Bruce Patterson and Allan Hope announced today that they will be shutting down Urban Salisbury claiming lack of funds.
No Bruce and Allan, its not a lack of funds, it's called accountability. The majority of the City Council, (and let me remind you) and previous Council Members pretty much stated the group has done NOTHING. Even Gary Comegys wanted the group shut down years ago because they couldn't show the City ANYTHING that they have done positive that warrants funding from the taxpayers.
I'm personally glad to see these two out of the BS business of revitalizing Downtown Salisbury and it only takes an instant glance around the entire City to see FOR RENT signs everywhere.
I'll give credit where credit is due, Bruce Patterson actually gave it his all but politics did slow down their progress, yet we cannot point fingers at this new Council. Hey, here's a thought. They'll be going out in style as they will deliver yet another FOR RENT sign in Downtown Salisbury. Rather than taking the funding the Council awarded them and doing what the Council said they had to do with the funding, they will instead act like babies and shut their doors and put several people out of work.
I've been very clean with my words over the past two years but I'm sure you can just imagine what my mind is thinking of Allan Hope right now. The biggest loss will be the bar tabs this group will leave behind.
24 comments:
I'm curious.Is it possible to revitalize Salisbury downtown?Nobody would like to see it more than I,but I question the feasibility of any plan at any cost.Some of the bldgs still look great,especially on the plaza.I keep my fingers crossed whenever someone expresses interest and comes up with a plan,but I honestly wonder if it's too little too late.
They should pay back all the City's tax money they have wasted.
Good riddance!
Jim-beau will use this to again bash Debbie and Terry - he's a jerk.
Oh, no! Now who's going to continue their good work, driving people out of downtown?
Allan Hope is an arrogant ASS who has done nothing for Salisbury. NOTHING!! He is a know it all who knows nothing and does nothing. He is all talk. He talks down to you when you try to get into a conversation and make suggestions or express your ideas. He should have been canned a long time ago.
I am not that familiar with this group, but they sound an awful like the Ocean City Downtown Commission.
Unfortunately, the OCDC has wasted far more taxpayer money than this group seems to have.
They wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars on traffic studies and millions on stupid side street projects not to mention the sunset park that has anywhere from 2 people to no one visiting it even during the middle of the summer.
These groups are worthless and a great example of governmental waste.
I have to agree with 12:37. Downtown is dead, save for a few business (most notably, Kuhn's Jewelers) and a couple of eating establishments. Whatever is left that is not vacant is lawyer's offices. I don't know Mr. Hope at all, so I'll cast no aspersions his way, but surely Urban Salisbury cannot operate on $35,000a year. The group had asked for $112,000, still much too small an amount to revitalize downtown.
So what's next? Jim Ireton, as mayor, is going to have to lead the march to really waken up downtown. In effect, he must act as the cheerleader. Maybe it's too late. It's so sad for those of us who have lived all our lives here and remember the vibrant Salisbury before the Mall. Can it ever be that again?
Great....no no one will be working on any plan to revitalize downtown. Well done! RIP downtown Salisbury.
anonymous 8:07, Let me ask you a quick question Mr/Mrs. anonumous.
WHY do YOU care, unless you're an employee. I mean, THINK about that statement for a minute.
Unless your a property owner, (in which you're not) why would you care.
Urban Salisbury hasn't done squat for Downtown. Oh, draft up some elementary school drawings of how to pretty up downtown but beyond that they haven't done much at all.
Nothing but lefty chart makers patting each other on the back for what they call WORK. Hope should have been FIRED long ago. One very worthless human being in the business world and that is why he was running Urban Salisbury. Kind of like why Wilber is the City's attorney.
Get in the unemployment line like every one else anonymous and quit your bellyaching.
Joe,
Please find the post, I believe you posted a year ago about how to revitalize the downtown area on which you recommended they do what Walt Disney did...
I Think it would work and at this point be the only way to fix the downtown area... Taxes are to high, fees are to high, municipalities are to high form something that doesn't even work...
I agree with 7:19 except on one point-I've been to Sunset Park once and there were quite a few people there. It was a warm day last spring and every "bum" in OC had decided to visit the park. I was with my niece and her baby in a stroller and we were scared and left.
As far as these organizations like Urban Salisbury, OCDC, etc all they are is a way to stroke insecure people's egos. All they long for is to get their names in print so people will pat them on the backs and say how wonderful they are.
How much did this program cost the taxpayers in total?
na na naa na! na na naa na!
heey heeey hey...!
Really ignorant posts on here. You all do nothing but complain about the deterioration of downtown and in the next breath celebrate the demise of the only organization committed to the revival of downtown. How twisted is that? My understanding is that Urban Salisbury has never had proper funding. For downtown to even begin to make a comeback, significant funding is going to be needed. It's easy to criticize, not so easy to find solutions.
Just a thought: Why can't the business owners of downtown form their own group to plan what they can do that will directly impact their business, then approach the council for help in doing so ($). Seems like they have their heart and souls invested in downtown and would be better choices on which way things need to change. Don;t want to rattle any chains, but just a thought.
Got any ear plugs? As someone else said, Ireton will bashing Cohen and Campbell and scream about the destruction of downtown. Jimmy and Urbanites forget that both councilwomen stuck their necks out for that group two years ago when most of realized it didn't do much. I think the leaders of the group just like the Gillises with that firehouse figured it was "in the bag" and got complacent.
Time for some new blood and practical thinking.
Readers ask yourself... What have I done to support Downtown Salisbury or the BOE? I think that this CITY and this COUNTY recently has ALOT of people pointing their fingers at those that have stuck or are trying to stick their necks out to make a difference. It's like mom always said "Beware that for every finger you point at someone, there are always three pointing back at you!"
If you don't like Downtown or Salisbury in general, then don't go there or move away. I avoid pretty much all of Salisbury except for a few businesses north of the bypass on 13 and i do most of my shopping in DE.
I commend Bruce Patterson for the work and vision that he had and has always been a pleasure to work with in any capacity. I must agree with 7:13 that Allan Hope is lazy and arrogant and rude. He ruined any goodwill that Bruce Patterson provided.
@1256am
Jim-beau will use this to again bash Debbie and Terry - he's a jerk.
say what you will, about him, but
also remember we need to repsect him
12:14, respect is earned. Ireton had my respect based on his promises, but has lost it. He has treated those who disagree with him with a level of disrespect that confounds me...telling Mrs. Gibson to move out of the city, for instance. The way that he treats Campbell and Cohen is unprofessional and unacceptable. He aslo needs to demand higher accountability from department heads, city staff, and the city attorney.
To whoever it was that asked since when is justification needed to get money, I hope you were joking! Spending money without seeing results is called waste!
This was not about funding. It was lack of leadership. I lost respect for Patterson because he defended Hope and handled this like a spoiled child.
I don't know what was on this board with Patterson, but the only leadership someone like me from the outside was those couple of women who worked their butts off for Third Friday.
I get real sick of people saying you complain but you haven't done anything for downtown. Well, how the heck do you know that? Maybe I am one of those who helped out.
Tell you something else, let's say I've never lifted a finger to set up a table or fly a flag. I've paid plenty of taxes and I'll bet my old wallet against any of you johnny come latelies that I've spent more with downtown merchants than you.
Thanks for letting me vent, Joe. My cousin lost his job and a kidney and he whines less than these people do. Fact, he doesn't whine at all. Hire him to coordinate downtown. He'd do a better job!
just let it go
we don't have the kind of people here to support a cultural corridor or something nice
most people's hopes for the downtown are high hopes and nostalgic notions
the buildings require more attention than they are worth as properties and rich wives may support the arts and culture but the majority of the shore is of the Wal-Mart mentality
and that's ok we just need to realize that this area will never support anything more than what it is now
kinda like Glen Burnie
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