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Sunday, May 10, 2015

Wicomico County Executive Culver Schools Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton On "Nuclear Option"

On April 29, 2015 (11:38 A.M.), Mayor James “Jim” Ireton, Jr. personally telephoned the
Office of the County Executive to relay two urgent messages for the immediate attention
of the County Executive stating he wanted him to have first knowledge. One of the two
messages was, “I am taking the nuclear option off the table as there seems to be a good
faith effort to work together”. That message was relayed to the County Executive with a
copy to the Director of Administration. The Mayor reiterated this position in a public
statement (PAC14) during a 2:00 p.m. Press Conference on the matter of a possible
demonstration within and around the downtown corridor. This followed a meeting on
April 28, 2015 attended by Salisbury Fire Chief Richard Hoppes, Salisbury Assistant City
Administrator Julia Glanz, County Executive Bob Culver, County Council President
John Cannon, County Council Member John Hall, County Director of Administration
Wayne Strausburg, County Attorney Ed Baker, Director of Emergency Services David
Shipley, and President of County Fire Chief’s Association Tom Bowden. All parties
reported that the meeting was productive.

In a letter dated April 30, 2015 delivered to the Executive’s Office, the Mayor reiterated
his verbal commitment however with a caveat. The Mayor wrote “I am writing to let you
know that, at this point in time, I am removing the “nuclear option” of enforcing a
mandate for fire trucks and ambulances to not leave city limits. I am, however,
reserving the right to employ this option again, whether there is a date attached to
it or not In addition, I would like to be supplied with a list of the next six meeting dates
and a list of possible auditors that will be revising the supplied data. Memo Diriker has
offered to have his BEACON group review the data and give us a non biased analysis”.
County Executive Culver has made it abundantly clear that the threat of non response by
city fire and ambulance is not acceptable to the welfare of the citizens of Wicomico
County.

Executive Culver stated, “I cannot in good conscious allow such a threat to public safety
to stand. I am committed to continue earnest discussions with regard to a new Fire
Service Agreement, however, I will not do so under a threat of cessation of services by the
city’s Mayor.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bob start firing your budget director...NOW.

Anonymous said...

Doesn't sound like anybody "schooled" anyone...sounds like two politicians trying to ensure their area of responsibilities (the people who voted for each of them) are cared for properly!

Anonymous said...

WHEN is bob going to fire WAYNE STRASBURG ?.he is a BACKSTABBER.

Anonymous said...

That's how someone with class acts.

Anonymous said...

There is NWIH that Memo Diriker and his over bloated clan could possibly be "non-biased" here! LOL! That guy has had his lips on the teat all his life! What would he know about ANY of this?

Go have your little pieces of democtats pity party downtown, Jimbo. And just keep threatening. It makes you look sooo.... well, STUPID!

Anonymous said...

Thank you Bob!

Anonymous said...

Maybe its time the State Fire Marshall gets involved here. Also, the Insurance Services Office.

Anonymous said...

There is nothing unbiased about Memo Diriker

Anonymous said...

I will reiterate my previous statement, no additional taxes for wicomico county. This need is due to salisbury fiscal mismanagement. Tough, suck it up, your problem not county Memo Diriker?? Your kidding me right. He could'nt run a lemonade stand. If memo Diriker has offered his libtarded BEACON group to review the data and give us a non biased analysis. I don't want anything he recommends. It will just be more libtarded business models that don't work

Anonymous said...

It's still time for Wicomico County to have it's own EMS division. Do it now Mr. Culver, we voted for change.

Anonymous said...

While Memo Diriker has been at the helm of Wicomico/Salisbury's Economic Development, a vast number of businesses have closed, boarded-up, and left our populace without a viable means to make ends meat.

So why in the world would anyone want to listen or pay attention to an agency that with such a deplorable track record. I say drop Memo Diriker and Beacon like a lead weight.

Anonymous said...

Go Bobby. If Jimmy Boy wants to reserve the right to order EMS & Fire equipment to never leave the City, let him know that as long as he does so negotiations could never be in good faith, thus plan B goes into effect NOW.

Anonymous said...

If Bob doesn't assist with funding the city FD, doesn't that just make the tax disparity worse. City residents still paying county taxes at the same rate as every other county resident and getting even less service. So my county taxes will fund a sheriff's department that I don't use, and 11 fire departments that don't serve me either. Sounds like two bad options from both politicians. Great plan you got there Derbyshire.

Concerned Retiree said...

Bob GO for it. Tell Winy Boy to pack sand. Form your idea of County Fire / EMS. Let Salisbury cry Baby explain to the Citizens within the City limits why their services have diminished and where he is spending their tax dollars. Fire / EMS is an entitlement not a desire.
Don't let Salisbury turn into Baltimore where the State funds Baltimore.
The County Sheriff makes Salisbury Police look like a bunch of KEYSTONE Cops.

Anonymous said...

Who does John Hall support in this impasse and imbroglio -- he's a city resident, but does he really represent his actual constituents???

Anonymous said...

'Good conscious ' ?

Anonymous said...

Bet Bob showed him a bill for housing city jajailbirds.

Anonymous said...

Ireton is an amateur.

Anonymous said...

Just take over the fire service, Bob. It is so clear that with the current state of City borders that there can be no monetary tradeoff to make the City happy and make anything equitable as long as they continue the lunch runs and ambulance chasing they want to charge the County with.

It's just stupid.

Since there's no way that the City can possibly quantify City vs. County calls, there's only one answer.

County EMS/fire.

Period.

Anonymous said...

Must suck to be a Salisbury volunteer.. Knowing that your fire chief doesn't have the nads to stick up for what you represent.

Anonymous said...

Jimmy boy, you sound like a spoiled brat on the playground...'if we don't play my way then I am taking my toys and going home, nyeh!'. Let him take his toys and go home, give the money to all the other fire depts and form a county EMS dept! Let Jimbo take his toys and play with them at home. I am sure the citizens of Salisbury won't mind paying more to fund the SFD!

Anonymous said...

I believe best to keep Memo Diriker out as it appears he is very liberal biased so that would not solve the issue

Anonymous said...

Must be great to be a Hebron volunteer...get fired from the city for being a felon and your alcoholic fire chief uses county funds to create a full time position for you. Wait, you technically quit because people that worked with you cared enough to bust their butts writing you a resignation letter and bringing it to the jail for you to sign. Alot of people went out of their way for you, Derbyshire, stood up for you when you got in trouble, donated money to you when your ex was sick, and then because your mad at yourself you support taking their jobs too. Well I'm glad you and Bush are tight now, you him and Marty can plot against the SFD, wasn't that long ago you'd come to work talking about how screwed up they were. Integrity matters my friend.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the responsible thing to do would be to look at how all fire companies use the county funds, probably don't wanna hear that but I'm sure there's a ton of waste across the whole county.

Anonymous said...

That dog don't hunt....city residents also pay county taxes that fund a jail. We'll be happy to not pay county taxes, if you'd like. But with more than half the revenue coming from city residents, your school system, jail, sheriffs department, vfd's, public works, etc. Would all be much leaner, careful what you wish for.

Anonymous said...


I would like to know WHAT the Salisbury Chamber does? What is their purpose? Anyone know?
Memo was there what did he do?