While a lot was accomplished last night in the City Council Meeting, Mayor Ireton actually behaved himself for the first time in a very long time.
Salisbury Police Officers have finally received the pay increase they should have received many years ago. However, even though Chief Duncan said this would help boost morale there's no doubt in my mind this will be short lived, morale wise.
There's a problem right now in the SPD and the City and it's called leadership. When you have a Mayor who demands the Police Chief not even think of expecting a pay increase, that's just the beginning of the problem.
The Council was exactly right, why now? Why didn't Mayor Ireton and Chief Duncan ask for a formal pay increase back at budget time. What YOU need to understand is that while the Chief may have asked for those raises, the Mayor completely eliminated her request and the Council NEVER saw it. That's why they were somewhat ticked off and I can't blame them. The man should be fired.
Mayor Ireton tried to make the Council look just as bad as he does. I'm also bothered that the rest of the Press didn't express this openly. It's as if they continue to protect the Mayor and quite frankly that is wrong.
So its no wonder Mayor Ireton sat quietly in last nights Council Meeting because he knew the Council could have blasted him openly by exposing the TRUTH.
In case any of you missed the PAC 14 airing last night, at the very end in public comments someone mentioned the toxic spraying that was going on in her neighborhood. She was walking her dog when she heard the truck coming and saw the cloud of toxic chemicals in the air. She started waiving the truck to stop in the hopes of getting home to get away from the chemicals. The truck refused to stop and she was caught up in the spray.
She went on to ask if there was any way the Council could warn communities in advance so they could stay indoors and close their windows. It was a fair request. However, what really caught my attention was the next thing she stated. She asked, is there any other way you could advertise it because she no longer buys the Daily Times.
This is important because many thousands of residents have given up on the Daily Times and quite frankly they deserve to have another outlet, (like Salisbury News). Posting on the City's Website is a joke and placing the information on the main floor of the GOB doesn't cut it either.
Our legislators need to know that on line sources like Salisbury News have taken over readership. We'd be more than happy to show Legislators our daily numbers to prove what we say is true. The times have changed and print media is failing.
I personally believe the Daily Times is finally seeing the last stages of local print media. October 1st of 2012 the Daily Times will start charging to view articles on line. They will also increase their rates another 15% as well. I think we can all agree, there's nowhere near enough information on a daily basis to warrant paying for that paper any longer and many agree that the only reason they get the paper is for the Obituaries. We'll work harder at getting those Obituaries in the very near future.
As for the mention of pay increases towards the balance of City Employees, I was shocked to hear Shanie Shields propose a 2% pay increase, even after mentioning the "Singer Study". The Singer Study clearly states City Employees are being paid MORE than ANY other Municipality around, including all the way up to Dover, DE.
I'm glad that Salisbury News was the ONLY source out there that mentioned this study but more importantly that now the rest of the Council and Media picked up on it. What's UNFORTUNATE is that the rest of the Media never mentioned the FACT that Salisbury Employees are being paid more. Funny how it works, isn't it? One Council Member brings up the study, then never mentions Salisbury Employees being paid more, (did she actually read the study) and then the Media mentions it and forgets to mention them being paid more as well. So the public is ONLY told what certain public officials want you to know.
Again, this is why the Daily Times is failing, because they're failing YOU.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
17 comments:
With all the problems this city faces, I still say the only answer is to turn it over to the county. The whole city system needs to be over hauled, so let's start by turning the police department over to the county.
This city has so many problems in every department that is beyond just shaking it up, it's needs to be turned over on it's head.
Mrs. Cohen only had to pause the meeting twice when the mayor interrupted with talking and loud whispering. Must be a record of some kind.
Joe:
With your exception the local "press" are buffoons like Mr. Bassett.
He's keeping his mouth shut because Cook is telling him to. He's now in election mode. Their biggest problem is that we now know who Ireton really is.
I agree with 11:44, seems like a wasted time and money for no results and a lot of duplication.
I hope that toxic spraying will at least kill fleas.We've had a bout with them this year.Since the dog got a direct hit maybe some good will come of it.
Well, rumor out of the sand bar is that Bernie DiPino is a finalist for the job in Sarasota, FL... and if she gets that gig, then Chief Duncan can move on over and be out of the clutches of the Gay Blade... remember, Babs started as a summer cop loooong ago. Proving Tommy Wolfe wrong. You can go home again. And with a gun!
I read the Times about once a month when I'm curious as to whether they are reporting on a big happening and to see their spin on it. I read until Netflix gets throug my block, or intil the little who are you? survey pops up. then I say I'm a 100 year old female in Nairobi and go to a different news source. When they start charging, I will stop going there. There's never anything there that's worth the read, and everything else is somewhere else for free.
Bob
theres still going to be alot of turmoil in the city police due to the fact that the raises only cover the very new officers. the experienced officers who stuck with the city through the years of no raises are not getting much, maybe an extra $30.00 a month even though they are very below the standard.
The Daily Times, and likely its other Gannett peers, seems to be following the lead of papers like the New York Times in attempting to force readers to pay to view its website version.
Maybe this will work in some of their other markets. I'm dubious about their prospects here; kinda like the captain of the Titanic asking the engine room for more steam!
The dead tree version of the paper is terrible, and a shadow of the publication Gannett purchased. As bad as the print version is, and it reeks before fish and bird droppings are added, their web version is even more lackluster.
If they're going to try and charge advertisers by page views, advertisers should be demanding refund checks!
Sounds like a superior opportunity for SBY News and PAC14 to link to the obits.
2:14, agreed. Unfortunately most of the veterans know that yeah they may get a minimal raise now (that they have waited so long for) but they will they continue for the next how ever many years in order to catch up. This one time raise thing won't keep officers around. And the rookies are learning, start with salisbury, fairly simple to get in because they are desperate and then they can move after completing their first two years. get paid more elsewhere. Salisbury will never have a full force of veteran officers if it keeps going like this.
Didnt Duncan say 88 of 92 officers would be getting raises. Well that would include veterans except which four?
Off subject for a minute....This is the second time I've seen a SUV riding thru my neighborhood and throwing Robinson's newspapers in driveways. It is now 7:30pm and all those newspapers are still lying in the driveways. No one here wants to read them. Get it!!!
. No one here wants to read them. Get it!!!
September 25, 2012 7:30 PM
Everyone who gets one should take it to his home and throw it in his yard.
About City Employees being overpaid...I invite any one of you to take a job in the city and try to live on the wages paid...it's a known fact that 75% of city employees have 2 jobs just to get by and they have taken pay cuts for 6 years in a row now while prices keep going up.
These people are working behind the scenes 24/7 so we all can live the lifestyle we do; if these people ever wise up and go union like they should have years ago and have to strike to get a raise you'll all soon see how important public works is when your garbage piles up, your streets are filthy, you have no water to drink or flush your toilets with and God forbid your house catches fire cuz without public works theres no way to put it out....forgive me, we now have a million dollar fireboat so those on the water will be fine.
And that pump station spill would still be dumping into the river cuz guess who fixed that!
Please take a job with Salisbury and you'll feel for those guys real quik!
12:29, while I do feel for them, lots of people have 2 jobs, and some three. Others have no jobs and would be happy to have one with the city. In addition to the higher pay compared to other local employers, the benefits were also very, very god compared ot the other places. How many of us are without insurance right now? Our city shoudl pay fairly as compared to others in the area, but not just throw money around.
Anon 759:
So you consider $10/hr good money?
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