I hope you sit down before reading this passage from the plan that a consulting firm recently prepared for the City (warning--it's classic consultant-speak):
PART III: THE VISION FOR THE NORTH PRONG
Using the assessment and stakeholder input, the planning team prepared the following
vision statement for the North Prong:
“Salisbury’s North Prong is an exceptional resource for the entire City. It provides a
window to the water heritage of the community’s past, it is a pivot point where downtown
meets diverse and vibrant neighborhoods, and its future will evolve as a place where
existing businesses can mix with new uses and open spaces to create a rich environment
that is unique to Salisbury.”
*****************
Who, you may wonder, was on the "planning team" -- well, you will just have to wonder because the report does not discuss that. It appears that the team's members were most if not all graduates of various "city planning" programs, with little practical experience or judgment, nor any real familiarity with this area. To call the North Prong a "window to the water heritage of the community's past" is pure poppycock, and so too the "pivot point" blarney. The speculation about the future is basic planning jargon -- "a place where businesses can mix . . . to create a rich environment . . . unique to Salisbury." But for the name of the town, this spiel is probably in each and every report that this firm has generated.
This is the way in which places like Salisbury become mired in money pits, and this "plan" should be put to rest without further delay or dollars from the City.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Regentrification. Simplified explaination, The process of taking a blighted area and improving it to the point that the folks that live there (own business) are pushed out and cannot afford to "come back" when the improvements are made.
ReplyDeleteThere is a balance, and the government of Barry Tilghman does not have a clue how to achieve a blance much less be concerned abuot the people they are supposed to represent. "They" (FOB) have been "buying" up the properties on in the "north prong" for years, with this regentrification in mind.
Shanie Shields has done nothing, will do nothing, and is content to sit in her council seat and eat, while her constitutients are pushed out of their homes, neighborhoods and maybe thier jobs.
Good going Shaney you sold out.
This is the latest example of the Tilghman administration continuing to waste the City's money to gain the support of a small group of persons who stand to benefit from the expenditure.
ReplyDeleteAlmost every other city and county is cutting back on waste and nonessential things under the current economic meltdown because tax and other public revenues are going to fall sharply.
Salisburians can look for more double digit property tax increases if she or Comegys is the next mayor. And we are about to get out first water and sewer bill with the higher rates they just adopted, which we know are going to go up even more in the next year or so.
Salisbury is dead, move north and get out of maryland. Its better north of the line.
ReplyDeleteResponse to 8:32AM.
ReplyDeleteStand and fight...Salisbury, vote. register to vote, have a say, feel proud again, moving does nothing, and those that would move should move. We want the people who care to stay.
Salisbury is not dead. It's just in a coma waiting for the right mayor and city council to bring it out and make it feel alive and thriving.
ReplyDeleteDo I see that in the near future? Of course not. But if we can find the right people...
Well, why are we doing something with the North Prong when the other 2 sides of the river have projects sitting there half completed and vacant and a downtown that cannot be revitalized. The mayor is completely out of touch. Has she heard of the state of the economy?
ReplyDeleteBarrie-STOP NOW. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Nalagirl
Sounds like the same plans they had to build those Condo's they can't sell.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good example of whaat you get when plans are developed by people not from the area they are planning for. Time to "shoot" the messenger, whoever or whatever it may be!
ReplyDelete