Please allow me to "stir the pot" a bit (as if it weren't being amply stirred already).
It has become increasingly obvious over the past several years that the only way Salisbury is going to progress in an orderly, directed way is to change our form of government.
We have reached a size, accompanied by a complexity of issues, that requires leadership provided by a person formally educated in municipal management, possessing sufficient experience to guide Salisbury in a professional, effective manner.
The time has come to initiate a city manager/council government.
I believe this is the only way Salisbury will see the end of contentious council meetings and unnecessary tension between the legislative and executive branches of our city government.
Common sense must lead one to realize it is better to select the leader of a $50 million enterprise (and growing) by interviewing and hiring a trained individual who is educated in the business of municipal management. Plain and simple -- it is time for Salisbury to move on and move forward.
I would be interested in knowing what residents of Salisbury think. I urge them to contact the media -- print, electronic and local blogs -- to express their opinion. Let's have a calm, intelligent discussion about the issue.
Bob Caldwell
Salisbury
36 comments:
This change has been needed for years as is the consolidation
of branches of city and county goverment.There is too much duplication of services.
Mr. Caldwell the council/manager form of government has been discussed over and over again and I do believe it went to vote one year and narrowly defeated. I have to agree that I believe it has it's merits especially after seeing the disappointing performance of Jim Ireton.
I would also like to comment that the Wicomico County government switched to a strong executive form of government, which I voted against by the way. At this point I am willing to consider a vote on this issue again as a tax paying citizen. Right now we need to focus on getting the majority of Comegys, Smith and Shanie out of office. I would also like to see the self inflated egotist Jim Ireton recalled as soon as possible. All of this would have to be put on the ballot and I could support it 100%.
Bob, I am no longer considered a resident but have to agree with you that something must be done to eliminate the childish bickering that has been going on for way toooooo many years now. Keep pushing and hope that you are well jackkcharl@aol.com
Anon 10:25
I am aware that the issue has been raised many times, and you are correct that it did appear on ballot. My immediate concern is that the circumstances have matured to the point that action is absolutely necessary. We can no longer "muddle along" hoping that we are going to somehow be saved by a leader that is well-intentioned, but not schooled in the art of municipal management. The stakes are way too high to leave things in the hands of amateurs. I do hope that the citizens will respond and let their feelings be known, so that we can move toward creating a better Salisbury.
Bob Caldwell
Anonymous said...
This change has been needed for years as is the consolidation
of branches of city and county goverment.There is too much duplication of services.
10:17 AM
How do you propose making this change and consolidating the two governments at the same time?? Just doesn't make sense to me.
The most logical solution is to dissolve the city government and allow the municipalities to be absorbed by the county. That would solve many of our problems especially the the duplication of services.
I had really hoped that when Ireton was elected we would see the City of Salisbury returned to the residents. That clearly is noit the case. I am very sorry because I believed in Ireton. My apologies for voting for him.
I agree with you Bob, and thanks for still caring about this city. I should have voted for you!
A city manager will not solve the contentiousness of the council. Electing adults like Cohen and Campbell. A city manager won't overcome a lousy council and can be fired by a lousy council.
We have a supposed professional in city operations...John Pick. He is part of the problem. We can't get good department heads, except a few. So how will we get a really good city manager?
Thank you for putting the discussion out there, Bob. I don't think it's a solution, unfortunately. If we aren't hiring the right people now, having a buffoon majority on council deciding who the city manager would be won't help either.
I agree with you 100% and I want you to know that you know me and I supported you until after the primary obviously. After that I, like many others gave Jim our support. Was that a big mistake? I don't know, but we knew what we were getting with Bubba. We need a better Salisbury and Jim Ireton has failed to deliver. I am sick of "their" rhetoric that Rome wasn't built in a day. This isn't Rome, this is Salisbury and we need to react quickly before it is to late. I am sorry to say, but it may already be to late.
This is from a previous article on our Little Boy Messiah.
Anonymous said...
I am so tired of seeing and reading such ignorance. Jim Ireton is the best mayor Salisbury has seen in a decade. Leave him to deal with the serious issues left for him by Barrie...He will prevail.
2:48 AM
To say Jim Ireton is the best mayor in 10 years is not saying much. DUH! A monkey would be the best mayor we had in 10 years after the 12 years of dictatorship under the worst mayor we have ever had. Jim needs to do what he promised he would do and he would then prevail. It is going to take more than 4 years to fix what Barrie left for him and at this point Jim Ireton is a one term mayor. With that said Jim needs to fulfill his promises NOW!! Something else to keep in mind when Jim does decide that he wants another term and runs for re-election he will be a softy again and not try to step on the toes of the Barry Tilghman minions. So with that said I doubt very seriously Jim Ireton will do anything productive in the next 3 and a half years.
The calm intelligent discussion, hows that been workin so far, all you need is a Mayor that has the balls to fire some people and replace them with real leaders. They dont like it, then get a lawyer.
The City manager idea is a good one and would work fine if the present majority of the council and the residents of the city had the same agenda. Unfortunatly, that is not the case now within Salisbury now.Until the council members and the mayor put things together and work together, a city manager would make a bigger problem. The city manager would work at the descretion of the council and mayor.
I feel Jim should READ the charter word for word and have a lawyer explain anything he dont understand. I really dont think he knows the charter well enough to have it help him make decisions. If I were thinking about becoming mayor I would want to know in advance what I was going to uphold.
People just don't get it. 50 years ago, we didn't have "grants, much additional,if any, funds from state or federal government". It is NOT a MOM and POP business anymore... fyi I happen to own one of those and am a female. Today in order for any town council to succeed you need intelligent people running it not people like me which is what we have so far. I happen to have a very successful business, however, I could not begin to become a council member and readily admit it. Yes, bob we need someone that can be hired to ADVISE our council to lead Salisbury in the right direction. Someone with no HIDDEN AGENDA. We had wonderful retired service men helping pave the way in the past one who was Col. McLendon I believe plus others in charge of purchasing who were retired from the military and moved to Salisbury. They had only the city's interest at heart. We need more of them back.... where are you...come home and save us now after serving for our country.
Jim Ireton just needs to do his job. Many people voted for him over Mr. Caldwell because Jim is a typical democrat and lied to us. Many crossed over party lines because we so desperately needed change and Jim said the things we wanted to hear. The only problem is Jim flat out LIED! I am so sorry I did not vote for Bob Caldwell and now I am paying for it.
Sounds like the focus needs to return to getting Smith and Comegys out. Is there one more Debbie Campbell or Terry Cohen out there (male or female form, doesn't matter)?
Thanks to the reign of terror by Tilghman and Comegys, plus the lies of Louweasel and now I suspect Ireton, it will be hard to find someone we can trust.
Bob Caldwell has re-introduced an idea that has great merit. Salisbury is not "Smallsbury" anymore. It is a city with all the incumbent problems of a city. As he pointed out, it is the equivalent of a large corporation with a $50 million budget. It needs a professional in place at the helm. My question is: What role would John Pick play in a city manager form of government? Or would he/could he be the city manager?
No longer can Salisbury be run by a mayor. I think that we should continue to have an elected mayor but one that would be more of a PR person for Salisbury: cutting ribbons, promoting the town, etc. The mayor would still be the "face" of the town. As it is now, Jim Ireton is being paid a part-time salary ($25,000, I believe) for what should be a full-time job. Since he is teaching part-time, he can only devote so many hours to the job of mayor.
We need to tout the need for a new form of government. It needs to be on the ballot as soon as possile. As Bob Caldwell pointed out above, we cannot continue to "muddle along." How much longer are we going to have to put up with a fractured, dysfunctional Council?
The time has come!!
Annapolis, a town of 35,000 is in the midst of this discussion right now.
I think the real question here is what did Ireton do to Caldwell to make him come out so strong against him?
LOL oh yea lets add one more monkey to the pot! I guess Rick Pilot has done such a bang up job since being elected....How much has it cost the county to hire Pilot and all the flunkies that he has in his office not to mention the conflits that have been publicly brought to light or not....just sounds like more money more confusion and more people to pay. I wish most of you knew how much BS it is to get rid of people like Pick, Webster, Oland & Chambers....Thats were it needs to start....First Chambers has already retained the NAACP because she has been unfairly treated....Webster is already buddied up with the FOP to cover his butt..Oland and pick are like Amos and Andy.......The City needs to have good people and good council members to represent the needs of the people, but as long as the likes of this current council is in office I doubt that will happen.....But a shining light is that ALL of them have to be re-elected......
"having a buffoon majority on council deciding who the city manager would be won't help either."
Agreed. Look at what happened in Fruitland.
"The most logical solution is to dissolve the city government and allow the municipalities to be absorbed by the county. That would solve many of our problems especially the the duplication of services."
There's your answer.
Bob,
Thanks for your comment and ideas, however this commenter
"A city manager won't overcome a lousy council and can be fired by a lousy council"
Hits the nail on the head.
The question becomes, who will run against the gang of three? Can just ONE person come forward and lead in the community? Just one?
Off point but another SPD officer got tired of the BS at SPD and left! How many is that this year? LOL attrition rate sucks!
>John<
Mr Pollitt is a good man---but----He has not made the difference for the people = to his pay scale & neither will this thought!
If implemented I see: More confusion &. more tax dollars down the drain!!
Let the County take it over & stop the duplication of services !!!
Prediction:
The "We love Ireton" crowd will prevail on Norm Conway not to seek reelection so Jim-Beau can run as his successor endorsed by the Salisbury-Wicomico Democrat elite.
The other contenders (Tilghman -- Phil and Barrie, Bill McCain, S.S. Hughes, Sarbanes, etc.) would be also rans.
He could survive the primary, but his Obama support last year would kill him in November against almost any Republican opponent.
It's been clear from the get-go that Ireton views the mayor's position as a rung on the political ladder to be passed by ASAP (before the __hit encounters the fan). He ran the typical liberal mantra campaign -- promise everything -- but has no idea how to run a city, as has become clear after just four months.
The problem isn't having a mayor. if anything, a mayor is easier to fire than a municipal employee.
The underlying problem is the crony-ism that has taken hold during the Tilghman regime. As people have already mentioned, we need a strong mayor to clean house. We also need help in the city council, since they must approve firings, to my understanding. In order to do this we need a new majority on the city council. The current majority exists to maintain the status quo.
Anonymous said...
Off point but another SPD officer got tired of the BS at SPD and left! How many is that this year? LOL attrition rate sucks!
>John<
4:37 PM
Do us a favor and name names. Please let us know as soon as possible. This is very important to the city residents so that we can use this to rally against the Mayor for not doing his job. Name names so that we have the facts please.
I am in total agreement with you Bob order needs to be taken. As far as the new mayor is concerned. That's just what he is. NEW..I think more people should be supportive instead of critical. Work as a team Salisbury, you want change, let it begin with you.
The only good thing about the current situation in Salisbury is it cannot get any worse.
The governing body of Salisbury to include the Mayor is discraceful. I honestly do not know how those people and get up in the morning and look in the mirror.
Anonymous said...
I am in total agreement with you Bob order needs to be taken. As far as the new mayor is concerned. That's just what he is. NEW..I think more people should be supportive instead of critical. Work as a team Salisbury, you want change, let it begin with you.
6:35 PM
Look goofball we did let it begin with us. Jim Ireton betrayed us. Jim Ireton FAILED us. Now go back to your I Love Ireton crowd and work on his Help is on the Way slogan.
I really wish Debbie Campbell or Terry Cohen had run for mayor. Both women are strong and unlike the former woman in the chair, have business knowledge and experience. And they aren't afraid to do what's right instead of what's "popular." Jim Ireton could then have been better as a council member.
BUT, that's not the case, so let's move on. I'm not going to grind Ireton into the ground. Yes, I'd like him to be acting different.
I think he would be if the council were different. The person who said we need to worry more about Smith and Comegys is right. It will take a lot to change the form of government. Recalls? Get real. Who can we find for council who has common sense, business experience and integrity (no rats allowed)?
Salisbury is without leadership , it will fail. Ireton is one of the
many faults that they have. It has been over 11 years since the city had a leader with a set of ball$.
6:35 get real, take that warm and fuzzy crapola elsewhere. Jim Ireton made promises he is not willing to keep. Instead he is buddying up to the very same people that defamed and libeled him throughout his campaign while the rest of us are left holding the bag. If Ireton wants people to be supportive how about he support those that put him in office.
A resounding AMEN to 8:38 p.m. from the East Side.
How will we be able to pay for this new position? It won't be cheap! We need to stop spending!
While we're not opposed to the idea, it would seem to be better postponed. Or, do we need another study?
Thanks Mr. Caldwell, there should be some discussion, howevr, I feel that we need better people, not more government.
There seems to be a lack of caring about the city, except to mouth off on the blogs. What good does that do?
What is wrong with Salisbury is one, no one voted to change the structure of the council. 200 people voted in the 1st district. 200 people were at my house at Christmas..what does that tell us.
The problem with government in Salisbury is not that we need more, we need better people helping Mr. Ireton, he however has failed to help himself. Instead he relies on the "old guard" who are still loyal to Ms. Tilghman, how can he possibly get anything done...his fault. Stupid in fact..
The needs of the city could be filled by better leadership on his part, and hiring persons who are well qualified to do the business of managing.
Finally, if no one votes. the results are always the same...if no one goes to council meetings, the results are always the same...
if no one writes letters or takes part, the results are always the same.
It interests me how many people spew anger hatred and malice on the blogs, while a handful try really hard to right the wrongs.
Thoughtful Bob Caldwell, however, accountabilty and performance are key...and voting. Powerful combination. Democracy is not a spectator sport...someone said.
You all forgot that waste of a lawyer--Willlllburrrrrr
He needs to go too.
I would vote for cohen for mayor.
I am not too sure about Campbell anymore.
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