A Letter To The Editor: "Moment of Silence"

I would say the wrong choice was made 5 years ago. I will give a copy of this and all my other emails to Bob Culver and the blog sbynews. With proof showing Mackes and Polltit were very aware of the ramifications of there actions or lack of actions from as long as 3 years ago. 99,000$ from the taxpayers when you were told about this problem years ago. You still have done nothing to change the program that's the best part of the whole story. You two schmucks continue to destroy a program then turn around and ask the taxpayers for 1 million dollars and continue to operate the program as if nothing is wrong with it. You two are going to be the laughing stock of Wicomico county. This election can't come soon enough.

It's been a year almost to the day since our last email. In which you said you would get back to me and to be patient things like this take time. None of you contacted me with a resolution to the program. Your Window of opportunity has closed for you to rejuvenate the softball program. It closed about a year ago.

Sorry,
Trey Stokely

On May 23, 2013 1:29 PM, "Trey Stokely" <stok3ly@gmail.com> wrote:

All the more reason to take action and attempt to save a program that brings in more money then any other program the county offers. It is not about the players fee. It is how the county has treated the members of this program.

A team pays 500 $ plus 63 $ for each player to get a 21 game schedule. That schedule consists of 4 teams playing each other 7 and 8 times each. When you have 20 or more teams in the entire program. At a very minimum the county can fix this mistake by fixing the schedule. Its not to late and requires 0 patience. The complete lack of care shown by the county to not fix the problem when it has been brought to everyones attention is why you continue to lose teams and players in all your recreational programs.

You ask for patience. I have emailed you starting 5 years ago regarding this program. Nothing has been done in 5 years. You have actually raised the rates from what they were 5 years ago. If you or anyone else can afford for the county to lose the revenue from the activities that take place at Henry S. Parker complex then continue to take no action continue to hold meetings about what your going to do next year. I implore you to take action show the current members of the league your not doing nothing show them you care about the future of where their kids will play and grow into honest tax paying adults. Show them you care that there will be 25 teams this weekend that will pay thousands of dollars on hotels foods and other locally owned businesses that will all be returned to Wicomico county. I cannot stress enough the amount of money that will be lost the amount of people that will lose employment because you want patience. Again this will be my last email to your county I have made my point as clear as I can make it. I apologize for using up your time.

You can continue to do nothing and lose everything.

You can choose to take action and try to save a program that needs saving.

The choice is yours.

Hope you make the choice you and your county can live with/afford.
Trey Stokely

Thank you for your first real response in 5 years.
On May 23, 2013 12:54 PM, "Gary Mackes" <gmackes@wicomicocounty.org> wrote:

Trey,

As we work on solutions, it’s important to know Wicomico County is challenged by the recent recession and tax revenue cap imposed by the citizens over 10 years ago. Due to declining tax revenue the County had to reduce subsidy to schools, roads, police, etc.

Recreation and parks was no different as funding was reduced by $250,000, over 33%. On a cost per citizen basis, our department receives about $11/citizen and is the lowest of the 8 Eastern Shore Counties. The 8 county average is $23/citizen.

It’s unfortunate fees needed to be increased to continue services.

Funding reductions gave us 3 alternatives, eliminate programs, close parks or increase fees! We chose the latter.

As I conveyed in an email to you on Saturday, we’re looking into alternatives. In the mean time I suggest being patient until you hear from us.

Gary W. Mackes