There is a lot of talk about the proposal to cut health benefits for the city council members in Barrie Tilghman's proposed budget. Is it vindictiveness on her part? Did she make this proposal as a last swipe at Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen? Once again, she has managed to divide the citizens while exacting revenge against those that would oppose her.
City council members are compensated $10,000 annually for their service. As with any job that offers health care coverage, the council members can choose to opt in or out of the program. Three of the council members, Shanie Shields, Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen chose to accept the coverage that is offered. Shanie cost the taxpayers for insurance for four years when she was already covered. Why? Suddenly she is concerned about the cost to the taxpayers? Debbie Campbell's employer reimbursed the city for 3 years of her coverage, until the economy tanked.
It should also be known that the city does not pay for family coverage, they only pay for the elected official. Those opting for the coverage must pay the additional expense, this does not come out of our pockets.
Shields, Comegys and Smith did not opt to make this cut while Shields was still choosing to accept the coverage offered by the city. Listen as Louise goes on to say she's not impacted by this cut because she is insured by the taxpayers in Florida. Gary won't be affected either, he's covered by YOU, the taxpayers in Maryland. Who is Shanie's other insurer? Is Shanie also covered by YOU and every taxpayer in the state of Maryland through her deceased husbands state insurance?
Comegys goes on and on about part time versus full time, yet he is getting benefits from the city for having been a volunteer. How many volunteer organizations offer retirement benefits? Does the Red Cross offer retirement benefits to volunteers?
Louise Smith says "We" (the council) "have to make sacrifices", but the only people who will be sacrificed are Campbell and Cohen and their families. Notice there are no other cuts in the council budget that affects them all equally, like travel, like Bill Holland did. No, they are only sacrificing what hurts Debbie and Terry personally. Bill Hollands travel budget cut doesn't hurt him or his employees personally.
You want to talk about sacrifices Louise? Gary and Shanie wouldn't donate any of their council salaries for the police when Debbie Campbell offered to. I seriously doubt Louise would give up any of that $12,000 she is paid to warm the seat of council president. Again, the only thing the three of them are willing to sacrifice are Debbie and Terry. How about cutting some of those feeding at the trough lunches and dinners Gary attends?
How nice of Louise to try to use Terry Cohen's own words (distorted) to justify cutting Cohen's children off from health coverage. Especially while Terry wasn't there to defend herself because she was at her mother's funeral. I have to wonder if Terry Cohen thinks that's an accurate repeat of what she said? Here's a hint Louise, the operative word is "PLAN".
Gary said there was nothing "mean spirited" about what they were doing. Uh, nobody said anything about it being mean spirited, is your conscience feeling a bit guilty, Gary? Gary Comegys also accused Debbie Campbell of campaigning against Michael Day getting insurance. That NEVER happened. While I'm thinking of it, is Michael Day still insured by the city for working his one day a week at the Park & Flea?
This is a group that has made no meaningful cuts to the budget in all their time on council, but now they do this? It's just a distraction to keep the public from looking at the waste such as the Hazmat trailer. You know, more big toys for big boys, and problems at the WWTP that Comegys campaigned was his proudest accomplishment, even though it's still not operational.
What are the consequences of cutting this benefit to the future? We only get candidates like Barrie Tilghman who are wealthy enough and have families in the insurance business? We only get taxpayer funded retirees like Smith & Comegys? We only get people who are "taken care of" by others like Shields?
Whether you think city employees should get benefits or not, whether you think elected officials should get benefits or not, there is no question Barrie Tilghman cut health coverage from the budget and Smith Comegys and Shields refuse to reinstate it to embarrass and personally punish Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen and their families.
Show up at the public hearing and stand up for the only two council members who continue to stand up for us.
Council Insurance Cuts.mp3
City council members are compensated $10,000 annually for their service. As with any job that offers health care coverage, the council members can choose to opt in or out of the program. Three of the council members, Shanie Shields, Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen chose to accept the coverage that is offered. Shanie cost the taxpayers for insurance for four years when she was already covered. Why? Suddenly she is concerned about the cost to the taxpayers? Debbie Campbell's employer reimbursed the city for 3 years of her coverage, until the economy tanked.
It should also be known that the city does not pay for family coverage, they only pay for the elected official. Those opting for the coverage must pay the additional expense, this does not come out of our pockets.
Shields, Comegys and Smith did not opt to make this cut while Shields was still choosing to accept the coverage offered by the city. Listen as Louise goes on to say she's not impacted by this cut because she is insured by the taxpayers in Florida. Gary won't be affected either, he's covered by YOU, the taxpayers in Maryland. Who is Shanie's other insurer? Is Shanie also covered by YOU and every taxpayer in the state of Maryland through her deceased husbands state insurance?
Comegys goes on and on about part time versus full time, yet he is getting benefits from the city for having been a volunteer. How many volunteer organizations offer retirement benefits? Does the Red Cross offer retirement benefits to volunteers?
Louise Smith says "We" (the council) "have to make sacrifices", but the only people who will be sacrificed are Campbell and Cohen and their families. Notice there are no other cuts in the council budget that affects them all equally, like travel, like Bill Holland did. No, they are only sacrificing what hurts Debbie and Terry personally. Bill Hollands travel budget cut doesn't hurt him or his employees personally.
You want to talk about sacrifices Louise? Gary and Shanie wouldn't donate any of their council salaries for the police when Debbie Campbell offered to. I seriously doubt Louise would give up any of that $12,000 she is paid to warm the seat of council president. Again, the only thing the three of them are willing to sacrifice are Debbie and Terry. How about cutting some of those feeding at the trough lunches and dinners Gary attends?
How nice of Louise to try to use Terry Cohen's own words (distorted) to justify cutting Cohen's children off from health coverage. Especially while Terry wasn't there to defend herself because she was at her mother's funeral. I have to wonder if Terry Cohen thinks that's an accurate repeat of what she said? Here's a hint Louise, the operative word is "PLAN".
Gary said there was nothing "mean spirited" about what they were doing. Uh, nobody said anything about it being mean spirited, is your conscience feeling a bit guilty, Gary? Gary Comegys also accused Debbie Campbell of campaigning against Michael Day getting insurance. That NEVER happened. While I'm thinking of it, is Michael Day still insured by the city for working his one day a week at the Park & Flea?
This is a group that has made no meaningful cuts to the budget in all their time on council, but now they do this? It's just a distraction to keep the public from looking at the waste such as the Hazmat trailer. You know, more big toys for big boys, and problems at the WWTP that Comegys campaigned was his proudest accomplishment, even though it's still not operational.
What are the consequences of cutting this benefit to the future? We only get candidates like Barrie Tilghman who are wealthy enough and have families in the insurance business? We only get taxpayer funded retirees like Smith & Comegys? We only get people who are "taken care of" by others like Shields?
Whether you think city employees should get benefits or not, whether you think elected officials should get benefits or not, there is no question Barrie Tilghman cut health coverage from the budget and Smith Comegys and Shields refuse to reinstate it to embarrass and personally punish Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen and their families.
Show up at the public hearing and stand up for the only two council members who continue to stand up for us.
Council Insurance Cuts.mp3
67 comments:
What's the norm? What do other cities of comparable size have in the way of compensation and wage packages?
You're asking us to weigh in on an issue without the necessary information to make an intelligent stance.
You haven't even taken the time to listen to the audio.
I think the retirement compensation for Volunteer fireman should either eliminated or severly curtailed. These volunteers start receiving this gift at 60 years old and its more money then alot of elderly receive for their social security.This little known benefit for (volunteering) should be investigated by the new mayor and city council this lost of tax payers money should be stopped!
Listening to this audio, HOW THE "F" COULD YOU IDIOTS VOTE FOR GARY COMEGYS!
I mean, what a scumbag piece of crap. He not only sounds like one of Jerry's Kids, he's a mean spirited SOB who is getting health insurance from YOU taxpayers through the State.
This is exactly why I seriously cannot stand this piece of sh!t. This is vindictive.
Shanie Shield may have broken the law by having double insurance but more importantly, why isn't that piece of sh!t Comegys ragging on Shanie for screwing City Taxpayers over the past 4 years for making us pay for health insurance while she had insurance elsewhere.
I personally think we should hire an attorney to go after Shanie for four years worth of reimbursement of $10,000.00 a year we deserve to have this money back.
Shanie has also had at least TWO surgeries, so she LIED!
While Louise asked each department to cut back, isn't a 1/3 cut enough?
I'm starting to HATE these people. Cut out the Stand Pipe for starters.
I'm not done, I'll be back.
OK Gary, let's talk about your alleged telephone conversation with an "elderly lady."
You know what Gary, you're so full of sh!t it isn't funny! First of all, how DID this elderly lady know about the City attempting to remove the health insurance from Council Members?
Secondly, an "elderly lady" is ANONYMOUS. Also, ONE person does NOT speak for everyone. I can assure you we could deliver at least 100 people, names, addresses and phone numbers who would say YES to health insurance.
In fact, let's make a bet. I'll bet you I can deliver more names and addresses of people who say yes than you can of those who say no.
If you'll take me up on that bet, whomever wins gets to either keep insurance or lose it. Now that's representing the PEOPLE Gary, not BS'ing them. You make me sick Comegys. You're a lying piece of crap and why those stupid Idiots voted for you is beyond me. It almost makes me feel like challenging the votes because I can't believe so many people are that stupid and think you're an ass et to the City of Salisbury.
Joe, Don't hate. It's bad for your health.
If this is allowed then its only a matter of time that citizens of this country and the state of Maryland are going to demand that Federal,State and county employees
lose their medical insurance as well. Believe me don't think 1 minute that can't happen because as broke as we are and to the many millions who have already lost this watch out. Locally just ask Crown Cork & Seal or Dupont retirees. I know, I lost mine!
Why did Shanie have two insurance policies? I heard her say so on the tape recording.
Anon 3:15
Most municipalities participate in a pool of municipalities for their employees health benefits as well in some cases the retirement packages.
In Delmar, NO elected officials are able to participate in the health plan (even at their own cost to get a better rate) because they are PART TIME.
I do not know about other cities/towns and what they do so all I can comment on is what I know.
I do know they are also paid SUBSTANTIALLY less than $10,000 per year. Heck, the Mayors of Delmar don't even get paid THAT much!
I just called Davis Ruark about it and asked him to investigate Shanie Shields. This is absolutely wrong!
Louise, What the F... are you sacraficing? Are you willing to donate your salary? Of course you don't care it doesn'e effect you are Gary.
3:57 "I do know they are also paid SUBSTANTIALLY less than $10,000 per year. Heck, the Mayors of Delmar don't even get paid THAT much!"
3:15 here. Thanks for this. Delmar is a small town, so a direct comparison isn't fair. Someone should do some real research. It's very simple. Is the total wage and compensation package of Salisbury competitive with state or national norms? Someone should have this information.
If we are below that norm, then we should either increase the direct compensation or improve the benefits package. If we are above that norm, then why is this an issue? Why all the emotion?
I am guessing that it is below the norm, but I don't have the information.
If Joe (or anyone) wants to make this case a slam dunk, this information needs to be presented.
First question answered:
OF COURSE IT WAS VINDICTIVE!
Barrie, who should have been operating the office of Mayor with integrity and in the best interest of the TAXPAYERS of the city, has been so far over her head, for so long, that the only energy she used was bad energy. For years now she has been on the defensive, and hasn't accomplished anything to move the city forward. I hope this bad karma/bad mojo she's left us with changes soon.
Joe you seem to be passionate about this issue. Care to share why?
Doesn't really matter what the norm is.
They waited until Shanie was ready, then Barrie and them cut it.
It's punishment. Pure and simple.
Listen to the audio again. They worked real hard to convince people this wasn't personal.
I think its all bullsh--!!! there is so must waste with comp time and abuse of comp policy,and as far as travel well there's another waste of money. When they travel they stay at the best of the best Hotels. Instead of staying the night on taxspayers sleep at home and go to classes or what ever in the morning. Do you all remember the nice trip Chief See took on us!! cut out this crap and give the council members health insurance. Cut out all the travel in The City and see how much you save. bet its more then $27,000.00.... I think health care is way more important than bullshi- travel oh and did I said they get comp time while there traveling on us. I could go on and on but who's listening!!!
anonymous 5:47,
If there's one thing I hate in this world it's a liar.
When you all see the evidence I produce about Comegys, Shield and Smith, (hopefully tomorrow) you'll understand why.
I am tired of all the lies and cheating. Look, if Shanie was without health insurance and they were pulling this on her as well, I'd be backing Shanie. It's not right, that's all there is to it.
Exactly-now that they(Barrie,Gary,etc) do not need the coverage,they want to take it away from the other members.Thats what it sounds like to me.
Shanie Shields is a real guttersnipe. The only reason she ran for re-election is she wanted to be paid $10,000 yearly to supplement her income.The crock of shit she said about opting out of health insurance from the city to help the Police Dept. is an outright lie. Shields has state health insurance from her deceased husband who worked at the prison.
Listen to them try to make it sound like this isn't personal.
They worked too hard at it.
It's punishment.
Gary--this is mean-spirited and you know it. This is a terrible proposal and you, Louise, and Shanie should be absolutely ashamed of yourselves. It is inexcusable and if one of those kids gets sick and cannot get health care, it will be on your conscience. Debbie and Terry ran for office and accepted their positions with health insurace included. To take it away is absolutely appalling. I hope you three sleep well at night, because this is a despicable act. Just despicable. Also, it is bad politics. Just wait until you run for re-election--this will be a HUGE issue, taking health care away from 2 families. Nice job.
Will this be discussed at the next city council meeting, or is it in a work session? I've had enough.
6:01"Doesn't really matter what the norm is.
They waited until Shanie was ready, then Barrie and them cut it.
It's punishment. Pure and simple."
Why should the taxpayers care about that? Look. Forget the soap opera. Ditch the emotion.
Just decide what the total compensation package should be and set that for all. Simple and easy.
Dear lord, I just listened to this and it makes me sick. Louise says "we all need to sacrifice." WHAT IS SHE SACRIFICING? Nothing. Not a thing. She is asking Debbie and Terry to give up their health insurance as a sacrifice, while she does NOTHING!!! Louise: how about giving your $12,000 salary to Debbie and Terry to pay for their health care costs? This is unbelievable. So some old lady is paying $390 a QUARTER for health insurance and Gary thinks that is comparable? What an idiot. You are mean-spirited, vindictive, and YOU LOST your election. I beg you to run again, because we will beat you, big time. Now he says he wants all elected officials to give up health insurance? So you are going after Jim Ireton next? Under gary's system, the only people who can be elected are those over 65 and the independently wealthy.
My friend in Bowie said their council people get around 12,000 and increases tied to the consumer price index. She didn't know if they get health benefits or not.
Gen-Pop gonna kill ya Joe. Im here but Im spent.
Blue Cross & Blue Shield take so long to pay the doctors bills that a lot of Docs wont even take it anymore. Whats the bigger picture here?
I am sure the city has a group rate for health coverage, city council members aught to be allowed to join the group coverage at a reduced cost.
joe i would bet you dinner that the elderly lady gray talked to was is mother in law
This borders on criminal activity. The three partners in crime ought to be impeached/re-called. This is a breach of the public trust, and they should be brought to account. This is an outrage.
What kind of ethics does the city council have? Arn't the people of Salisbury sick of that crap? Don't
they have any religious beliefs?
Don't they have any moral values?
Are those 3 ever going to go to jail? They wonder why people take the law in their own hands!!
Glad I'm 20 miles away!
Keep digging JOE!!
Hey, Joe, this is weird but I just read an article about a town in west New York before I read this post.
Their taxpayers supported their elected officials having health insurance through their town if they didn't have any other insurance.
But they were hot under the collar about those like Shields who had other insurance but went on the town's dole.
I say let Campbell and Cohen keep their insurance. This is just a mean-spirited move on the part of the other three.
Because Louise, Gary and Shanie have health insurance elsewhere, they want to deny it to Ms.Campbell and Ms. Cohen. This is highly unethical. There must be some one somewhere who can stop this. It is so UNFAIR.
Where are all of the people who voted for Mayor Ireton because they wanted change? Don't you know you have to continue to back this man up due to those three idiots? As long as they are there the former nightmare will continue to rule. What she did was just to get one last slap at them before she left the building and so that she'd continue to be the number one issue afterwards.
Go to the Council meetings! Stand up and speak! Do something about it!
Look how our calls and emails helped save Urban Salisbury. Don't stop now!
Can you enlighten the rest of us why this is such a hot button topic with you Joe?
Guess this is why they had lunch together at Uptown Chef.
Hey Ed, why don't you take the time to read the comments. I hope this isn't the Ed Shockley I know of. Can't be, he's a much smarter man than that.
Maybe hes "sippin",sssshhhhh.....
The council members get the same as all city employees, no more, no less.
The public hearing is this Monday night at 6 p.m. Rip them a new one! Call and email.
Stand up for Debbie and Terry!
Ed Shockley, why? Because Joe, like many of us (obviously!!!!!!) are SICK of this retaliatory B.S.!!!!!!!!!!!
Dont do anything wrong with tax-payer money and wont get sent to see the principle.
Were the shoes on the other feet, would you beat the drum for Gary, Shanie and Louise? I don't think so.
I don't remember Debbie Campbell attacking Michael Day for getting health benefits.
But if Gary Comegys wants to use that standard, I don't remember to him OBJECTING to Michael Day getting benefits.
He ought to shut up.
Ed, you're absolutely 100% wrong. If Gary, Shanie and or Louise were dependent on their health insurance provided by the City I'd be going just as nuts.
The fact of the matter is, this is a perk in which the City promissed these Council Members. Why do you people always twist things around? Oh, that's right. You must be one of the stupid ones that voted for Gary, sorry. I knew there was a reason I shouldn't be responding to your comment.
Didn't Bubba vote for the Urban Salisbury director to get health benefits from the city? Funny how Bubba opposes Urban Salisbury altogether now.
No, there's nothing personal or mean-spirited about this at all.
Liar.
And that Louise Smith. My God, we need to get serious about recalling her.
Liar.
My way is still quicker.
"Ed Shockley":
Were the shoes on the other feet, as you say, Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen would not be so petty as to do that to the others.
Everywhere else I've lived, changes weren't made to compensations mid-term.
What the hell is it with Salisbury?
Why are there always RULES?
Wow. That was a really awful clip.
Joe, I did some math based on the numbers they batted around. If Campbell's insurance is $10,000 and Cohen's insurance is $10,000, they would be PAYING the city to work for it.
Council members get paid $10,000. With normal deductions, they take home a lot less. If they pay for all or part of their families, even less.
These two members will be in the hole for the "privilege" of serving.
How many of you would pay your boss to allow you to come to your job?
Shanie Shields, I guess you have forgotten where you came from. But God is not finished with you yet. As you sow a bad seed, you will reap a bad crop.No, he isn't finished with you yet.
The fact that these three are not sacrificing anything, only making two others sacrifice and on a personal, not a job level reveals what this is.
I am not close enough to be affected by any of this, but I suggest you people go to one of their meetings and raise hell if you really care.
Good officials are hard to find. Work to keep these two if you like them.
Cruggly, you are so funny. But this is not the time for a sense of humor.
About 8:58's comment:
"If you make the average citizen pay to sit at that table, the only people who will want to sit at that table are special interests," said Hurd. "What we should have is average citizens sit up at that table."
That's from someone in a town in Massachusetts. I agree. Look what we got before: Barrie, Gary, Mike Dunn, Shanie, Louise?
Thanks, but no thanks.
Barrie and the Three Stooges are going to hurt this city as a whole with their vendetta against Debbie and Terry. That's worth a recall all by itself.
Its always the time for a sense of HUMOR.
This is a vindictive effort to force Terry and Debbie from holding council positions--it is a Chicago-style politics move to get the opposition off the ballot.
This is just Barrie's one last classless move before she left. Possible retaliation for taking the Wastewater Treatment Plant public. Actually not possible, it is retaliation by the former Mare. Now the three stooges carry on the payback because Gary knows the Wastewater fiasco cost him the election. Well in 2 years Gary and Louise are both going to be outta there. I know I will do everything in my power to help those who run against them in the next election. Shanie is a worthless slug who can thank the NCAACP and the ACLU for the redistricting that guarantees her election.
Wooooooooo. I shoulda got a beer in me before listening to that. Nasty sounding people. Seriously.
I just got done with a quick look at the other posts and see you had another one of the council meeting with a picture.
Know what's missing in there? Shields. But she and her buds are targeting Campbell and Cohen?
All right. AFter listening to that and glancing at the rest, I think I'll get a beer and call it a night. Too intense for me tonight. Not EVEN gonna read the comments on the other post. Get my blood pressure up.
Anon 10:45 it was actually Robin Cockey that started the redistricting that ultimately got Shanie elected. It was also Robin Cockey that represented Shanie at the Board of Elections during the recount. Robin Cockey and TJ Maloney are partners in their law firm. TJ Maloney handled Shanie's foreclosure. Now will someone please tell me how Shanie can afford either one of those two let alone both of them to represent her? Surely the Daily Times isn't paying her enough to afford to retain a law firm.
A total disgrace--if you haven't listened to the audio, please do. This is really disgusting, and you cannot convince me that this is not just a mean, vindictive move from the former mayor and her cronies. Talk about sacrifice? Ok, Louise--how about you give up your $12,000 so some KIDS can have a doctor? My God, when did Louise, Shanie, and Gary become so mean that they would take away health care from families? And let's be clear--they ran for election with the understanding that they would be covered (as they were in the past), won, and then are watching this be stripped away. Unbelievable. You have crossed the line, city council. You are bad people.
Smith, Comegys and Shields have never supported the efforts of Campbell and Cohen to cut costs. It took three years of pressure by those two and public pressure for the council majority to finally support Campbell's efforts to reform that outrageous take home car policy. There was no support by Smith, Comegys, Shields or Tilghman last year after the budget was struck and the economy was getting worse to go back and look for cuts. Campbell made the request several times and Cohen supported it. What about the vehicle with 50,000 miles on it that Smith COmegys and Shields just surplussed without any questions? What about the $85k truck to pull a new Hazmat trailer. The list goes on and on. This is not about cutting. It is about being mean. An earlier commenter was right. One big difference is that Campbell and Cohen would never advance something that was targeted to hurt someone. If this was about policy and fiscal conservatism we would be seeing sweeping cuts in this budget and a willingness to go line by line. Requiring a slightly larger copay for the family coverage by everyone in the plan would be fair, but to take insurance coverage away from one very small group of people is targeting.
Rumor has it in the Black community that Shanie Shields is "being taken care of" for her "co-operation". Seems she has sold her soul to the devil, but everything goes full circle. Watch out, Shanie!
For city council members, who serve partime, while (most) having regular job, to expect to be fully covered as their full time city colleagues just doesn't sit very well with me. My gosh what a perk then???? I am sorry but voting in a council member doesn't mean giving him/her complete card blanche. If a council members wants the city's full health coverage, they aught to pay part of the cost, which is already discounted.
Her husband, Jim, was a very decent man. I don't think that he would approve of Shanie using his insurance benefit to treat others this way. He didn't seem to like spiteful. He is missed by his friends.
As an outsider looking in at Salisbury, my question is:
What are you people outraged here going to do about it? Are you going to show up at a meeting and make your voice heard? Or just b*tch here.
Sounds like these ladies need your support.
Shanie Shields, is this what you teach in Sunday School? How to be vindictive and back-stab other people. My God, if this is the Gospel that is preached at Wesley Temple Church, I'm not going near the place.
Anon 8:22
You've got a good point. Really we should be asking if city council should receive health coverage?
While it's a fair question, not during a term. It should be examined, but this is a punishment for Campbell & Cohen, clearly from listening to the recording. As a taxpayer, I consider that if they are eligible that's the end of the discussion.
With-out benefits who in their right mind would want the job.
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