During the reign of her late, lamented highness Barrie Tilghman we were always told by the likes of party commissar Gary Comegys that they had to “listen to staff”. They also rubber stamped every proposal emanating from HRH. Hell, Comegys wouldn’t even go after the Tilghman clique when they misplaced millions of dollars.
Tonight, thanks to our friends over at TwoSentz, we learn that the Barrie Comegys majority on city council went against the city’s planning staff, the Central City District Commission, Urban Salisbury, and Mayor Jim Ireton by refusing to donate a parking lot for the proposed new library.
In all fairness, I don’t know whether I would have supported the deal or not. Wicomico County sure isn’t going to pony up for a new library any soon, that’s for sure. However, I’m not the one who supported an Historic District Commission that cost Salisbury taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars because of stupid behavior on the part of a member or two. I’m not the one who has been a human rubber stamp for some of the craziest stuff seen in municipal government. I’m not the one defending a police chief who has seen the city he is charged with protecting become nationally infamous.
Regardless of the merits of the proposal, I think we have a clear case of simply denying the new mayor. Gary lost, Louise Smith can’t run for re-election (unless she wants to explain a double-digit tax increase and myriad stupid statements), and Shanie Shields hasn’t the capacity for original thought. They got walloped in the last election (even if Shanie did win by one vote), so they want to make Ireton pay.
Keep it up guys. We need the amusement. Many of us will continue to criticize Ireton when we disagree; support him when we think he’s right. One thing’s for certain – we’ll never rubber stamp his every proposal or oppose him for the sheer sake of it.
Here’s looking forward to 2011.cross posted at Delmarva Dealings
9 comments:
That location is a loser -- lousy access from Route 50 and Route 13.
And it will do nothing for the downtown as a whole.
Let's hope Ireton used the veto.
No new library, how hard is it to stop spending money, its like an addiction with you people. Your forcing the hard working middle class American worker into a situation he never asked for or wanted, but your doing it just the same. How many times do you need to be warned?
Lot 10 is on the corner of 13 & 50. Lot 1 is the lot across from the library behind the plaza. People in both the city and county should care for a couple of reasons. It is the County library. Additionally, if the library is on Lot 10 it will take one of the largest vacant commercial sites on the highway off the commercial (tax generating) roles forever...stupid. Both the city and county would benefit from tax revenues if that lot is one day redeveloped as commercial. Lot 1 could be developed with the library building (right across form where the library is currently locatsd) and could include a level of parking. No lost revenue, more people coming directly into the downtown area. Good for the tax base because it would be bringing library users within near proximity of businesses and could be a magnet to draw additional busines downtown. I would like to see a Whole Foods or something like that on the site where the old library is. Other ideas besides a new city hall (another thing that doesn't generate any tax revenue)?
They should move the library out of the downtown -- it's hard to get there from anywhere else.
10:08 has some good ideas, especially about developing the choicest vacant piece of real estate in the downtown as an income producing, tax paying, people attracting business. Does he or she live in the city? May be a future city candidate there.
Got a foul up in this. They voted YES to give the library a parking lot, but the one the mayor, staff, sensible council members, etc. DIDN'T want to give the library.
These three idiots know NOTHING about business.
Give the library the lot next to them. That makes much more sense.
Comegys, Smith and Shields just wanted to curry favor with the library folks while flipping the bird at the new mayor and everyone else wanting something reasonable done. Great squanderers of money and assets!
I hope Jim breaks out that big VETO stamp on this one.
GA, Lyin Louise can not run for reelection because she has no base of support other than Eleanor Mulligan and Ron Alessi who can't vote in the city. Two thirds of her contributors were supporters of Terry Cohen and Tim Spies, without them she would have never gained her seat. She is a one termer no matter what.
Instead of building a NEW library, let's be fiscally responsible during this RECESSION and renovate & add on to the current library. The lot behind the current library could be utilized into the addition. Come on people - think we might could use more police force out there than a new library? There are many libraries in the county - this is not the only one. RENOVATE our CURRENT LIBRARY! DON'T JUST FLUSH OUR MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN!!! With so many constituents having hard times financially, don't our elected officials feel just a little guilty about squandering this money away?
leave the library alone.STOP SPENDING! Can u hear me now?
if it ain't broke don't fix it.
were it not for ther library, nobody would go downtown except those under employ.
Post a Comment