SALISBURY – Plans to release news that the Salisbury City Council would complete the budget process and pass the Fiscal Year 2012 budget next week were changed yesterday after the council learned from the city administration that the budget’s public hearing, held May 9, had not been advertised as required by law.
“Council acted quickly to hold an emergency special meeting this morning to approve, on first reading, the budget ordinance based on the mayor’s submitted budget and budget message and to set a new public hearing date, time and place, which will be 6:05 p.m. on Monday, June 6, 2011, in Room 301 of the Government Office Building, 125 N. Division St., Salisbury, MD,” Council President Terry Cohen said.
“The advertisement for the budget public hearing is scheduled to run in this Sunday’s
The emergency special meeting was officially announced this morning, then held at 9:45 a.m. The final council budget work session will be Tuesday, May 31, 2011, at 10:30 a.m. in Room 306 of the Government Office Building, with the public hearing scheduled for June 6 as noted. Cohen said that addressing the 18.6% sewer rate hike would likely be the biggest item of the council’s general discussion on Tuesday, especially with the number of concerned citizens contacting the council. The public hearing on June 6 would be the public’s last opportunity to comment on the mayor’s proposed budget.
The council could possibly adopt the budget on second reading after the public hearing, but June 8 is being held as a fall-back date for adoption. The budget must be finalized no later than June 15, as mandated by the city charter, including any possibility of a mayoral veto and a possible council override.
“The public has already given council feedback on the mayor’s proposed budget, which has gotten due consideration in deliberations, so if we don’t hear something really different and necessary, we may pass the budget that same night,” Cohen noted.
“We know the public will be understanding of the time constraints we now face due to this administrative error,” Cohen added. “Many have expressed appreciation for the diligence the council has exercised and members’ accessibility to the public. Council has been cooperative and forthcoming with ideas, trying to act in the best interest of our citizens.”
Daily Times. These actions should cure any potential legal defect with the process, ensure full transparency to the public, and enable the budget process to be completed in accordance with the city charter,” Cohen explained.
Unbelievable! Which one of Ireton's flunkees blew something so important but so routine?
ReplyDeleteGlad to know the council acted so quickly. They even let the public know about it! Breath of fresh air.
This makes me wonder, Joe. Was it just a mistake (aka incompetence) or something more? Ireton has been in the council's face, especially Cohen's, ever since it turned over. Was somebody on staff supposed to screw up the budget to make the council look bad and give Ireton the budget he wants (which is his own)?
Stay on it, Joe, and thanks for letting us know!
anonymous 5:01, I was onto this first thing this morning and started making calls to investigate it. I'm confident, (because of my inquiries) that this is the reason they came up with the follow up press release.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, it truly was a simple clerical error. They simply didn't advertise the 1st meeting. Now, we are checking into if it was legal to do what they did today and I have been tolod that it was. However, we'll continue digging into it and let every one know.
I'm with 5:01, Joe. It's the admin folks who do those ads, not the council. Even if it's an innocent mistake, it's a big one and somebody aughto get written up.
ReplyDeleteCohen's showing a lot of class with these press releases. They're informative, not like those puff pieces the photo op mayor does.
Ireton's been on the rag ever since the new council got seated. What's up with that?
I should think that these kinds of things fall under John Pick's duties.
ReplyDelete6:50, I would put your last sentence a little more delicately, but the question is good. I think he expected smooth sailing with the new majority, since he didn't have it with the last Council. Now he has discovered that they are not the rubberstampers he thought they'd be. Poor Jim.
ReplyDeleteWonder who was the responsible person. A huge error and someone needs time off without pay.
ReplyDeleteSorry , it's time to play hard ball now. If you get the big bucks , you gotta be responsible.
7:23, agreed. I think the release was being kind in not naming names.
ReplyDeleteMistakes happen, but this isn't a little one, that's for sure. Someone on Ireton's watch blew it.
I think one of your paragraphs got disconnected from the middle to the end there, Joe.
ReplyDeleteSo let's make a mountain out of a molehill!
ReplyDeleteIt would appear that the great divide goes beyond the bodice of 2 of the council women...
ReplyDeleteI heard that admin knew about this since Monday and didn't tell council until yesterday when they finally had to admit the problem to Cohen. I also understand that she began work to address the problem right away. joe, while you may have known about this in the morning, I am highly doubtful that it had anything to do with Cohen's decision to inform the public. it is her style to keep us informed and I appreciate it as a city dweller.
ReplyDeleteanonymous 10:06, Let me just explain a few things to you.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, IF Cohen was so interested in the public being aware of what was going on, THIS POST would have gone up BEFORE the special announcement of the special meeting sent out at 9:05 AM.
Don't ever think you can challenge me on a situation like this, as if I were attacking Terry Cohen.
I clearly stated that this was a clerical error right from the very beginning and becaise I had been the ONLY person challenging the whay, why's and if's, the next thing i knew, (MANY HOURS LATER) this exact press release came out.
Believe me, we'll have more to say on this matter.