As promised last night, I have a few observations about who was really running the show at Monday's city council meeting. The photo above of landlord and attorney T.J. Maloney (far left) with former city councilwoman Lynn Cathcart, with landlord Richard Insley who was chair of the Housing Board of Adjustment and Appeals (back to us) and landlord Donnie Williams (far right) might help those who don't know who's who. Like I said last night, the landlord group, the Salisbury Area Property Owners Association or SAPOA, have been deep into Salisbury politics a long time.
Look at the facts, folks. Councilwoman Terry Cohen asks Council President Louise Smith why the Mayor's appointment to the Housing Board (to replace Richard Insley) was pulled from the agenda and sent to a work session. Why is this a big deal? Because no single appointment has EVER been sent to a work session, at least not that I can recall in the years I've been following the city politics and you know I've been at TONS of meetings. Louise only replies that there were "questions" and won't tell Terry what the questions were.
In the audience of the council meeting lining the back wall were plenty of SAPOA members including T.J. Maloney, Richard Insley and his son Richard III, Stu Leer and the new SAPOA president Chris Adams. Pretty good turnout from SAPOA. Something or someone probably tipped them off to what was going to happen about that appointment. In fact, why was Gary Comegys, heavily supported by SAPOA in his council and mayor races, making the amazing effort to leave a sick bed and be there of all nights? His vote wouldn't have changed anything different from another 2 to 2 deadlock. Cohen wouldn't have been able to get that appointment back on the agenda. Things that make you go hmmmmm. Shanie Shields had lots of support from SAPOA in her elections and Louise Smith hasn't supported anything that SAPOA opposes. Guess who voted against putting the appointment on the night's agenda? You got it, the same old same old 3 to 2 vote.
Now, I've got to ask, is SAPOA objecting to the person being appointed or to having Insley taken off the board that oversees, you guessed it, LANDLORDS! Or maybe it's both. If you go to the city's website and take a look at the briefing information found under the government-city council-agendas link, you can see the briefing materials for the work session, including information about the proposed appointee Sharon Lloyd. She's a realtor, not a landlord, she actually LIVES in the city (25 years) unlike Insley, she knows houses and business, so she sounds like she'd do a good job. So what's the beef? Right, she's not Richard Insley, who by the way I should mention used to be president of SAPOA while serving as chair of the housing board.
I haven't even gotten to the big shocker of all this, but this post is already getting long so I'll do that in another post later this morning that will blow your mind! SAPOA is nervous, folks, real nervous, and while they have some legitimate beefs with the city, there's no question they have been out of line in how they've done dirty by some candidates, used campaign scare tactics on their tenants and thrown their weight around Salisbury in which DC lobbyists would be green with envy. Yesterday, I showed how it's clear Louise Smith is already gearing up her campaign for next year's election and it looks like SAPOA is right with her in preparing for it too.
8 comments:
Louweasel can gear up all she wants, all she has is SAPOA and it has been proven it takes more than them to win an election. Let her waste her time and their money, who cares, she can't win and she won't win. I don't care how many blue hairs are in the city even they won't tolerate a liar and a cheat. Bring it on Louise the forum debates will be fun. Let's see how much of your own sh*t you can take. Your lies will be around to slap you in the face again.
Nice work, Joe!
Gee Joe,
Who paid you off to write this drivel? All based on speculation.
You've got to be the most fickle person on the planet. Last week, you were loving SAPOA and hating the Mayor. This week, it suits your purposes to hate SAPOA. Take some prozac and go back to using common sense and logic on how you report information to the public instead of emotion, innuendo and slander. Back in bed with the Camdenites again? Soooo transparent.
anonymous 11:32, aka, SAPOA, What Salisbury News delivers is the facts. Because we called you out last week with your phony phone calls to me and phony stories, you're simply pissed off because you were caught at it.
The levels you will stoop for your agenda is just unbelievable. Funny how I called out those callers and told them that I was going to forward their story to the Mayor and Code and Compliance, well, they shut up real quick. Then we call the number back and someone completely different answers the phone and they truly had NO CLUE what we're talking about.
What I think SAPOA is in the right, we publish it. When I think you're in the wrong, we publish it. You just can't handle the truth.
Oh, by the way. You stated one week I supported you and the next I didn't. I have NEVER supported you and you know that. However, we have delivered balances information for the public to view and in your own statement you admit that.
One society taking advantage of another and destroying the town in the process. How proud of themselves they must be.
Ohhh for the powers that wannabe the only thing they are is a joke.
I have never lived in an area where landlords rule the roost like here. No wonder Salisbury is suffering.
Salisbury is suffering because its a low income town. Want to get rid of low income housing??...start replacing low income jobs with higher paying ones. Landlords provide a much needed service for low income individuals/families....and maintain the properties much better than the people living in them would if they owned them. Stop blaming others for the city's problems.
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