I am sick at home watching PAC 14. I'm told Public Works have packed the room. Let's see where it goes tonight. I'll keep updating this Post so simply refresh every few minutes and I'll keep you updated.
WHERE'S JIM IRETON AND LAURA MITCHEL?
The Rivers Edge project is up for discussion. Developer is asking for a letter of support and financing support.
This project will cost around $16.5 million. $12.5 million will come from loans. The low rents will last for 40 years. $300.00 to $900.00 a month in rent. $16,000.00 to $45,000.00 a year in personal income qualifies applicants to live there.
Councilwoman Shields asked in a work session that this project cater more towards her constituents in that community.The developer agrees to work harder at making her proposal work.
Kate Gibson is now speaking. She's very concerned about Downtown. This is a low income subsidized housing project and she doesn't believe Salisbury needs more. Clearly she's not supportive of more affordable housing. She's very concerned and feels it will effect the Downtown. She's concerned about the people that will be moving in.How long before its torn apart, how long will it take for crime to go up.
Ben is now speaking. He's calling it an artist colony and he supports it. He sees two strong points of progress. The ability to have responsible affordable housing shows Salisbury isn'tjust a stop on Rt. 50 and Rt. 13. He supports the responsible growth. He's thanking the Council for their support.
Shanie Shields is expressing how upset she was that this project had changed. However, she's willing to work with the developer. She believes it will enhance the marina. She looks forward to working with the developer when this comes to "fruitation" and "idears".
Mrs. Campbell is expressing how excited she is about this project. She believes it will be a destination for the arts district. Mr. Spies sees this project as not only an area for artist to live affordably, this allows artists to expand on their artistic abilities. Great opportunity for children as well.
Art doesn't know color, age or gender, said Council President Terry Cohen.
Council is discussing West Nile Virus and mosquito's and asking to increase the budget by $40,000.00 above and beyond the current $20,000.00 already set in their budget. They are asking that each resident please police your yards and clear it of any standing water, including clearing your gutters.
Council is taking a 10 minute recess and will return to discuss the $650,000.00 increase for Salisbury Police Department.
While they are on this break, do ANY of you realize or notice just how smooth this meeting is going? I wanted to start this sentence by saying, "I don't want to be critical" because as all of you know, I plan on running for Mayor. However, while I'm Blogging I must do my job. That being said, without Ireton and Mitchell, the meeting is going extremely well and without ANY outbursts, grandstanding or interruptions. My point is, I SEE WHERE THE PROBLEMS LIE, DO YOU?
Council is back. Mayor Ireton is at a PTA Meeting tonight. Looks like he's trying to settle back in to his Teaching job, smart move.
Chief Duncan is now speaking. 92 sworn, 32 civilians and serving 30,300. Handled 51,000 calls for service. Compared to Annapolis and Dover, they have 116 sworn officers. Dover has 93 sworn Officers. Comparing per officer, our officers handled over 1,200 calls. In other words, per capita, Salisbury is extremely understaffed and overwhelmed.
Quality is strained just based on work load, according to Maciarello. To be a true community policing agency we need to spend 45 to 50% of our time in the community. Reality, we spend about 20%. Chief Duncan just corrected the actual numbers misquoted in the work session last week. We have officers actively seeking employment elsewhere and that total is 13 people looking for jobs elsewhere.
Salary issues, $36,4 starting. $42,700 on OC. MSP base is $40,000.00. Fruitland is $36,500.00 starting.
I disagree with Duncan giving raises to 60 Police Officers. I can see bringing starting salaries up to where it needs to be to compete but to give EVERY ONE raises is just flat out wrong. The point is to help bring in EXPERIENCED Officers. I support giving the Police what had been promised to them year ago but above and beyond is not right. This seems to be an almost bribe to keep what they have.
Matt Maciarello is expressing his concerns and he's right, Salisbury needs more Officers.However, Salisbury needs more EXPERIENCED Officers and again it it my personal belief the funding they are discussing should be planned much better. what I mean by that is, again, they should NOT be paying 60 Officers additional money. They should fulfill their promise years ago and what's left over needs to go to new, experienced Officers.
Public Works is now grandstanding and asking for a pay increase as well. They are claiming they are losing employees as well. 65% of public works employees have a second job, according to this citizen. They are asking the City to table this and reconsider public works as well.
Public Works is actually starting to make sense. One employee just said they wished they had a leader like Chief Duncan to stand up and support their department.
"ALL City Employees are doing more for less".
YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB MAYOR IRETON!!!!! This should be a major embarrassment to the Mayor.
Howard Landon is now speaking. Treat everybody fair. $591.00 every two weeks, he's holding a paycheck from a man who rides the back of a garbage truck. Can YOU survive on that? This is a slap in the face to the rest of the City Employees.
$646,000.00 is what the Police need. Compounded to the balance of this year they need, $447,607.44 for 16 more pay periods. Dispatchers are NOT included.
Council moved forward on first reading. John Pick asked them to table it so the Mayor could have the opportunity to discuss the figures and the Council MAJORITY said, NO. For what it's worth, at this point its none of the Mayors business. He dropped the ball on this as well as the formerMayor Tilghman by ignoring the Police for at least 8 years.
, released Wednesday by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), cites James Madison University, the College of William & Mary, the University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, the University of Virginia and the University of Pennsylvania for protecting free speech on campus and maintaining policies honoring freedom of expression.
