Attention

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

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Show Me The Money!


Last evening Councilwoman Terry Cohen went to her Bank and took out the cash needed to personally pay Paul Wilber what it cost to have him sit in the Council Meeting to assure what law they were making was proper. Because they Mayor was aware of Mrs. Cohen doing so, she chose to permit Mr. Wilber to attend and use funds from an "other attorney account" found lying around not being used for legal fees.

The $165.00 Mrs. Cohen held in her hands in "good faith" to offer to Mr. Wilber is about 20% of her monthly pay for serving on the City Council. Because Mrs. Cohen chose to make such a stand, the Mayor chose to consent and allow Wilber to arrive at 6:30 PM. Cohen & Campbell found $7,000.00 floating around in this "other attorney account."

Sure makes me wonder who's paying the legal fees for my cases with the Mayor and Police Chief?

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ms. Cohen is so far out ahead of Barrie--her intellect and political savy outshine Barrie by a mile. You're toast, Barrie; the REAL people are now in command.
Barrie is trying her hardest (i.e., WICO radio show, PAC 14, etc.) but stick a fork in her 'cause Barrie is done.

Cohen and Campbell are leading the charge. Step aside, Barrie/Gary.

Anonymous said...

That whole budget thing did not seem legal. I think we should run it by a State regulatory agency ASAP. Wilber just doesn't seem up to speed on it at all--his reasons for justifying it do not ring true (or logical).

Anonymous said...

I wish Cohen would run for mayor!

Shame on you, Barrie!

As for Wilber, his "because I said so" treatment of Debbie Campbell was just plain obnoxious and unprofessional.

While I understand Cohen's rationale for wanting him there (probably for the Three Dumb Bunnies), Wilber is a waste of money!

Anonymous said...

I second the motion, I also wish Terry would run for Mayor - she would absolutely be wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Wilber represents AES.
AES has a contract with the city that is 2/3 paid.
AES is closing up shop.
City is screwed out of contract and must hire another architect, DBF.

This architect was to design the new multi million dollar animal health building at the ZOO. WHY???

WHY, isn't Ron Alessi and his glorified bunch on the Zoo Commission putting this money up instead of the city taxpayers? What happened with those fundraisers they were going to have to raise the money?

Just say NO to the other black hole we keep pumping money in.

Anonymous said...

This is for those who write to the Daily Slime criticizing Campbell and Coehn, especially "city1732" and the one who called the names I can't repeat: I know you read this blog because of some of the comments you have made in the past being "quotes" (or close) to things said here. I also know you will probably call this "grandstanding" on Ms. Cohen's part. But you would be wrong. This woman was willing to give up 20% of her monthly pay to be sure the proper protocols were followed. I don't see the mayor or the 3 clueless Council members making any kind of move towards proper procedures. Heck, Shanie doesn't ecven know what she is voting on and had to change her vote after being prompted! All I can say is this: If the voters don't get rid of Barrie, Gary, Louise and Shanie when they are up for re-election (if they are stupid enough to run again), then I urge those who DO vote against them to leave Salisbury and seek a place where intelligence is the majority, not the minority )as in 3-2 rubber stamp voting)!

Anonymous said...

Really, if they have any legal questions at all they should be made at a time when Wiber wouldn't have to be there the entire time. Cut his hours back. I mean do we need to pay him to say the Lord's prayer and say pledge of allegiance?

Do we need to pay him to be there to hear the opening drivel from the mare and award ceremonies? Do we need to pay him to be there when they already know from work sessions it will be a unanimous vote? Let's be real.

Anonymous said...

If Terry did become mayor, I am sure the budget would be done right, no hidden money for FOT's, and she would encourage line-item scrutiny of it. She would encourage hiring a city lawyer for a flat fee at half what Paul Wilber gets, and she would encourage zoo participation in raising its own funds to do what is required for the animals. She actually knows the meaning of the words she uses, like accountability and reponsibility, unlike the mayor and Council President. You are to be admired, Ms. Cohen!

Anonymous said...

And with Barrie our mantra should be "Follow the Money". She has left a paper trail for those who wish to pursue............

Anonymous said...

Does it EVER dawn on the morons who criticize Campbell and Cohen in the Daily Rag comment areas that these two wouldn't have to resort to "antics" if they weren't dealing with absolute MORONS?

Imagine what would happen if they just GAVE Campbell and Cohen the information they request. For that matter, if the almighty powers just answered the PUBLIC when they come up to the podium!

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:10-- well said! I can't wait for that piece of crap paper to fold! Guess the C&C bashers will have to stick to old man doofus duvall's blech of a blog to call the ladies names!

Anonymous said...

The mayor should have let Cohen pay the $165. Cohen and Campbell run up a large portion of the legal bills. Cohen trys to write law, then Wilber has to review it, and it ends there. I agree there are ways to cut legal costs, a lot of them. But, I would not agree to a legal department for the City. Think about it, salary, office, office support, benefits, pensions. That would come up to what the attorney is getting now, maybe more.

Want to be bet this comment does not get posted. It's not Albero's style.

Anonymous said...

Encouraging Terry to run for mayor is not the answer. The mayor is only as good or bad as the council allows. We need to change the council.

Get rid of Bubba. Get rid of Louweasel. Get rid of Shanie. Getting rid of any 2 of these mental midgets, replacing them with honest people of integrity and not a hidden agenda will ensure a change in the city and the way it is run. Once the face of the council is changed, a monkey could be mayor, it just wouldn't matter.

Once the change of the council is made then the entire administration should be put on notice they either shape up or ship out.

Anonymous said...

Isn't AES the same business that the employee "borrowed" 250,000 from the Village of Tony Tank to help keep afloat?

Anonymous said...

Anon 1216 NO. He works for Iott

Anonymous said...

Hey, 11:48...you think Cohen and Campbell run up the legal bills? You must be the mayor, since she's tried to pawn that one off enough times.

We've all watched PAC14 enough to hear how incompetent Wilber is. If I were C and C, I'd be questioning his law calls all the time. Remember, Cohen and team kicked his butt in court on the mall.

I think Wilber is generating his own meal ticket. He's written and charged for opinions Cohen and Campbell didn't request?

No, Cohen shouldn't have had to pay a nickel. You may think what she did was a stunt, but it forced that sorry mayor to show she had funds to have Wilber show up for the meeting.

Oh, and lookee...your comment got posted, mayor.

Anonymous said...

12:08 anonymous, you have a point. If there's a good council, they can change the charter and take some of that power away from the mayor so a megalomaniac can't wield it.

But I still think we need a good mayor. Otherwise, a Queen Barrie or King Bubba could play games with the numbers, the staff and the information, handicapping even a good council.

Change both, and change Salisbury's outlook from dark to bright!

Anonymous said...

336 I agree, we do need a good mayor but I believe a good start is with the council. If the council is stacked the opposite of what it is now, this city could and would turn around. A good person that leads with integrity will have followers of the same caliber.

Soooo who is going to run for Shanie's seat? Who is going to run for the mayors seat?

Want to see a grown man cry? Get rid of Shanie and replace her with someone of integrity. The council votes will be turned around. Wanna see a grown man have a breakdown? Elect a GOOD person for mayor.

A good mayor and a GOOD District 1 representative might give Gary and Louise cause to up and quit. Wouldn't that be a hoot.

Anonymous said...

Yeah and the slumlords would have for sale signs on their properties all over the city.

Anonymous said...

For those commentors who think the two intelligent ladies (C & C) are the cause of all the legal fee's, best you attend or listen to the council meetings on PAC 14. You've got it all wrong! Without these ladies on the council, we would never know where all the money is going. They ask cogent and well thought out questions, which by the way takes them many hours to formulate on their own, without which we would be in deep problems, more so than we are now.
You folks need to wake up and learn about the lies coming from the other three council members and the mayor. This is your town and my town and its time we take it back!

A. Goetz

Anonymous said...

Where is district 1?

Anonymous said...

District 1 is part of the east side over by Vine St, Washington St then it's over there around Newton St, Ohio Ave, Maryland Ave and parts of the west side. The lines are so crooked it's hard to know exactly where it lies. There should be a map on the city website, at least you'd think there would be.

Anonymous said...

Follow Shanie, she'll be out begging for votes very soon. She needs a map to find District 1 herself, she hasn't been out there since she won the election by 3 votes, 4 years ago.