WEEKENDER III: "Fixing" The Road Problem

The Martin Chronicles is continuing to drill down. We are examining the ways that the many, many problems created in Villa Hills City Government by the dreadful mismanagement of current malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin can be "fixed". Let's spend some time on the road issue.

First, let's look at the City's taxpayer-funded $3 million-plus annual budget. Despite the mendacious Martin's well-documented 2010 lies, there simply isn't enough money available in that current amount to completely fund a street repair and replacement program. It's nothing more than basic math.

But-despite the fact that some seem oddly uneasy about discussing it-if the malevolent Martin hadn't squandered somewhere in the neighborhood of a half million dollars on lawyers and legal fees on his personal vendetta against the police, there certainly could have been a great deal more road work completed. Again, it's nothing more than basic math.

Some also take solace in blaming previous administrations for the problem, But it matters not that previous City leaders didn't begin building a road fund "twenty years ago". The problem exists now. It can either be addressed now or-as is happening currently-ignored now.

So, what will a new mayor and council have to do? They are going to face the unenviable task of asking the taxpayers to pay more for road funding. Why "unenviable"? That's easy. Everybody dislikes taxes. And they despise tax increases. But, if more road work is to be done, more revenue is required to fund it.

How can they do it? Hopefully. they won't use the sneaky approach the misdirecting Martin and his mostly-compliant new council has used. Martin walked away from his 2010 "solemn promise" to repeal the UNFAIR $40 PER CAR STICKER TAX and convinced enough on council to raise the insurance premium tax by fifty percent. Even still, any real road repair and replacement program remains in mothballs.

If a new mayor and council decides to ask the voters to support a tax increase on themselves, they had better be ready to thoroughly explain and campaign for it. A half-hearted and deceptive effort like the one put forth by the tiny tyrant and council members like Jim Noll in 2011 will not work.

There is also the universally unpopular method of assessing residents for the repair of their streets. Former council person Mike Pope floated that trial balloon a few times and each time it was quickly shot down in flames. We suppose that the idea may have to be re-visited.

All of these points are moot if Martin is re-elected on November 4. He has proven himself utterly incapable of managing anything other than his own personal vendettas.

We'll know in 103 days.

WEEKENDER II: "Fixing" The Mess Continued

The Martin Chronicles entire staff is continuing to examine ways that the current mess in Villa Hills City Government might be "fixed" in a "post-Martin" era. First, let's drill down a little deeper in to the issue of police protection.

To begin, the current mayor has completely disqualified himself as someone who should be involved in the discussion. Voters ignored the accurate warnings in 2010 that Mike Martin was running for mayor mostly to "settle scores" arising from his judicially-reviewed, justifiable 2007 forgery arrest.

Martin's persistent, disgraceful treatment of the rank and file police officers is STEEEE-RIKE ONE. Because of his hacking of police department computers, meddling in day-to-day operations and complaining about nonsensical matters like allowing officers to eat dinners at area restaurants, get their cruisers washed, make coffee and use paper towels, Martin has run off all but two of the fine police officers he inherited on January 11, 2011.

When it was revealed that Martin was lying about long-standing, secret plans to disband the local police department to outsource coverage to any other agency that would cooperate, the tiny tyrant took STEEEE-RIKE TWO.

When Martin wasted hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on lawyers and legal fees to intentionally-and wrongfully-embarrass and terminate the long-serving leadership of the police department, the diminutive dictator took STEEEE-RIKE THREE right down the heart of the plate. Heeeeeee's OUT!

Even people on the distant periphery now post on the social networks that Martin allowed his "personal feelings" to guide his actions over the past nearly-four dreadful years. We agree with them.

Okay. So what does need to happen? Well, a new mayor will have some heavy lifting to do beginning in January, 2015. This new mayor will have to reach out to the County and neighboring municipalities to nurture the long-standing concept of MUTUAL AID that has been used and abused by current Mayor Mike Martin.

Then, the new mayor will have to reach out to those elected to council on November 4, 2014 who truly want to participate in a serious discussion about the correct manpower level for the local department. That will be hard work as well, It simply cannot be driven by false premises, previous grievances or a desire to appeal to some group off folks who have long-standing axes to grind, A serious, sober discussion of this extremely important issue is an absolute must.

Remember, the very costly financial burden of the Frankfort-mismanaged retirement system must be factored in to the discussion, But, so must the very real-and totally ignored by Martin-safety needs of the residents be considered, It's going to be an incredibly difficult job.

Is eight police officers the correct number? Is it the current five that the mismanaging Martin is currently fielding? Is it nine? Ten? Three? We have our views, But a new mayor and City Council will be tasked with getting that number right.

In case any of our supporters or the nay-sayers are interested, we are convinced that the mallet-headed Martin has it completely wrong. Given the size, and population of Villa Hills, we  believe that a combination of full-time and part-time officers much larger than what the miniature mullah is currently fielding is in order. After all, Villa Hills ain't a cookie factory.

Also, the residents need to understand that that-the recently-screwed-by-Martin-former Police Chief Dan Goodenough was one of the first to suggest part-time officers more than eight years ago, Why? Because Goodenough was concerned about the rising cost of the State-mismanaged retirement system.

Who was one of the main opponents to Goodenough's right-headed idea? Why, that would be Mike Martin. Oh, that was before Martin was rightfully arrested for forgery in late 2007.

But after a new mayor and council makes their decision, that big decision needs to be effectively communicated to the residents. Sure, the mendacious Martin falsely promised to explain his position on police department staffing levels way back in early 2012. But the miniature mullah never followed through.

The first step is sending the dishonest Martin packing on November 4.

WEEKENDER: How To "Fix" The Problems

The Martin Chronicles listens to the concerns being expressed by many, many people. These folks are desperately trying to come up with a way to "fix the problems" of malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's City Government. We hear you. We completely understand.

The first step in fixing a problem is recognizing that a problem exists. It appears that a growing number of residents are realizing that a problem exists in Villa Hills City Government. That may be a good sign as November 4 draws near.

Next, it makes sense to identify the root cause of the problem. We don't think its a stretch to say that the root cause of the problems in Villa Hills' City Government is the man who was elected to lead it-and most certainly has not. You know, Mike Martin. To paraphrase what one recent social networker wrote, Martin mayoral actions have been driven by his "personal feelings". We would call it a "personal agenda".

Through nearly four dreadful years and two completely separate sets of City Councils, Villa Hills has moved from one embarrassment to the next. The common thread through these nearly four dreadful years of embarrassment is Mike Martin.

Let's go out on a limb and say that Villa Hills finds itself "under new management" on January 1, 2015. That "new management" will have some major challenges. Much of it comes down to simple math.

A new City Government should make some sober decisions on how best to use the taxpayer-funded $3,000,000 it collects annually. That is not a mystery.

So, what are the big challenges?

• What is the best way to provide police protection for the City's nearly 8,000 residents? What is the most important driver? Is it cost? Is it safety? Or, as is usually the case, is it a careful mix of both? As others have already written, much of the havoc Martin has wreaked on the local police department results from his personal animosity. That dog don't hunt.
• What is the best way to fund an ongoing program of street repair and replacement? Despite what Martin falsely promised in 2010, there is not enough money to completely fund such a program in the current budget. The "new management" will have to undertake a massive effort to gain public support for additional funding.
• What is the best way to get other expenses under control? Some people may not want to accept it, but the amount of money that has been spent on lawyers and legal fees under Martin's disastrous guidance is shameful. Particularly because-as others have already written-it has been wasted because of Martin's "personal feelings".
• What is the best way to restore transparency in Villa Hills City Government? Well, a great place to start would be to post City Financial Records more current than March, 2014 on the moribund City website. That is indefensible.
• What is the best way to restore trust in Villa Hills City Government? A new mayor-who is capable of telling the truth-would be a huge step in the right direction.

No, it won't be easy. Martin has made a serious mess of City Government. Residents are going to have to put grudges and past grievances aside and work together in areas that they can agree and let others tackle the issues on which they disagree.

The first chance to begin fixing the problems presents itself on November 4.

Moral Equivalency?

The Martin Chronicles just can't get enough of the latest social network stream. There is all manner of distortion, deceit and dander-flying being posted. Some people simply refuse to admit that Villa Hills malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin is a corrupt and incompetent failure. That's what makes it so much fun.

We also enjoyed one notorious nag's feeble attempt at "moral equivalency" regarding Martin's disgraceful squandering of taxpayer money on lawyers and legal actions. So what was the inconsistent comparison?

This poster evidently believes that the approximately $50,000 spent on Special Counsel Phil Taliaferro over roughly a dozen years somehow equates to the nearly $500,000 of taxpayer money Martin has squandered on legal fees since he convinced his new council to approve the hiring of his personal attorney Toad V. McMurtry to serve as City Attorney in early 2013.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But that opinion is hard to understand.

There are flaws in the comparison. The most obvious flaw is that the money spent on Mr. Taliaferro was intended to stop unfair treatment of City employees and to put an end to costly lawsuits. On the other hand, the malicious Martin has used taxpayer money to fuel his vendetta against City employees and his crazy actions have actually sparked several costly lawsuits.

Martin has gone so far as to sign a purchase order that put more than $23,000 dollars in his pocket. This all at the expense of the taxpayers. We wonder if some goofball considers that questionable action an example of the "great things" Martin does for people?

A great deal more is bound to happen over the next 108 days.

240,000 Visits And Going Strong!

The Martin Chronicles welcomed its 240,000th visitor today. Another landmark in our ongoing efforts to cover the rampant corruption and abject mismanagement of Villa Hills malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin.

We know some of our regular readers sometimes get upset with us. Some go so far as to call us names like "vile", "disgusting" and "evil". That just makes us work harder to expose the truth about the mendacious Martin.

By the way, the truth is never "negative".

"We're Only Going After A Few People"

The Martin Chronicles doubts that many people finds it comforting that Villa Hills malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin told people not to worry about the new nuisance ordinance because he's "only going after a few people". Unless, of course, they already know that they're not going to be subjected to the malevolent Martin's selective enforcement of the new, onerous ordinance.

If the past nearly four, dreadful years provides any example-and we're quite sure it does-the mealy-mouthed Martin plans to use this new, draconian ordinance to curry favor with the mean-spirited, gutless folks who want City government to settle their petty grievances with their neighbors.

Oh, and the puny Martin will also use the new, over-reaching ordinance to harass and intimidate people who have been added to his well-documented "enemies list". Yes, the little liar has played that game many times before.

Yes, the election is looming ever closer. Sources have already told us that Martin and the vile hag Mary Koenig are hatching plans to falsely accuse political opponents of criminal activity. Their campaign will be reminiscent of 2010. Devoid of ideas and heavy on mud-slinging. That's all they've really got.

But you've got a vote on November 4.

You Just Have To Laugh

The Martin Chronicles sometimes finds the social networks highly entertaining. We just read a rambling post on Facebook that-all in all-was, well, uh, kinda thoughtful. But one line in that post had the entire office laughing. Everyone needs a good laugh sometimes. Especially in Martinville.

So what was that comment? "I think Martin had good ideas, but let his personal feelings get in the way." Oh, really? Is that a fact? You don't say?

What sent everybody over the edge was when one of our reporters said, "That guy sounds like he could be related to Marge Schott! You know. Everybody thought Martin-much like Hitler-was good in the beginning. They both just went too far."

Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.