Ocean City Volunteer Fire Chief Chris Larmore Speaks Out

In the upcoming days, the remaining truth and facts regarding the fire service in the Town of Ocean City will continue to unfold. In the meantime, although I will not become embattled in a media or chat room war, I must submit the following to:

Actual Info 700, and the one or two against us that claim to belong to the to fire service, an institution of loyalty, honesty and integrity. If you wish to condemn, growl, and eternally find fault, then leave the organization, and damn to your hearts content. However, to do this, and remain a member, means you are both a coward and foolish, for as you condemn and demoralize the organization, it is a reflection upon you. Lastly, to do so anonymously is further indicative of your character.

Chris Larmore
Chief OCVFC

Wicomico Board of Education - It's Not Just About Retirement Anymore

Thanks to a well written article in Sunday's Daily Times (along with a very interesting supplement on pages A6-A7), discussion of the Wicomico County Board of Education's (WCBOE) Early Notification Program (ENP) should take a dramatic turn. The WCBOE's stated purposes for the ENP are simple: retention (especially for those with 20 - 25 years of service) and HR planning. However, it is the supplemental information provided that should give the greatest cause for concern.

On pages A6 and A7 of the printed edition of the Daily Times is a list of WCBOE employees with 25+ years of service. Should the salary levels shock the average taxpayer of Wicomico County? No. By themselves they should not be cause for great concern. However, taken in context, this information should (at least) be grist for the grinder of public discussion.

Let's remember, the average teacher works less than nine (9) months of the year. There's the summer vacation plus all of those Holiday's and breaks that the average private sector worker doesn't get off, much less paid for. Let's take one example. There is a third grade teacher whose salary is listed as $80,179. Annualized, that salary is $107,000. Administrative personnel are (hopefully) a slightly different matter because (again, hopefully) they are "working" twelve months per year. Of course that's not really the case because I do know that they still get most (if not all) of these other holidays and breaks (plus vacation).

The next time you read a letter to the editor from some poor teacher claiming that they have to work as a waitress over the summer "just to make ends meet" at least be more of a skeptic. I'm actually more concerned for the single mom who has to work all year as a waitress and has to pay taxes to provide those teacher salaries.

As a political conservative I don't buy into the typical class warfare arguments. Again, the salary level by themselves shouldn't be cause for alarm. However, where else (besides the Federal government) can you get a job that pays an annualized six figure salary; from which it is almost impossible to be dismissed for poor job performance; where you have great benefits; and where a good share of your medical benefits are paid in retirement?

As I stated in a previous post, if WCBOE teachers and staff want salary levels commensurate with the private sector then their jobs should truly be equivalent to the private sector. That means:

For top level staff, they should be held accountable for the millions of taxpayer dollars they spend. Productivity in the bureaucracy should be one of the core benchmarks against which they are measured. How much money would be saved each year if the hierarchy were flattened out and the same (or more) work was accomplished with half to two-thirds of the personnel. That's what's occurred in the private sector over the last 20 years. Of course that would mean that an EdD (PhD in education) would automatically disqualify an individual from being a superintendent. I can hear the shirt tearing coming from our universities now.

For mid, and lower, level staff there should be NO benefit for seniority. Merit and/or productivity should rule the roost - 100%. Of course you will hear all sorts of the reasons that this can't work from the education bureaucracy. Don't worry, I'll address those later.

For teachers, the remedies are just a bit different. Teachers are, in effect, the infantry. They do the work that matters. Everything else is a support function. Don't get me wrong. Many, but definitely not all, of these other positions are necessary. However, the bottom line is that a school system is supposed to teach our children.

Teachers should be well paid. Teacher pay should NOT be determined solely by seniority. If there is a shortage of math teachers or science teachers then they should be paid more than teachers in areas where there is no shortage (a point made by the Daily Times editorial in Sunday's edition). Tenure should be abolished outright. Teachers should be forced to maintain competence, not only in teaching, but in their core subject area.

There should be merit pay. I constantly hear all of the arguments against it. "You can't trust the principal to evaluate fairly", etc. How do you think it works in the private sector? If a manager (principal) keeps rewarding his buddies instead of the best teachers, then the best teachers will transfer to another school or leave for another system. When top management sees the discrepancy the principal should be FIRED, not merely transferred (which is what happens today at the WCBOE). Of course there are inefficiencies; but in the long run they are worked out of the system.

Teachers should be evaluated on RESULTS. Now, that has to vary depending on the teacher's subject or pupil base. A special ed teacher can't be expected to deliver test results equal to a teacher who's students are classified as "gifted". However, don't tell me that metrics can't be established for measuring these types of activities. Has the public education community ever heard of "Six Sigma"?

Of course there should also be core changes in the curriculum, like making kids read. I get sick to my stomach every time my son, who graduated from the county schools, or one of my nieces or nephews tells me about something that they learned in school and I find out that they watched a movie. Movies are what you watch on the weekend after all of your school work is done. Movies don't claim to be historically accurate or true to the work on which they are based. But in this day our kids are learning Moby Dick from watching "that Star Trek dude" (they mean the version starring Patrick Stewart, which is supposedly the truest to Melville's novel). And we wonder why Johnny can't read?

These are just a few possible solutions, and I readily admit that they primarily focus around pay. There are many more solutions out there and many (most?) of them are worthy of consideration. The question remains - what are we willing to do to improve our public schools? I'm willing to do a lot, including pay higher taxes, IF the WCBOE was serious about fixing the problems of our schools. Unfortunately, I do not believe that there is the political will on the part of the school board (particularly under an O'Malley administration) to actually address these problems. The answer from the MSTA is always a simple one - spend more money. We need only look across the Bay to the DC school system to see that throwing money at a problem is not a solution.

cross posted at Delmarva Dealings

Technorati Tags: Maryland, Wicomico, politics, Wicomico politics, education, MSTA, teacher, pay, benefits, curriculum, merit pay, Daily Times, Gannett

If Anyone Objects To This Marriage, Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace

Help Wanted?

"Did you happen to see the WCDC advertisement for a "CORRECTIONS FACILITY MANAGER"? It's for a maintenance supervisor, for cripe's sake! And they honestly think they're going to get someone certified in electrician, plummer HVAC etc., with good leadership qualities, for $35034 a year? Have you had an electrician or a plummer do any work lately? Plummers get $180 an hour! This is a joke! It's got to be!

Perhaps you also noticed that the requirements for this particular position are a lot longer than those for Chief of Security? Clearly, 3D is of the opinion that one cannot emerge fresh from college and do a sufficient job supervising maintenance personnel, but they can supervise CO's and handle all of the security issues pertaining to inmates. Interesting revelation, that. Perhaps we begin to see how 3D's mind works . . . when it works."

Two Years Ago Today

A Little Known Perk at the Wicomico County Board of Education

NOTE: This article was posted 5 days ago here on Salisbury News. GA and I had been working on it for weeks, obviously forcing the "Daily Times" hand as they're all over it in today's Sunday Paper. Expect a follow up article from GA some time later this morning.

Are you aware that the Wicomico County Board of Education has a program to give teachers and staff a 10% raise for each of their last three years on the job? The program is called the "Early Notification Program" or ENP.

Here's how it works. You file for the program stating your intention to retire at the end of three years. You receive an automatic 10% raise. In year two (2), whatever your salary level is for that year it is automatically bumped by 10%. Ditto for year three (3). At the end of year three (3) you are officially retired. The justification for this program is that Wicomico County has a tough time keeping teachers for their full careers. Reportedly, Worcester and Talbot counties provide a much better salary package as well as a much better retiree medical benefit.

Contrary to the beliefs of some, there does not appear to be anything nefarious about it. It was passed by the school board in an open meeting and the program details are right on the BOE's web site.

That said, I still have a problem with the program. You constantly hear public sector employees whine that their pay and benefits should be comparable to the private sector. I happen to be in complete agreement. EVERY aspect of their jobs should be comparable to the private sector.

What would that entail for the WCBOE teachers and staff:

1. Their wages would be set by the market, not a negotiation between the teacher's union and another group of civil servants at the board.

2. Their job security would have the same protections as the private sector provides. Merit, not seniority, would dictate pay and promotion. If a teacher or staff person is not doing their job they are terminated, NOT transferred to another school or office.

3. In the case of teachers, they would give away ALL of their union protections. They claim to be professionals. They demand to be paid as professionals. FINE. Professionals don't have unions. No ridiculous grievance procedure, etc. (see 2).

4. Teachers would have an opportunity to contribute to a 401-K type account (which is usually better than the 403-B's I have seen) with a market based match. This would save the state $million$ in retirement costs. As for medical benefits, they would get what the market delivers. Today, that is usually nothing. The days of defined benefit plans with hefty medical benefits are gone. Sure we all know a few people who are receiving them now, but how many people do we know who have 10+ years to go until retirement and have these plans? Read the Wall Street Journal once in while. Companies are choosing bankruptcy rather than being saddle with these liabilities. (for the record, I blame the management who signed the contracts and not the unions who won the contracts)

the list can go on... and on... and on.

Teachers, and all public sector employees, have a right to change jobs just like everyone else. If you want to be a teacher and can make more in Worcester County, you are free to go. Do not give me a song and dance about "losing our best teachers". Truly good teachers don't go into it for the money to begin with. Additionally, since teachers (and most public sector employees) do not face market forces when it comes to every other area of their employment they have no right to claim the free market when it comes to pay and benefits.

Now I am sure that I will receive a great deal of negative comments about this. So be it! Again, this is America. Public sector employees have a right to move, change jobs, etc. just like the rest of us. It makes me think of a story from a friend of mine.

He was having a discussion with a government employee who whined on about how the local government wasn't doing this, wasn't doing that ...

"Where's your draft card?", he said.

"What do you mean? I don't have a draft card."

"Exactly. No one is FORCING you to work for the (enter city, county, state, federal government). You have a perfect right to go work somewhere else. If you are SO unhappy, that's just what you should do."

There endeth the conversation (very abruptly).


I want to thank Bill Cain and Tracy Sahler for answering my questions and providing me with all of the information that I requested.

cross posted at Delmarva Dealings

Technorati Tags: Maryland, Wicomico, politics, Wicomico politics, WCBOE, education, free market, pay, benefits, retirement

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SU Sports Finals

Men's Basketball- SU 79, Villa Julie 72

Womens Lax SU 25, Hood 0

Womens Basketball SU 68, Villa Julie 51

One Year Ago Today

Appreciating Global Warming, LOL!

A Former Insider In Liquor Dispensary Speaks Out

"Alessi is on the Liquor board. I worked there for six years and found many "Questionable events." Managers were treated to lunches at Brew River, we also had breakfast buffets at the Ramada at the publics expense. When in Rome, you know, I ate well from you being over charged, while we employees enjoyed liquor at cost. That has been now changed to 25% off discount for employees unless that has changed since my departure.

When I first started working there I was made aware that just prior to my hire in 1997, there were two whole days deposits missing and never found, the police were not called and it was all swept under the rug. I called the Sheriff's department at the time to report it and they told me in was in the city jurisdiction and to call the city police, in turn the city police told me to call the Sheriff's department, nobody wanted to touch that "Hot Potato." After those two incidents we did start using tamper proof deposit bags and when I made deposits I always had another eyeball, by taking another manager with me to the bank to verify.

There was one sales person in particular that might have well just filled out his own purchase orders and that salesmen went to lunch at least once a month with the general manager at that time. The salesman making all of their quota's of course got a nice bonus check from his employers at the end of the month.

Was this bonus shared with the general manager? That was never proven but most employees took it as the writing on the wall. People that had worked there for thirty years just got used to it being, that's the way it's always been done!

Ask any bar or restaurant owner how they feel about it. Ask Tom Ruark, he has a liquor store in the Pecan Square shopping center. They all pay 15% more than they would if they were allowed to purchase their product directly from the supplier. I think it's about time they were dissolved. However, you see this also goes up to the supplier level, do you know how much more it would cost them to stop at all the private liquor stores, bars and restaurants? They don't want to see that happen."

Tim Chaney

Seagulls 20-Virginia Wesleyan 7

Seagull Stadium

Number 49 Matt Hickman ignited the Seagulls scoring 37 seconds into the game which catalyzed a 20-7 win over visiting Virginia Wesleyan (0-1) this afternoon. Patrick Bonanno added a power play goal followed by a Greg Titus Goal to make a quick 3-0 lead. Titus added the fifth goal of the quarter by finding the back of the net with 3.8 seconds left in the half. Wesleyan did not register a shot in the first quarter. Salisbury dominated control of the ball throughout the quarter which set the tone for the whole game.

Both teams came out a bit rusty missing loose balls and making sloppy passes, but the rust soon wore off and play got better. Salisbury’s only weakness was themselves in committing numerous penalties. Wesleyan was able to capitalize off those penalties for tallies, but Salisbury’s high octane offense and staggering defense was still too much to overcome. Wesleyan was not able to score until 12:45 in the second quarter.

Things quickly picked up again for Salisbury in the fourth quarter extending the lead to double digits again to the final tally of 20 goals. It seemed that Wesleyan had no answer during this period except for a last second goal off of a Salisbury Penalty. The total control of the ball was lopsided in favor of the Gulls and Wesleyan could only muster a sustained offensive possession only a few times in the game.

The play of the game goes to Mike Von Kamecke for a sweet fake pass then shot behind the back for the fourth score of the game in the first quarter which surprised the crowd as well as Wesleyan’s goalie. The over all play had some big time hits on both sides of the ball which got the crowd off their seats. Salisbury can be best described as wile and slick on offense. The attackers spun and ducked away from Wesleyan’s long stickmen in often a futile attempt to take control of the ball. The defense stepped up by rendering Wesleyans offense non-existent throughout most of the game.

Seagull Stadium main stand was filled with students of all ages and members of the community. Though quite crisp the weather did not dampen the fans spirits or the Gulls at all with many boisterously excited fans showing their support.

The Seagulls (1-0) play Lynchburg at Seagull Stadium a week from today, February 23rd, at 12pm. The win continues Salisbury’s winning streak to 24 games. Salisbury holds the NCAA record for most wins in a row with 69.

Full box score will be available once it is posted via
http://www.suseagulls.com/sports/mlax/index

To Ocean City Taxpayers & Residents

In response to an editorial letter in the Ocean City Today newspaper dated February 15, 2008, about the OCFVC addressing the Ocean City Council Members Jimmy Hall is asking for the council members to reconsider their vote to support the volunteer fire company. Let's hope that the council members realize how large this decision is.

This decision will require an extremely large amount of additional monies that the taxpayers will have to anti up to pay when the fire company takes their 50% ownership of the fire equipment, land and buildings that the equipment is housed in. Also, the taxpayer should be aware that the Town Of Ocean City will need to hire full-time, paid personnel to take the positions of the volunteer firefighters duties that are presently at no cost to the taxpayer.

As a former active/now "life" member of the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company, I took pride and still continue to take pride, in responding to the fire calls while being active. It gives me pleasure to that I am able to give something back to the community that I have lived in all my life that does not cost the community one cent. I'm sure that the feeling is shared by many other firefighters. I, also as a taxpayer, want to let the taxpayers and residents know that by replacing the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company, who commit thousands of hours per year to the cause, the town will have to replace these volunteers with paid personnel at a cost of potentially millions of dollars in salaries and benefits that is not currently being allocated. So, ready yourself for some major tax increases.

If the council proceeds along the path that they are heading now you can bet that the volunteer fire company will not leave Ocean City any less protected than it is today and will only leave when the volunteer fire company feels comfortable that the residents and tourists are fully protected and not a day sooner.

I think it's a shame that the negative politics playing out in City Hall are affecting the health and wellbeing of the town and all its property owners. Please show your displeasure with this current decision and attend the meeting at City Hall on Tuesday, February 19th at 6pm. If you can't go to this meeting. Please send your thoughts to the Salisbury News blog site at this address: http://www.town.ocean-city.md.us/video/videofiles/data/021208a.html.

Bob and Cindy Jester

Publisher's Note: There are additional articles below this Post on the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Department. Scroll down to see those two articles or click HERE and HERE instead. Again, don't miss Stewart Dobsons Editorial HERE from the Ocean City Today Newspaper.

Should Wicomico County & Worcester County Be In The Liquor Business?

Almost one month ago Wicomico County Council Vice President Stevie Prettyman reached under the table and brought out three six packs of beer she personally purchased from a Wicomico County Dispensary. There had been an agreement the County would NOT compete against any County Convenience Store and that agreement was broke.

It has been rumored that one of the people within the Dispensary actually challenged Councilwoman Prettyman by claiming she did NOT purchase this Beer from one of their stores, yet there was as actual receipt of her purchase proving she was in fact telling the truth.

Now what does that say about the heads of this system, trying to defame Councilwoman Prettyman and challenge her integrity? IMO, this person should be terminated immediately!

I have come to learn that the Dispensary in the Giant Shopping Center allegedly pays around $7,000.00 a month for that space. I also came to learn allegedly renovations have been done to a certain location whereas Ron Alessi's company did the renovations. Talk about a conflict of interest!

I also came to learn throughout my month long investigation that the Dispensary System allegedly spent close to $50,000.00 last year in advertising. Want to know where MOST of that money, (if not all) of it was spent? What's the most expensive form of advertising on the Eastern Shore? The Metropolitan Magazine! The rest was spent in The Daily Times. Just take a look at almost any copy of the Metropolitan and you'll see where your tax dollars were spent.

Now what bothers me about this is the fact that the County owns a monopoly on the Liquor Business in the County, why the hell do they need to spend ANY money in advertising, period? Do they think people won't figure out the few locations there are to purchase such said Liquor?

A month ago County Executive Rick Pollitt said, I'm not sure if the County should be in the Liquor Business. He went on to say. When a part of local Government is put up in competition with other stores it's not appropriate.

Councilwoman Prettyman had said, she didn't know if County Government should be in the Liquor Business against private enterprise. Should we be in competition with Convenience Stores?

Back in the prohibition days the United States used a dispensary system to sell alcohol. Dispensaries have certainly outlived their usefulness and the system is broken/outdated.

Worcester County fought this battle 4 years ago, (or so) and brought it to a referendum, losing by only 2%. From the research I have performed, Worcester County is also on the war path to fight it once again, this time with the backing and support of this Blog Site.

The Eastern Shore has its fill of religious representatives too afraid to take the bull by the horns and simply make changes. IMO these representatives are wonderful people and have certainly served and represented their Districts wonderfully. However, there are topics and situations similar to this one that is just too hot a topic for them to step forward and support right off the bat.

By privatizing this business you would see a stronger competition, similar to the competition within Gas Stations throughout communities. If one lowers their price, the others either have to follow to compete or lose business. It keeps people more honest, IMO. I believe there should be two stores each in the North, South, East & West side of Wicomico County and two stores in Salisbury.

Wicomico County and Worcester County have a monopoly that as a businessman, I personally do not appreciate. Again, based on the Wicomico County Council Meeting I attended, Wicomico County is at least interested in researching the usefulness of such a system through Councilwoman Prettyman and the County Executive Rick Pollitt.

The Liquor Dispemnsary brings Wicomico anywhere from $300,000.00 to $400,000.00 a year. While getting close to my own final thoughts, try this out for size. How about the County Executive and County Council bring the decision to referendum? This way the CITIZENS can vote on what THEY want and everyone is in the clear? That goes for Worcester County and Wicomico County.

Again, that's MY opinion and I'd be very interested in what others think and feel about this situation. I'm hearing from both Worcester County and Wicomico County residents and quite frankly each and every one of them are all for taking it away from County Run Dispensaries. What do YOU think?

Readers Question on Orioles Baseball

Have the Baltimore Orioles secured a radio station on the shore to carry their games? - Dan

Yes! Here is the official list...

Annapolis - WNAV-AM (1430 AM)Baltimore - WHFS-FM (105.7 FM)Crisfield - WBEY-FM (97.9 FM)Cumberland - WTBO-AM (1450 AM)Frederick - WFMD-AM (930 AM)Frostburg - WFRB-AM (560 AM)Hagerstown - WARK-AM (1490 AM)Ocean City - WKHZ-AM (1590 AM)Pocomoke City - WGOP-AM (540 AM)Pocomoke City - WKHW-FM (106.5 FM)Salisbury - WICO-AM (1320 AM)Westminster - WTTR-AM (1470 AM)

And on a side note, the last Orioles/Yankees game I went to the Boston Red Sox fans were the ones gettting kicked out for heckling the Yankees....Booo Yankees

Thanks to www.baltimoreorioles.com

Ocean City Volunteers Have Had Enough

On Wednesday there was a "work session" of the Ocean City Mayor and Town Council held at City Hall concerning among other issues the fire service in the Town of Ocean City. It has been long rumored that the Mayor and City Council as well as the City Manager and Director of Emergency Services have been putting together a plan to move the Volunteer Fire Company out of corporate town limits to be replaced by a costly paid fire service. When this rumor became more of a valid story the town government quickly backtracked to save face amongst extreme public outcry. Not only was the town attempting to destroy a fire company that has been protecting and serving Ocean City as well as Worcester County for over 100 years but also trying to replace an entirely volunteer force with one which would be paid to the roughly estimated tune of over 10 million dollars a year to operate after spending an unknown sum to purchase the volunteers portion of ownership of the fire hous es, fire apparatus and equipment.

Last year the Mayor and City Council set forth guidelines and goals that they wanted to see the fire company accomplish in a years time. Undisputed by the town council, mayor, and fire company the Volunteers meeted and exceeded those goals. Unfortunately, in December the council was once again rumored to put in place plans to purchase their own fire apparatus and pay additional personnel to staff them in the upcoming budget. The fire company responded by asking the council what their intentions were. The council once again backtracked and hid their intentions and gave a "vote of confidence" in the Fire Chief and attempted to quell the outcry. Yesterday at the council work session in Ocean City, Fire Chief Chris Larmore approached the Mayor and City Council with many questions that he wanted answered concerning where the Fire Company stood in the role of fire protection for the town. The bottom line is that the fire service in Ocean City curr ently has two seperate bosses; The Director of Emergency Management: Joe Theobald, and the Volunteer Fire Chief: Chris Larmore. At dismay with their boss Joe Theobald, the EMS division in Ocean City as well as the Paid Firefighters Union, and the Volunteer Fire Company all agreed to support Fire Chief Chris Larmore to be the Fire Administrator for the entire town, answering to the Mayor and City Council. This seemed to make all parties concerned happy and put in place one person to oversee fire service in the town. Naturally the Council wasn't happy that their beloved City Manager, Dennis Dare would have no control over the fire company and voted against making this deal happen. The Firefighters Union's only concern was working for a volunteer Fire Chief. To fix this, Chris Larmore offered to hold an "appointed city position" with no salary. In essense doing for free a job that when compared to other Ocean City salaries would probably pay approxi mately 125,000 a year.

The city has time and time again been dishonest with the tax payers of the town, as well as the Volunteer Fire Company. They lied when they said that there was no plan in place to replace the volunteer fire company and they lied when they voted to have confidence in the current fire chief. By a vote of 3-3 with 1 abstaining, the council voted to turn down the Fire Chief's motion to be the head of Fire Service in the town. This sent councilwoman Margaret Pillas into an outrage. Pillas, who among other council members was ordered by the Mayor two months ago to research the matter has spent her time talking to Emergency Services Personnel in the town, meeting with Firemen and Fire Chiefs, and touring fire houses. She chastised other members of Council who said they were not familiar enough with the issue and needed more time to educated themselves. Pillas said what many in attendance were thinking, esentially "You have had your time to educate yourselves, now is the meeting, now is the time to decide." Those voting to approve the measure were Margaret Pillas, James Hancock, and Jim Hall, those voting against it were Mary Knight, Joe Metricic and Nancy Howard. Lloyd Martin was too scared to make a decision.

Because of this vote the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company held a special meeting at 7:00 PM Tuesday night. The fire company decided that they could not continue to operate for a Town Council that is deceitful, untruthful, and flat out devious. The fire company cannot guarantee service to it's citizens if it is not itself included in decisions regarding fire protection in the town. This has happened time and time again in closed door meetings without the presence of any representation from the fire company. The fire company voted almost unanimously that because of the council's refusal to fully disclose their hidden agendas, their lack of confidence in the volunteer fire company, and their extreme desire to allow their city manager to run the town with no regard to the thoughts and feelings of the general taxpayer, the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company stated their intention to leave Ocean City corporate limits and change their primary jurisdiction to i nclude only the area known as "West Ocean City". Because of the fire company's dedication to the safety of the citizens of Ocean City they will be requesting a timeline from Ocean City as to when they will be able to staff their own paid fire company to protect the town.

This decision did not come lightly and it is not to be taken as a threat. The fire company is not asking for the town council to change their mind or to conduct another vote. Their vote yesterday signaled to the fire company that even if they rescinded their position there is an unhealthy town council in place that will continue to lie, deceive, and trick the fire company and general public. This is a town council that the Volunteer Fire Company cannot and will not work for.

You may form your own opinion but I truly believe that this is the final sign that the Mayor and Town Council of Ocean City is not speaking on behalf of the taxpayers, residents, and visitors of Ocean City but of their own true hidden agenda.

http://www.town.ocean-city.md.us/video/videofiles/data/021208a.html

Will Atkins Run Again?

The arrogance of some politicians never ceases to amaze me. Former Delaware Rep. John Atkins seems to be planning a comeback tour. This time as a Democrat. I guess that the Delaware GOP just won't have him back.

Yes, this is the same John Atkins who resigned in disgrace after being pulled over by an Ocean City policeman and beating a drunk driving rap by flashing his legislative ID. I also seem to remember some allegations of a domestic nature.

Now he's claiming that "the people" are calling for him come back and serve their needs. Please! Whatever happened to simply fading away?

I'm sure that the Delaware Democrat Party will be proud to have him.


cross posted at Delmarva Dealings

Technorati Tags: Delaware, politics, Delaware politics, John Atkins, GOP, Democrat

Try A Few Facts Next Time

A post appeared yesterday on Salisbury News (I blog which I contribute to) which I find disturbing on several levels. My friend and colleague Joe Albero has chosen to reprint an entry from the Daily Times "Story Chat". While there's nothing particularly wrong with that, unless the folks at Gannett want to get into a twist over a perceived copyright infringement, the piece has no context and is riddled with inaccuracy. The writer of the "Story Chat" entry lists a series of "Facts". Sadly, there is only one fact listed. Everything else is opinion or conjecture.

Yes, it is a fact that nearly seven in ten GOP voters in Maryland's First District voted against Wayne Gilchrest. We all knew that late Tuesday night / early Wednesday morning.

The writer claims that Maryland Sen. Andy Harris' win would have been by an even larger margin had the weather been better on the Western Shore. While this is possible, perhaps even probable, it certainly does not rise to the level of fact. An equally strong case can be made that better weather would have narrowed the margin a bit. Let's face it, among registered Republicans, much of Gilchrest's support was "soft". Far more of Harris' voters are willing to go out in bad weather because they have a strong philosophical bond with Harris.

The writer claims that "Wayne Gilchrest is a dirty campaigner". "Dirty campaigner" is a subjective term. Logically, it cannot be a fact. What evidence does the writer provide?

He (she?) claims that Gilchrest convinced Banks to enter the race in an effort to siphon off Harris votes. Perhaps. Can it be proven? Even if he did, so what. Has the author looked at how many votes Banks received?

He claims that Gilchrest persuaded Maryland Sen. E J Pipkin to get into the race for the same reasons. Is there any evidence to prove this claim? No. The writer's claim is a not uncommon tactic. I've seen it used many times in my life. I fully expected Gilchrest to do this last summer. However, after Pipkin did enter the race I spent some time talking to friends and acquaintances who work closely with Pipkin and this doesn't appear to be a credible claim.

The other claims in that paragraph are either subjective or provide no evidence. The writer also claims that Gilchrest inquired into the possibility of running as an independent. Certainly possible, but certainly not proven. Ditto, the claim that Gilchrest is a sore loser.

The writer claims that Gilchrest's claim of a Reagan endorsement is false. Sorry guy. There was an endorsement by Reagan from, I believe, 1988. Using the endorsement in later races is fair game. Don't like it? Ask to be sent down to "Rookie League".

By now you are wondering, "So what?".

It's simple. Joe likes to portray Salisbury News as an alternative to the Daily Times and other MSM. By printing pieces like this he is committing the same sin so prevalent in the Daily Times, that of "he said, she said" journalism. Just by quoting what someone else has said or written doesn't absolve you of your responsibility to your readers.

I know that many readers will claim hypocrisy on my part because I don't criticize Joe in the same manner that I do the Daily Times. The criticism is fair, but false. I don't hold myself up to be a reporter. I've never claimed to be objective. The difference be me and my friends at the Daily Times is that I'm willing to admit it. I am a journalist only in the sense that other writers of op-ed are journalists. I am very careful to get my facts right before I make claims, but I do not claim to be a neutral observer reporting the news. As for any claim of hypocrisy regarding Albero v Gannett, it's simple. I write what I want. I choose the subject matter. I don't claim otherwise.

I know that some readers will wonder, "Why now?". I've seldom, if ever, criticized Albero in the past. Joe is a friend. Any criticism has been between he and I, either in person or over the phone. My concern now is political as much as anything else.

As I wrote yesterday, the Daily Times appears to be trying to keep the collective knickers of Gilchrest supporters in a perpetual twist. If Albero is the ardent supporter of Andy Harris that he claims, does it serve the best interests of his (and my) chosen candidate for Congress to keep poking sticks at folks who might hopefully vote for Harris in the general? No.

Regardless of the political implications, I simply don't enjoy reading pieces that are actually more guilty of certain sins than the Daily Times. Does Salisbury News aspire to be an online version of a real newspaper? How about the National Enquirer? Either is fine. It's simply a matter of personal taste. However, if the Salisbury News wishes to be an online version of the Daily Times, then I have to beg off. We already have one of those; and while they have been getting better of late (in some areas) they still need a lot of improvement.

cross posted at Delmarva Dealings

Technorati Tags: 2008, Maryland, politics, Maryland politics, media, criticism, Joe Albero, Andy Harris, Wayne Gilchrest, E J Pipkin, Daily Times, Gannett, Salisbury News

Blog Or Politics

I have been asked countless times, "Why don't you get into politics, Joe?"

Every so often I sit back and think about it and I know why, I just haven't taken the time to express my reasoning to all of you.

The Mayor of Salisbury makes a whopping $25,000.00 a year. City Council Members make around $10,000.00 a year. County Council Members make around $20,000.00 a year, probably less. A Senator makes less than $100,000.00 a year and a Congressman makes a little more than that.

Let's look at the Andy Harris Race for an example. Andy Harris will spend somewhere around $2,000,000.00 just to become a Congressman. It would take 20 years to get a return on your money. I know Pipkin claims he spent around $1,000,000.00 of his own money on his own Campaign. Make you wonder how he's going to get that back, EH? It takes a guy like Andy you know you can trust. He wasn't putting his own money into the Campaign, (that I know of) so there's no worry about a return on his investment, If'n you know what I mean?

Nevertheless, even when you get into smaller local politics you have unbelievable expenses, Telephone, gas, travel, meetings, seminars, the list goes on and on. Any good Council Person worth their seat will actually SPEND more than they make as a Member, seriously.

So to me, it's bullshit! I only put good money after good money, period! I personally would have to believe that anyone seriously getting into Politics is a NUT! Then there are some who get into it because they're crooked and find ways to be on the take, I'll not mention any names, you know who I mean.

Then I sit back and I think about what I do daily and who actually makes more of a difference, me, or the Politicians? 2 years ago I would have said the Politicians. Today, I make more of a difference than I could ever make on Council, for example. I don't have 4 to 6 other people voting against me. I am able to say my peace, express my thoughts and then thousands upon thousands of you get on here and have the FREEDOM of making up your own minds on how you feel about each and every issue.

To be in Politics is a joke. The return on the investment into Congress is 20 years just to break even? There should be term limits and there should also be limits on Campaign Spending. Make everyone get out there and MEET the Citizens, like in the old days. Get to know your Candidate!

Then there's the personal attacks. You get some nut jobs out there like some of the Anti Albero Bloggers, the Cathcarts, Mike Dunn and some others that are puppets for the Mayor who are nothing but hit men for the Mayor and get on Story Chat, the Grapevine and the Blogs just to bash everyone. Remember the Mayor saying she had a job for Mike Dunn after he resigned? Take a wild guess who's who on the Story Chat! That can be difficult to take, getting personally attacked. You have to be a professional like me and take it for years to have a strong enough back bone to survive so many attacks. Charles Jannace couldn't handle it and had a sort of break down and shut down his Blog.

Anyhow, I have no personal interest in local Politics and I truly believe my Blog can do far more good than being paid peanuts and having nothing but dissatisfied constutuents. My hat is tipped to ALL of those Council Members who take so much heat from others, who do what they do basically for free because by the time they're done researching something they've spent more time and money on subjects than they make, believe me on that. Besides, once I start advertising I can at least make money at what I do. Politicians cannot. I'll stick with my Blog and make all the difference in the world from the outside. Wouldn't you agree?

OCVFC or AQVFC (Al Qaeda)?

"The "leadership" of the OCVFC is a disgrace to the fire service. I have never seen such a blatant abuse and misuse of trust in authority. In order to get "their way", the Chief/President have used propaganda to attempt to instill fear in the very people that they are supposed to protect. Their hyperbole about safety concerns and increased taxes for the citizens and business owners has no emperical data or evidence to support their claim. Yet, their very decision to "take their ball and go home" would be the catalyst for such events if it weren't for the fact that the city has career fire personnel that are there 24/7 in addition to a core group of volunteers who are there to provide protection rather than engage in politics. The OCVFC "leadership" is using scare tactics and threats on the citizens and business community to gain support for their veiws, essentially holdng them hostage until their ransom met. The OCVFC "leadership" has the backing of an affluent local business man who consequently directly controls the vote of a long-term councilman. Interestingly, the aforementioned both have vested interest in a local newspaper. That newspaper's use of "yellow journalism" is obvious when compared to the more balanced reporting of other local publications. So, to summarize, there is a group who wants power and control and will use threats and fear to gain them. They are well financed and have political henchmen disguised as public officials who control a media source. Propaganda has been fed to the followers and non-conformists have been isolated - if someone didn't speak up, their silence was taken and portrayed as "100% support of the membership". Again, the "leadership" of the OCVFC (or AQVFC)are a disgrace to all firefighters, paid and volunteer, who wear the badge. To the Chief and President, I say to you both, you are nothing but a terrorist in a dress uniform."

This was a comment left this morning. I truly wish Fire Fighters would MAN UP with their names but it was worthy of a Post.

Great Hockey Moments On YouTube

Here is a link to the worst accident in hockey. With the sharp blades, I'm surprised more accidents like this dont happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWQH9x1lqDc

Here's a link to the Zednik incident.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-OsHA1cBjE

JIM

Sunday Drive

At one time I worked away from home all week, so I always made a special
effort to spend time with my family on the weekends. Every Sunday
morning I would take my 4 year old granddaughter out for a drive in the car for
some bonding time.

One particular Sunday however, I had a bad cold and really didn't feel
like being up at all. Luckily, my wife came to the rescue and said that
she would take our granddaughter out for a drive.

When they returned,my granddaughter anxiously ran upstairs to see me. "Well, did you enjoy your ride with grandma?" I asked. "Oh yes, PaPa" the girl replied, "and
do you know what? We didn't see a single dumb bastard or lousy shit head!" Kinda brings a tear to your eye doesn't it.