For seven years now I have been attending Salisbury City Council Meetings. The main reason I started going was the disbelief I was reading and ultimately seeing.
Salisbury had a Mayor no one I had come across agreed with. Special interests were lining up for their take on what they could get out of the City taxpayers and in one case one Council Member, (Rachel Polk) was physically attacked.
You had a Police Chief who yanked the attacker off of Rachel Polk, yet he claimed in the Daily Times, he didn't see anything. I'm not going to get long winded about that but I will finish by saying those who testified in Court one after the other convincingly showed this was the case.
Rather than getting forever long winded about my history with the City of Salisbury and the many topics I could easily pick and choose from I'll simply say this. The future does not look good, period.
I have watched a few different Council's over the years continue to take good care of special interests. Arguments have yet to stop and the citizens are actually the ones fighting amongst themselves. Your votes are the main reason why things continue to go in the direction they have. I want to be clear here, EVERYONE is at fault on the Council.
We are about to experience yet another election and while there are those "Dirty Dozen", (actually hundreds) who continue to voice how upset they are about how things are going, my guess is that there will once again be another Louise Smith/Jim Ireton who enter the race claiming they're going to do one thing and in the end all they'll do is carry on the same old, same old.
So what's the answer. Well, know who your candidates are. If they all of a sudden start showing up to Council Meetings, that's red flag #1. If they do show up at Council Meetings but are too afraid to stand up and speak on behalf of what they believe in, that's red flag #2.
Politicians really aren't as difficult to understand if they're in it for the right reasons. Think about it like this. If Joe Albero were to run for Office, do you really believe I'd get up there and just tell you what you want to hear in order to get your vote. The true answer to that question is, hell no. I'd tell you what I believe and if you agree with my agenda you vote for me. If you disagree you'd vote for someone else. Pretty much like this Blog. There are others out there and you have a choice to go to any one of them you so choose.
The biggest difference in what I'm trying to express here is this. Tens of thousands of you know me like a book. After all these years you have a pretty good idea what I stand for. If all of a sudden I started changing my ways and saying things you know from within isn't the regular Joe, there's a red flag. So how well do you know the candidates? Tim Spies and Muir Boda have been in the public eye for years now. Do you know what they stand for? You should! But how can you if they refuse to stand up at a Council Meeting to be heard.
The most important part of this Post is this. Salisbury has shown over the past 14 years, (if not more) that the City Council is all about Council Members disagreeing on just about EVERYTHING! You have a Mayor who claims he wants the Council President to put things on the agenda and allegedly the Council President refuses to do so. Instead, what does get put on the agenda are things that continue to cost the taxpayers more and more money. The Bricks, old Fire Station 16, the WWTP, new Fire Station, a new Fire Boat, fines for not clearing your snow fast enough, the list goes on and on.
You don't see 24 new Police Officers, while crime continues to go through the roof. You don't see the elimination of Urban Salisbury. Its as if there's no "Master Plan" for the City. What I mean by that is, you don't have a City Council truly working for the taxpayers. IF there was a Master Plan of common sense, (like new Police Officers) reduced taxed for new businesses, no impact fees for new home construction, heck, I'm sure there are plenty of things we could add to that list where the Council seemed to be on the right track towards a better future for ALL and not just SOME.
In the past 14+ years we have been subjected to arguing and bickering and this needs to change. However, it is MY belief a Master Plan by the Citizens needs to be put together so OUR representatives don't shove unnecessary projects down our throats and all we have left is anger and financial deflation. Know your candidates. For those holding Forums, make sure they ask questions YOU want to know. If they do not, don't attend their Forum or blackball them in the future and label them a special interest group.
You can take back your City and your Government by getting involved. By starting at the local level it shows those County Council Members, County Executive, Delegates, Senators, Congressman and ultimately the Governor that YOU have a plan for Maryland's future and anything short of achieving those direct plans gets you the boot out of Office. Government wants you to feel like you can't do anything about it. Heck, if you can't even get control of your own City Council, why waste your time on anything else, right? See how they think!
All that being said, what's your Master Plan for Salisbury???????
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
25 comments:
Letter to the editor II
Joe speaking of the City of Salisbury any word on why some of the firefighters in the Salisbury Fire Department are jumping ship? Is it because they are being forced out or retaliation?
There have been several volunteer firefighters that recently bailed out and some have stepped down from their officer ranks. Just this week it was announced that volunteer assistant chief Steve Records resigned his position from assistant chief to firefighter. It was said to be because the company he works for does business with the city fire department. How ironic that Steve's company has been doing business with the city for several years and now all of a sudden it is a conflict!! Is that the case or was it because Bill Gordy didn't like Steve questioning him about running the new chief down while attending little Gordy's graduation in North Carolina? Or was it because the new chief had a hard on for Steve for various reasons from the first day he took the position. If anyone needs to resign it should be Bill Gordy and Jeff Simpson.
There was a firefighter paramedic that resigned about 2 weeks ago and just on Tuesday it was reported that Assistant Chief Dru Bragg resigned from the fire department after 16 years of service. He was also recently the acting Deputy Chief before Ireton hired the outsider. These people aren't liked by everyone, but they served the city faithfully for many years and deserve to be treated better than this outsider and a few of his back stabbing butt kissers are treating them. Thank you Jim Ireton and the 5 city council members for screwing the servants and citizens of Salisbury!
Please feel free to post this at your convenience.
The leaders of Salisbury need to get in their cars and ride 5 hours to Charlottesville, Va and see how a deserted main town became part of a busy college town. Salisbury University needs to be brought to main street. They could learn alot from the process by this trip.Even if no one likes the idea it will occur anyway when the University population expands. Why not help the process along and bring some money and action downtown?
Joe, this piece echoes my views and those of so many in the city. When Barrie Tilghman was mayor, she was getting blasted for causing such rancor and dissension among the Council. We thought that maybe that would change with the election of Jim Ireton, but we continue to have the "same ol' same ol', just with different players. It appears that we can expect this atmosphere of uncooperation and incivility to continue, no matter who wins. This feeling of helplessness is not an excuse for the citizens of Salisbury not to get involved with the political process, but I can understand their reluctance. They feel that nothing will change and the circus will continue. Why can't the Council and mayor sit down and work together for the betterment of the city? Is it egos that prevent that from happening? What can we do?
anonymous 2:40, demand change. Demand a Council that will commit to working for the Citizens. Get them on the record. They need to know that they represent US. Yes, I'm including myself as an investor at 300 W. Main Street.
When a group like Urban Salisbury come along and throw a package revitalizing Downtown Salisbury without meeting with the property owners, Salisbury is out of control. They feel as if THEY can do anything they want and no one is stopping them. Selling a Fire Station for $100,000.00, its out of control! The Mayor hasn't stepped up to say, hell no, I won't stand for it. This Mayor is worthless, seriously.
Ask these candidates if they're going to do what they say and stone them on the Blogs or in the Grapevine whenever they don't. Demand the MSM put them on the line as well. Remember, if you stop buying the paper or stop watching special interest television news, advertisers lose money.
If the MSM can't see the citizens are tired of this behavior and go on strike, (so to speak) then these special interest candidates will continue to do whatever they want.
Look Folks, America is dying. We have been spending years trying to show you the light. You can't sell a $800,000.00 building for $100,000.00 and then spend $1,000,000.00 on the Bricks to become a landlord with rent that will NEVER pay off the debt. Is Salisbury that stupid. The answer is, YES.
Now you truly have to think, was Schaefer actually WRONG about the Eastern Shore, or did he just mean Salisbury? $14,000,000.00 for a $3,000,000.00 Fire Station! $84,000,000.00 WWTP that now needs at least another $60,000,000.00 to complete because the former Mayor and City attorney put in a $1,000,000.00 liability clause! Yeah, Salisbury is that stupid and Schaefer was exactly right.
The funniest part is, people like Tilghman, Dunn, Cathcart, Comegys, Shields and Smith go home after every meeting and laugh their tails off at just how stupid every one of you are.
So, either get involved and demand a change or put your home on the market and take your loss now. Because in 2 more years it won't be worth 1/2 of what its worth now.
We need more business professionals on the council. PERIOD. What do all these people do? Teach school? Humorous.
Fact is business members of the community wont get involved because they fear loosing revenue for their business if they dont agree with the good ole' boy politics.
Someone needs to step up and be a leader and make sound decisions. Not the same council members that defeat every momentum we have and those who would rather choose to feed their own ego.
Take a look at what your neighbors are doing...Ocean City, Berlin, Charlottesville, VA. They work together and are progressive. They get it done.
You Salisbury Council...you bicker and bark...and nothing happens but crime and finger pointing.
Get a grip Salisbury. You are loosing alot of good citizens. Mayor Ireton you are not going to win the next election.
The last time taht the mantra was "clean sweep" the city got the "Dream Team" - Dunn, Comegys and Cathcart. Tehy probably did more damage to teh financial health of the city than any council in Salisbury's history. Then Louise fooled everyone with her campaign lies about fiscal responsibility and watching out for the taxpayers. Spies was defeated by the lies of SAPOA. We have a graduate of an ivy league school and a business person in Cohen. That's why she takes her council responsibilities seriously. Spies is a MENSA member and veteran. They have both been on hte public record with their positions on issues for years. It's newcomers with no track record that could be the next Mike Dunn or Louise Smith. GA, how about another recap of the financial havock caused by Dunn, Comegys, Cathcart, Smith and Shields' votes. Joe, are you lumping Cohen and Campbell with your comment about they ALL need to go?
no. nothing is going to change as long as they feel they have a right to what's in your pocket.
anonymous 4:29, you need a spelling lesson, for starters. Secondly, you also need to READ the article once again. I never said Cohen and Campbell needed to go. Nice try.
My plan is to get the hell out of Salisbury and Maryland. I'm moving to Delaware.
4:29 was just asking a question, Joe, because you didn't specify.
I agree with 4:29. Imagine what the council could have been like if Spies had gotten on instead of Comegys.
Imagine if Debbie Campbell had been president if gavel-bangin' Louise Smith were just another vote.
Imagine if Terry Cohen's emphasis on crime and fiscal responsibility got treated with respect.
No fireboat fiasco.
No Bricks fiasco.
No double-digit tax hike.
No legal expenses from Paul Wilber's "let's do it over and over until we get it right."
etc
etc
etc
I believe Ireton would have gotten rid of Webster sooner, maybe even Wilber, and others who don't earn their keep there. Maybe even shown a spine and behaved.
This is what people need to think about. Keep Cohen (who has more time in the business world that Smith, Shields and Comegys rolled together) and find two others with intelligence and common sense who listen to what the people want! Get out there and support those three. How hard is that?
Joe to follow up with 2:00 PM you need to do a breaking story on the Salisbury Fire Department and it's continuing troubles. As of today 4 career members of the Salisbury Fire Department have resigned from their careers in less than 2 weeks. Joe that is a significant amount of employees jumping ship in a troubled fire department.
anonymous 8:23, just as Alan Hope has proven to be a complete waste of money, Lore' Chambers is proving she isn't worth the money taxpayers are paying her either.
The Bricks FAILED. I'll have a post on that tomorrow but its a done deal, it will NOT move forward and they knew this BEFORE they voted on Linens of the Week Monday night. How's that for being responsible to the taxpayers. I hope Louise Smith announces she's going to run again as well as Gary Comegys. This will be a LOT of fun.
Records won’t comment if Gordy is the blame or not which bothers me when something like this happens all of a sudden out of no where. Stevie is one awesome chief we followed and poof just like that he’s gone that’s wrong. I heard this had something to do with comments Gordy made about the chief and Stevie was asked to investigate. If that’s the case he did his job so what’s wrong with that? Sounds like Stevie got in Gordys way and fell victim of circumstance. Way to think about the organization first Gordy hope to see you gone next.
No fed money huh?
Shes the one with the nice legs right? Pickin off the federal reserve, huney there aint one no more.
3:11, what appears to be bickering is not. It's far more serious than that.
You have two members who have consistently gone to bat for the everyday people of the city and three members who serve special interests and will plow over anyone disagreeing or getting in their way.
You know what they say about arguing with idiots. Unfortunately, poor Campbell and Cohen are doing just that. They try to interject a little common sense into the discussion and are yelled at, insulted, gavelled, interrupted and held up for ridicule.
More than once I heard one of them say something and Shanie Shields talk like they said the exact opposite. It's crazy! Like watching a bad sitcom. One person says, "I think we need to repair the roof and hold off on a new car. What do you think?" And the next person says, "I think turtles make the best soup."
Get those three fools off the council. Put in two people who can think to join Cohen, they don't have to agree on everything, but make sure they aren't in special interests' pockets and can talk about a problem intelligently.
I keep trying not to watch PAC14, but it's like a train wreck. I can't turn away.
Joseph Albero said...
anonymous 8:23, just as Alan Hope has proven to be a complete waste of money, Lore' Chambers is proving she isn't worth the money taxpayers are paying her either.
8:49 PM
Lore Chambers is nothing but a token that kissed DingleBarrie Tilmons ass and got promoted to Assistant City administrator. A position that DingleBarrie created just for her. Chambers was hired as a grant writer who found absolutely no grants. When we elected Jim Ireton as Mayor he promised us he would get rid of her for us. Thanks again Jim Liarton!!
How to do it? Well if your a flooded river and it could all go down, your only mision should be getting to the shore and waiting for the rain to pass. Anything that gets in the way of that well you might drown. Remember the snow in the hills hasnt melted yet. They dont have things in perspective.
Perspective, huh what does that mean? That family put that little girl in the earth today. Perspective, if you have that and a conscience you will do the right thing. At the end of our days isnt that all that matters. Dont die ashamed of yourself.
Very well put. I have the sick feeling that the people here on the shore are too scared to be a voice; even their own voice. Too many people are scared of saying the truth, if you messed up you messed up. Someone tells the truth about you messing up, learn from it, grow, don't be like a small minded child and be closed off. Take the gift you were just given and live. How often do people look in the mirror and grow beyond their current point. One of the reasons people here are scared to express the truth is if something happens to them they can't go across the street and get a better job.
The road less traveled is tough but very worth it, let the truth shine. And i hope that shining will let you grow.
A few months ago Spies suggested at the Town&Gown council that a group of stakeholders (representatives from business, university and city government, etc.) take a bus trip to several small college towns that have made their downtowns rise from the dead. A plan following his suggestion is being worked on now.
Did you mention the purchase of the Cranberry Bog that the new firehouse sits on?
Purchased by a group of investors under an LLC in April for $175,000, it was sold to the City three months later just as it sat for $660,000. Care to guess who the members of the LLC were?
Dunn, Cathcart, Comegys and Shields had smiles on their faces when they put this one through, just like when they voted to annex the Sassafras Meadows property owned by Dunn and his father.
9:24
I wish we did know who the members of that LLC were. It would tell a lot about the politics of this city.
As for Mike Dunn, does anybody find it curious that after 4 years of saying how wonderful his house was across from the college and how much he loved his neighborhood, and that he didn't profit from the Sassafras annexation that he voted on, he immediately sold it and moved to a huge place in Tony Tank?
This is the kind of "for sale to the highest bidder" politician we don't ever again need in our city. And it's why Comegys and Shields need to go.
I agree with Schaefers' comment. Unfortunately the majority of people here are in DEEP denial about anything bad that happens locally. Ive gotten into many conversations with local people about high crime and poor services and the first thing out of there mouth is, "if you dont like it, move". Hardly a solution. Nothing will ever change on the shore. No one wants change, just ask them, the shore is utopia to them and they dont want anything to change. The problems here are deep-rooted and will take too much effort and bickering between the long time residents and the "come heres". Long time residents dont like it when a come here has a better idea or doesnt like their idea, hence the reason there is a huge rift towards those not born here. Unfortunately in many cases, the come here is the voice of reason because they have lived elsewhere and have more the 1 perspective. Other times you have to listen to someone who has lived here forever, but in order to change you have to admit that there is a problem. Local people around here will NEVER do that. Most have confused local pride with denial.
Only 23 comments about THE most important issues in Salisbury. You post drama with the fire dept or snow removal and everyone under the sun complains or adds their .02 cents. Typical of local residents.
BTW I complain about snow removal, but I know it sucks.
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