In the name of eradicating blight, the Barrie Comegys bloc of the Salisbury City Council has put the city’s taxpayers on the hook for hundreds of thousands (and probably millions) of dollars. By taking possession of the “Linens of the Week” property, and absolving the owners of all environmental liability, the city can now spend, spend, spend. Police can be furloughed, ambulance crews can be cut, but somehow Louise Smith and her cohorts will make sure that money will be spent to tear down a property that will be an open ended environmental fiasco.
Smith, et al, argue that the city will receive “Brownfield Grants” from the feds. They might. However, they might not. Even if they do receive help from Annapolis and the federal government, it is doubtful that these grants will cover the full freight of cleaning up contaminated soils and demolishing a building guaranteed to be full of asbestos.
There are only two possible results from this maneuver:
One, the city will go deeper into debt to fix this problem. Even then, they will never be able to turn the property over to Habitat for Humanity or another non-profit without absolving them of liability. It is doubtful that Habitat’s board is as foolish as the majority of Salisbury’s council.
Two, the city will decide that they aren’t to going to borrow the money to mitigate this problem. Then you are back where you started … EXCEPT that now the city is on the hook for any damage caused by the polluted property.
During last night’s debate a comparison was made between this property and “The Bricks”. The estimated cost of renovating that property is now up to the $1 million mark. Council’s leading intellectual – Shanie Shields – rebutted by asking how much money had been spent on “The Bricks”. The question was rhetorical, and we all knew that the answer was ZERO. However, what was the point of taking over “The Bricks”? It was to get a blighted property renovated. With the “Linens of the Week” property we are faced with a similar dilemma. If the property isn’t mitigated, it will still be a blight. Now that the city has accepted the “donation”, there will be a call to spend however much it takes. If not, the argument will go, how can the city “recoup its investment”? They can’t, at least not this way.
10 comments:
Exactly where is the property?
With our Country in the financial crisis it's in-----I doubt very seriously Grants will be gotton.
Stupid Move!
Let us not forget the lead paint abatement. The building will have to be encapsulated to prevent health hazards to the surrounding neighborhoods. Just how far will lead dust and asbestos travel once airborne?
Put the public health at risk for the sake of a few votes in the upcoming election. Absolutely ridiculous.
The property is at 407 Anne Street. Here is a Google Map link to the property
Why isn't Boda speaking out against this nonsense?
The biggest surprise last night was that Ireton now is on the other side from Terry Cohen and Debbis Campbell. Don't say that they are in cahoots when that is no longer the case, if it ever was.
We keep bleeding the feds. and State for grant money. We, as a nation are bankrupt. Don't these idiots get it yet?
Comegy and Shields have nevr had to "EARN" their living , everything they have has been given to them by the government , state and federal. The really think
that this standard is ok. It's a commin people , they will have a big surprise shortly.
and after they demolish and "clean" up site, then what will the MDE and EPA allow them to do? I'll be very very curious....
Anonymous said...
The biggest surprise last night was that Ireton now is on the other side from Terry Cohen and Debbis Campbell. Don't say that they are in cahoots when that is no longer the case, if it ever was.
1:13 PM
Ireton used Debbie and Terry in the Mayoral election to get himself elected. He rode Debbie's coattail to get elected. He used many people and turned his back on them.
I don't know who I despise worse Jim Liarton or Louweasel Smith!
So what good candidates are running for City Council in the next election? We need 3 good candidates and not just Cohen and Spies. Ireton is trying to stack the deck with his so called friends and they are just as worthless as he is. If you see the names of Mitchell, Carey and Cook on the Ballot you need to run.
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