The single most glaring (and disturbing) fact gleaned from three hours of questioning about the Salisbury city audit on Thursday was Mayor Barrie Tilghman's definition of responsibility. Barrie "I take full responsibility" Tilghman showed her concern for the current state of financial affairs in Salisbury, and her respect for the taxpayer, by not bothering to show up for Thursday's City Council work session.
While leaving city finance chief Pam Oland and City Administrator John Pick to take the heat before a large crowd of city residents, Tilghman was out of town attending a conference. As I have stated earlier, any excuse short of a child being on their death bed is not adequate for failing to attend these meetings. Of course, this is Barrieland and past experience provides mounds of evidence that Tilghman can get by with mouthing words like "responsibility" while thumbing her nose at the people who elected her.
Council President Louise Smith appears to be giving Tilghman a free ride. Originally claiming to be holding three (3) work sessions regarding the audit, Smith arbitrarily shut down Monday's meeting without any meaningful questions asked. Thursday's meeting appeared to yield much, however Smith stated Thursday night that the next (and last) work session on the audit would not be for more questions. This lends credence to the theory expressed by some I have talked to that Monday was a pure charade designed to allow Tilghman to whitewash her part in this fiasco.
While I haven't subscribed to this theory, there is some evidence to back it up. We need to note that on Monday the public sat quietly and respectfully through a tasteless lecture by Smith, the standard "I take responsibility, but it's not my fault" by Barrie Tilghman and a presentation by the auditors that primarily served to paint lipstick on a pig (the financial management of Salisbury). It was only when Louise contradicted her opening lecture by doing some political grandstanding of her own that the public became restless. This was Smith's excuse to shut down the meeting.
On Thursday, the public (I was pleasantly shocked to see the numbers that came out for a second meeting) sat through the meeting quietly. Of course there was no lecture by Smith and she kept her snide remarks to a minimum (only getting in a chide at the beginning that she has the right to control the meeting however she wants).
Back to Barrie. Not only has she shown her true colors in this charade, for the first time the Daily Times has actually covered it:
Technorati Tags: Maryland, Salisbury, politics, Salisbury politics, Barrie Tilghman, Terry Cohen, Louise Smith, Daily Times, media, Pam Oland, John Pick
While leaving city finance chief Pam Oland and City Administrator John Pick to take the heat before a large crowd of city residents, Tilghman was out of town attending a conference. As I have stated earlier, any excuse short of a child being on their death bed is not adequate for failing to attend these meetings. Of course, this is Barrieland and past experience provides mounds of evidence that Tilghman can get by with mouthing words like "responsibility" while thumbing her nose at the people who elected her.
Council President Louise Smith appears to be giving Tilghman a free ride. Originally claiming to be holding three (3) work sessions regarding the audit, Smith arbitrarily shut down Monday's meeting without any meaningful questions asked. Thursday's meeting appeared to yield much, however Smith stated Thursday night that the next (and last) work session on the audit would not be for more questions. This lends credence to the theory expressed by some I have talked to that Monday was a pure charade designed to allow Tilghman to whitewash her part in this fiasco.
While I haven't subscribed to this theory, there is some evidence to back it up. We need to note that on Monday the public sat quietly and respectfully through a tasteless lecture by Smith, the standard "I take responsibility, but it's not my fault" by Barrie Tilghman and a presentation by the auditors that primarily served to paint lipstick on a pig (the financial management of Salisbury). It was only when Louise contradicted her opening lecture by doing some political grandstanding of her own that the public became restless. This was Smith's excuse to shut down the meeting.
On Thursday, the public (I was pleasantly shocked to see the numbers that came out for a second meeting) sat through the meeting quietly. Of course there was no lecture by Smith and she kept her snide remarks to a minimum (only getting in a chide at the beginning that she has the right to control the meeting however she wants).
Back to Barrie. Not only has she shown her true colors in this charade, for the first time the Daily Times has actually covered it:
While Mayor Barrie Parsons Tilghman has said she takes "full responsibility" for errors in the audit and its tardy reporting, that explanation isn't enough for some council members.
"I don't need any more 'I take full responsibilities,' without the accountability," said Councilwoman Terry Cohen, in reference to Tilghman making the same statement last year.
Cohen criticized the mayor for not attending the night's meeting and instead leaving
Oland and her supervisor City Administrator John Pick alone to "face the music."
When Barrie gets back from her "conference" she may find that the public is no longer fooled by her false piety and claims of responsibility.
cross posted at Delmarva Dealings
Technorati Tags: Maryland, Salisbury, politics, Salisbury politics, Barrie Tilghman, Terry Cohen, Louise Smith, Daily Times, media, Pam Oland, John Pick
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Mrs. Campbell asked the question about money found last year sitting in an uninsured, uncollateralized account, only to be assured that was taken care of by Ms Oland. Through Mrs. Campbells questioning of this years new found cash and investment accounts, that were sitting in a pile on the side, this $10.2 million also was in direct violation of the city charter. It was not placed in an insured, collateralized account. Miss Oland's only response to this line of questioning was "money goes into insured/collateralized accounts to protect the funds should the banks fail. The banks did not fail" I'd say it's lucky for her they did not fail otherwise we'd be out that money. So why does Miss Oland continue to violate the laws in this city and get away with it? The city charter is our constitution. It provides us with some protections against the loss of funds by requiring they be placed in insured accounts. What are the consequences for this? She was given the benefit of doubt last year considering she was new on the job. What is the excuse this year? Gross negligence, misfeasance, malfeasance, guilty of all. Her supervisors are equally as guilty for their failure to perform the duties of their positions.
ReplyDeleteGood job Mrs. Campbell. Can the people say "Debbie was RIGHT"?
Sir:
ReplyDeleteLittle Red Riding-Hood was well trained at Arthur Anderson, even if she was not part of it's "Enron Team", so Barrie left the mess in good hands for interrogation by a bunch of amateurs. What's needed is a good forensic accountant (like they have at the FBI).
Taking the responsibility, stated by the Mayor is close to dysentery of the mouth, much less the intellect. When Barry finds out that hiding public money is a jailable offense she might not be so quick to "take full responsibility"
ReplyDeleteThanks to Ms. Campbell, for her never tiring diligence at bringing these types of "errors" to the publics attention for so long, and so faithfully, she should be given a medal for her years of public service. And Thanks to Ms. Cohen, she is the best at standing toe to toe with the fools on the council, and being able to speak with eloquence and grace to show (in a very short time since elected) that she too is a superb intelligent and notable council woman.
Louise is a liar, and is incompetent, she has to bully and call security to handle any opposition whatsoever. To give her any “face time” is only feeding the stupidity and the lack of integrity of this liar.
Thanks to all those who are finally paying attention, and thanks to those who have been working hard to get this accountability issue to the forefront.
Betcha Barrie will duck out of the Council meeting, too. That's what she does and she will really be not wanting to stay around on Monday. You can be assured Barrie will be making for the door just after she pontificates about some certificate of appreciation!
ReplyDeleteShe's really gotten that exit maneuver down pat now.
SO Barrie-esque.
[this is from today's Daily Times]
ReplyDeleteSo many still unanswered questions in the theatre of the absurd:
1. Why, when Oland asked for more help in the FY07 (last year's) budget, just weeks after last year's audit fiasco that was blamed on not enough help, did Barrie refuse to include that position in her proposed FY07 budget?
2. Why, as it became obvious during the year that there would be a net "surplus" in the actual budget, did Oland not again ask Barrie to apply to Council for more help (budget amendment).
3. Why, even if Oland did not ask for more help during the year did Barrie not initiate same herself.
4. Why, when Council members asked the administration if more help were needed during the year, did Oland (and, by silence, Barrie and Pick) indicate it was hunky-dory.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Welcome to the Titanic. We almost hit the last to bergs, but Barrie is in command and says that it won't happen again, again, because she has the "responsibility".
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:18 am
ANON @ 10AM:
ReplyDeleteAt the next meeting Barrie is giving that auditor guy (Gary ____) on of those "certificates of appreciation" she is always handing out!
Define "PRESENTATION". This was a statement Pam Oland made to Debbie Campbell when queried about her presentation of financial data.
ReplyDeleteMethinks she graduated from the school of Bill Clinton.
Just what 'conference' is Barrie attending? If it's one of her personal resume'-building roadtrips, she needed to let that crap go and be here to answer the questions.
ReplyDeleteA lot was brought to light last night and I am glad to see new faces coming to meetings. Many things were items Debbie and Terry have both been on top of except constantly criticized for doing such and the majority voting it down.
ReplyDeleteGary and Louise both tried to talk tough last night, however their voting on the issues tells a different story! Sometimes their votes on issues are much different than the rhetoric that spews from their mouths.
Shanie? What more is there left to say? The last couple of times I have seen her we have been very cordial and respectful of each other and that is a step forward, however I still consider their votes on issues more important than they be approachable and cordial, that is part of their jobs.
"ANON @ 10AM:
ReplyDeleteAt the next meeting Barrie is giving that auditor guy (Gary ____) on of those "certificates of appreciation" she is always handing out!"
ARE YOU F-IN' SERIOUS? The guy is contracted services for the city. He gets thanked with a check.
Send him a thank you card out of your own pocket, lady. The citizens already thanked him out of theirs.
Memo to Louise Smith:
ReplyDeleteAt the next City Council meeting, at the start, please invite Barrie to stay after she does he awards presentation.
Better yet, tell her to give the awards on her own time and not at the Council meetings.
Yeh! I agree with Anon 1:46 pm that Barrie give her awards on her own time and not on the councils. In fact, I see little need for giving out so many awards, it only belittles the awards being given.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased to hear that the state prosicutor's office is looking into this malfeasance of our tax dollars and am looking for his office to set the record straight for us by repremanding those responsible for this outrage on us tax payers!
A. Goetz
Mr. Chaney, your comment is very well said. All the pleasantries in the world mean nothing if the votes are constantly against the people. Much like the Mayor's "taking full responsibility."
ReplyDeleteTalk is cheap. Their actions and votes are costing us big time.
In other words:
Campbell was right.
And Cohen, too.
If you look you will see that an accountant was requested by the finance department way back in Feb. 2006
ReplyDeleteAnon 504 the accountant and $50k that was requested was cut from the budget. However, Barrie created a position for Lore Chambers at the same $50k that was cut. We now know that Barrie considers a PR far more important than additional staff in the finance dept. If they were truly fully staffed she wouldn't have to take responsibility for these screwups.
ReplyDeleteAnon 6:36 Around 2006 Lore Chambers replaced Debbie Stam as grant coordinator. Ms Stam took another position under the Community Development area
ReplyDeleteAnon 706 In 2007 Lore Chambers was named Assistant City Administrator. She sure climbed that ladder fast.
ReplyDeleteThe awards and certificates can be given On Louise's new show on PAC 14 rather than tie up time for doing the city's business. I wouldn't feel this way if the triumvirate weren't so hell bent on making sure the meetings don't go past 7:30.
ReplyDelete