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Ok Marc!
In original my post on Accountability and fiscal responsibility I brought up a conversation I had with my Councilman, Joe Holloway and how I felt about that conversation.......it was my opinion to which I have a right.
You commented that you felt my opinion was wrong about Joe Holloway as it relates his position on collective bargaining. Fair enough. You have a right to your opinion as well.
During one of your comments, you expressed that "Joe Holloway has been one of the sharpest budget hawks on the County Council, I think your criticism of him is unfounded."
To that I say.....Really? Joe Holloway.....a budget hawk? By that I presume you mean that he is always on the look out to find money that belongs to the taxpayer and is being needlessly spent. Is that true, Marc?
Marc I find it extremely honorable when an elected official makes it his/her business to watch out for the taxpayer. In fact, I believe it is incumbent upon each of them to do so. BUT I believe that when an elected official does it selectively and brings it to everyones attention during an open council meeting it would be better called grandstanding. You see, Marc, for Joe to point out that unpaid board/committee members received pens as tokens of appreciation that cost more than $500.00 in taxpayers money without approval is interesting to me. I may be wrong but I would think that items that cost around $500.00 might be considered discretionary spending. Regardless it was brought to the attention of the public and a dark cloud was put over it. Right, wrong, or indifferent....it doesn't matter. Joe, being the "hawk" that he is, saw it as wasteful spending, brought it out, and labeled it as such. HERE is where the "selectivity" comes in.
Hawkeye Joe must have had that eye closed when he was one of the Council members who attended the 2008 winter MACo conference held at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina in Cambridge, MD. The Council members, including Joe, stayed at this luxurious Hotel/Resort on the taxpayers dollar. I can see attending conferences as they are a means of information sharing, etc. But I can't see the need to stay at such a posh resort at such an extravagant cost when it is only 30 minutes from Salisbury. How much did it cost us to send them there, feed them, and reimburse them for their mileage? Well, let's break it down:
1) Conference registration - $2340.00
2) Mileage reimbursement - $40.00
3) Hotel stay and meals to keep the council from having to travel 30 minutes..............................
$2923.14
Look on Joe's face right now....PRICELESS!
I kid you not. Total cost to the taxpayer for Council getaway......$5303.54
Seems a bit extreme to me.
Marc, I guess Joe must have missed that - otherwise I'm sure he would have brought that out during an open council meeting for everyone to see .....being the budget hawk that he is.
16 comments:
Did all 7 dwarfs stay -- what about Ricky, Fineral, Kramer & Shea?
ALL 7 got pens! DO YOU GET THE POINT NOW?
Get the hell out of here. They spent a night in a luxury resort that is only a 30 minute drive? They could have car pooled, used a county van even.
County/City they're all crooks.
Several years ago this same topic was brought before the then sitting counsel.I believe some members were car pooling when MACO was held in Ocean City. No reason they cannot continue the same practice,have lunch and return to Wicomico County.Ask Creamer and/or Shea. LOL
I'm not even certain that it's 30 minutes. More like 20-25 minutes. What a crock of crap. The next time Might Joe Holloway gets up on his soapbox,somebody needs to knock his sorry ass off.
Did Joe get some "massage" therapy for all those bucks?
GRANDAD, YOU ARE THE MAN ! GUESS OLD JOE GOES BY THE OLD SAYIN, PEN WISE AND TAXPAYER DOLLAR FOOLISH, AHHH HA HA! JOE NEEDS TO STOP POPPING THE CLUTCH ON HIS MOUTH BEFORE HE ENGAGES HIS PEA BRAIN.
To: Big Time Spender Holloway
SAY IT AIN'T SO, JOE!
I believe that Rick passed an Executive Order that said NO employee of the Executive Office is allowed to use county money for this conference other than milage and registration fee.....
Grand Dad:
Anonymous said...
Did all 7 dwarfs stay -- what about Ricky, Fineral, Kramer & Shea?
4:00 PM
WAS HOLLOWAY THE ONLY ONE - IF NOT, WHO ELSE???
I see in todays paper Mr. Moore from Pittsville says we aint raising no ones taxes 17%, the question then Mr. Moore is what is the town doing with the extra $30+ thousands of dollars you are generating. It sure aint providing no town services. We had an efficient town office at one time, now I went there the other week to ask a question and the office was closed. I just noticed something the other day too, the sewer man is driving around in a van with government tags that used to belong to one or two council people. How much did the town pay for that? I am sure that is was not donated. Did Pittsville Motors or Bromleys Auto---two local businesses get a chance to sell the town anything?
Get a life!!! Maybe Joe can do some investigative reporting?
For goodness sakes Bob Harris is that all you could find on Hobo Joe. For a $130 million dollar budget that is chicken feed. You are just as bad as Joe with the $23 ink pens. You want his position so bad that you will do anything to attack him.
I tell you what Mr. Harris. If you are luck enough to accidently get elected then why don't you do it for free. Give your peanuts back to the County and do it for free. Post your phone number and email so all the constituents can complain to you. Drive to all the meetings all over the state at your own expense and stay at the hotels for at your expense or drive back and forth.
I know you don't need the peanuts for pay because you were bragging about Cato bringing you 300 gallons of fuel to the marina. Attacking someone is nothing more than dirty politics. You are just as bad as Joe Holloway.
Did you say that $5k was chicken feed? It's people like you who are the root of this problem. Those were more than $5,ooo of MY tax dollars, which I pay to the county. Maybe if I didn't have to pay so much in taxes I could afford a few days at the Hyatt.
Anonymous said...
Did you say that $5k was chicken feed? It's people like you who are the root of this problem. Those were more than $5,ooo of MY tax dollars, which I pay to the county. Maybe if I didn't have to pay so much in taxes I could afford a few days at the Hyatt.
12:39 PM
I guarantee you that you don't spend anywhere near $5,000 a year in taxes. Please do tell us.
I live in the city and pay both taxes and it is nowhere near $5K. Your dillusioned motormouth is chicken feed.
That's some interesting reporting. When I mentioned that Joe was a "budget hawk" I wasn't specifically talking about the pen business but about his general approach to the county's spending and raising of money. His desire to lower the county income tax surcharge, for instance, is something that is worth exploring. But you are right that our elected officials need to look for ways to cut back on even the relatively small expenses. If this is wasteful spending (and I'd have to get the other side of the story before I decide), you've done a service exposing it. I hope you'll continue to keep such a sharp eye on the budget.
GOOD OLE BOY GONE BAD !!!!
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