This week I sat in a County Council Meeting listening to a group of wet pants liberals who don't even have children attending Bennett Middle School. You see, their plot was to stand up for County Executive Rick Pollitt and Dr. John Fredericksen, as if we the TAXPAYERS are supposed to fall for the alligator tears of how dare we send children into an oven and force them to learn.You see Folks, as MOST of our readers, (even those nay sayers) can recall, we didn't have air conditioning in Elementary School or Middle School. Back in the day when there were more Republicans in charge there was a master plan for the quality of our lives.
Its called, progression. As some have come forward to City Council Meetings claiming SPD Officers should be paid the same as Sheriff's Deputies or the MSP, bull crap! No disrespect to the Officers on the SPD, it's progression. You want better pay, apply for a job at the WCSO or MSP.
When it comes to schools, the High School is the nicest in the entire state. Children in Elementary and Middle School have something to look forward to, something to EARN.
WHY these wet pants liberals act like we're sending our kids off to a Nazi Camp and putting them in ovens is just ridiculous. Democrats seem to want to entitle every one at taxpayers expense. Yes, America is one great country but GET A GRIP, we can't afford these entitlements any more.
These Schools were built to last 200 years. I mean, come on now, they are ALL built with cinder block and brick, they're made to LAST. Put a new roof on it, add air conditioning, if you like. However, don't you dare try to feed me your line of BS that its falling apart. TAKE CARE OF IT YOU SOB'S! Why, (as taxpayers) are we paying such high maintenance fees, yet everything, (including cinder block and brick) is falling apart?
Today the Democrats build with planned obsolescence. Metal roofs and crap material. Why, because they plan on rebuilding down the road. I want every one of you to take a ride into Delmar and take a look at the old Bonanza building. They're taking an old structure for restaurant use and converting it to an Office Complex. Convert Bennett Middle School. Stop pressuring the taxpayers into something they cannot afford.
We, (many of us) grew up in those so called harsh conditions and quite frankly I don't recall ever having a problem with it. We looked forward to progressing to High School where they had air conditioning and the whole nine yards. Hell, many of you sitting there reading this article do NOT WORK in environments as nice as these Democrats want for our Schools. Does your Boss feed you breakfast and lunch every day and send a bill to the taxpayers?
Enough of this crap. Fix the damn School up and make it last the 200 years it was built for. You got away with the High School but you will NOT get away with a new Middle School.
New Posts to fall below.
48 comments:
Really? All construction workers are Democrats? Fascinating. It is also interesting that you blast people who, as you say, don't have kids going to this school, but are willing to pay higher taxes so that someone else's kids will get a better educational environment. That is the opposite of selfish. That is called giving back for the greater good of the community.
What ever joe, they can and will do it again because they are drug addicts...
Serious drug addicts... they are addicted to the drug of spending someone else money...
the form of corruption comes from the highest level and goes downward to the lowest level... so go after the high level people first and then they all will get just due...
Stick to the POINT of the article or your comments will be rejected, like many have already. The personal attacks won't fly, so don't waste your time.
Really better education what a joke, these kids are subjected to the worthless liberal teachings by teachers who attended whacked out liberal democratic,corrupt colleges
Couldn't have said it better myself. Great article Joe.
how old is your building joe,i was in it last week it looks brand new inside,wcboe cant do the same? its called remodling.they should look into it.
I agree with you Joe. Take care of what we already have. I dont think the county council we have now will let the board or ricky sway their thoughts. We cant afford it! Why are we taking money from the employees in the name we are broke and turn around and build a high priced school, parking lot at the civic center and lord only knows what else we have purchased.
NO NEW SCHOOL! Maybe when times are better. (200 years)
Mr Joe Holloway and Mr Bob Culver hold their feet to the fire.
anonymous 10:01, Great point! My building is now 120 years old. After 100 years, (or so) it was rebuilt inside. Much of the original construction is still in tact. I can't imagine that building not lasting another 200 years, if not more. I can also say this. It would cost 10 times the money today to build the exact same building right next door. Inside, the wall studs are all 4x4's. You'd get what, 2x4's today. The floor inbetween the first andf second flor is, (get this) 10 inches thick, solid tongue and groove wood. Remodel Bennett, period.
You should have attended last night's meeting at Delmar Town Hall. Anderton, Gibb & Luffman held Pollitt & Sample-Hughes accountable. Anderton called the new JMB HS a palace and the Taj Mahal several times & asked them why they couldn't take all the money they want to spend on a new school to refurbish ALL the schools. On the tax diff Pollitt said 100% of the property tax goes toward education, so then they asked him why Delmar Elementary is not in the plans to be expanded, Pollitt said "ask the school board". Luffman then pointed out that the school board did not have to be responsive or accountable to the people since they do not stand for election. It was a great night and I am very proud of those three for standing up for Delmar!
I agree...I find it interesting these Bennett Middle parents complain so much when MANY Wicomico County Schools have no A/C and some do not even have good drinking water, they have bottled water brought in for the students and staff because there is no money for new wells/sewers. "Promises" were made for that school when the county budget and the economy wasn't in the sad state that it is right now...another plan needs to be worked out.
The old Joe is back. This is what I come here for. In the past two weeks I have seen many great articles that represent the majority of us who are fed up with the daily rag and their agenda.
Refurbish the old schools.It will still create jobs,a new school and the state is still going to have Davis-Bacon wage scale in play no matter what.
It seems that someone has to be paid off for their contrubution somewhere-that is why the big push.
10:15--
Megadittos
Joe, please more local news and less junk stuff from elsewhere.
Let's return to the days of exposing the local "leaders" like you used to do for Barrie Tilghman and the "dream team," Sarbanes, etc.
Pollitt, Ireton, Sample-Hughes, Laura Mitchell and Shanie Shields should be run out of office ASAP.
And please cover things that don't make the local "newspaper" and other main stream media here in Salisbury.
This is the best reading around!
Not only didn't we have air conditioning, we were not sent home due to the heat and a large majority of us have grown to be productive taxpayers.
Learning to make due with what we have is a good lesson in life, especially in this world today. Today people just want, want and want for the sake of wanting. They think it is owed to them.
Don't like it? Then home school your kids, it's the better option anyway. I know several couples that have home schooled and their kids are far ahead of the public school academics.
In summary, if you really want what is best for your children, then home school. They might even be able to spell and write a complete sentence.
Expand Delmar Elementary and refurbish all schools. Nix the plans for a new Bennett Middle.
and you wonder why they call this the Eastern Shore--if you don't keep up and have decent schools people won't relocate here and bring JOBS... companies etc..
Bennett Middle is a dump and needs to be re-done... maybe not as fancy as the high school, but at least inhabitable... right now its horrible
and yes the county will get away with this... because most people don't read this blog
and just because people didn't have A/C in the past doesn't make it not required now... would anyone like to go back to the horse and buggy or the use of Ether in the operating room? The past was not all the great just because people endured hardship
Guaranteed is is built to practically the exact specs as proposed... so get over it
10:30...you're an idiot. There are other things that are a bigger priority; not having A/C is NOT the end of the world...remodeling is fine, rebuilding right now is not.
anonymous 10:30, you guarantee it, eh. We'll see about it Mr./Mrs. anonymous.
You actually believe people are going to move here because of a bran new school. I think not.
Look, I expect a safe, healthy and clean environment for my children but brand new, no thanks.
Brand new means much higher taxes and GUESS WHAT, finding jobs that PAY like the western shore are extinct.
Take your ideas to another Blog where they are encouraged to say anything opposite of what I say. In the mean time, real people with common sense will flock here because wer don't piss on their head and tell them its raining.
so your idea is to give up on the Shore and think that we can't improve and have job creation in the future... boy with that attitude why don't we just get back to the Middle Ages and put our head in the sand
The Shore will continue to grow and increase over many more years than we have to live... and I do expect things to get better
Being optimistic instead of pessimistic all the time has its benefits. Saying the jobs are extinct and nothing to replace them is ridiculous.
I have confidence with a new President and our country and Shore that we can improve in the future
So true Joe! Bonanza is going to be Atlantic Pawn, though. They're moving out of the space by delmar pizza and the Finance office by Bistro and consolidating into Bonanza after major remodel
anonymous 10:56, GIVE UP ON THE SHORE, is that how you really see this. Am I seeing MORE alligator tears again!
Believe me when I tell you, I am FAR more invested financially into the shore than you are, so don't piss on my head and tell me its raining, Idiot.
Did YOU knock your house down after 30 some odd years and build a brand new one, Idiot? NO, most people are smart enough to rebuild. There are MANY, (including my Mother In Law) homes in Wicomico County without air conditioning.
You mention going back to the middle ages. If YOU can't afford a new flat screen TV, are YOU in the middle ages, Idiot? That's what's so wrong with you wet pants liberals.
I said extinct on HIGH PAYING JOBS, you should read more careully. In my old neighborhood, my home was 10,200 sq. feet and now most of my old neighborhood have 25,000 sq. ft. homes. There are NO jobs here on the shore that will EVER afford such luxuries, yet you want schools that COMPETE with such incomes? Taxes on those properties are $12,000.00 and UP each year.
You might have someone like jim Perdue that can build and afford such homes, taxes, etc.. However, they are EXTINCT, like it or not.
Your new President is an a-hole with NO experience in business and LITTLE experience, (if any) in politics. You liberals are screwing this country. Mind you, I'm NOT suggesting many republicans aren't a-holes either, because there are plenty of them too.
However, suggesting Obama is ANYTHING other than an entitlement president looking for the needy and dependent votes is just stupid.
We may not be able to direct the future of America as a whole. However, I will do my part in this part of our Country to make damn sure we aren't overrun with Idiots like yourself. Oh, and I'll proudly do so with my name on it and not hide like a little girl behind anonymous. At least my Post and Comment are credible, unlike yours.
Why build a new school for 20 million when you can retro fit an existing school for 2 million?
anon 10:09
" On the tax diff Pollitt said 100% of the property tax goes toward education..."
100% really?
Was this meeting to discuss JBMS just announced or was this a scheduled meeting?
What day was the county council meeting?
10:30
People who endure hardship and overcome it become a much stronger person and will not depend on the government for all of their have nots.
At times a little suffering only makes a smart person wiser. I don't expect you to understand that however. Idiot
It is quite obvious that there are a select group of educators that want preferential treatment at the expense of everyone else. For example - how about how a substantial amount of ARRA stimulus money was diverted to the Maryland Department of Education to help fund the under funded Teachers Pension fund. That's right - it did not go to help employ new teachers - it went to help prop-up an underfunded pension plan.
Check it out yourself so that you'll know we are not making this stuff up:
http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/fnotes/bil_0002/hb0072.pdf
I can only speak for myself - but I am tired of witnessing segments of our general population being given preferential treatment at the expense of other segments of our society. What is this called in Webster Terms - DISCRIMINATION
anonymous 10:30, I missed the "most people don't read this blog" part of your comment. You go right on believing that. However, you are WAY off base on that one. LMAO
This was a scheduled, advertised town hall style meeting with Pollitt and Sample-Hughes. His reasoning was that education costs exceed 100% of property tax revenue so that is where all of it goes. Of course that is fuzzy math. Even still, if that is his story than I want my 100% to go toward alleviating the over crowding at Delmar Elementary with a refurbished school and a modest addition. NOT A NEW SCHOOL! Also, Pollitt said the new JMB Middle would cost Wicomico County tax payers $40 million, not $20.
Have all the issues you want with liberal dems, but there are plenty of liberal democrats (myself included) who don't see the need for a new building, as well as plenty of republican parents (my sister's family) who would like to see the new school built, This is what's wrong with our political system - always looking to blame the other party and making blanket statements to cover everyone in that party. This is not a dem/GOP issue; it is a difference of opinion on how tax dollars should be spent. Stop with the labels!
As a parent of a child in this school, I say remodel it. We don't have the cash to fund this, no matter where the funds come from.(unless of course, the US guits sending overseas) I was told (by good sources) the structure of this school is in great shape. By the way, last I heard from the BOE they are 4.8M in the hole and cuts were coming. I attended this schools years ago and made out fine and so can the kids today.
Since the State has to approve whatever is done, the Council would get no help from Maryland if it is remodeled. Maryland helped fund JMH with the stipulation that Bennett Middle would be moved.
All of the Education problems started in 1979. Ron Paul will fix that.
i have seen the designs (arch and eng) for bennett middle when they were being done. THAT SCHOOL IS all but GOLD PLATED. Just like the HS. It is TOTALLY unnecessary to spend the extra money so a teacher can feel good about going to a school. kids do not get ANYMORE out of a gold plated school. go to Wi Middle and East Salisbury, you will see some real CRAP HOLES. just as bad if not worse than bennett. they are purposely letting bennett mid ROT so there is not other choice. I was with the company that first did the survey on bennett mid and high, our objective was to review the engineering challenges for REMODEL. not new. its more of the LIBERAL SPEND WHAT WE DONT HAVE. (and if we dont have it, take the middle class LAND Owner - NOT THE RENTER)
I actually went to Bennett Middle School and let me tell you it was in bad shape 15 years ago and it is in bad shape now. It might be one thing to say that AC is not a priority for that school if was not already hundreds of kids over capacity, but it is. And how does the BOE deal with that? They ventilate it with chicken fans and unless something is done, they will continue to do so for many more years. I can see how a lot of things in this city would be a waste of money. The old library for instance, does not register very high on my list of priorities. But when we are sending our children into buildings that are literally 100 degrees in the beginning and end of the summer and expecting them to learn efficiently, that is ridiculous. It shouldn't even be up for debate- it's a matter of safety. There are children who attend that school with disabilities and health issues that you know nothing about- yet you can sit here and expect them to 'deal with it' and 'be grateful'? This is not even about being liberal or conservative, this is about providing a quality learning environment for Salisbury's children because it is our civic responsibility. I know that we all have our differences, but there really isn't any hope for Salisbury if we can't even agree that our youth are most important.
Liberal dems are in and have been in charge in Maryland for the last 5 years and it has went down since.Not since Gov Ehrlich have we seen any growth on the Eastern Shore.
I have volunteered at the Bennett Middle School, and it is in need of a lot of work. It does need a/c and it's class room need to be updated with new and better equipment to teach our kids. The teachers do the best they can with old equipment. I also agree that the school could be remolded instead of building a new school. It would save millions. I believe they wanted a new one in Fruitland, so they could tear down the old one for sports fields.
And before Ehrlich we had the GOV. "eastern shore is the outhouse of Maryland" Schaffer. Then the two criminals Marvin Mandel, and tax cheat Spiro T. Agnew. See a trend? Maryland is full of corrupt politicians. And it still is.
11:32 AM
Last evening was a scheduled town hall meeting. Gibb, Anderton and Luffman called Pollit and Hughes out in a professional concerned manner. They want to tear down the school to build a new one in Fruitland. Pollit stated the new senior high was not complete until this was done because the junior high occupies the land set aside for the athletic fields. It seems to me that they were planning to steam roll the citizens since day 1! Congrats to Gibb, Anderton and Luffman for standing up for the citizens of Delmar! I see why you endorsed these guys Joe! They are what is needed in our government today!!!!
No, they want the new one in Fruitland because that is the only area of the county that Pollitt cares about!
To 2:27
There are ample fields around the old Bennett Middle school for football fields. Just go behind the old school and take-a-look at the spaces.
There is even more room in front of the new Bennett School to place a football field.
Bottom line - your pail doesn't hold water.
was the meeting at Bennett Middle School today a scheduled meeting or an impromptu one?
6:43pm It was a scheduled one from Dr. Freddie & Company. I believe everyone wants to see BMS remodeled or a new one built and that is not the issue. The issue is how is the county going to pay for it. Ricky can say all he wants but he hasn't shown yet how he intends to pay for it. Until then, I'll reserve my feelings on this.
I tell you folks..I have completely lost faith in our county boe. I tried very hard for the sake of my children to be positive things in our community, but Freddy and Co needs to go, and this Ricky needs to be the line leader!
BMS aside, the crap I have seen this week alone is enough to make me throw up.
Good Luck, my for sale sign goes up in the spring.
well, if mom & dad didn't set the thermostat at 65 in warm weather, maybe the kids could stand it.
Does Pollitt have favors he owes to some of the citizens of Fruitland?
Got to agree with Joe, when I went to school 35 years ago we didn't have AC, we opened the windows, went outside and it was just life as we know it. But everyone wants something, we live in the age of entitlements and we have to have it NOW. Life is rough, going to get rougher and as long as the democrats hold the keys it going to get worse! You voted them in you deal with it. Election time is just around the corner.
I want what you have... over and over again. getting old.
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