfectly content to serve as a parrot sitting on Martin's shoulder, squawking the Martin-Koenig line that Villa Hills is a city somehow "moving forward".
The "Martin Five" obviously think most voters are idiots who will take all of about ten seconds to deciding how to cast their six council votes. We are mindful that these five base their belief on the mostly-inattentive voters who went to the polls in 2010 and 2012. We think this year may be a bit different.
Why? Because the events of the past four dreadful years seem to have stirred more interest in this year's election. It now appears that a fairly sizeable number of residents understand that it does matter who sits in the mayor's office and on city council. Given the four-way mayor's race and the undeniable math of the council race, it's unclear how much the voter's heightened interest in this election will ultimately improve the current corrupt and incompetent city government. We'll know that in a couple of weeks.
It was hilarious to read the "Martin Five" comments about "transparency" and "communication". If these five really believed in those two concepts, they would have come to last week's council Town Hall event to face questions from the residents. But none of them saw fit to do so.
Oh, that's right. The "Martin Five" bought in to Martin's disparaging F-Bomb rant about the residents, the Sensible Citizens and the Town Hall meetings. Then Martin stabbed his five candidates in the back by showing up at the mayor Town Hall, only to have his endless lies exploded before a packed house in Villa Madonna's theater. We guess that represents at least a small measure of justice.
"Transparency" and "communication" aren't found on some piece of political propaganda or in some trite article published in the dinosaur media. These two concepts are found in votes and actions. If enough voters are mindful of that fact, it does not bode well for Martin and the "Martin Five".
Two weeks to go.
The Martin Chronicles is still trying to process Villa Hills malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's strange defense for removing a highly trained CPA from his finance committee and replacing her with a teenaged boy. Martin claims he made a great move because the teenaged boy brings "fresh ideas" and "asks lots of questions". Of that we have little doubt.
Martin removed the CPA some time ago. Adding insult to injury, Martin said the CPA's work was "unacceptable". We aren't sure how Martin made this determination. Others say Martin simply did not like all of the questions the CPA was asking him about the "unusual" state of the city's financial records.
Look, we have nothing against teenaged boys getting involved. In fact, we think civic mindedness is always a good thing. But, we are talking about the taxpayers' money. Given the mess, shouldn't you have as many eyes as possible reviewing the numbers?
As far as we can determine, there is no limit to the number of people who can serve on Martin's finance committee. Wouldn't it have made more sense to keep the CPA and add the teenaged boy?
Election Day can't get here soon enough.
The Martin Chronicles finds it a little hard to believe that Villa Hills' voters will have the opportunity to choose their next mayor and council in just a little more than two weeks. Current malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin has made such a terrible mess of the taxpayer-funded city government over the last four years that it has seemed like a dismal eternity.
This week brought us several campaign tidbits:
- Only four of the nine council candidates saw fit to answer the residents' questions at last Tuesday's Town Hall meeting. The other five candidates-who Martin has publicly described as "my candidates"-evidently thought facing residents' question was beneath them and consciously chose to stay away. Sure, we know Villa Hills is supposed to have a six-member council. But, hey, why not just keep the last two seats empty. Empty chairs have as much to offer the residents as those other five "empty suit" no-shows do.
- Many people are perplexed by Tuesday night "no show" Dave Hilgeford's odd appearance at Thursday night's mayoral candidate Town Hall. Hilgeford compounded his already countless problems by rudely booing Martin's opponents as they were introduced. The good news? Hilgeford got at least a couple of emphatic "ear-fulls" from residents after the event. Hilgeford showed his true colors. He is a jerk.
- We learned this week that Martin's personal-and now City-Attorney Toad V. McMurtry (of Gerner & Kerns) has "earned" more than $239,000 of taxpayer money since Martin craftily maneuvered him in the position in early 2013. That whopping sum averages out to approximately to an incredible $13,000 a month! To put that in historical perspective, the City Attorney budget has typically been about $20,000 a year. Martin is paying his personal-and now City-Attorney Toad V. McMurtry an average of $156,000 a year. So, is this what Martin meant when he told the audience at the mayoral Town Hall that he is "stingy with the taxpayer money"?
- Martin stabbed "his five council candidates" in the back who foolishly took the diminutive dictator's advice and cut and run from Tuesday's Town Hall Council Candidate event by making an appearance at Thursday's Mayoral Candidate event. We believe Martin went because he saw how badly "his five council candidates" were savaged by their no-shows and because he realized he is in electoral trouble. In any event, Martin's self-aggrandizing proclamations that evening were sliced and diced by a heavy dose of the facts. As our readers know, facts are very stubborn things.
- We learned beyond a shadow of a doubt that Martin's recent political propaganda piece (funded by the taxpayers) is full of lies and half-truths. Martin has amended the city budget every single year he's been in the mayor's office to cover his wild-spending budget shortfalls. The amount of money eventually put back in to the treasury each year has been far less than the aggregate total amounts of the original amendments. Martin's false claim that he has run any "surpluses" is clearly a BOLD-FACED LIE.
- We have learned-again, beyond a shadow of a doubt-that Martin is doing everything he can to hide a $200,000-PLUS FINE that has been imposed on the taxpayers of Villa Hills by the State of Kentucky for their mindless mayor's reckless behavior. Martin is desperately trying to keep this terrible fine under wraps until after Election Day. But our forensic accountants discovered the $200,000-PLUS FINE buried in the city's annual audit. Worse yet, Martin is squandering even more taxpayer money paying his personal-and now City-Attorney Toad V. McMurtry (of Gerner & Kerns) to contest the $200,000-PLUS FINE.
- We have learned-yet again beyond a shadow of a doubt-that Martin has launched a full-scale assault on the Constitutionally-protected First Amendment-guaranteed rights of Villa Hills' residents. We have cell phone photos-that we will release closer to Election Day-of Martin's taxpayer-over-paid City Administrator/Clerk Craigory T. Bohman entering residents' private property to move and remove campaign signs of Martin's opponents. This certainly seems to be an obvious case of taxpayer-funded "political activity".
- We now know that the mismanaging Martin has been withholding the fact that the city will not have enough salt to treat the city's streets in the event of another bad winter. A letter from Morton Salt confirms this dismal fact, again beyond a shadow of a doubt.
- We have heard that Martin has ordered taxpayer-funded city employees to remove all campaign signs from residents' yards the day before the November 4 election. This brazen, illegal act would be a clear violation of residents' First Amendment rights. Perhaps that is why some of the taxpayer-funded employees who say they have received this illegal order from Martin have lawyered-up.
THE BEST LINE OF THE WEEK: A long-time Villa Hills observer said," Villa Hills city finances have been a real shell game during Martin's four terrible years in office. It's far past time to get rid of the nut who has been running this tawdry con on the taxpayers".
In a little more than two weeks Villa Hills' voters will be headed to the polls. Will a large enough majority remember all of the embarrassment and disgrace Martin has brought to Villa Hills City Government?
We'll know for sure sometime on the evening of November 4.
The Martin Chronicles has learned that malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin is being dishonest with the residents of Villa Hills yet again. We know that comes as no surprise to most of you. But, you need to know when Martin plays fast and loose with facts potentially involving your safety.
Martin recently announced in a public setting that he has plenty of salt on order for the winter. We suppose that comment could be downgraded from a flat-out lie to a brazen half-truth. Either way you slice it, his comment was not a full and accurate description of the facts.
We'll explain Martin's deception. We don't doubt that the salt was ordered. But Martin left out the most important part. You see, Morton Salt cannot fill the order. We have obtained a letter from Morton Salt explaining that fact.
Morton Salt is dealing with a shortage of salt for road treatment. They also have binding contracts with other cities that must be honored first. So, Villa Hills' salt order will not be filled.
This is no small deal. We believe Martin's dishonest comment was designed to falsely portray himself as a competent leader who loves his constituents. Martin desperately wants to get past Election Day. Martin thinks he only needs to keep fooling the voters for about two more weeks.
The voters need to give Martin a heavy dose of TRUTH on November 4.
The Martin Chronicles is postponing its regular WEEKENDER EDITIONS because our investigative reporters are very busy contacting every source and snitch they know to confirm the tips we have been receiving since Friday night. This story seems to be as scandalous as Villa Hills malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's PERSISTENT, ILLEGAL DESTRUCTION OF CITY RECORDS and potentially more costly than the $239,000 TAXPAYER DOLLARS the tiny tyrant has already paid to his personal-and now City-Attorney Toad V. McMurtry (of Gerner & Kerns) over the past roughly twenty dreadful months.
We have learned that a clandestine phone call conference took place some time Friday evening involving multiple city employees, law enforcement authorities and as yet un-named others. We have also learned that at least some of these city employees have retained legal counsel. When we give you the details we have learned so far you will understand why they did so.
Here is what we have been told and are working to nail down with rock solid confirmation. We have been told that malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin-finally understanding that he is in a very desperate fight to hold on to the taxpayer-funded city treasury-ordered multiple city employees to "remove all campaign signs" on November 3, the day before he stands for re-election.
There are problems with such an order from Martin.
- First and foremost, Martin would be asking city employees to commit an ILLEGAL ACT, with the implied penalty of termination for failure to comply.
- Martin would be violating Kentucky Labor Law yet again. How? By ordering taxpayer-funded city employees to commit an ILLEGAL ACT. Martin already has the TAXPAYERS ON THE HOOK FOR MORE THAN $200,000 for his mishandling of employee pensions. If you weren't aware of that fact, it is only because MARTIN HAS INTENTIONALLY AND DECEPTIVELY LEFT THAT POTENTIAL $200,000 PENALTY OFF THE CITY BOOKS.
- Martin would be VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTIONALLY-GUARANTEED FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT of every resident to display a sign supporting an opposing candidate's sign on their property. Oh, this isn't the first time Martin has tried to silence any opposition. Remember when Martin signed an EXECUTIVE ORDER-that is still in place-granting him the questionable "right" to have anyone who dares to challenge him at a public meeting to be ARRESTED? Sure you do.
- Martin would say that there shouldn't be signs in legally designated "right-of-ways". But no one has more signs in those "right-of-ways" that the malfeasant Martin. Do you want to see pictures of those Martin signs? We can provide them.
None of these allegations bring with it a "stretch of the imagination". Remember that we already have cell phone photos of Martin's City Administrator/Clerk Craigory T. Bohman entering citizens' private property to move and remove campaign signs on Friday. Vile and disgusting? Yes. But also very true.
Do you really want four more years of such brazen law-breaking. Perhaps you do. Perhaps you still believe that "this mayor does great things for people". If so, we can't help you. But if you have any level of self-respect, you know tyranny and abuse of the law is a very bad thing.
That is why it is important for the voters of Villa Hills to clean house on November 4.
The Martin Chronicles has heard from several eyewitnesses who just watched City Administrator/Clerk Craigory Bohman move campaign signs out of sight at the corner of Buttermilk Pike and Western Reserve Road. These eyewitnesses are enraged since they believe Bohman moved the signs out of sight only because they were candidates who oppose his boss, Villa Hills malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin.
The theory? We know for a fact that Bohman failed in his attempts to land a new job in Ft. Mitchell and Ludlow. Bohman understands that he will most likely be on the outside looking in if Martin is defeated on November 4.
So, the theory continues that Bohman believes he has nothing to lose. Sure, they railroaded Joe Schutzman on trumped up charges of "political activity". But Bohman is helping Martin. He knows he won't be brought up on charges of "political activity.
November 4 can't get here soon enough.
The Martin Chronicles wants to give you a little more on Martin's shoddy-at-best performance at last night's Town Hall meeting. The little fella is either a tremendous con artist or completely out of touch with reality. Come to think of it, he's both.
First, a little set-up is required. As you know, Martin has:
- Wasted more than $500,000 of taxpayer money on his personal-and now City-Attorney Toad V. McMurtry, other lawyers, lawsuits and other legal actions.
- Cut himself a check that put more than $23,000 of taxpayer money in to his own personal pocket.
- Squandered more than $20,000-yes, $20,000 (Not the budgeted amount of $12,000)- on a park that virtually no resident ever uses, or even knows exists.
- Put the poor taxpayers on the hook to pay a fine to the State of Kentucky for more than $200,000 because of his reckless behavior. That debacle isn't even on the city's books yet.
Get the picture? Sure you do.
So, Martin actually had the nerve to tell last night's audience that he is "stingy with the taxpayers' money". That incredibly dishonest comment caused The Martin Chronicles' BS meter to explode in a mushroom cloud!
The audience reaction? Gasps of shock. Muttering. Rumblin'. Fumblin'. Stumblin'. And, most of all? Laughter.
November 4 is right around the corner.
The Martin Chronicles has been watching Villa Hills malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin completely stripped of his phony façade as some do-gooder nice guy. The true tiny tyrant has been on full display at tonight's Town Hall meeting. Mercifully for Martin-and the residents who witnessed their dishonest mayor at his worst-the event just ended.
Here is what we saw:
- Martin clearly came to tonight's gathering finally realizing that he is in electoral trouble.
- Martin was petulant and rude.
- Martin appeared incredibly nervous. He should be nervous. If he loses on November 4, even he understands that he will no longer be able to hide behind the City's taxpayer-funded treasury with all of the serious lawsuits he has generated.
- Martin was obviously "put-out" about the fact that he had to deal with residents who had the unmitigated nerve to question him.
- Martin obviously realizes that his biggest threat is Ernie Brown. The diminutive dictator went out of his disgraceful way to provoke Brown. The good news? Brown responded to Martin's snarky comments by jamming the facts down Martin's dishonest pie hole.
Do you want an example? Sure you do.
Martin launched in to his usually chest-beating routine, tritely making the wild claim that he "works closely with department heads to keep the city moving forward". Really? You don't say? Is that a fact? Well, er, uhhhh.
Ernie Brown then presented the facts, reminding everyone that it was Martin himself who testified-under oath-that he had been too busy to ever sit down with railroaded, former Police Chief Dan Goodenough even once to discuss any concerns he may have had about the former Chief's performance before spending a taxpayer-funded, six-figure waste of money to depose the former Chief in an embarrassing public spectacle.
Remember why Martin never took even one minute away from his unlicensed handyman business to meet with Goodenough? Sure you do. Martin whined that he "only gets paid $200 a month" from the taxpayers. When asked if that meant the miniature mullah had "failed in his duty as mayor", Martin meekly replied-again, under oath-"I guess you could say that".
The voters need to give Martin a $200 a month pay cut on November 4.
The Martin Chronicles is watching Villa Hills malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin at tonight's Town Hall meeting and three things immediately come to mind:
- Martin should be here. The residents have the right to hear from all four mayoral candidates.
- Martin realizes he's behind. Despite his F-Bomb bravado, he can see the handwriting on the electoral wall.
- Martin has pulled the rug out from underneath "his" five council candidates. They now look extremely foolish for their Tuesday "no show" antics. Oddly, Dave Hilgeford-who avoided Tuesday's council session-is in attendance tonight.
November 4 is right around the corner.
The Martin Chronicles won't be surprised by anything that happens in the final 18 days of the election campaign in malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's Villa Hills. Disgusted, maybe. But never surprised.
Yet another outrage occurred earlier today. As you probably know, Kentucky holds elections every even-numbered year. For the uninitiated, 2014 is one of those even-numbered years.
That is why we all see campaign signs sprouting up virtually everywhere. Are you with us so far? Good.
Well, a ninety-two year old woman was very nearly scared out of her wits today when an apparatchik from the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission (NKAPC) stopped by to tell her she had "too many campaign signs in her yard". This apparatchik also warned her that she could face fines and other penalties if she did not limit the number of signs in her yard to four.
Interestingly, The City of Edgewood passed a "sign limitation" ordinance several years ago.
Judge William Bertelsman over-turned that ordinance, ruling that it represented a violation of the peoples' First Amendment right to Free Speech. So, does the NKAPC have some authority to circumvent the peoples' Constitutionally-guaranteed protections? We highly doubt it.
Oh, there is also the fact that the ninety-two year old woman's property actually consists of three plots of land. So, even in the unconstitutional world of the NKAPC, shouldn't she be allowed to display up to 12 campaign signs on those three plots? Of course she should.
We have learned that the NKAPC apparatchik sheepishly defended his heavy-handed visit by saying that he is "only the messenger" and simply "responding to complaints". Isn't that a bit like the failed Nuremberg Trial defense, "I was just following orders"? We think so.
Thinks about this. Who made the complaints? Could they have come from a candidate (or maybe two) who doesn't have many campaign signs out, placed a sign in the ninety-two year old woman's yard(s) without asking for permission and is upset because their unauthorized signs were removed?
Our sources at the NKAPC tell us yes.
The Martin Chronicles is reminding you that The Sensible Citizens group is hosting its Town Hall meeting for Villa Hills mayoral candidates tonight. The event will be held in the Villa Madonna Theater and the doors open at 6:30.
Many are speculating whether current malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin will grace the residents with his presence. We don't know the answer to that question. But we do know that Martin should be there to answer the questions just as the other three candidates-Ernie Brown, Irvin Callery and Holly Menninger-Isenhour-will.
We also do know that Martin was recently overheard entertaining his civic club pals with his patented "F-Bomb" antics. His comments then don't bode well for his attendance.
You remember what Martin said, don't you? If not, we'll share it again.
"F--- these candidate forums. F--- the Sensible Citizens. I don't give a F---- what the stupid F---ing voters think. I am going to do whatever the F--- I want after they re-elect me. F--- the other council candidates. I told my candidates not to go. I'll get 'em all F-ing elected!"
We'll have a full report for you.
The Martin Chronicles reporters are a pretty savvy, experienced bunch. Many have been covering politics at all levels for a very long time. The recent screwy turn of events over last night's Town Hall Candidate meeting brings a few things to mind.
One Facebook poster looked in to the bottom of her shot glass and oddly saw something that simply wasn't there. Then this person decided to write today:
"Why would any candidate attend a debate sponsored by a group who already recommended their pick of candidates before the debate ever happened? This Candidate Night was biased and controlled by design from the start."
We have scoured the Sensible Citizens Facebook page and website. We have read and re-read every piece of Sensible Citizen literature we could get our hands on. And do you know what? We could not find anything endorsing any candidate anywhere. We'd love to see any evidence to the contrary. But short of something being forged, we don't expect to see anything.
But as we have done before, let's go ahead and accept that Facebook posters baseless allegation. Our response? So what? Why? Because the next Villa Hills mayor and six city councilmembers will be tasked to represent and serve all of the residents, not just those who happen to agree with them.
We'll use four modern US Presidents to explain what we mean. Those four US Presidents will be Republicans Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan and Democrats Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
First, let's look at the failed leaders. Republican Richard Nixon and Democrat Barack Obama both had-or have-a "bunker mentality". Both possessed-or possess-an attitude that it always boils down to "us versus them" on virtually every issue. In point of fact, both saw-see-people with whom they did-do-not agree as more than political adversaries. Both saw-see-people with whom the did-do-not agree as "bad" people who needed-need-to be punished.
That twisted desire to punish has placed names like Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Holder and Lerner in to the nation's historical record. Who does this sound like? You know, don't you? Of course you do? This sounds like Mike Martin. Martin has entered the names McMurtry, Bohman and Koenig in to the historical record of Villa Hills for the very same reasons.
Now, let's examine the successful leaders. Presidents Reagan and Clinton both had their share of detractors-and then some. But both never retreated to "the bunker". Neither ran from their opponents. Both reached across the political aisle and the political spectrum to accomplish very significant things.
Some of our reporters were there when Ronald Reagan forged a surprising alliance with bitter rival Thomas "Tip" O'Neill and Bill Clinton did the same with Newt Gingrich. Why did they do it? Because they knew that they had to work with those who did not agree with them to do what was best for all-not just some-of the people they had taken an oath to serve.
This is precisely why Koenig, Wischer, Hilgeford, Berger and Yost-Vaden should have attended last night's Town Hall meeting. Even if the event was sponsored by a group that is hostile to them-despite the fact that no legitimate evidence supports that wild claim. Why? Because every resident needs to know where they really stand on all of the issues. Every resident needs to know what they plan to do if they are elected. Every resident deserves the right to ask these candidates any question. Why? Because-if elected-they will be taking an oath to serve all of the residents of Villa Hills. Even those who do not agree with them. But instead, these five candidates decided to cut, run and hide.
Sure, we know what really happened. Do you want us to tell you? Sure you do. So, here's what happened.
You see, even the dim-bulb, paranoid Martin himself realizes that he is an unimpressive, talentless little troll. But, he did not want to be the only one who ran and hid from residents who wanted to ask him questions-even though it is their absolute right to do so.
So, Martin created a paranoid myth about the Sensible Citizens group-that other mindless trolls bought in to. This paranoid myth also spooked Koenig, Wischer, Hilgeford, Berger and Yost-Vaden enough that all five of them decided to deny the residents' absolute right to ask them questions. That is pathetic.
Some of these cowardly candidates will be elected on November 4. The math dictates that this is so. There is no way around that fact. Hopefully, the voters have enough respect for themselves to limit the damage they will do.
It is clearly the "bunker mentality" Martin who must go on November 4.
