Middletown

The $1.8 million purchase price, which is $300,000 less than the property was appraised by the Butler County Auditor’s Office before the $1.5 million renovations, was paid to Middletown Senior Citizens Inc., the owner of the property, Lolli said.

Council member Steve West II said the city purchasing the property “was the right move” because the seniors “have been through enough.”

He hopes the city gets out of operating the facility and it should look for a “name brand” company to operate the center so the city is “never put in this situation again.”

Mayor Elizabeth Slamka told the Journal-News on Monday that serving seniors was her top priority.

“We have to focus on them first,” she said.

Central Connections found itself in financial difficulty after then Executive Director

Diane Rodgers was terminated in July 2023. She is under investigation for possible theft, though no charges have been filed, according to Middletown police.

This is the second time Middletown residents have invested in the center. Voters approved two five-year, 1-mill senior levies that generated $7 million to provide or maintain senior services at the center. The levy expired on Dec. 31, 2022, after 10 years.

Counting the $1.8 million purchase price, $8.8 million in taxpayers’ money has been spent on the center in the last 11 years.

Besides Central Connections, City Council also discussed city finances, economic development, city parks, fire stations and homelessness/substance abuse/mental heath concerns during Saturday’s meeting.

Discussing the police review study, the last item on the agenda, was tabled due to the length of the meeting, Slamka said.