Is it possible for a legislative body to be more irrelevant to the citizens that it (supposedly) serves than the Salisbury City Council? Tuesday's work session was yet more evidence to support the overwhelming argument that the Salisbury Council majority of Louise Smith, Gary Comegys and Shanie Shields are nothing more than marionettes doing the bidding of the city's chief executive - Barrie Parsons Tilghman.
As reported in Wednesday's Tilghman Times the happy trio of Smith, Comegys and Shields were incapable of exercising the judgment expected of an elected official. Instead, they decided to sort the projects proposed in the Mayor's Capital Improvement Plan by date. What's the matter with this? For starters, I've got an Excel spreadsheet that can sort by date. What do we need Louise, Gary and Shanie for?
Council members are supposed to represent their constituents by exercising their own judgment. The Barrieland City Council cannot be bothered with such things. Either because they are incapable, or because they concur in my assessment that their purpose is merely that of a rubber stamp for Mayor Tilghman, the "council leadership" will not exercise any judgment on their own.
Is repair to dams more important than a skate park? Are existing roads more important than a bike trail? Does the city really need to spend money for a new City Hall? The City Council should make those decisions. Instead, they chose to merely sort by date. This is just the most recent example of the Smith, Comegys, Shields troika ceding all judgment to the executive body.
In recent months we have seen the city council refuse to exercise their power (as given in the city charter) to appoint members the city's Board of Zoning Appeals. In that case the council merely confirmed the individuals submitted by the Mayor, claiming that the Mayor had the power of appointment. Despite the claim by City Attorney Paul Wilber that this was the case, the language of the city's charter clearly states otherwise.
The council rubber stamped unappropriated expenditures of hundreds of thousands of dollars for the new fire station. Forget for a moment that this action by the Tilghman administration was clearly illegal. Forget for a moment that the city council is vested with the authority to appropriate funds. This council, and its predecessor, have provided cover to an executive that spends tax monies without the legal authority to do so.
During the budget process, the Comegys led trio refused to discuss ways to avoid a huge tax increase by cutting spending. Instead they merely rolled over the city's taxpayers to satisfy the Mayor. Mr. Comegys (the Mayor's true whip on council) would claim that he offered a cost cutting proposal. However, the fact that the administration prepared all of his documentation for him leads us to the conclusion that the Mayor's office had come up with these symbolic cuts.
If the citizens of Salisbury are going to sanction this type of government, save some money. Suspend the puppet parliament and allow Her Highness to rule by fiat.
Crossposted on Delmarva Dealings
As reported in Wednesday's Tilghman Times the happy trio of Smith, Comegys and Shields were incapable of exercising the judgment expected of an elected official. Instead, they decided to sort the projects proposed in the Mayor's Capital Improvement Plan by date. What's the matter with this? For starters, I've got an Excel spreadsheet that can sort by date. What do we need Louise, Gary and Shanie for?
Council members are supposed to represent their constituents by exercising their own judgment. The Barrieland City Council cannot be bothered with such things. Either because they are incapable, or because they concur in my assessment that their purpose is merely that of a rubber stamp for Mayor Tilghman, the "council leadership" will not exercise any judgment on their own.
Is repair to dams more important than a skate park? Are existing roads more important than a bike trail? Does the city really need to spend money for a new City Hall? The City Council should make those decisions. Instead, they chose to merely sort by date. This is just the most recent example of the Smith, Comegys, Shields troika ceding all judgment to the executive body.
In recent months we have seen the city council refuse to exercise their power (as given in the city charter) to appoint members the city's Board of Zoning Appeals. In that case the council merely confirmed the individuals submitted by the Mayor, claiming that the Mayor had the power of appointment. Despite the claim by City Attorney Paul Wilber that this was the case, the language of the city's charter clearly states otherwise.
The council rubber stamped unappropriated expenditures of hundreds of thousands of dollars for the new fire station. Forget for a moment that this action by the Tilghman administration was clearly illegal. Forget for a moment that the city council is vested with the authority to appropriate funds. This council, and its predecessor, have provided cover to an executive that spends tax monies without the legal authority to do so.
During the budget process, the Comegys led trio refused to discuss ways to avoid a huge tax increase by cutting spending. Instead they merely rolled over the city's taxpayers to satisfy the Mayor. Mr. Comegys (the Mayor's true whip on council) would claim that he offered a cost cutting proposal. However, the fact that the administration prepared all of his documentation for him leads us to the conclusion that the Mayor's office had come up with these symbolic cuts.
If the citizens of Salisbury are going to sanction this type of government, save some money. Suspend the puppet parliament and allow Her Highness to rule by fiat.
Crossposted on Delmarva Dealings
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6 comments:
Has the audit been completed yet and if so is it on the city's website?
Somebody needs to look at all Wilbur's legal opinions that have cost the taxpayers money in defending them and later being proven wrong and file a complaint with the State Bar.
Who bought those TIF bonds for the old Salisbury Mall that may soon be junk bonds, Bubba.
A-stinkin-men! If we had just one more of the likes of Campbell and Cohen, we'd have a whole different ballgame.
Louise was SUPPOSED to be that third, but everyone knows what she turned out to be. She sold the taxpayers and our quality of life out the window. And for what? Pats on the head from the mayor and a pet project on Church Street?
Tim Spies should be in Bubbas seat but Barrie and her SAPOA buddies saw to it he was not elected. We wouldn't be in this sinking boat today we'd be bailing water instead.
what recourse do we have other than to live with these BOZOs until their term expires?
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