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Sunday, June 28, 2015

A Letter To The Editor: Six months...no changes

Council members, 

I was just reading your upcoming agenda. Disappointing that the noise ordinance STILL is not being finished up, how long does it really take???? Six months hasn't been enough obviously, but that UNUSED bike lane is surely being handled swiftly. 

Mrs Mitchell....what happened to getting this noise ordinance on the "fast track" as you put it to me back in January?? Is this your idea of "fast tracking" something? Six months, and still nothing.....they come before dawn often, and stay til dark (9pm) almost EVERY DAY. The dust, trash, and noise is unacceptable to most everyone, except you....the ones who don't have to deal with it at all. 

Its obvious its all about getting The Gathering's project done before August, no matter who it affects. Don't blame the Chief, don't blame the weather, don't blame THE CITIZENS FOR STANDING UP TO YOU!!! Do your jobs, get it passed!!! 

Now, I know that means absolutely nothing to any of you, but I/we have no other recourse. The whole bunch of you is making certain that OUR RIGHTS to peacefully enjoy our homes is tossed aside in the name of profit. You keep saying "its the job of the administration to enforce this" Well I'm here to tell you that they don't do anything either. They cant...not until the penalty portion of the noise ordinance is enacted, but you wont do that for fear of making "hasty decisions" as Mr Day puts it. 

Gillis Gilkerson violates the ordinance six days per week, and has for 7 months now. You guys, and the rest of the city officials are covering for them and allowing this to happen. There is no other explanation as to why you would allow this to drag out for so long. That tells everyone that you are ok with people breaking the law, but thats alright, as long as the city gets that tax revenue. Screw all the residents and their rights. 

You guys should be ashamed of yourselves , you've made sure that my entire neighborhoods lives have been adversely affected by your slow playing this finalization of a SIMPLE ORDINANCE. I know NONE of you will respond to me anymore, and that's typical of a bunch of liberals, but that's not going to stop me from telling you like it is. 

Its been more than 180 days, now its time to Get off your high horses and do your damn job to protect the very people that put your butts on the council to begin with.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

We met with SPD and chief over a drug dealer in our neighborhood over 2 years ago. They have done nothing. He is still dealing and dragging the trash of the city into our neighborhood. Oh that's right, it is not in THEIR neighborhood so they do not care..

They know who he is, and what he does. Now he does it out in the open, in the light of day, in front of our homes around the corner from him.

Another neighbor on the south end of our street revealed they were having the same problem and went to SPD for help. We told them, good luck with that, they will do NOTHING to resolve the problem. Sadly, we were right.

Thanks SPD for NOT doing your job and NOT taking the known criminal off the street. But hey good job with those shoplifters! That is making a world of difference for our community! Sadly the po-po is the butt of jokes in our circle.

Anonymous said...

Now we see what it's like at the small city level in our government. Do you know why? Well I'll explain , it's like that from the federal government down to us. The Feds set the example , thanks Obama for screwing up the entire country. Oh , we blame Obama for everything , that's right folks , I just can't think of anymore bad names to call this SOB , so , my family has decided to call him SATAN(the devil).
WE now believe that's exactly who he is.
Back to the post , of course the main thing involved here is $$$$$$$.
End of comment.

Anonymous said...

I assume you are speaking of the student housing project across from Royal Farms .If so you are correct sir , I did drive by that area twice a day early and late . It's a damn shame , but , like the saying "you can't fight city hall" or at least they will have an excuse for every wrong decision they make. Sorry about your situation , and they wonder why people go "POSTAL ". It's for the kids .

Anonymous said...

It's gillis what did you expect. He owns half of downtown now.

Anonymous said...

Is it any wonder? Take another look at who is on the council...Why would anything get done???

Anonymous said...

But your not a resident. Things will get better in the fall, five hundred new young neighbors. Put that in your truck and tow it.

towjam said...

Yes, it is the housing development across from Royal Farms, and the old Feldmans building....and any other project being built WITHIN City limits.
The CURRENT LAW says "no construction activity between 6pm and 7am" but it obviously means NOTHING to them. The police have been called to this location MANY times, and each time they come they tell the workers to wrap it up. When the police leave, the crews go right back to work. Ive seen it happen at least a dozen times. Ive taken videos, still photos, and spoken to every Admin member in the City. They all are putting it on the Chief at this point saying "we're waiting for the Chief to find appropriate decibel reading equipment." Thats some bullspit right there!!! Its about the allowable times to be performing "construction activity" as much as it the noise.
Honestly, I dont care how much noise is made between 7am and 6pm....because they have the RIGHT to work between those hours, BUT, the residents also have RIGHTS. THATS WHAT IS BEING FORGOTTEN!!!
The Council has put us on the back burner because we (the residents) have been steadfast with our complaints. Theyre sick of us, so what better way to "pay us back" than to drag out the simplest of ordinances.
They are an absolute JOKE to this City.

Anonymous said...

If I were you I'd get an attorney. You either have a valid case or you don't. If the attorney says that you do, sue the city, with damages sufficient to handsomely pay the attorney and reimburse you for your loss of peace and quiet. If you don't, then you don't.

towjam said...

Its two hundred, and good luck filling the place. I'll take the students over the construction any day of the week.

Anonymous said...

Sue the city and the construction company. If laws are being broken, someone will pay. If not...
Frankly, you should have done this months ago if you thought you had a case.

Anonymous said...

The next neighborhood that goes through this will be the Kay Avenue bunch. Theyre building more student housing, a hotel, and retail shops on the Court Plaza site. Hopefully the laws will be enforced for their sake.

Anonymous said...

this guy needs a lawyer from anywhere but here to represent him against the city and the construction company. no good ole' boy attorney will touch it so i'd say start somewhere on the western shore. good luck

towjam said...

I have talked to an attorney. It would be $10-20,000 to litigate this case.
Thats how they win. Not too many people have 20,000 to put out on something like this.

Anonymous said...

"I cant control everything that goes on on my job sites."

- Palmer Gillis

Anonymous said...

If you have everything documented as stated you have every right to sue the city. Additionally, it is a must to attached names to your suit. Every City Council Member and goverment official you have spoken to should be attached to your suit. Council persons come and go however they are still liable for
these types of of legality.

Anonymous said...

Since SU has an on campus residency requirement the first two years, anyone choosing to build more student housing really needs to better examine the need.

Anonymous said...

The good old boy system is alive and well in Salisbury. Wondering how much under the table money has changed hands from GG to the wonderful members of the council to drag their feet on the noise ordinance. Inquiring minds would certainly like to know the real truth. Oh, I forgot there must be another parcel of property that the city owns that can be purchased by GG or their family members for only pennies on the dollar. And we thought our elected officials would look out for the taxpayers best interest. But alas we are living in a fools paradise in Iretonbury.l

Anonymous said...

8:30 It is all to common these days that "justice" is only for the rich. Ironically it's the rich typically causing the injustice either directly or indirectly.

Anonymous said...


I have "heard" thru the grapevine. A Maryland law stating that housing being built after a certain date will be required to have fire sprinkle systems. Maybe there is a push to get housing finished. ???

Anonymous said...

Get this app for your phone...http://www.healthyhearing.com/report/47805-The-best-phone-apps-to-measure-noise-levels. Start documenting. Research safe noise levels. Record what you hear. Go to a council meeting and play back what you hear at the same level it is produced. Be your OWN attny. File papers in the correct court. It can be done. Or, put some high powered speakers out on your lawn and play music with a heavy bass for as long as construction is going on. When LEO comes, show them your decibels are no louder than the construction.

Anonymous said...

I agree with this comment on unfinished business and I would like to add they came on strong in recent months about landlords and over occupancy, and nothing has changed, there is no follow up. People move out and they assume the landlords are going to do differently just because they are new renters, IT'S A STORY FOLKS OF A LANDLORD DOESN'T CHANGE HIS SPOTS, YOUR JUST HOPING OUR MEMORIES AND THE PATTERNS WE SEE ARE NOT GOING AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Get the County Council involved. They get results.

Dissolve the city charter. One County!

Anonymous said...

They are going to just drag this out until the project is done.

Anonymous said...

Baloney. Ask someone else.

Anonymous said...

"towjam" you say you will take the students over the construction any day? It will be interesting to know if you still feel that way this time next year!

towjam said...

Ive been surrounded by students for more than a decade, so I know what to expect. I also know what to expect from the Sheriffs office when they respond, and that is, a swift PROFESSIONAL response to deal with any problems that may arise. Cant say that about the city police, and thats a fact.

Anonymous said...

If it were kids causing the noise there would be fines! The city will not fine the ones that fund them. Students are an easy cash flow for the police.

Anonymous said...

Maybe when the folks "leading" this craphole are voted out the city will get better. Not until then.
Mayor...joke
City Administrator...joke
Council Members....biggest joke
Chief Duncan...lazy,lost, and clueless joke

Get out while you can before this place gets any worse.

Anonymous said...

Lets hear more about the slum rental one of the GG associates rented out in Princess Anne that ended in 9 people being killed. I still say they are partially at fault.

Anonymous said...

I am appalled at the governments lack of moral and ethical Values in this area!They roll right over the citizens wishes and rights in favor of big money.the only right you can is to pay taxes and fees.The very people who pay their salaries are beaten down and their voices are ignored and disrespected. No lawyer in this area will stand up for your rights no matter the cost.They just want to make backroom deals. Even the judges are paid off There is no winning against the roll over no matter how hard working and honest you are. This is not the Salisbury I was born and raised in.There is no future for Salisbury MD IF THESE LOCAL GOVERMENT people are allowed to continue their current practices.

Anonymous said...

City police busy with skateboarders and bikers.

Anonymous said...

Forget about suing the City -- you can speak out at every regular city council meeting, carried on PAC14 -- and embarrass the members and mayor for free. If you don't want to do that, you're part of the problem, so stop whining.

Anonymous said...

Contact FOX NEWS and get the story out there for all to see and hear. File a law suit and use a lawyer from the western shore.

Anonymous said...

When you have over 100 JOBS,....yes well paying construction JOBS ( no minimum wage arguments here) on any one day with multiple delivery vehicles in and out of a site, yes it is hard to control each and every person that arrives, several of which are not known or even contracted with the General Contractor. The neighbors advice was tried and attempts to limit access were made. Unfortunately people remove the barricades.
The City of Salisbury does restrict construction activities. Painters on a Sunday really do not make much noise or disruption but Salisbury restricts that activity. It is the ONLY industry that the City unfairly discriminates on.

Anonymous said...

Speaking city council meetings been there done that the only result I have seen is retaliation in the form of Neighborhood Serices targeting and ticketing your property unrelentlessly.
No matter what you do in response they roll right over you Some very shady practices from that office.People heading that office poorly qualified and march to the orders of out Clueless Mayor.They are poor leaders yet the residents say nothing as they fear the same treatment It will continue as long as people don't exercise their rights and fear retaliation Unity against this in mass is only foreseeable way to end this behavior Salisbury Leaders are fast becoming Government terrorist in their behavior Don't cross city ha
L or you will threatened and harassed beyond belief until you lose your property to these government thugs.

Anonymous said...

Gillis Gilkerson Construction has nothing to do with or have any ownership any residential rentals in any town. Get your facts straight 12:22

Anonymous said...

12:22
No they just form a small company and do their dirty work that way.