Copycat Comegys?

Joe,

I watched the whole city council meeting last night. Nearly five hours, but that was because there was a ton of stuff on that agenda. I want to say "Wow!" to what you said about the zoo vet and to pat your back for covering that lady who was attacked in her home. We all need to be that gutsy and say we are mad as hell! The guy who spoke on what went on in his neighborhood was really good, too.

Reading your blog today, I noticed you caught something that made me think, the part about Barrie Tilghman gushing about the people of Salisbury as an afterthought. Good catch! I have been a steady watcher/listener since the election. Both Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen talk sincerely about the citizens. They walk the walk. In the circle I run, those two ladies are really popular. So is Barrie Tilghman trying to imitate them? Somehow, it just doesn't ring the same. And you proved it with what you wrote this morning.

Well, I want to ask, did it hit you like it did me that Gary Comegys was doing that copycat thing too last night? For example, the old standpipe, he said EXACTLY what Terry Cohen did in the paper (yes, I still get it) a week or two ago about doing the study but that funds should come from cutting elsewhere. In fact, she mentioned it on Bill Reddish's show that morning.

Oh, and he tried to pound his chest about "open government" on the special election for vacancies subject, too. Who are the two who REALLY promote open government? Yep, Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen. In fact, I heard Cohen on Bill Reddish's a couple weeks ago mention whether or not the cut off point for doing a special election should be 6 months instead of 12, and I heard Gary changed his proposal from 12 to 6 in a work session that same day! (Can you verify that, Joe? I wouldn't know how.) Cohen raised some really good questions about it last night. I'm glad they pulled it because it sounds like they haven't thought this through very well. A friend thinks Comegys wanted that special election thing because Comegys thinks the mayor's seat is guaranteed for him. What do you think, Joe?

There was another time, too. Comegys started hemming and hawing on the water-sewer allotment plan about the financing roadblocks. Well, at least on that one he gave Debbie Campbell credit for raising the issue before. I fully expected him to help ram it through, but now he's trying to look "thoughtful," I guess. That didn't ring true either, to me.

So, Joe, does it sound like Barrie Tilghman and Gary Comegys are copying Campbell and Cohen (which, if you ask me, are the only two with brains at that table)? Do they think if they just start talking differently we stupid sheeple will just forget about all the times they've stuck it to us? I just found it weird that you caught that about the mayor's comment about citizens being the great thing about Salisbury and I was sitting there last night thinking how insincere Comegys sounded. You are good at reading people, Joe, so I wanted your opinion. Heaven help us if slick talking alone gets us our next mayor because you can imagine what we'll end up with.

Thanks, Joe!

--M.