General Expenses
KOBI TV 5 – City of Medford Announces Layoffs
MEDFORD, Ore. — Southern Oregon’s largest cities are continuing to deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic. NBC5 previously reported…
Diversify or Economic Ecosystem
On May 19, the Ashland City Council approved a modified resolution that removes economic development, cultural activity, and sustainability…
Bloated, Over-Compensated Ashland City Staff
A number of elected city officials and others have taken issue with the often-repeated ACES statement: “Ashland has three times the number…
KOBI TV 5 – Top Story on Ashland Revenue Shortfall
ASHLAND, Ore. — 6.3 million dollars, that’s how much the city of Ashland has lost during the Covid-19 pandemic. But how to tackle this…
Group Demands City Tighten its Belt to Save the Town
Saying that Ashland is on the brink of collapse as a tourist magnet, ACES, a local financial watchdog group, is badgering the City Council…
Ashland Needs Sound Fiscal Management
The corona virus pandemic necessitates immediate revision of Ashland’s current budget because city tax revenues will be much reduced for…
ACES Letter to Mayor & Council – Cost Saving Ideas!
We are dismayed with the lack of substantive progress on cost reductions in response to the Covid-19 crisis and the structural deficit that…
Facilities Fund Used to Cover Operational and Administrative Expenses
As you all are now aware $1.7ml in tax-payer funds that was saved in the Facilities Fund to insure the maintenance and repair of existing…
Letter to Council – Don’t Panic over City Hall Seismic Issue
Mayor and Councilors…..I want to address some comments made at the last (2/8/2020) City Council meeting which I was unable to attend.
Moran’s Address to Ashland City Council on Water Treatment Plant Wasteful Spending
Public Works has requested and council approved replacing the existing 7.5mg water plant with a new 7.5mg $40ml dollar water plant based on…
Wilson Educates Council on Seismic Risks for City Hall in Letter to Council
I brought up the question of seismic vulnerability of city hall as it relates to the bond proposal at the recent town hall meeting. Since…
Rebuttle to Rosenthal’s Incorrect Claims
In Rich Rosenthal’s guest opinion of Jan. 12, he devotes a paragraph to the Ashland Canal Project. However, he never acknowledges the real…
Runkel Urges Compliance with Budget Committee and Council Recomendations
I’m going to limit my remarks to, in the view of this veteran Citizens Budget Committee member, the flawed process which led to the…
Ashland Citizen Responds to Rosenthal’s Claims
Rich Rosenthal says, “Don’t deal future generations a bad hand.” Sorry, but it’s way too late. The bad hand has already been dealt — by…
Dave Runkel Urges City Council to Table Bond Proposal
For two significant reasons, I urge you to table without consideration the agenda item entitled “Mayor Presentation Capital Needs and…
Mail Tribune & Tidings Editorials on proposed excessive City Spending
The saga of Ashland city government is like a thriller/horror movie where each time you think the monster is dead, it comes roaring back to…
Ashland Citizen Gets to the Root of City Financial Problems
Last week during the public forum I had to grit my teeth while a former mayor pontificated on how well the city had been run in the past…
Ashland Citizen and Budget Committee member on Capital Expenditures
As an active citizen in our City’s budget affairs I urge you to consider carefully before taking another rash step in spending our tax…
Shaun Moran’s address to Ashland Budget committee
Shaun Moran’s Address to Budget Committee May 1, 2019 Nothing has changed in Ashland over the last 10 years yet our budget has nearly…
Golf Course Bleeding $$$
In response to Craig Shaw’s letter on the Oak Knoll Golf Course on Nov. 26: The Oak Knoll Golf Course has been losing money since councilor…
Tidings Article on Budget Problems
The city of Ashland faces a $2 million deficit in its general fund for the next biennium. Financial Director Mark Welch said at the City…
City Budget Numbers Raise Concerns
With consideration of a two-year budget for the city of Ashland approaching, here are some major issues. First, the city is sitting on a…
Letter to Council – Reject $2 .1 Million Solar Resiliency Project
I may be unable to attend the meeting on Tuesday when you vote on the bond measure that includes an expenditure of $2.1 Million for a…
Belenky Questions $2 .1 Million Solar Boondoggle at Council Meeting
I am here to speak against this proposal being included until a detailed analysis is presented to the citizenry.
Ditch the TID Canal Pipe Project
If you live anywhere near, and/or enjoy walks along, the Ashland TID canal, please look into the facts of the proposed pipe project and…
General Expenses
General Expenses