According to the proposed 10 Year Lease Agreement, Wicomico County proposes to initially lease a portion of the building to the County Board of Elections for an annual amount beginning at $5,166 per month and escalating to $6,745 per month. Over the course of the 10 Year Lease the County will expend $741,048 - and yet it will own NOTHING! And that is not all, the above price does not include the CAM - (common element assessment) - that is more than another $1,000 per month. You have to see this to believe it folks - (click here to Read the Lease Agreement)
TRI-COUNTY FACILITY - Spin backwards when the County was entertaining the option to purchase the old Comtek facility. Remember what the justification was when the County was considering to purchase the mammoth real estate facility - TO CONSOLIDATE PUBLIC FACILITIES UNDER ONE ROOF!
SUMMARY
Wicomico residents are getting hosed once again. Right in the middle of one of the worse recessions since the depression of 1929 - Wicomico is spending your hard earned taxpayers money like a bunch of drunken sailors. Between the Administrative pay raises, declining real estate values, diminishing income tax returns - ($3.45 million shortfall - emphasis by author) - now Wicomico County wants to 'Nail the Taxpayers - once again'. Mind you - this facility is located in a blighted neighborhood whereby a portion of the rear is protected by razor wire.
In my assessment - The County Executive's office is plundering the hard working people of Wicomico County by not only squandering your tax dollars, but also inflicting future damage by 'enjoining the Taxpayers' to a Long Term Lease. Also, I thought that the County Administrative Assistant, Wayne Strausburg was very rude to not only the Wicomico Election Board officials, but also to several of our County Council representatives.
It is long overdue for the Citizens of Wicomico County To RISE UP AND STRIKE BACK - and Vote these abusers out of office. I can not over emphasize - It is Time for you to TAKE YOUR GOVERNMENT BACK!
Stay Tuned For A Follow Up Article On Another Stevie Prettyman 'FLIP FLOP' - that is also costing Wicomico residents.
Article Written By SBYnews Editorial Staff
51 comments:
Let me guess, Gillis owns this building.
Too many questions. Where did the Election Board want to be located? What other options are available and at what cost? You want us to think this is horrible, but we don't see what this is "instead of" that would make more sense.
What reasons were given for this move?
What's wrong with where they are now?
No E S Adkins owns the building. I watched this on tv this guy Strasburg was out of line and started calling these people names. He refered to them as a six headed dragon. He was nasty to them and the council. Shame on him and Pollitt's office for this guy acting this way.
Notice to Wicomico County government: STOP spending taxpayer money on projects you would not spend your own family's personal money on.
At least the Red Light District has something to use Gift Cards for.
You mean to tell me that with all of those buildings at the former Comtek Facility (many of the rooms are empty) that they can't find room for the Election Board. I just don't believe it.
I swear, Pollitt and his Administration is bad news for Wicomico County. I sure hope that he won't be re-elected.
I just read the lease. Unfortunately there were no accompanying comments. Do we know what they pay to lease where they are, if, in fact, they lease? Agree with 8:39 - would like to see more information before crying foul.
Someone is getting paid off. To pay almost 6 grand a month at that location! Something definitely doesn't smell right.
Does the county own the facility where they are now? If so, why wouldn't they stay there?
Do not re elect Pollitt ever again. Its that simple people. He broke Fruit land and now is working in Wicomico County.
Any local business realtors out there to know if this is a reasonable rent for office space? I for one would like to see that area begin to change from what it is. Maybe this is a first step.
Responding to 8:39 Post -
In my opinion, this is worse than Horrible. This is an atrocity. At that location next to RR tracks, razor wire, crime, homeless, - you had better traverse the rear of the property on RR Ave. How do I know it is bad, because I grew up there. Church Street Hoodlams are the worst.
If more decent business moved into that area it would become safer. Take back our streets!
The more you fear an area the worse it gets from isolation.
I'm watching MANY of these comments coming in and all I can think is, man, the County Executive's Office is really in damage control mode. Wayne, you really should use your name instead of anonymous.
I thought they moved into a building on Bateman street not to long ago.
Love it, 9:06. YES TAKE BACK OUR STREETS
What does it talke for the residents of Wicomico County to realize that Pollitt and his mouthpiece (s) need to be gone! Please DO NOT VOTE FOR POLLITT AGAIN!!! He is destroying this county. We need an honest republican to run and get Pollitt out of there. He got in on his dads coat strings and needs to be kicked out. Please telll me one good thing he has done.
8:50 He was probably DRUNK.
W. Strausburg is going to run into the wrong dude someday, and the bully will be put in his place. Best way to confront a bully is with his own tactics.
As for Pollitt, I would have thought you would have selected better. You are judged by the company you keep.
I know of at least a dozen other places that the County could use to house the Elections BD. How about Winterplace, how about Civic Center, or the new Tri County Building. Why even waste the money, try and re-negotiate the lease at the present location. I agree with the article, Pollitt is bad news for Wicomico residents. Hopefully soon, his day of reckoning will come.
Joe - are these people crazy? I just clicked onto the Lease link and it gives the County the option to negotiate out even farther. Have these officials lost their marbles? Someone ought to take the reigns away from Pollitt and Strausburg and let a real negotiator step up to the plate. Talk about waste - here is a perfect example.
Stevie was also sharp snipping at John Palmer, even if he was wrong that is not the way to talk to taxpayers. When they no longer need your vote they show their true colors. Sorry Stevie, I call them like I see them, like any umpire.
This is just amazing. With ALL the vacant buildings in this town and that is the best they can do? Unbelieveable. And, if what 9:00 AM stated about rooms in the Comtek facility empty, why are they not going to that facility, if in fact, they need to move at all. So many questions, no answers. Tricky Ricky needs some actual work to do so he will quit sitting on his throne thinking up things to do with our hard earned money.
Well this is what you get when you are stupid americans let alone stupid citizens of SBY...
You all allow yourself to be lied to and not just lied to, but lied to your face... This is what you get when you believe anything and everything you're told...
This is what you get when NO ONE CARES or when no one wants to stand up and stop it...
This is what you get when your fellow residents are complete lazy pieces of crap who don't know anything or care of anything except how to take more of your money without lifting a finger... This is what you get when people feel they don't need to stop anything when it is not directly affecting them and the sad thing is, this all does affect every last one of you... BUT because it is not actually at your doorstep punching you in the face you do't care while they rap you with every fee and tax and anything...
You people make em sick, and when the crap hits the fan, and when the govt comes door to door I will not come to your rescue, I will only help those who are outspoken and who tried to stop this and who warned you of this... You lazy pieces of crap people left are on your own to battle it out with your neighbors...
Should be in the tri-county building.I guess they want to spread the taxpayer wealth around to certain people.
10:39 You don't even know WHO you are talking to genius. In my world, it's people like you who are the talkers, just talk big game, talking down and bullying people, yet doing NOTHING. Get a spoon, load it up with your empty threats/words, and choke them back.
As John Hall said: You do it my way, or you do it my way MAD. What the he$$ . Nice attitude for a council member to have.
Has anyone checked the campaign contributions for Pollitt. I were a betting person - I'll just bet you there is a common thread this Lease and who contributed to who. I have seen this type of activity before, case-in-point, Obama's Ambassador appointments.
The elections should be housed at the TriCounty building on Rt 50 & Walston Switch Road. It is a perfect location for this function, and, it is located in a much safer District. Not to mention, the rent should be virtually free as the former Land & building were built by Federal, State, & Local dollars. It is a no-brainer in my book.
Responding to 10:06 Posting. Where was Mr. Palmer wrong? I believe the majority of taxpayers are all in favor of a forensic audit of the BOE in light of the recent Maryland Legislative audit. And as for looking out for the average taxpayer, I believe his arguments were cogent.
In boxing terms, I believe Ricky is on the ropes with Wicomico voters. I hope that the public knocks him out.
Anonymous said...
What's wrong with where they are now?
March 19, 2014 at 8:46 AM
They say they have out grown the current location. They have been there for 10 years or so and we have had a burst of growth in 10 years.
I can tell there is a lot of corruption in Wicomico Co. I have lived here all my life and knew that there was a limited amount, but this has gone way beyond the pail. And as far as transparency, when you witness an administration not producing documents to a Free Press, The Daily Times, then all of us in Wicomico County need to make a change.
I firmly believe that all of the voters in Wicomico County need to see this lease arrangement, (click onto link and scroll down to the Agreement).
If this doesn't make your blood boil then I don't know what will.
Signed
Floyd Harmon
Maybe they could relocate to the Red Light District store building on Rt.13. It seems to be a pretty large building. I'm sure a deal could be worked out between folks of equal moral character.
Funny, Judge Sally Adkins owns the building...
Thanks for reporting on these important issues Joe because there is NO way us citizens would know any of this.
Responding to 9:03 Post - 'Something doesn't smell right'
It used to be standard operating procedure around Wicomico up until the internet came along. Now, these folks get caught with their pants down time and time again.
I agree, 6,000/month at that location, someone is on the take. Someone ought to be checking on the campaign contributions to see who gave what to whom. I'm going to call my council representative over this.
Thanks Joe for - once again - doing what the MSM has neglected to do. My family and I appreciate your putting a magnifier on this. Let's just hope that other folks are watching.
I watched this meeting. Seriously, the red light district with no security and working into the night hours. NO THANKS !!! our county can do MUCH better than this. why are you so inept? this never should have gotten this far. should have been settled LONG ago.
Complain, complain and more complain and nothing will change. People will complain but do nothing more than pay lip service. Just go back to playing on your Xbox.
They also approved a new auditor's contract -- with the same firm as now -- without competitive bidding. It's for more than 300,000 dollars.
To 6:09 - Posting that says This never should have gotten this far.
I wholeheartedly agree. Pollitt/Strausburg need to be reprimanded for even considering such a preposterous proposal. That rent shouldn't be over 1,200/month at that location. So it is about 5-6 times more than what location will bare. Sometimes it is hard to believe what goes on in this Town.
For crying out loud, there is no way that condo facility is worth that much money. There must be more to this story than that. The whole facility from the railway tracks all the way to the corner of Ponzetti's Pizza isn't worth $6,000 per month. Who is making these types of decisions. No wonder our taxes are so high.
They've lost their cotton pick-in marbles around here. If that place is worth 6k a month then my residential shack is work 3k a month. The point is, I could never collect my rent because there ain't no one out there that can afford it.
Our County has a spending problem.
Wait a minute - you need to go back and look at the COM expense(Common Maintenance Expense). That expense is an additional $1,274 per month. So what is 5,166 + 1274 = $6,440/month.
That is just to start off. I hate to burst our County Executive's bubble, but there ain't no way that unit is worth that much money at THAT LOCATION!!!
No wonder our taxes are increasing dramatically. What is wrong with the TriCounty council building. I thought that was the reason the County purchased this property.
If there is not enough room at the "Tri-county" bldg., The county OWNS the carriage house at Winterplace, which is just falling apart and becoming a blight on the area. Consider spending the money there to build something and save the future cost of demolition..
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