Attention

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent our advertisers

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

What's Wrong With This Picture?


Have you ever sat at this light heading east bound where one, two or three vehicles weren't running this light? Not only does this Jeep break the law, that white pickup truck to the left isn't anywhere near done as he also drives right through this light while the light is clearly green for east bound traffic.

If you click on the picture it will enlarge and show these people not giving a damn even while there are two City Police Officers assisting someone broken down on the road ahead.

Today's Wildlife Picture














Click on photo to enlarge.

Who Turned Out The Lights?


If you live anywhere from Georgetown Delaware to Delmar Delaware you were without power for some 6 hours yesterday evening.

Thank God for the rain and winds because it got pretty darned hot before the power finally came back on. Hence the late/early timing of my posts.

5 Animal Limit, Period!


Chief Webster laid down the law tonight stating there will be no exceptions to the new rule and no more permits will go out for special acceptions effective immediately.

It was also said that the Mayor was instrumental in this decision and tonight I found out why. It turns out there's a family within the City Limits that have 7 children and each one of them have a pet. The Mayor doesn't like it so she's changed to rules.

You may have more than 5 animals for up to 16 weeks and that's it. They don't care of you're a Professional Dog Handler or not, you will not exceed the 5 animal limit.

Now some of you might not think this is such a bad thing but not all owners raise fight dogs. Might I also add, what the heck is Chief Webster doing spending all this time changing laws towards animals when the Humane Society could have been instrumental in working with the Council to do such a thing? I'll tell you why, because the Mayor has a bug up her butt with this one family and she once again used taxpayers money to go after someone who probably disagreed with her, (sound familiar) and she's going to prove she will get whatever she wants and again abuse her powers.

I asked the Chief how many cases he's come across in the past year where the Police Department had complaints about too many animals in one location and he refused to answer. Now think about this folks, there's already a law on the books within the City of Salisbury stating you CANNOT have more than 5 animals. That's right, it's already on the books and has been for many years. This was simply brought up to eliminate the special exception this family enjoyed and this will effect many citizens within the City.

Jennifer and I use Cassandra Williams to professionally handle and show our dogs around the Country. She lives in the City Limits and handles many dogs for others in the area as well. They refused to look at this as an option and trust me, I brought it up at each and every one of these meetings. Now why would the Mayor and Chief Webster discourage professional dog handlers within the City of Salisbury? You don't think it's because the Albero's use this service and the Mayor knows it, do you?

I don't believe the AKC Groups and many other organizations will take lightly to the City's decision to discourage such professional handlers and dog owners and I will call these groups tomorrow and see if they'll move their show to Ocean City instead of Salisbury. I can't wait to see what happens to the revenue from the Hotel and Motel Industry each year when the City losses a small fortune.

EMS Billing Outsourcing


You gotta love this guy Gary Comegys! As numbers were spit out and we watched everyone pat themselves on the back, the numbers for the first quarter were better then average verses ALL of last year in collections, maybe?

Gary then says, "We're where we need to be. I don't have any statistics in front of me but you guys are doing a great job." OK, I'm a City Council Member, I know for a fact you're scheduled to be in this exact meeting, I don't have any paperwork or figures in front of me but guess what, I can see from your body language that you're doing a great job so I trust you and that's all I need.

Debbie Campbell enjoyed the idea that the numbers might be better so far but since they've agreed to hire this outsource company to raise the collections for the City, "I'd like to see a quarterly report" for the future each quarter and see where we're going. Makes sense to me folks.

Mike Dunn immediately got angry once again at Debbie and aggressively stated, "We don't want to go down this micromanaging road!" This is exactly why Dunn and Comegys don't belong on the City Council! This is a business! I do NOT know of ANY business that does not deliver a quarterly report, yet the City of Salisbury's elected officials refuse to do what is right!

Maybe if Mike spent more time at home and not at the Pool things would be different? Too much sun Mikey????

The Salisbury Zoo Is Full Of cRapp



"The Master Plan is a blueprint to our future and the Strategic Plan will get us there" said Jim Rapp, Director of the Salisbury Zoo.

Our Mission is to be a "quality of life facility." OK, to who? The animals or the people visiting the Zoo? If it's the animals, your plan ain't working!


We want to maintain a FREE community education/communication recreation resource. We're having problems with fundraising and we need to work on that better. 1/3 of the Zoo is in a flood plane zone and that creates numerous problems. WRONG! The Salisbury Zoo is not 1/3 in a flood plane zone Jim Rapp, it's 100% in a flood plane zone! I've personally seen the documents showing of such and Hadley produced those documents many, many months ago, so you're lying!

Because Jim Rapp refuses to do what all Directors of any other Zoo in America is responsible for, (raising funds) they are requesting once again two choices. One, a full time Development Director, OR a fundraising company consulting firm to raise funds. What they didn't tell the Council was that an outside firm will demand 35 to 40% of anything and everything they raise! This was stated by Jim Rapp and Ron Alessi as a fact in one of their Zoo Commission Meetings I attended with other witnesses as well.

The Master Plan they are talking about will cost around $36,000,000.00 in today's money. This means they would have to raise some $60,000,000.00 from the citizens and businesses to end up with the $36,000,000.00 to fund the entire project. 40% of what they raise will be blown on this outsource company. Please don't forget what it's going to cost to maintain such a facility once it's built too.

Now you tell me folks, does the Zoo need to be relocated, or what? If you're going to spend this kind of money on a 12 acre Zoo with next to no parking, well, you're nuts! Oh, did I mention they want to keep it a FREE Zoo? And this guy Ron Alessi wants to be the County Executive????? It's no wonder he's walked away from paying the people he owes. I think you guys Strategically Mastered a Plan all right!

Oh, one more thing Rapp mentioned. Although they already have a Marketing person Mary Seamen, she's real busy running the Gift Shop and they need to hire another Marketing Manager as well. XXXOOO

Sassafras Senior Housing


Looks pretty sweet, doesn't it? Although Debbie Campbell appreciates and encourages the efforts this developer is trying to make here, her point just wouldn't be heard.

The promise on this entire development was to deliver some 280 AFFORDABLE Senior Housing Units and this developer is only committed to a promise of 80 units. Wait, there's lots more!

At the County Council Meeting the other day I clearly heard them say that there will only be 40% of these units considered to be "AFFORDABLE HOUSING" and they even admitted that they didn't have to even deliver the 40%. I was listening VERY carefully because they disclosed these facts and if the County Council wasn't listening carefully enough, I'm delivering it to them again right here and now! So listen up City & County Council Members!

Mike Dunn recused himself from tonight's discussions but he hasn't done so in the past and a lot of what's going on here could be illegal. I too would like to see this project happen but the excuses Gary Comegys made this evening were ridiculous. Gary wanted to blame the Sassafras cluster on past Council Members. Debbie Campbell called him out on it and of course he went on the defense immediately but it was clear in the end that Debbie Campbell was right. One developer is asking and getting anything and everything at the taxpayers expense and what's unbelievable here is, this property hasn't even been annexed into the City and they're asking the taxpayers to foot the bill!

The developer wants letters of intent from the County and City so I say, ask the developer for a letter of intent as well. The developer claims they have first right of refusal on 23 acres next to this property and they will build cottages and possibly another building similar to the one being proposed on the 7 acres they're buying already. Well, you want a free ride, then commit to the rest of the land purchase of the additional 23 acres then.

This way they'll show they mean what they say and the false promise's will end right then and there. Put your money where your mouth is! Someone needs to decide who's responsible here, the City or the County? Also, when, (if at all) will this property be annexed by the City and what benefits and or downfalls on the City of Salisbury will come of such an annexation?

As Debbie Campbell clearly pointed out, so far this property is costing the CITY TAXPAYERS more than $1,000,000.00 and it's not even in the City! The City is collecting NOTHING tax wise on this property. The reason "anyone" agreed to run City Water and Sewer to this property was based on 280 AFFORDABLE Senior Units. Follow the math here. 80 units, minus 40% leaves you with ONLY 32 units for AFFORDABLE Senior Housing Units, NOT 280! This was what Debbie Campbell was trying to get everyone to understand! So no matter what, it's already cost the taxpayers one million dollars and all they got was 32 possible, (if the developer actually delivers the 40%) units. What a bunch of crap! Isn't election time just around the corner?

Easy Come, Easy Go!


The SHA has agreed, NO MORE SIGNS! Although Ron Alessi THOUGHT he could do whatever he wants, the SHA got the message and immediately removed the illegal signs posted on the side of Rt. 50. Looks like the County doesn't support you as much as you had hoped there Ron? I'd say, if you want to break the law, do so inside the City Limits of Salisbury and more than likely you'll get away with it, being a FOB.

Wicomico County Economic & Development At Its Best!


This is what happens when you don't have the Dunn & Comegys Team behind you and or you're not a FOB within the City Limits of Salisbury. Royal Farms has been trying for years to get something, anything started on this site just west of the Bypass on Rt. 50 and every couple of years they have to change their sign. I wonder when they'll finally give up?