Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt is “disappointed” that our elected council members saw fit to put the long term fiscal health of Wicomico County ahead of politics and ego. Sorry Rick. I realize that you believe that you run the show in Wicomico County, but I’m personally grateful that someone is actually doing the work of the people.
Reading Pollitt’s statement, one can only conclude two things:
- This is more about ego than it is about finding solutions to a real problem.
- Someone – Pollitt, BOE Superintendent John Fredericksen, and / or BOE Facilities Director Brian Foret is not being honest with the council, and the public.
According to Pollitt:
My staff and I have been working diligently with the Board of Education and others to identify new and innovative funding options such as lease/purchase and we have been carefully examining our budget opportunities for ways to fund the school project.
Yet, during his little display of shirt tearing and teeth gnashing at Tuesday’s council meeting, Fredericksen stated that alternative financing is now “out the window”. Leasing was going on before this project; before Pollitt and Fredericksen were born. It will continue long after we are all dead and gone. So … Was Fredericksen AGAIN deceiving the council and public? Is Pollitt deceiving his constituents? If leasing was the “alternative financing”, then that option certainly didn’t disappear because the project was delayed for a year. Since Pollitt made a point that HIS staff has been working with the BOE on this, he can’t claim that the BOE was deceiving him. NO! Pollitt, like Fredericksen, is upset because the county council refused to put their collective egos ahead of the fiscal well being of Wicomico County.
Kudos to council members Bartkovich, Culver, Holloway, Holloway, and Prettyman. Shame on Pollitt and Fredericksen.
It appears quite evident that Pollitt just doesn’t get it. His own notes in his own CIP state that the county cannot afford this project at the present time. Yet, he attacks the council for doing the fiscally prudent thing and dares to wrap himself in the flag by claiming that he “refuses to give up”:
The council’s vote at this early stage of the process sends the unfortunate message that our challenges overwhelm us and rather than fighting to confront them, we are simply going to throw up our hands and say, ‘We quit.’ Well, I don’t intend to quit. The new middle school is long over-due and our community deserves our best efforts at seeing it through. I strongly encourage our community to rally behind this cause and demand that their county government do better.
NO Rick. The council isn’t giving up. They are simply stating that they weren’t elected to write blank checks for you OR John Fredericksen. IF and when the BOE returns with a realistic proposal, I am sure that the full council will give the project a fair hearing. I for one am grateful that SOMEONE in county government is taking a thoughtful approach to this matter. I’m sorry it isn’t you.
I am reminded of a comment made by John Fredericksen on Tuesday night. He stated, “We’re disappointed BUT we’ll work with you. The emphasis was Fredericksen’s, not mine.
Perhaps Pollitt and Fredericksen should both take a basic government class. The council, as our local legislative body, is the appropriating authority. Both Pollitt and Fredericksen have no choice BUT to work with our council. Without them, nothing can be appropriated.
If Pollitt, Fredericksen, and their staffs were so concerned about the problems facing Wicomico County and our school children, perhaps they would have been better served by working on a solution rather than trying to play politics with this important issues. Maybe council should take a closer look at funding positions such as the county PIO when budget time approaches.
23 comments:
Rick:
Where's you "PIO" Fineran now that you really need him to be your guru.
Well said G.A.!!
Dr. Freddy will be back to China soon!
BULLS-EYE:
"Maybe council should take a closer look at funding positions such as the county PIO when budget time approaches."
If last fall's election were held today, Joe Ollinger would become the County Exec.
GA:
You just blew you chance to be on Ricky's TV show!
G.A. you are a moron. Nothing in your entire post makes any sense. Why don't you leave the hard problems for adults to solve and STFU. While you're at it clean up your own back yard and disfunctional family.
Just another example of people that work for the government do not have a clue. They love spending other people's money
BC
The project wasn't scrapped, it was postponed for a year. If the county's as broke then as it is now, it'll get postponed again next year.
Anon 1634 -
I always love to see personal attacks coming from folk who hide behind an anonymous comment. God Bless!
GA, 3:38 & 4:27 -
FYI - from another post today:
DOES WICOMICO COUNTY REALLY NEED RICK POLLITT’S "PIO"?
The annual cost to the taxpayer for the salary and benefits of the public information officer – probably $75,000 or so – is but a drop in the County’s waste bucket, but it’s not chump-change either. He may perform well as Mr. Pollitt’s mouthpiece and "fixer" – and now the producer of Rick’s TV program. But do we really need those services?
Do we need to have someone to speaking to the media for Mr. Pollitt about matters such as the "issue" involving the proposed new Bennett Middle School? And if Rick wants to have a TV show, shouldn’t it be D-I-Y.
Should this PIO position on the County Executive’s staff be eliminated or at least made a part time position to reduce its cost? What do you think?
Someone please tell me as a tax paying citizen why the State, County and City employees have to take furlough days, but the WCBOE employees don't have to. It is not even being discussed at any level. The Wicomico County Council should demand the WCBOE take furlough days to make up for last year and this year. One thing they can do is figure out the formula they used and decrease that amount from their budget.
Speak up people now!
Well put Mr. Harrison. Mr.Pollitt needs to get a grasp on the fact that the council is the APPROPRIATING AUTHORITY. It is the separation of powers that Pollitt is having problems with by his statement. He is the point man but he has to work with the council to get his decisions funded. This is the checks and balances that this form of gov't provides just like the federal and state gov't. Explanations like this post are extremely important so that the taxpayers understand these situations.
I do hope the council will at least spring for a few new chicken fans.
You know, when our window A/C unit died, we got central air installed. I didn't realize that the correct way was to tear down the house & build a new, incredibly expensive one! What were we thinking?? OH, that's right-- we would have had to spend our own money, within a budget, vs. other people's money with a seemingly unending amount of money! A 50 year-old building shouldn't need to be replaced unless there are structural problems that can't be fixed. OOPS, sorry, making sense again!
County Council majority did the responsible thing.
politics are too ridden with fat balding old people
BOE employees were forced to take vacation days at the end of the year as schools were closed to save energy costs.
These two men remind me of little boys not wanting to listen to parents. It's a shame this Council isn't the Salisbury City Council. Salisbury has been writing blank checks for to long. Now if we could only get an elected WBOE.
5:14 take a look at the proposed budget moron. If you could read you would see boe employees having a furlough day in tier 1 & 2.
THAT doesnt save CRAP. they have to hire all those substitues cause the children are still there. i am guessing the above statement is not true. if it is, the BOE is looney.
Anonymous said...
You know, when our window A/C unit died, we got central air installed. I didn't realize that the correct way was to tear down the house & build a new, incredibly expensive one! What were we thinking?? OH, that's right-- we would have had to spend our own money, within a budget, vs. other people's money with a seemingly unending amount of money! A 50 year-old building shouldn't need to be replaced unless there are structural problems that can't be fixed. OOPS, sorry, making sense again!
7:42 PM
But it is better to just tear down the old building instead of putting in new AC because the wiring might not be able to handle this! Oh My!!
One furlough day aint' crap. What is tier 1 and 2? The way for them to take furlough days is to adjust it out in their pay. They actually don't take a day off. In essence it is a pay cut.
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