Council cancels fireworks funding
City won't provide $5,000
City won't provide $5,000
In today's Daily Times Sarah Lake, (once again) sided with the Mayor and only told a portion of the story. Trust me, she raced out of the Council Chambers to get the quotes from the Mayor that they published in the heat of the moment.
However, I can tell you after numerous conversations with Mike Dunn, he was completely under the impression Ireton was talking about funding from the 2013 Budget and not the 2012. When I confronted Mr. Dunn last night he seemed to be floored that I was actually correct. It was not necessary because they already have enough money to pull off this years event.
Now, yesterday I put up a Post stating what Mr. Dunn had told me new numbers referencing their "goal". Well, in the conversation last week he said they had just over $22,000.00 but he had just collected and deposited another $1,800.00. This was nothing close to the numbers mentioned at the Chamber Luncheon. However, in today's Daily Times they stated Mr. Dunn has raised almost $30,000.00. The numbers keep fluctuating and quite frankly it's hard to determine who's telling the truth any more.
The Council shot it down because the money, (this year) is not needed, it's that simple. Mr. Spies made an excellent point. He said that when the fireworks was cut off several years ago we were in completely different times. Money wasn't an issue then like it is today and if they had cancelled it back then, how can they even consider it today. That is what I call being fiscally responsible.
"At a Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon earlier this month, Mayor Jim Ireton announced he planned to send this budget amendment to the council." Absolutely an untrue quote by the Daily Times. Let me prove it to ALL of you. PROVE this was published in the Daily Times article itself, it was not. Look, I was there and believe me, Ireton NEVER made any such suggestion and this is what I stood up to last night. Ireton told every one there that John Pick had found the money and asked others to attempt to match the $5,000.00.
“On the day after Memorial Day, this is a disgrace. First God gets taken out of council meetings, now the fireworks get sacked,” Ireton said Monday after the vote. “What’s next? Voting down Mom and apple pie?” Come on Mayor Ireton, grow up. This is exactly why no one can get along. I ask you, they have 100% of the funding to pull of this years fireworks, is this necessary to make such an attack or is this a sign of immaturity?
It's high time the citizens bring in a Mayor who understands what that role actually is. A business person who has many years of working together with their staff and doesn't throw these kinds of fits every time the Mayor doesn't get their way. I said it a few weeks ago. "I'd rather have 5 Council Members with their wisdom making the final decision than one Mayor." This goes for the Budget as well. The Mayor had his chance and quite frankly did a very novice attempt at delivering a Budget. Oh you can believe one thing. IF I'm elected Mayor the Council will be delivered a Budget in which they'll be so pleased with THEY will be making offers to give even more back to ALL employees. You see, if I'm elected Mayor, my Staff won't be seeing ANY pay increase unless every single full time employee in the City gets a raise as well. You Go, I Go! And believe me, I'll be looking long and hard at who needs to stay and who needs to GO.
Shanie said it best last night. We need to work together and unite and stop this bickering. Hmmmm, I wonder where she got that from. The old ways of running the City are about to disappear. The old ways of a partnership with the Daily Times is about to end. Keep this in mind Mr. Ireton. Joe Albero's name sells a whole lot more papers than Jim Ireton. Start thinking about who they'll actually support IF they want to stay afloat.
The Council made a fine and just decision last night. The Daily Times blows with the wind.
36 comments:
"“On the day after Memorial Day, this is a disgrace. First God gets taken out of council meetings, now the fireworks get sacked,” Ireton said Monday after the vote."
wasnt it ireton retarded lackey, laura mitchell that sacked God?
About time Salisbury got their heads out of their butts!
“On the day after Memorial Day, this is a disgrace. First God gets taken out of council meetings, now the fireworks get sacked,”
So what? Keep the politics and religion separate.
Glad to hear they cancelled the fireworks funding though!
Who really freaking cares about fireworks? Is watching 10 minutes of colors exploding really worth another 5 grand? I do no think so and apparently the council doesn't either. How about donating 5 grand to a worthy cause to help hunger or homelessness I guess that is not a major problem in Salisbury or anything....
@ 11:44
5 grand to feed the hungry and homeless? So instead of fireworks you want to give away handouts? I'm sure there are MUCH better ways to spend that money in the city.
The mayor wants to raise taxes?????????WHY If Mr Pick "found" $5000.00 he maybe can "FIND" MORE so the taxes are not raised. I guess he must keep up with omalley.,
What is anyone holdng on to the middle class celebrating? Your house isnt worth shit anymore, bills skyrocketing, nothing in the future that looks promising. Tell the truth and work hard they taught us. It was all BS. We have a whole generation of people who worked there entire adult lives going down the tubes. Thankful for what. They can shove the fireworks where the sun dont shine for all I care.
The Times would have been better off to have had a positive article about those who have contributed to have the fireworks, instead of making it just another one sided politicial sour grapes article. Journalism with no class at all.
The Wicomico Eastside Chamber of Commerce has been paying for their fireworks for 5 years now and they don't pay nearly that much for a great show. It's a family atmosphere. Something Salisbury's WON'T be. They pay just over $5000 for their show. Salisbury could do 5 shows with what money they already have WITHOUT the city contributing a penny. It's one way the local businesses give back. This was an election move by Ireton. But it really won't matter.
How embarassing. Typical communist philosophy concerning true patriotism. Anyone who agrees with this decision is either an idiot, a full blown communist or both. Visit Arlington and the Vietnam Wall for a wake up call to realize what it means to be an Honorable American and what the price of Feedom truly is. We should hang our heads in shame.
@12:02 Yea it is called spending the money on something that it is worth. You call it handouts but I know plenty of people who have plenty of experience in managing companies and still can not find a job. So how is a homeless person supposed to get one? But let me guess that does not pertain to you so you do not care. You would rather waste 5 grand on some fireworks to give us ten minutes of gratification rather than feeding someone who could be hungry for weeks or without shelter. It is called being kind and thoughtful of others. You call it a handout, I call it helping humanity I guess that is the difference between a decent person and one who is selfish. If it was your parent/child/family living on the streets I am sure your views would change so I hope it does not reach that point for you.
@12:52 what are you even talkuing about. We should hang our heads in shame because we do not have money to blow on fireworks? How about say a prayer or two that honestly means way more than any firework display I have ever seen. People are sickening anymore, 30 grand for fireworks when that would feed so many people is ridiculous.
@ 12:02
I appreciate the well thought out response, despite the snide comment about being selfish, but I still must disagree. Homelessness is just a symptom of larger problems affecting our country right now. Use the money for loans to attract new business, use it to make improvements downtown, hold a job fair with the money, the list could go on. The old saying goes "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime."
If your so concerned, why don't you donate $5,000 of your own money to feed the homeless? Or are you too selfish?
This was worse than political sour grapes. Ireton should spend less time doing political set up jobs. I have watched enough of these on PAC14 to finally understand this work session vs. regular session thing. Sounds like Ireton tried to pull a fast one.
I don't think 11:44 am meant giving handouts 12:02 pm. They apparently know and understand that there are mothers with children that also get fed. Families out of work, mothers and children who's fathers refuse to support and even feed them. 11:44 am, as well as myself, would rather feed a few well deserving families with our tax dollars, knowing that there will be plenty of moochers/alcoholics/drug users in the group, then to see the money go up in a big ball of flames, wasted on sparklers for 10 minutes of entertainment for idiots.
@1:59 Too selfish huh...if I had 5000 in my bank account I would gladly hand it to the homeless if my choice was either spend it on fireworks or help feed a few people for a month. Fireworks last what ten to fifteen minutes and we need $30,000 for that? People wont want to move here or live here any longer if they truely knew the statistics of crime and homelessness but the DT does a great job of keeping that under wraps. Use it on a business and you will never see it again. You can call my comment snide about being selfish but thats truely what it is selfishness. Now a better idea with that 300,000 found the other day would be to invest it in local businesses. But hey $30,000 in fireworks deifinitely sounds like a sound idea to me with a struggling economy and local people struggling to live. Anyways yea have a great time at the fireworks display everytime one explodes and falls to the ground just think oh there is another $1000 thrown away.
@2:08 exactly my point...but hey I am the bad guy for saying spend it on the homeless. WHich goes right back to my original point of how screwed up America is.
@ 2:08
Well put,I agree, I would rather this money go to feed the needy OVER fireworks; however, I still stand by the fact that there are much better ways to invest the money that will benefit the community as a whole.
I for one am sick and tired of the Grandstanding by our council. If Joe Albero is man enough to run for mayor then prove me wrong. The issue last evening at the meeting had nothing to do with fireworks and everything to do with Grandstanding. We need to clean house with this Mayor and Council before anything will change.
Joe Albero for MAYOR: However I bet the following will not support him. Mike Dunn,Gary Comegys,Shannie Shields,Louise Smith,Lorrie Chambers,John Pick,Wayne Burro SFD,Johnathan Taylor,for a start.
Ireton and the Daily Times are way out of line. It was clear last night that Ireton and Dunn have teamed up to pull a fast one. He promised money that he didn't have. Ireton and Pick should write personal checks. Campbell said it well. It is not about fireworks beign a great thing for Salisbury, the vote was about whether or not tax dollars over and above what will be used for services to support the event constitute a budget amendment. In other words, no money was budgeted, but ireton made a promise...a promise he can't keep. The city treasury isn't his personal checking account. Campbell voted no to the city paying, but i saw her hand pick a check from her personal account. That's a class act.
anonymous 3:10 & Others, thank you for your comments.
I think what Mike Dunn has done here is long overdue.
If many of you will recall, I attempted to do this myself several years ago but I could not get any help from the City or County. Therefore I worked with the Willards East Side Chamber of Commerce and marketed the Fireworks there instead.
It has proven to be a fantastic family event, al done with business and private funding.
I too believe there should be fireworks in Salisbury but if you'll also recall Bill Gordy claimed years ago it was just too dangerous in Salisbury any more and it washed up.
That being said, I'd like to reach out to our viewers NEXT YEAR or the year after when they NEED the funding to continue to help support this event. If you think about it, if everyone ponied up $10.00 each family they could continue this event for many years to come.
Salisbury Taxpayers should not get ram rodded into being forced into something like $5,000.00. IF WE want it, WE can help pay for it. IF WE don't want to participaye we shouldn't be forced to do so.
I would like to know why the city and county won't allow businesses and the community to have fundraisers for both the 4th and Christmas or to be politically correct, holiday lighting? I know businesses like Delmarva Power and Pepsi have stepped up to plate and offered this and were turned down! A lot of cities do this. What the hell is the problem with the City of Salisbury and Wicomico county? I would be willing to donate for this worthy cause and I'm sure others would also!
2:49, grandstanding by the council? Did you watch the same meeting I did?
The grandstanding I saw was by Ireton. It was obvious he played a game to get that $5 grand on the agenda. Do you not hear him accuse the council president of turning down his request, then she read the actual request?
We agree on one thing, this wasn't about fireworks. It was political point scoring by the mayor, pure and simple. His Mom and God and Apple Pie quote in the Daily Times today was disgusting. Smarmy politician talk in my opinion!
12:52 -
Hey butthead, if you want to have government funded fireworks up close and personal, then join the Marines!
Sakisbury does not need fireworks, Jimbeau Ireton or Mikey Dunn.
It's funny how Ireton used God in a quote for political gain. He baled out on the Catholic Church years ago and continues to bash the faith every chance he gets. He hasn't attended church in years and he obviously used God's name.
Wasn't it Ireton's acolyte Laura Mitchell that protested having the Lord's Prayer -- both are Obama supporters so it figures.
The fireworks in Hebron are just great!
....lessons?
I'd rather go to the Willards fireworks show any way. It is family oriented and has gotten bigger and better every year. They do a great job.
I go to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fireman's Carnival to spend time with friends and see their carnival. I will continue to do the same so please to take my hard earned tax money.
Wasn't Mike Dunn the same person that threw something at an older lady, one of Jim Iretons Campaign supporters??
Shame on Jim Ireton for turning his back on a big supporter and aligning himself with the likes of Mike Dunn!!
Joe, when you are done fixing the City with your stint as Mayor, can you move on to the County? The County needs to "clean house" and drastically increase efficiency across its employees and budget; even more so than the City! I watch the inefficiencies of the County (as well as the City) every day and it disgusts me!
I would love to see you continue your inevitable success as the Mayor of Salisbury on to the County Executive of Wicomico County! That would be one hell of a kick start to your official political career!
Albero for Mayor in 2013 and since he'll have the City fixed in a year, County Executive in 2014!
Well, if the downtown festival is any indication, good decent family folks will stay away and the welfare trash of this city and the college drunks will be out in force for the fireworks. Count me out.
@9:44 college is out for summer by July, genius.
Mr Dunn has clarified what is actually true. In the best interest of the event and to stop the comments smearing this project, paid for by the people and not government, it would be great if you would post his remarks. You mentioned you had spoken to Mr Dunn several times about Red, White and Boom and because the people are taking enough interest in this project to foot the bill, I do not see what there is so much _itching about.
Mr Ireton's suggestion of a donation was voted down and I feel, with the state of the economy it well should have been. Now, to the ones that have found what they think would be of better use for the $5000, perhaps they should start their own project and ask for the public's support and not the governments. When someone gives of their time and/or money to work toward a goal they believe in, in my opinion, it is ignorant for others to mouth off, as many have done.
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