The People Have Spoken!
I was personally happy to see the people come together and present undisputable facts to our elected officials which helped them understand that we are watching and we will not tolerate wasteful spending of our money. I see that someone has offered property at $13,000 an acre. STILL to high. Negotiate Rick. Help the sellers understand the fair market value. You might be surprised how far it will go.
After giving it some thought last night, I was somewhat disappointed to hear Rick say that people were "pitted against their government". They weren't. The people merely exercised their right under the first amendment to publicly address their elected representatives to speak their mind relating to a purchase being made with public money. The statement made me feel that the citizens were somehow being viewed as ......revolutionary.....for speaking out against a pending purchase. It wasn't their govt. the people were speaking out against. It was the decision before the legislative body the citizens were addressing. I don't think Rick intended it to be taken any other way.
Prior to the press conference yesterday I had the occassion to speak with Gary Mackes. He still feels the inflated price of that land was something we should have tolerated. I told him that I don't care what those appraisals indicated, there is no way that land was worth $18,000 per acre. Mr. Mackes stated that he doesn't think that $7.00 for a sub is fair. He doesn't think that $4.00 a gallon for gas is fair.....but we have to spend it. Uh....NO we DON'T! I disagree with this mindset based on my position that we can choose to go home and make a sandwich for far less than $7.00. We have become dependant on fuel. We are NOT dependant on on parks. We have an obligation to be responsible with our finances. We cannot allow our govts. to tax and tax so that they can spend like there's no end to the money pit.
On a different note.....in the near future I hope to meet with Gary Mackes to find out what it will take to create a relationship between our schools and the mgmt. of the Civic Center to assure that the high school proms will be held here, in Wicomico County, in a building owned by the tax payers, built for the youth of Wicomico County. My understanding is that there are things most of us don't know which have created the situation as it currently exists.
Anyone care to provide any input so that I can have a more....."enlightened" conversation relating to this subject? If there are any reasonable questions people want asked relative to this matter.......let's get them up here so I can ask them. Keep in mind that Gary Mackes will be out of town for a few weeks so the meeting will have to take place upon his return.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
20 comments:
Another case of mismanagement of public lands. Why aren't the local high schools using this public facility to have their important events? The average taxpayer probably assumes that public property is for use by the public. The average taxpayer probably assumes that our tax money goes to support these facilities and provide for the upkeep and maintenance. The average taxpayer assumes that because we've funded the project we can use it as needed. NO? Then something isn't working properly with our system.
Question: What was the property referred to here as Pirates Landing intended for? Why aren't we getting our tax money's worth and public's rightful use of this property?
I wish I could go out of town for a few weeks. I have to work so I can't be gone that long.
Is he going into rehab?
Joe. Beers and coffee all around. Some of us still take on the city and county as free agents but your blog is making a difference.There is nothing like the look on the face of someone like Weezy etc. when the light of day is shown on their petty little political games that would be considered immature even in Bennett's High School government. Bullies and cockroaches are never the same when someone points the flashlight of the Constitution, or a rather large symbolic fist, in their ugly old faces.
This wasn't a great decision by Pollitt, this scam should have been stopped months ago. The Davis family bought over 150 acres @ 1.6 million were going to sell back to the county 120 acres for 1.9 million while trading the acreage remaining to the local church for a better piece of property
the chair was gone.ANON 8:35 Maybe the staff is unable to control the attendees at the ceremonies.My sons graduated in 1994/99 and it was actions from the public that was an embarrassment.Minorities were jumping up/down yelling so your hearing was useless disrupting procession's was so glad to get outta there.Like i said security sucked.My mother-in law was using a wheel chair at the time and we had to leave it in a certain area that she could walk to for her seating.We asked security to keep a watch on it. .Well after the ceremony it was gone.Found a black loading it in his car.STOP HERE.
Good posting. Ricky does not work for the public, the public works for him. I am amazed that he backed out of this deal. He must have another plan up his sleeve.
I totaly agree on your comment about the proms being held at the civic center. Mr. Fields spoke at the meetings as well. He stated that this is something that needs to be done for "The Children" in our community. Well, he was on the side of Mr. Mackes about allowing him to spend $18,000 an acre this land. I think Mr. Fields & Mr. Mackes need a reality check. I am not sure he is such a good example for "the Children". Myself, as well as most of you, don't way overspend just so my kids can have what they want. Im sure the high school teachers would not mide them both sitting in on a money management or financial responsibility course.
I agree that Mr. Mackes has a dark side. Maybe there should be more eyes watching him. I heard the comment that he is a spoiled brat, he finds a way to get what he wants.
Thank you to the council for listening to the citizens concerns. It was not at all about building a park. It was about allowing Mr. Mackes to influence our county council to spend an astronomical $18,000 an acre on land for a park. Why isn't he being force to use land that the county already owns.
The 20 or so acre part of the land set for construction of a new church should not be affected unless Mr. Davis lies. He professed, in answer to a question at the public meeting early this year in Rockawalkin Community Hall, that the church land swap was not dependent on the county's purhcase of the proposed park--even though Mackes clearly wanted the public to think that. In fact, he said the trade was a done deal. Davis has already done survey and site work at the plot on Rockawalkin Road which he traded for, just toward Route 50 on the right past Levin Dashiell Road. At any rate, he gave his word that the church had its land to build on. Let's see what it is worth (his word, that is, not the land...we've had enough of that lately...lol).
Gov't offical have it backwards. Their main job should be to spend the least amount of money. Officals work for the people that pay taxes. But officals think tax payers work for them and their social programs. The law should be changed so any money over X amount needs to be voted on any approved by the taxpayers. Offical's jobs should be to supply a list of programs and expenditures to the taxpayers to vote on for approval.
You exactly right 12:06, we need to get our council on this agenda.
It's maddening how fast a publi officials head swells up and they get on their own agenda instead of whats best for the people footing the bills. Mackes must of had a celebration trip planned?
This openspace money their so despret to spend, has anyone checked to see if it can be spent on improvements on already owned openspace land?
Someone making an offer of $13,000 is not much different than paying the original $18,000. What about that fella from Hebron? He said he had 200 acres, I think, listed for 18 months at $6,000 an acre. Now that is more like it. Twice the land for 2/3rds less the price.
Let's hope that Mackes will be gone permanently, not just "a few weeks".
Your right on again GD, why cant we have the Sheriff's deputies there for Prom's, the ones that work the schools. They also need to anounce in advance that if their disruptive during the cerimonies they'll be removed.
Mackies has always been an ass. He has an old retired county council President who he calls "Daddy" that has mentored and saved him from the axe many times. Mackies knows how to get what he wants. When he moved into a new Westside subdivision years ago, it wasn't long before the tax payers built a big playground in it complete with tennis and basketball courts. He never cared what anything costand he always put anyone down that disagreed with him. It is long past time for him to be gone. Why does the county hang on to these people who make everyone else miserable?
Henry Parker is such a relic and so far removed from today that I cannot imagine him being much help if Mackes gets in trouble, so to speak. The fact that he still uses Parkers influence is disturbing.
I'm having a bad case of heartburn over the sad state of affairs in SBY and Wico county. An ugly double whammy.
Mackes should step down, not out. He has no fresh ideas and is so entrenched that he truly believes he knows what's best for you. If you don't like it, tough. He has always been arrogant and haughty-- even with county council members who request information or offer better or cheaper plans than he comes up with. Mackes apparently believed he was untouchable. The first to oppose the park were dismissed in a statement he released as "naysayers" and "doubters," who had "always been around," like those who dared to challenge his other magnificent projects in the past. He even touted the "foresight" and wisdom of those behind Parks & Recreation purchases and parks over the last several decades. Get it? During HIS TENURE. Well, the public just killed his invincibility myth and you can bet he is cursing us one and all. Without absolute "last word" power, his massive ego won't be able to live with itself. Its only a matter of time before he is gone, and the county will be better off.
Why do you think Spoiled Mackes and the higher uppers want a brand new Civic Center that they do not need. So they can supply all the liquor anyone can drink at their high prices of which the donors of the current Civic Center would not allow. Also to not let the kids graduating locally have the Civic Center for their proms. ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY!! Nothing is for the people of the community.
Why Mackes was backing this land deal probably has more reasons than we will ever know.
What's it take to get mackes outa there? How many signatures on a petition to Pollitt? It's bad enough being overtaxed let'alone constant wastefull spending so they can increase taxes next year!
Great post Grand Dad~! Developers beware, the taxpayers are tired of paying for your bad investments. If you can't run a business and turn a profit you shouldn't be in the business.
All investments are a risk, failure is the risk you took in this case and taxpayers who are struggling to pay their mortgages and keep gas in the vehicle to get to a job, shouldn't have to subsidize your failure.
Well well well, first off anybody, or body of gov. that would purchase farmland for $18,000 per acre is a freaking crackhead retard. That is just so digusting. Whle I understand that business transactions are mostly made for the benefit of money, I would never dream of offering my land to a gov. agency for that absurd price unless there were perhaps precious minerials there or something. And just to clarify people, there is the west side of salisbry and then there is westside the community which consists of quantco, wetipquin, tyaskin, bivalve, nanticoke and waterview please be sure to make a note of it because NOBODY down here in westside wants to be confused with the west side of salibury (including the developments) I like to call the area were all the developments are the sprawl corridor THANKS.
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