A Comment Worthy Of A Post 1-4-13

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "MAYOR IRETON TO FILE FOR RE-ELECTION TODAY AT 12:1...": 

Let's set the record straight on the "Highlights of Mayor Ireton's First Term:"

· Abandoned barges removed from the North Prong of Wicomico River
- That could have only hapened with a "yes" vote by the council.

· Trash collection systems installed on many river outfall pipes
-Debbie Campbell was the one that got the attention focused on this when the city was planning the Waverly Dr. stormwater system without any filtration before release of the water into the river. That was before Ireton was elected. Again, the council voted "yes" in support of the plan that Ireton advanced.

· 40% reduction in violent crime rates over 4 years, and 20% drop over the last decade
-Thank you Terry Cohen for identifying the Safe Streets as a source of funding and collaboration for crime reduction. Thank you members of the Crime Task Force, especially the sub-committee that Debbie Campbell worked with, for all of the time that was spent in the assessment of the core problems - including high turnover from an inadequate police pay scale. Again, a "yes" vote by council was required to make this happen.

· Thrift Travel Inn and Linens of the Week blight torn down
-Again, "yes" votes by the council and insistance by Cohen that the bank that owed Thrift pay for the demo instead of the taxpayers. Ireton wanted to go straight to a budget amendment and pay for it with our tax dollars.

· $16 Million dollars in city surplus funds
-Yet, if the Mayor had his way there would have been a huge tax increase. The surplus is largely due to Campbell's work on transparency in the budget process and a sharp pencil. Don't forget how the Mayor tries to keep financial information from the council and from us even though we are the taxpayers. Does he forget that it's our money. 

· City Audit done at the earliest in history
-Who raised the issues of the sloppiness and lateness around the audit when she was first elected and has pushed ever since to get a timely audit and to reslove the weaknesses that are identified during the process. It is Debbie Campbell. Does he think that we don't pay attention?

· 270 page Downtown Revitalization plan introduced
-Didn't seem like much more than a plan to give away downtown assets that belong to us taxpayers. 

· Bateman/Onley Road Construction complete
-It was the council that worked hard to make that happen and to reduce the cost to the taxpayers. The council voted "yes" even though Ireton held press conferences and called them names -I suspect to try to make them mad enough to say no. Instead they took the high road and considered public safety first.

· Tenants Bill of Rights is law
-An idea advanced by Campbell for years, but Smith, Dunn, Cathcart and the rest wouldn't support it because they really didn't seem to care about tenants. Again, a "yes" vote by the council.

· Wastewater Treatment Plant lawsuit settled
-As I recall, Ireton used that as an opportunity to pick a fight over the letterhead that the press release would be printed on. At any rate, again, the council voted "yes."

*So in conclusion, none of what Ireton is taking credit for would have been possible without the council, yet he condemns them on a regular basis and doesn't have enough class to even share the credit...let alone give credit where it's due. I hate to think where Salisbury would be if the council had been a rubber stamp for all of Ireton's ill conceived plans. 

Ireton keeping his campaign promises what nonsense. I can think of several right off the bat that were broken within weeks or months of his election. What about reducing the cost of the Mayor's office or council access to department heads? Did someone write Ireton's announcement as a spoof?

Jim, if someone else wrote that for you, you should be questioning their motives. To make your filing announcement one of the biggest falsehoods of your time in office - why would someone who really supports you do such a thing?