"Joe-
I was in Lowes this afternoon (Thursday 12/12) at 1:27, and Dan Hogg (Tom Stevens Citation Guy) walked past me. I wondered why he wasn't at work today, and thought perhaps he had taken a personal day.
As I checked out, I noticed he had his City truck parked out front. I went back in to see what he was buying, perhaps a new set of pens to write more housing violations, and to my surprise, he was purchasing an "outdoor christmas light timer".
Now, I'm sure he must have purchased it for the City, as he was using City fuel, a city truck and on the city's time. Maybe someone could call over to Tom's office and ask if that purchase was "official business". I question that! I would assume that purchases for the city would be done with a credit or city debit card, not with cash out of his pocket that he used.
I am including the pic of his truck out front, taken by my cell just an hour and a half ago. (1:22pm as indicated on the jpg file name taken from my cell phone)
Sad day....In times when everyone is trying to be more cautious with their money, this guy (and I'm sure many others) just conduct personal business at taxpayers expense. Shame!"
OK, here's the deal. The gentleman driving this vehicle was in fact on official business for the City. I contacted Mr. Tom Stevenson directly just a moment ago and Tom was kind enough to fill me in on what they were doing and why. I will tell you that the timer was being purchased on a City Credit Card and there IS a receipt for it. Secondly, the timer was being purchased to assure the taxpayers wouldn't have additional electric bills for unnecessary use of electricity.
Like my comment stated earlier on this Post, there's probably a good reason for this and quite frankly there was. While I encourage citizens to Police City Employees, Mr. Stevenson has absolutely no problem with an open form of Government and encourages everyone to make contact directly with him any time you have a question about HIS department.
30 comments:
I was in Toys R Us the other day and 2 salisbury Police Officers were in there doing their christmas shopping. Police cars parked in the parking lot.
I live in the city and pay city taxes but you need to get a job. Way too much tome on your hands.
I think during the holiday time the officers using them to be more visible is fine with me. Plus we dont know the circumstances with the timer or the officers. I believe getting the facts first always helps get things right the first time.
maybe the guy was on his lunch break?
Perhaps he was buying it for the Church St neighborhood Christmas Party that the NSCC employees and their families put on for free with their OWN time and their OWN decorations and their OWN costumes and gifts next Tuesday night!
Get a life, Joe!
I see the City vehicles parked at stores all the time.
I love how some of you guys enjoy shooting the messanger. However, whenever YOU want something Posted, (just like this person did) you love me to death then.
If they didn't have a photo it would have never gone up. The fact is, even IF they were on their lunch break, they're using a City Vehicle and taxpayers gas.
All that being said, in many cases there are reasonable reasons as to why something like this would happen. It doesn't mean people shouldn't be informed and a Blog is a perfect real time source to get things like this out in the open.
Now, THAT being said, there's no reason at all to be defensive, IF they were in fact doing something proper. This Blog gives you the perfect opportunity, (in a nice way) to respond and answe to this taxpayer who wrote us why this was happening.
Joe is right, he posted what someone sent and the comments should be aimed at that person not Joe himself.
Joe, no need to even defend yourself here. Everyone defending the City workers or the police think of it this way. If this rarely happened, no one would even question it. But it happens way too much especially the tough economic times people are going through now. Not to mention the good old boy network we suffer in this County. Plain and simple, until we get the right people who will take charge, its all in who you know.
yeah... i hate having tome on my hands too there anon 331. i find that soap and warm water does the trick though.
Joe,
You keep on, keeping on. These so-called public servants are getting away with way to much. No Cops shouldn't be using Our resource for their personal gain. Even if it's for charity, Use Your Own. I'm getting tired of seeing 10 Public works employees at a site and only see 2 people working. I don't care What the "Circumstance" is.Grinch. It's theft of tax payers money. Plain and simple!
But concidering Ken Townsend Theft the poeple of this state obviously don't care about theft of there hard earned money. Grinch. But we don't know the "circumstances".
Joe, you keep doing what you do best. As Jim Bohannan say's " Ignorence is like mildew, It can't stand the light of Day.
Tom Sawyer
Who cares - Louweasel says that the City should give them another day off at Christmas so they can put up yard signs for Bubba Comegys.
If you want to know what he was doing, just ask him. You obviously spent enough time there to take pictures and follow him. There is often more to a situation than meets the eye. No need to blow things out of proportion.
Another reason should mind their business and stop starting stuff. You want to question these things get a job with the city.
Again I just don't feel comfortable accusing someone of impropriety or misuse until you have the facts. I do not want to see them riding aaround either but it may be legit and until we can prove otherwise its best off to make it conjecture not fact.
Thank you Joe, for getting the facts for everyone, thaats what i was trying to point out.
Anonymous said...
...As Jim Bohannan say's " Ignorence is like mildew, It can't stand the light of Day.
Tom Sawyer
4:16 PM
Was it Jim Bohannan or Tom Sawyer?
Suggestion: I think it's confusing many times as to whether Joe is posting or whether it comes from someone else--it is not clear from the way it is done and makes it confusing. Please try to re-format comments so we readers know whether it's Joe or another person.
Whyt can't city employees use there vehicles the police dept use there cars to take there kids to school and there families anywhere they want to take them. But when my famiy was in a very serious accident the state trooper looked at me and said i had to drive myself to the hospital they didn't even offer. He actually looked at me and said will you be okay we don't need anpther accident and my reply was i don't have a choice i had to get to the hospital!! At least he was working most of the time the police are riding around on our gas!!!
Anonymous said...
Suggestion: I think it's confusing many times as to whether Joe is posting or whether it comes from someone else--it is not clear from the way it is done and makes it confusing. Please try to re-format comments so we readers know whether it's Joe or another person.
6:22 PM
It's not confusing.... you are just a dummy that can't read.
The person who sent you this information is most obviously a LIAR.
He stated he SAW with his own EYES a cash transaction. And turns out there was a reciept indicating a credit card transaction.
The cops drop what they are doing if they see a crime in progress and go on the clock.
Glad for the update that the NSCC guy was buying something worthwhile for the city. No problem.
I hear, thanks to Campbell and Cohen, the city if finally taking some take home vehicles off the gravy train.
Perhaps those two will get even more progress made the closer it gets to the election. Even the Shanie is voting with them from time to time.
Gee, if voting WITH Campbell and Cohen is the smart thing to do, why the hell didn't those three bozos just do it all along?
God bless election years, where roads get paved, condemned houses get nailed and alluvasudden, it matters what the people think.
Go figure!
Robinson, 7:09, will you get the hell off this Blog. If you hate me and this Blog so much, why the hell don't you just stay away. Oh, yes, I do know who this person is, even though they're anonymous.
Joe, Some of my friends and I have discussed the benefits of you having a few sets of extra eyes to keep all city and county workers honest and doing the best job they can as they are hired to do.We are all camera bugs and take photos of birds, landscapes and othe things of interest. We would love to take photos for you and each one of us would take a week day and follow any employee or group that you designate.Our volunteer time would be as valuable as some of us now give time to the hospital ,etc. Seniors need more to do and a purpose to get up in the morning.We love to stir shit if we find any to make our community a better place to live. We must uphold the old high standards.
What's the point of posting this before getting all of the facts?
And to the person who submitted it, coward much?
I know Dan Hogg personally. Regardless of the circumstances, (truck parked in front, paying cash, etc..) Did you ever think that maybe he was on his LUNCH BREAK?? Do you seriously have nothing better to do rather than take the time out of your OWN life to take a picture of the truck parked in the front of lowes. WALK BACK into Lowes to see WHAT he was buying AND how he was paying for it?? Sounds to me that maybe YOU need to get a job, or spend more time DOING it!!! This is exactly why I almost hate my own hometown sometimes..because of people like this just trying to stir something up. You are a perfect example!!!!! GET A LIFE
anonymous 12:48,
People make mistakes, it happens. This reader who sent this in has a legitimate concern. While they may have been wrong in this case, we have seen Assateague Island stickers on City take home vehicles and all sorts of thing.
I don't see why you're so defensive while we relayed Mr. Stevenson's message in bold print explaining the situation. I mean no disrespect but perhaps you need to get a life as wel.
I have been here fo 20 years now and I keep hearing this "good old boys" and "until we get the right people" stuff ad nauseum. It's been 20 years and how many elections??? Some of the people who live here simply don't like anything or anybody.
I have really come to love the area and it's people.We have a way of life and natural beauty that most people can only dream about.Cherish that.
Take a good look around. We have very serious problems to deal with in this country ,state ,county and city....REAL problems.
A city employee in Lowes during the workday is not one of them.
I guess I was a bit defensive. In reference to the comment about me needing to get a life. I have a very good life, because I do not pay attention to that type of thing, nor do I stalk people to possibly have a hand in them losing their job. I was just reading some blogs, recognized Dan's name and felt the need to comment. If we stop worrying about what others are doing, maybe we will be a happier society. I just know I would be LIVID if someone posted my name online like that implying that I may be doing something negative when they have no clue. and to take a picture at that. Just blows my mind. Guess I was just taking up for Dan. Im sorry if I offended anyone.
He was probably just doing what all the officers were doing youve seen......undercover servalence. Can't a man get the benifit of the doubt? It is christmas for Gods sake.
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