Thank you SBYnews. Your media is way out in the forefront on this subject.
SBYnews covered this in great detail several weeks ago. SBYnews even showed the bid solicitations for Wicomico's gasoline and diesel fuel solicitations being posted on the Wicomico County website. This generated considerable consternation from sby readers as evidenced by the number of comments posted.
Maybe the DT editor should give SBYnews some congratulatory praise for uncovering this and bringing the counties energy consumption to the forefront for the citizens of Wicomico County.
On the other hand. . .maybe the reason the County is just now starting to act on adopting a policy is because they first read about it being uncovered on SBYnews.
Thanks Joe. . . that's why I always look up SBYnews website first when waking up each morning. It's the only real - unbiased - news Wicomico County citizens are getting.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
25 comments:
My first thought, Joe, was where was the Tilghman Times on this when Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen were putting the pressure on for Salisbury to make cuts here instead of whacking us with a 14% increase? I believe they fought for it again this year, but nobody got to hear much of what went on this year.
Yea that was some stunning news by DT! LOL! You're waaaaaaaay ahead of those MSM Rookies!
hey joe, time to go to church. will be back later to check on your "stories"
I've got to hand it to SBYnews on all news fronts.
If SBYnews isn't considered main stream media I don't know what is.
The Daily Times gets more tabloid looking by the day. Even the size of their new paper since - their switching locations - is now tabloid.
Great job Joe no wonder SBYnews is considered the best thing going.
Did I miss something in the article? Many of the top officials at the Wicomico Board of Ed. have take home vehicles, not just ones they use to drive to schools and on county business. The superintendent and both assistant superintendents have take home vehicles, as do others.
Congrats Joe. Your way ahead of the pack and I certainly agree with your thoughts on these "take home vehicles", especially now that gas costs so much. I sure don't like paying for anybody running one of the city/county vehicles unless it is for legitimate business. And we all know thats never the true case!
A. Goetz
11:10 Anon
COMAR Education Article 4-203(b) states, "The County superintendent and his professional assistants shall be provided with the transportation necessary for the effective and efficient performance of their official duties." This example as well as many other "take home cars" at the BOE are State mandates with case law histories and are not currently deemed local decisions by statewide elected officials.
As an avid reader of sbynews, this news media continually amazes me. Just when you think you've seen it all, SBYnews 'unpeals the banana' and reveals even more.
I've got to hand it to you Joe, you and your reporting staff deserve gold metals. I know of no other MSM media that even comes close to rivaling yours.
THANKS AGAIN!
Take home vehicles for police officers are different from take home vehicles for other county employees. The vast majority of workers should leave the county vehicle at the place of business overnight, drive it during the workday, and use their personal vehicle to get home. How many do actual county business on their way to and from the place where they work? Damn few.
Great Job Joe...now come on and peal the rest of the bananna...I know a deputy who does not have his own personal vehicle. Why would he get one when we pay for all of his gas and car insurance.
1205 you talk about city/county vehicles i guess you dont pay state taxes what about state vehicles they have take home vehicles too
Response to 3:51
That's why so many people are birddogging Comegy.
Everyone knows he and others in the SHA have been abusing the system for years. Truth be known, I'll bet there are some State workers that are even syphoning the gas at night with the price of fuel being so high.
A. Goetz, you are right on point. There are a lot doing it, case-in-point, look at the landfill situation.
This is just too funny, Joe! You claim there is so much crime in Salisbury huh? Then why are we allowing the police to use those take home cars? It isn't making much difference now is it? Take a ride through Centenial Village while you are out and about sneeking up on Bill Gordy's gas station. Check out the deputy car out there! This guy either doesn't have another car or never uses it.
It is not my responsibility to feed your kids or to have you cruise around on my gas....BUY YOUR OWN and live on your own dime.
5:23 I think we should send Joe all of the pictures of the police cars off duty and show him just how much work they are doing in those vehicles while they are off duty. What a joke in the Daily Times from Mike Lewis. He travels all over the country to teach classes on our tax dollars. Maybe whatever county he is in should pick up the gas bill. Think about how much it costs the taxpayers for 80 cars from the Sheriff's Department to scout around on our money.
Ray Lewis was tired of paying for all of his gas while these people ride for free so he joined them. These people are stealing gas too...from all of the taxpayers. We do not want to pay for their trips to the grocery store or anywhere else. They can purchase their own vehicle. I am sure their joy riding would be scarce then.
1:08
Official duty transportation does not have to include take home vehicles. COMAR refers to transportation to and from schools, meetings, etc., directly associated with the performance of Board duties. The vast majority of the time, the superintendent and his helpers go directly from their homes to the Board in the morning; the same is true in the afternoons/evenings. That is no more official transportation than for any other worker in any business. If they leave the Board to go to a school or County Council meeting or something, that is an official duty and should warrant use of a county vehicle. COMAR does not include traveling to and from home as an official duty.
This whole country has 'gone to hell in a handbasket'.
When did you think you would ever see the day when it become socially acceptable to partake in public service workers skimming the system.
I'm telling you folks, the time is ripe for a full fledge revolution. WE THE PEOPLE had better take the 'bull by the horns' and quick. Your government system has been out of control for a long time now. We are no longer a republic. If this isn't Socialism, I don't know what is.
6:22 Are you speaking on assumption or first hand knowledge when you speak of our tax dollars being spent for travel outside of county? If you hold a decent job then I am sure you are familiar with vacation days and personal days, are you not? Why dont you check your info next time before you spout off.
Pay them milage when they use thier own car for work. Thats what they do to me.
The take home police vehicle is part of the benefit package, so if you take it away the salary must rise. Also they are on call 24/7 so if a situation comes are they suppose to arrive in a personal vehicle. Some agencies dont even have enough vehicles for officers to be called out for more manpower. Look more into the people who have them for luxury than the ones on call.
8:04
That's what the Board does for other employees--pays them mileage for traveling from the Board to a school, from one school to another, etc. However, teachers are not paid mileage to drive from their schools to the Board for a meeting, even though administrators and central office people are paid mileage for those same trips. No one is paid mileage from home or to home, because that is not an official duty since everyone has to go to and from work. When a superintendent or asst. supt. goes from home to the Board that should not be in a county car and the same thing is true when they leave the Board to go home. Travel between the Board and schools or to the County Council or Chamber of Commerce, etc., should be in a county car.
How about this: require that anyone receiving a govenment issued take-home vehicle to have their name and reason for "needing" a take-home vehicle published in the newspaper, or better yet, on Salisbury News. that way, we would all know how our money is being spent.
8:49 I don't believe Mike Lewis has 2 months of vacation to spend teaching classes. Most of his vacations are spent with his family I would guess wouldn't you think you moron.
If take home vehicles are part of their benefit then they need to pay for their own damn gas while they are wearing out the vehicles.
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