City Council President Louise Smith wrote in today's Daily Times that she has notified Mayor Ireton that she will no longer spearhead the cleanup efforts in the Church Street/Doverdale neighborhoods, that she is abandoning the program.
Citing a nearly total cessation of cooperation among previous supporters, she wrote: "This last year... has been difficult. Absent were the majority of community residents. Phone calls to community leaders went unanswered. Messages were left, yet never returned. People who could be counted on no longer participated. An unexplainable silence emerged. My efforts to create a bridge for people to come together, work together and serve together continued through June 2009. No progress was made."
Smith's naivete has come full circle. "I've always loved Salisbury. I've loved its neighborhoods and character and people. In my younger years, I loved the fact that everyone knew each other, looked out for one another and supported each other in good and not-so-good times. " Times have changed, Ms. Smith, and there is a majority, rather than a minority, of people in Salisbury now (than who were present in your salad days) who don't know their neighbors, who don't have a stake in or care about their neighborhoods, and who are cursed with a lack of responsibility and accountability. Sadly enough, their curse affects us all.
The people who participated in Smith's now-abandoned cleanup efforts quite possibly see those efforts for what they were: of noble intent, but exercises in futility. It's more than disappointing to see one's efforts be nearly fruitless, as these were: to clean an area up only to see it return to its previous condition literally within days, to see that there are some people who go beyond not caring to actually opposing those who do, whether by action or inaction. It's a social problem, Ms. Smith, and you're not going to cure it, unless you can reach the hearts and minds of everyone involved. How do you do that? You're the educator, you're the community leader - you tell us.
Some would see this as the beginning of the swan song of Louise Smith. Having gained her council seat by less than wholly respectable means, Smith has proven herself to be in water that's way over her head. Despite early promises to "do the right thing", she aligned herself with the Tilghman machine even before she took her council seat, voting for more foolish spending, supporting a bloated budget and leading the city down the path created by the former mayor. It's rumored that she acknowledges her shortcomings as a council member and won't be seeking reelection in 2011.
Regarding the continuation of Church Street and Doverdale area cleanups, one prominent member of the group has yet to weigh in, but would logically be the next choice: Shanie Shields, who kept her seat by one vote in the April 2009 election, is the District One councilwoman, the district that borders the areas that have had the lion's share of attention in these cleanups. It would seem only reasonable that Ms. Shields prove her worth and take this wide open opportunity to step up to the plate to continue the efforts and do something for her consituents and the city, having the ear of West Side and Church Street area community and church leaders and being a resident of a district that directly benefits in many ways. It could be a sustainable success that could reach other areas of the city. It's an opportunity for all to benefit, and for Ms. Shields to put her money where her mouth is, rather than just, as has been the case in the past, taking the crumbs and the credit. What say you, Shanie?
1:09 P.M. - Thanks to the commenter for the district boundary information.
