You might be wondering why there's a picture of Cathy Bassett at the top of this Post. Well, Cathy is yet the newest member of the Salisbury Zoo Staff.
That's right Folks. No, you didn't read this in the Daily Times as Cathy is the Wife of Greg Bassett. Let me remind all of you just how the Salisbury Zoo works.
You see, they go out and get grant money through the Zoo Commission and run to the City Council to approve each person. However, here's the catch.
Without the public really being aware of what's going on, they supplement the difference of income through DONATIONS given to FEED THE ANIMALS at the Zoo. In Cathy's case, are you really feeding the animals when you make a donation at the Zoo. Well, kind of. However, much of the money your donating now goes to pay her salary on top of the catered food lunches the Zoo Commission enjoys at their monthly meetings.
So this begs the question, since Laura Mitchell is the Council Representative at the Zoo, why haven't you heard about Cathy Bassett being hired. Is it because Laura rarely attends Zoo Commission Meetings? Why does Laura constantly challenge other Council Members about their not reporting back to the on goings of their appointments, yet this got swept under the rug.
The Zoo Commission hired a Bookkeeper, a secretary and some education staff. Guess what Folks, now they're full time employees of the City. No, the Zoo Commission filed for grants and once the grants were up the City had to take them all on as employees and provide them with benefits to boot. You can expect the same to happen with Cathy Bassett.
So why do I bring all this up, what do you think would have happened with all those Firefighters are hired through grants. At least you now know it would cost the taxpayers around $700,000.00 a year to keep them!
And what does the Salisbury Police Department end up with, NOTHING. A Police Chief too afraid to ask for more Officers and or pay raises. Why, because the Zoo, (a FREE Zoo, mind you) and a Fire Department gets it all.
Now think about this. The Zoo used to be loaded with a majority staff of volunteers. The Fire Department used to be loaded with a majority of volunteers. Now what do we have in both of these departments.
Salisbury is being driven into the ground with these bureaucrats who are only interested in their special agendas. We have crime through the roof yet a Police Department running on fumes and morale at an all time low. We have Officers walking off the job weekly and a Fire Department screaming blue bloody murder because they can't hire an additional 12 Firefighters because they want to improve response time.
I ask you this. How many of you have complained because a Police Officer took too long to get to a scene? How many of you have complained that a Police Officer never even showed up? Then ask yourselves this, how many of you have complained because the Fire Department took too long to get to a scene or not show up at all?
This administration has their heads shoved so far up their rear ends and don't even know what daylight is any more. It's not that I don't support the Zoo or the Fire Department, I just know how to run a business and Salisbury is being run like a fantasy football camp.
Some of you may hate me for the way I see things but one thing I can assure you of, the majority see my views as the common sense rule of business 101. Forget the grant, it will screw taxpayers 2 years from now and beyond. The Salisbury Police Department needs us Ladies & Gentlemen and we must start supporting their wants and needs as of yesterday.
Is the new Police Chief prepared to run that department with the proper funding and make things work, I just don't know yet. However, as your next Mayor I know I'd rather have a Police Chief fighting tooth and nail for their Staff than a Police Chief too scared to step up to the plate in defense of their Officers and the safety of this community.
Cathy Bassett is a wonderful person but let me assure you of one thing, this Community Outreach Development Director position is way out of her league. Did the Zoo Commission advertise this position being a 501C3? Her background is public relations. There are a LOT of people out there who need a good job. I guess it's all about who you know in Salisbury.
Remember Folks, the Zoo went from a $300,000.00 yearly budget 7 years ago to almost $2,000,000.00 a year. If you want to know why you haven't seen raises in the Police Department or other departments, here's your answer. And remember who your feeding the next time you go donate money at the Salisbury Zoo because it sure isn't all for the animals.
51 comments:
wow Joe.... that was a great story/speech. Im 100% in agreement!
Oh, dear. Priorities seem to be a bit mixed up around here at the moment. Hopefully, change will be coming in the future, starting at the top!
I guess it's not what you know , it's who you know.
Certainly would like to know what her credentials are and the need for her services.
The Zoo sure doesn't look 2mil dollars nicer. If anything it looks as neglected as the rest of salisbury. Wow
I apologize for this article being so long but there was no way around it. We have a LOT to expose over the next several months before the election and I want to make very sure each and every one of you know who I am as a candidate and what I stand for.
This election will be about voting for the right candidate. Jim Ireton sees this race completely different and I believe that's perfect.
If the citizens support his beliefs, he deserves to win. If you vote for me instead, I'll deserve to win and YOU will see massive changes.
We'll get Salisbury headed in the right direction right out of the gate.
Thanks for taking the time to read this article.
The last time I was at the zoo, about a year ago, it looked over grown and neglected. It is ashamed to see that they care more for the money than they do the animals. I guess the next thing they will want is to charge admission to the zoo to make more money. Cant wait for you to get in office Joe. We know you will do your best to make a difference.
Was there a call put out for volunteers to staff these positions before a paid employees were hired?
As far as catered lunches at the commission meetings-WTH? Bring a bag lunch you bunch of mooches! Who are these sponges on this commission? Wasteful spending of tax payers money!
Greig Bassett should have gotten his wife a job at Green Hill,he has ran that into the ground like he has the DT.
I have no problem with showing appreciation to the zoo employees, volunteers and commission members with a luncheon maybe twice a year-perhaps at Christmas and maybe a summer picnic but catered luncheons monthly is shameful. It is a gross misuse of donations.
In the case of the fire grant, it was bringing the citizens tax money back to the city and using it for something good. There are three frozen positions and the Chief position unfilled due to Council. There are only three staffed medic units in Salisbury, there are are many times during the day that there are four or more EMS calls at one time. The duty crew if avaliable has to break down and cover these calls, then leaving no duty crew for fire calls. At times outside departments have to come in to the city to help cover these calls. This is begining to happen more often due to increase call volumes. This grant was to help get more help more boots on the street, so that the department could cover these calls and reduce response times. When outside departments come into the City this is a delay in care, because of the longer travel times. This should be viewed as a positive, how it has become a negative is beyond me. We are under staffed day in day out, the volunteers can only back fill so much. Just some insight from the other side. As always the public is quick to be against the department. Instead ask questions. Come spend a day with us, and see the work load we do have. We constently are doing more and more with less and less.
I'm not buying the "response time" reason. It just doesn't make any sense. Also where did the number 12 come from? I could agree to the hiring of a few more fire fighters but not 12. The number should reflex the expected vacancies from retirements, medical, etc. that may occur in the next 2 years. I don't think 12 fire fighters are due to retire and if it is expected that 12 will leave for other reasons then something is wrong in the dept and that needs to be addressed.
Someone brought up elsewhere that when the fireboat became an issue it was stated that additional staff was not needed. So when did it become an issue between then and now that 12 more fire fighters were needed?
Bottom line is you can't have it both ways. Either the fire fighters are needed or not. If not let the grant go because there are other departments in other municipalities that are in dire straights financially and do need the monetary assistance of FEMA.
Cathy is one of the hosts on Because I Said So on WSDL. The general manager is...wait for it...Mike Dunn! Small world, huh?
Why is the Zoo even still open at this point? Talk about priorities, does Salisbury really need 2 million a year going into that pile of junk that maybe residents use once in a blue moon? On top of that the fire department wants more firefighters.....well sell the freaking not needed fire boat and hire some more what a joke this place is. ON TOP OF THAT OUR LOCAL MEDIA IS CORRUPT. Yes the little old Eastern Shore is good for growing things and rasing chickens but we have people here to. They tend to forget about the people, you know the ones who got them their nice cozy job in office. JIM IRETON that plan of Salisbury you unveiled, "YOU DIDN'T BUILD THAT!"
Un F##K##G believable They are still working the good old boy (girl) system like it was 1960 Pull thier pants down down and expose the whole bunch Joe, total trasparancy, embarrasss them, shame them send them running for cover. People havr found the golden gates at the Zoo entrance and the place to And you wonde why ths city is dying a quick death, It’s because of these greedy people that don’t care one bit about this place but what they can leech out of it.
Thank you Joe for letting the taxpayers Know where the money is going!! Spending other peoples money unwisely & foolishly seems to be the "Go" with Salisbury officials.
Can not wait untill you are the New Mayor Joe-----changes are needed & I know you'll do your best to see they're the right ones!!
I've been the victim of a crime and live near the county line. We called the police and no one showed up for hours. We called back and the police told us to call the county police. Needless to say no one showed up. When I mentioned this to friends some of them had the same experience. I have never heard a complaint about the fire department taking forever to show up to a scene.
cathy did work hard to raise funds for the friends of the zoo but now it seems a little self serving. I always loved some of the cute homes around to the zoo but now I feel sorry for the home owners there. the view of the back side of the zoo looks like a bomb site- there is eco and yucko
Anonymous said...
In the case of the fire grant, it was bringing the citizens tax money back to the city and using it for something good. There are three frozen positions and the Chief position unfilled due to Council. There are only three staffed medic units in Salisbury, there are are many times during the day that there are four or more EMS calls at one time. The duty crew if avaliable has to break down and cover these calls, then leaving no duty crew for fire calls. At times outside departments have to come in to the city to help cover these calls. This is begining to happen more often due to increase call volumes. This grant was to help get more help more boots on the street, so that the department could cover these calls and reduce response times. When outside departments come into the City this is a delay in care, because of the longer travel times. This should be viewed as a positive, how it has become a negative is beyond me. We are under staffed day in day out, the volunteers can only back fill so much. Just some insight from the other side. As always the public is quick to be against the department. Instead ask questions. Come spend a day with us, and see the work load we do have. We constently are doing more and more with less and less.
August 15, 2012 8:54 AM
This commenter is obviously a paid fireman who is responsible for the failed grant. If there is a need for firefighters then make an all out effort to recruit volunteer firefighters. This hasn't been done and never will be as long as you have current "fire" chief. The 85% call volume for EMS is actually more like 95%. The fire calls are more like 85% EMS responses to "help" the ambulance and justify the positions for firemen. The need is for EMS paramedics not paid firemen. Separate EMS from the fire department and let the fire engines respond on fire only calls and you will see there is no need whatsoever for paid firemen. This grant is wrong and it will come at a big expense. This grant is wrong and will be abused like they have done the previous free money grants. The acting fire chief perjured himself on a legal, Federal document and he needs to be fired or resign immediately.
Maybe I'm reading it wrong but today's DT's article by Jeremy Cox actually places the blame for the grant controversy on the mayor's back where it belongs. Thank you Jeremy for holding to your integrity and reporting accurate information something so lacking in most all of the DT's Salisbury mayor and council articles. Don't let Bassett lead you into his realm of lies, half truths and misleading articles.
9:41 says- "The acting fire chief perjured himself on a legal, Federal document and he needs to be fired or resign immediately."
I'm leaning toward this being an honest mistake. Where it gets "hairy" is when this mistake was pointed out by Debbie Campbell and the Mayor, Laura and Shanie still felt it alright to go ahead without it being properly resolved.
Either they didn't care if the application was not truthful or they do not grasp the potential seriousness of incorrect info being on a fed grant application. Either reason for their carelessness is cause for alarm since dishonesty should not be tolerated nor should imcompentence and unable to understand concepts.
Why is buying lunch for the volunteers an issue. I guess when your mayor you won't be doing the same?
anonymous 10:54, NO, I will NOT. To me, this is stealing. You do NOT promote asking for donations to feed the animals and then feed the volunteers instead.
IF they do NOT stop this practice and I am elected I will press charges against the Zoo Commission.
it's unfortunate for the animals. but i figured long ago from the condition of the zoo, things were not being done correctly.
they have none of my money, except what they got from taxes. that's too much, considering the corruption.
....or how many buses could be hired to bring children to the zoo who otherwise see blacktop and cement day in and day out with the money spent on these lunches?
I just happened to google and pull up a zoo commission agenda from 2007 and it says clearly on it "lunch will be served." Those SOB's! They need to pay back EVERY CENT of the money they spent slopping themselves! This is disgraceful.
Why did they hire Cathy. Isn't it the directors job to raise money for the zoo.
"Anonymous said...
Why did they hire Cathy. Isn't it the directors job to raise money for the zoo.
August 15, 2012 11:32 AM"
It seems to me a 'smart' zoo director would be anticipating a drop in donations and would be looking to cut costs and reduce hiring and combining duties. That's what private non profits are doing. But why bother when it's easier to go to the city for a hand out?
I don't buy SFD response times excuse either. When they attend funerals, do they have to take every vehicle off the streets and to the funeral? This seems like a waste of taxpayers dollars, I understand showing respect for a lost fighter, but really during this bad economic time? Start thinking outside the box! A stop slowing down on paper your response times in order to scare citizens into giving you more money.
The zoo falls under Teresa gardner. Bahaha! What do you people expect?
The "response time" reason is nothing more than a scare tactic. I don't know what is worse that or the overused "when your house is on fire" reason.
Give the taxpayers real reasons for the need to hire more FD personel such as expected retirements will need filled but don't insult our intelligence with broad excuses and expect us to accept them.
Tg doesn't know her arse from a manhole
I will NEVER donate another dime to the Zoo when I visit.
A strong feel so sorry for the animals; their health, care, and safety. The leadership at the Zoo have proven themselves (Bassett(s)) to be dishonest. Stop the people feeding frenzy and feed yourselves and not on the taxpayers dime. Isn't there some rule that relatives can't work in the same dept.? If there's not, there certainly should be both city and county governmts.
I see someone beat me to the punch about Teresa Gardner. As far as I know the Zoo does fall under this worthless peace of crap so needless to say it's a mess and a joke.
well joe if you think the zoo is such a mess how about lookin ginto some of the other commissions around here, I would personally start with the airport comission.
anonymous 5:07, Is the Airport raising money implying those donations are going to feed animals?
If more people had your drive and passion with regards to working, well we would have a better City. Heck we would have a better Nation. People are just plain lazy.
Did I miss it? How much is she being paid?
Jeesh---- Is everyone around here "In Bed" with everyone else. figuratively speaking of course.
I hope when you are elected that you will be able to work with this people. Honestly some of them seem to have major attitudes like they are to good for the average person.
Maybe we should just shut down the Zoo. From your numbers it looks like a money pit.
I know what 5:07 is saying. These "commissions" for the most part do nothing and are nothing more than a way for people to inflate their own importance all the while costing tax payers money in the form of stipends and free lunches.
This darn town is run by a small handful of dishonest money hungry thieves. I am sick to my stomach, just sick.
Is that legal for a donation to pay someone's salary?
This City is seriously screwed up!!!!!!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
9:41 says- "The acting fire chief perjured himself on a legal, Federal document and he needs to be fired or resign immediately."
I'm leaning toward this being an honest mistake. Where it gets "hairy" is when this mistake was pointed out by Debbie Campbell and the Mayor, Laura and Shanie still felt it alright to go ahead without it being properly resolved.
Either they didn't care if the application was not truthful or they do not grasp the potential seriousness of incorrect info being on a fed grant application. Either reason for their carelessness is cause for alarm since dishonesty should not be tolerated nor should imcompentence and unable to understand concepts.
August 15, 2012 10:28 AM
I can assure you it was dishonesty and not an "honest mistake." Hoppes has been involved in trying to get grants for over 10 years now. This was done intentionally and many people know how dishonest Hoppes has been. Hoppes has been dishonest, deceiving and conned his way to the top. He is a fraud.
I'm confused. I thought public sector positions were publicly advertised. Was this position directly awarded to an individual rather than a competitive posting for the most qualified? Salisbury government is screwed up big time. Now, accepting grants is a business issue. If you are prepared to fund years beyond a grant, go for it. If not, that's bad business. It's time that someone turned the money spigot counter clockwise.
Have the mayor and all his confidants spend the month cleaning up the zoo...they could use the experience on their resumes. Sorry bad idea, even more animals will die.
8:00pm vote them out of office quickly
I thought Cathy Bassett was a big time consultant after her former boss got fired as a Congressman?
What happened to her self made consulting position?
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