General Expenses
Key Information Missing
As a concerned citizen and taxpayer, I have been attempting to look into the city of Ashland’s finances during this budget season to better…
Mail Tribune: Budgeting Process Update
At the first meeting of the 2021-2023 budget process, Finance Director Melanie Purcell told the Citizen’s Budget Committee she foresees…
Cost Benefit Analysis – Waste Water Treatment
I’m trying to find out why there has been no cost-benefit analysis of abandoning the Ashland wastewater treatment plant and hooking into…
Ashlander’s Letter to Budget Committee
I have some thoughts regarding the “process” to share with you prior to listening to the upcoming presentation of the recommended budget on…
Are PACs Inherently Bad?
It’s become apparent that there are some Ashlanders who feel that PACs (political action committees) are inherently bad.
Mail Tribune: Publish More Investigative Reporting
Gratifying to read that the Mail Tribune intends to further emphasize and expand local news. This is, of course, the principle reason we,…
The Real Reasons Ashlanders Rejected City Manager Contract
After reading an article on Thursday by Joe Zavala, entitled “Ashland City Council tables agenda after receiving public feedback,” I would…
Ashlander Joins the Whiners on Utility Charges
I have lived in Ashland for 18 years and I never paid much attention to my utility bill. I just paid it.
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…
General Expenses
General Expenses