I won’t be surprised if Salisbury mayor Jim “Hope & Change” Ireton requests a tax increase in his first budget. What I will be interested in hearing is his justification.
An ineffectual and insubordinate police chief will be sponging off of the taxpayer to the tune of $50,000 because Ireton lacked the backbone to fire him. An $80 million waste water treatment plant appears to be a near total bust, yet Ireton refuses to categorically state the causes and the ultimate effect on the city’s rate payers. Now we have city employees behaving like domestic spies and colluding, on the taxpayers’ dime, with Ireton’s own political enemies. Yet, Ireton has failed to do something about this problem as well.
Jim’s a good guy. Unfortunately, being a good guy is no substitute for leadership. When city employees are permitted to trample on the property rights of Salisbury’s residents and business owners, is it any surprise that the city’s economy is failing?
If Jim Ireton plans on using a tax increase to purchase a spine, it may be a wise investment for Salisbury tax payers. If not, they will be asking one another -
“How’s that ‘Hope & Change’ thing working out for ya?”
37 comments:
So you are accusing Ireton of using code and compliance to harass Joe Albero, am I reading that right?
7:08PM, No, Mr. Harrison is not accusing Mayor Ireton of complicity. Please read it until you understand.
They do very well on their own. Take a look around neighborhoods they are run down. They need roofs, paint etc. but they have to pick on Joe. There are homes that have no heat (they use k-l) and some cold nite you will hear of someone dying or the house catching on fire due to this. Every rental house is suppose to be inspected. How many years does it take to get around to them. Leave Joe alone and take care of the real problems.
Salisbury does have it's problems with elected officials.
No. I'm simply stating that NSCC personnel aren't doing their jobs properly, violating the rights of a Salisbury taxpayer (in this case Joe Albero) and colluding with people that not only despise Joe, but Ireton as well. I'm accusing Jim of lacking the backbone to stop such behavior.
This is not good, someone from the code enforcement office has taken pictures of a private area in a local business and allowed them to be published on a local BLOG. Not to mention they are pictures of a phone closet. Do they have a camera in the bathroom? Come on Salisbury what are we doing to ourselves? We remain the laughing stock of Maryland and unfortunalely we deserve it.
SAD TO BE A LOCAL
If it is true that these pictures were taken by a code encforcement person and were release that mayor should terminate this employee or resign!
SAD TO BE A LOCAL
"Why then, did a picture apparently taken by someone from NSCC appear on a local blog whose primary purpose is to attack and demean Albero? Unless the publisher of this local cesspool trespassed onto Albero’s property and took the picture, I don’t have a problem with them publishing it."
Seems like the author of the article has no clue who took the picture, but for the sake of creaing a salacious article they figured they would throw in that it just could have been a city employee that took the photo. Hey, let's make it a real titilating tale and say it could have been an employee of the FBI or CIA that took the photo, too. No matter who took the photo, Albero or his surrogate whiner should stop their crying and realize he'll get exactly what he gives as long as he continues to play his game of Oops, I Got You on his blog.
When has Mayor Ireton EVER mentioned a tax increase? Ever? Did he not run on a platform of transparency and fiscal stewardship? He NEVER said Salisbury needed to raise its taxes. I would be shocked if he proposed one.
And if Mr. Albero would follow the city's Code & Compliance regulations, he wouldn't have any problems with them, would he?
G.A., you of ALL people should know Ireton can't just ire the police chief. Read the City Charter, will ya? He CANNOT fire a department head without a majority vote from the City Council. It's not his fault Louise, Gary and Shanie are willing to tolerate insubordination and incompetence. Stop perpetuating the lie that Jim could have just fired the chief any day he wished. He could not. He could have walked up to the Chief, said "You're fired!" Donald Trump style, and Allan woulda strolled back into his office the next day and there wouldn't have been a thing Jim could have don about it. Because the mayor can't fire the police chief. Only the City Council can. And you know it.
They are like all Municipalities on the Shore and in the State of Maryland. When they find someone that is willing to do the job properly they either do not hire them or if they do hire them and find out they try to be honest and treat everyone the same when enforcing regulations they fire them with a lame generic excuse. I know been there done that. 99.9% of Politians and the Good Ole Boys do not look out for the people they are supposed to be representing and wants no one around that will expose their ways are cost them money in one way or another.
G.A., you're probably right. No doubt an effort by slumlords to discredit this code department because of this unknown legislation coming their way.
Sorry, fellows. If this department screwed up with Joe, we'll still support anything that shuts you leeches down.
Whoever gave photos to that green blogger needs to be fired. He could target any one of us.
However, I'll disagree with you, G.A., about the police chief. Ireton could have fired him and the three morons on council would have kept the chief anyway. Deals like this often have to be made to get rid of problem employees. Then we might never be rid of him.
I'm greatful that we didn't have to endure Webster through the horror of losing Sarah. Barkley represented us well next to Mike Lewis.
Ireton is an immature little boy trying to do a man's job
Ireton, although not as assertive as we might have liked, did his job and followed the rules in the Webster situation. He called for his resignation, knowing that the Unholy Alliance wouldn't support the firing. He (I assume) hoped that the chief would take the hint and retire. He did. Maybe not as some would have preferred, but he's gone nonetheless. Give credit where credit is due. As for the notion of a tax increase, I haven't seen any indication that he's planning that. If one is necessary, it will be because of the ugliness at the WWTP and other pre-existing situations. AS for Code and Compliance, I already don't think Stevenson is a team player, especially the Ireton team. If he hasn't gotten this sorted out within HIS dept. he needs to resign also. NOT RETIRE. I hope he does the right thing. Or maybe Mayor must push him into a corner.
9:11, so we can expect to see you on the next Salisbury Mayoral ballot??
The Neighborhood services was a department designed and hired by Barrie Tilghman. Her friends have been immune to their attacks. for the most part. the whole concept of neighborhood services should be flushed from the Government and a fresh approach and fresh faces should take over they will tell a lie in an instant. The whole department is a snake pit as it is right now. Don't fire them , Issue them shovels and let them really clean up Salisbury. If Jim did this, he would be everyone's Hero except the FOBs.
Same old, same old...surprise us & cut the budget, cut spending & no new tax increases. PUHLEEZE!
How many times are taxes gonna be raised because of that POS wwtp?
G.A. the D.A. Nuff said!
What's happening at that North Point Development or I should say undevelopment and now eyesore?
Some walls went up 5 months ago with cheap plywood and stopped there leaving black mold on the exsisting walls. It's a mess.
Where is the city now? Tear that crap down before it become a home for the homeless just like the Old Mall did.
Anon 1950 - I think you may miss the point. I don't care if it's a picture of a waste basket. For someone from the government, any government, to come into your home or place of business, take photos, and then send one or more of of those photos to another party is wrong. If that's the kind of country you wish to live in, I suggest you pack up and move to Cuba, China, or Venezuela.
Anon 2011 -
You are correct that I don't know the name of the person who took the photo. However, someone from NSCC did come to the property and take photos inside the building according to Albero. I don't care if the city had gone into Barrie Tilghman's house. Wrong is WRONG! It's time to get your moral compass readjusted.
Anon 2027 -
You are correct that Ireton has never mentioned a tax increase. However, he has also failed to uphold just about every one of his campaign promises. I stated that I expect him to ask for a tax increase. Why? He has failed to show the intestinal fortitude to cut wasteful spending. He'll be crucified (and rightfully so) if he doesn't budget for more police. Where do you think the money will come from?
Anon 2030 -
My understanding is that the mayor may not fire a department head WITHOUT CAUSE without the approval of council. If Ireton had simply called a press conference announcing the dismissal of Webster and the appointment of Barkley months ago this would have been over. Do you honestly believe that Shanie Shields would have voted against the appointment of the first black police chief in Salisbury?
Anon 2245 -
Credit for what? Webster was insubordinate as hell. He wouldn't have lasted three minutes in any city that was even marginally well run. Ireton may be getting bad advice, I don't know. The bottom line is that Salisbury taxpayers will be paying for Webster to sit on his arse for 6 months because Ireton wouldn't lock horns with the Barrie Comegys bloc on council. As I stated, if Ireton could buy a spine it would be money well spent.
G.A,
You seem to think you have all of the answers--why don't you run for office? It is easy to criticize, much more difficult to step up and do the real work.
Anon 9:58 AM, AMEN! He is like a few of the others, has a lot of advise but doesn't want to work.
G.A .... Ever heard of the freedom of information act? If an inspection was preformed at said address by NSCC then any pictures, letters, or repair orders are avalible for the public to see or have copies of. NSCC inspectors have not done nothing wrong or illigal.Any one can get this info even fat boy.
Anon 1103 -
You obviously have never attempted to pry any information from the city of Salisbury. It takes weeks to get the info AFTER you have filed a PIA request (FOIA is a federal law and doesn't apply in this instance).
Besides, you have missed the whole point. I don't want to see the government coming into ANYONE's residence or office without their express permission OR a warrant! I'm not willing to give up my liberty. I'm sorry that you appear to be.
G.A WRONG!!!! the FOIA does indeed apply in this instance.You get the application via NSCC office or the internet.
And second, if there is a violtion (I.E-fire hazzard,un sanitary conditions, etc...) at the property beside me, NSCC have the proper law tools (I.E-right of entry) to inspect said property to abate violations that could pose a threat to me, the neighborhood, and my property.
I'm not giving up my liberty sir,
but this office of the city was put in place to keep you and I safe, just like the fire department, police department, etc... Most of the time someone that does not like the NSCC must have violations of there own.
GA, read the charter again. (I did during the firestorm.) Ireton could have fired, but only WITH cause, and it would only "take" if he had three votes.
However, you are right that he could have tested the waters, not publicly like you said or it would be more lawsuit from that sorry excuse for a chief.
Maybe the retirement deal comes out to less money out of taxpayer pockets than the number of lawsuits that POS would have filed.
A little off topic, where did the pictures come from johnathan? Would that be an official photo?
You guys are always going to complain about anyone in office, no one is going to do a perfect job. This is the guy everyone on this site could not wait to get in office. How soon we forget!
Anon 1304 -
Try again! As I stated, the PIA (Maryland's Public Information Act) is in play. That is the form you fill out. FOIA is a federal law. Yes, they serve approximately the same purpose, but I was not wrong and you misspoke.
Anon 1352 -
I have always said that he needed cause to fire him without council approval. There was never any doubt that Webster could appeal to the council and claim that Ireton didn't have "cause". However, as I stated, if Ireton has simply fired him for cause (there's plenty) and appointed Ivan Barkley as interim chief this would have been a slam dunk. Instead, Ireton appears weak because he is weak.
Anon 1625 -
You need to go back and read SbyNEWS's endorsement of Ireton. It was decidedly tepid. I would love to see Ireton succeed. However, his performance in office will be analyzed and commented on just as his predecessor's was. Just because I like the guy doesn't mean that he gets a free pass.
The government is far too invasive already. These people have no right to tell me what or who can live in my property!
What is wrong with Americans? Why don't you see that these incroachments by our government (at all levels, local, state, and federal) are unconstitutional. We are free people - each one of us sovereign. The government works for us. If one of us has a problem with a landlord we can go and ask our government to help us.
The government should function only when we ask it to do so. We now serve our government.
We serve our government.
Ireton couldn't have fired Webster. Shanie would not vote for it because the people who control her would tell her not to. It doesn't matter an African-American would replace Webster, Shanie would have still voted no.
That picture is so funny. Phone room s usually look a lot worse than that. I would say who ever did that did a great job compared to most.
Anon 1845 -
Thank goodness somebody gets it!
The picture appears to phone wiring. You could find stuff that looks just as bad or worse in the old court house downtown. This is the exact reason the code was modified to include low voltage wiring as far as electrical permits and license's go. So many people around this area are ignorant to the codes and laws that require a license and insurance to install electrical wiring. These codes include ALL wiring from phones,alarms,landscape lighting,residential,industrial,commercial buildings (everything)they all require a permit and inspection to install thus they also require a license to install. As far as the picture if they were not invited in the building or did not have a warrant to enter it should have never been taken let alone distributed.
G.A,
You still don't seem to get it, so even though you might not read this, I'm going to spell it out. Even if Ireton fired Webster with cause, the council had to confirm it. So he could have made a symbolic move, granted, but all that would have done is led to a lawsuit which would have cost the city tens of thousands of dollars, and there would have been even more chaos at the top. Instead, he got rid of Webster without a lawsuit. Yes, there's a catch in the 6 month payment, but golden parachutes are standard in negotiating early retirements. Also, the whole premise of this post hinges on two things: that Ireton MIGHT raise taxes (he has not said he would) and that these pictures were taken recently. Neither turns out to be the case. So can we expect some kind of acknowledgment of that?
I'm reluctant to get into debates with people who lack the courage to write under their own name, but here goes ...
First of all, I never said that Ireton WOULD raise taxes. I wrote:
"I won’t be surprised if Salisbury mayor Jim “Hope & Change” Ireton requests a tax increase in his first budget."
Do you understand the difference? If not, the discussion cannot move farther because of language handicap. I won't KNOW whether or not Ireton will raise taxes until he presents his budget. However, I won't be surprised if he does.
As for the photo's being taken recently - you MAY have a point. To the best of my knowledge, the only source claiming to possess evidence that these photos were taken in 2008 is Jonathan Taylor. Given that I can cite MANY instances where this person has lied, in writing, I can't count that as credible evidence. Given his propensity to use Photoshop, any photographic evidence emanating from M. Taylor is suspect at best.
However, as I stated, you MAY be right. I can't prove when the photo was taken.
You have requested acknowledgement. Unfortunately, the only acknowledgement you can receive is above. Acknowledging the strength of your argument is not possible because it is rhetorically (and logically) weak.
You claim that:
"...the whole premise of this post hinges on two things: that Ireton MIGHT raise taxes (he has not said he would) and that these pictures were taken recently. Neither turns out to be the case."
First of all, the whole premise of the post DOES NOT hinge on either. As noted above, I never said that Ireton WOULD raise taxes. In fact, the mention of raising taxes was simply a rhetorical device to lead into the main argument. The main argument is that city staff has, and continues to, trample the rights of ordinary citizens.
The stuff regarding Webster and the WWTP were simply side arguments pointing to a lack of leadership on Ireton's part. This is something that, sadly, I must continue to believe.
Back to the main argument -
Few outside of the Barrie Comegys bloc will argue that NSCC has not been used for political purposes in the past. As I noted in the original piece, no one is arguing that Ireton is using NSCC for political purposes. However, it did (and still may) appear that NSCC is attacking someone who is politically unpopular.
Admittedly, there is conflicting evidence. However, given the source of the evidence exonerating NSCC, I am reluctant to accept it.
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