Two years ago Pollitt promised the council, and the public, that he was adopting zero-based budgeting. Again, he did not keep his promise. Pollitt TRIED to claim that he had instituted zero-based budgeting. However, when pressed for HIS definition of the concept his answer (we’re using last year’s numbers as “zero”) did not fit any generally accepted definition of the term.
Two months ago Pollitt rode in at the 11th hour and demanded that council adopt an “early retirement plan”. As we will be finding out in the next several weeks, this plan may be good for some county employees; but it is certainly not in the best interest of Wicomico taxpayers.
Pollitt insisted that the bill MUST be passed so that he could balance his budget. At the time, councilman Bob Culver asked a very important question – “Why did you wait until right before the budget process to submit this?”
Ted Shea’s response was that they didn’t do it last year because they knew a new council was coming in (a ridiculous response, there will always be new council members coming in), so they decided to wait until the new council came in. Culver noted that, “We’ve been here since December!”.
So, four councilmembers (Gail Bartkovich, Matt Holloway, Stevie Prettyman, and Sheree Sample-Hughes) all voted to pass the “early retirement bill” with only Culver and Joe Holloway dissenting.
Two weeks ago, Pollitt AGAIN rides in at the eleventh hour and demands level funding for his office so that he can “reorganize”. Initially, a majority of the council (this time, Culver, Joe Holloway, and Stevie Prettyman dissenting) agreed to give Rick what he wanted. Last Friday, they reversed themselves by a 6-1 vote. The council agreed to reduce Pollitt’s salary account by $100,000 (in my opinion it should have been $160,000) and recommended that it be placed in contingency.
RESULT?
Pollitt has an Iretonesque hissy fit as evidenced by the email below which was sent to all council members:
… The council and the executive can legitimately disagree over our budgetary priorities and our vision for the county. My sole issue today has to do with what I perceive as a deliberate and continuing rebuff of all of my advances to promote a sense of cooperation between the branches. As I have maintained from the beginning, I simply asked for the respect due my position and my office for level funding in next year’s budget. Even after our meeting last week, noting the concern that we may be moving too fast, without proper transparency, I immediately wrote to the council offering to invite the appropriate level of council input before moving forward with my plan. To have the council first agree to level fund the office and then to reconsider, moving the money to contingency, makes it clear to me that partnership is not the goal. If that is to be the tone of our relationship, then I prefer not to join and will fulfill my duties as required by charter but leave the bulk of my communication between me and the public I was elected to serve. (Note that the underlining and bold are my own emphasis)
NOW it appears that a majority of the council appears ready to reverse themselves AGAIN and give Pollitt what he wants.
Let’s be clear about a few things:
- Pollitt is NOT interested in promoting “a sense of cooperation between the branches”. He is only interested in getting what HE WANTS!
- Pollitt REFUSES to meet with council unless HE wants something.
- He will not even meet with the council president and / or vice president to discuss the agenda, UNLESS HE WANTS SOMETHING.
- His statement – “If that is to be the tone of our relationship, then I prefer not to join and will fulfill my duties as required by charter but leave the bulk of my communication between me and the public I was elected to serve.” – is simply a re-statement of the same threat that he has made multiple times to this council. “GIVE ME WHAT I WANT OR I WILL CUT LOOSE MY PALS ON THE DAILY TIMES TO ATTACK YOU”.
Pollitt is behaving like a spoiled child. The council seems insistent on re-enforcing that behavior. Who should we hold accountable? The supposed adults - any and all council members who insist on giving Pollitt what he wants.
Why?
Like the petulant child he is, Pollitt is only doing what he has learned to be a successful behavior. UNTIL the council is willing to teach Pollitt that he WILL NOT be rewarded for bad behavior his will continue to act this way.
Now, as the Salisbury City Council is learning with their executive (Mayor Jim Ireton), it can be a while before the poorly behaving child begins behaving properly. I thought Ireton handled himself well after the budget veto override but was right back at this morning by denying the city council access to the city attorney.
What Can We Do?
We, as ordinary citizens, can do nothing other than call our council members or send them e-mails. They are scheduled to meet and discuss this Monday at 9AM. Call or email them. Unfortunately, one council member has a penchant for not returning phone calls or e-mails. Perhaps he’ll learn as he matures.
Ultimately, this rests on the council. If they insist on allowing Pollitt to bully them, FOR SHAME! Any future complaints about Pollitt’s actions or behavior from ANY member who votes to fully fund his office in this budget will fall on deaf ears here. Just as a parent who coddles their child and makes excuses for every bad behavior has no right to be upset when Junior winds up in the lock-up, these council members have no right to be upset when Rick Pollitt continues to bully them at each and every turn.
STICKY POST! NEW POSTS WILL SHOW UP BELOW THIS ONE.
30 comments:
Good grief. I am a taxpayer and voter. I voted for Pollitt and will not again - for any office. His behavior is not professional. Additionally, I will not continue to support any council member who reverses him/herself on this issue. The offices of the County Exec. and Mayor are both inflated as is their sense of importance. Ireton's behavior is shameful as well. When RIck and Jim wage war with their respective councils they wage war with the public that they were elected to serve. Shame on them.
AMEN 8:18. I can't believe what I just read. Or about Ireton denying attorney access to city council.
Do Jim Ireton and Rick Pollitt think they were crowned? Worse, they try to blame and bully others. Ireton went away quietly after the override because there was nothing else he could do and because standing up and screaming to the press just made him look like an idiot.
Both councils need to stand strong. Citizens did not vote for kinds or tyrants. Leadership is not about getting your way all the time.
It's time to send Pollitt packing -- we would have done that in the last election but for Ollinger -- but not back here to Fruitland, please.
After reading this I am amazed at Mr. Pollitt's behavior toward the council. What I'm also reading here (between the lines)is the council wants to take the high road on this issue and not get into a pissing match, which serves no good for us. How can Pollitt ask for level funding for his office and throw the other county employees and departments under the bus? Great leader he is--NOT!
Anon 0853 -
Yes, some council members are arguing that they don't want to get into a public fight with Pollitt. However, there are times that LEADERS acknowledge that it is better to stand firm than buckle.
Giving into Pollitt's wishes simply to "avoid a fight" is no better than what Neville Chamberlin did with Hitler. We all know where that got us.
Honestly, I can't think of one time in history where appeasement worked. It certainly isn't going to work here.
RINO's stand together
Don't play tough with Rick
Blame things on the weather,
It's too damn hot a fight to pick!
Please add more verses.
My apology to Gilbert & Sullivan.
8:18, you've said it so well that not much can be added (and you did it without any grammar or punctuation error, a rarity!).
Both Ireton and Pollitt are so similar that it's uncanny. Both are enamored with the power that they have, or think they have. Both throw tantrums, big and small, when they don't get their way. Both have seemingly turned their backs on the very people who put them in office (I voted for Ireton but not Pollitt).
Most of our problems with both executives and Councils stem from this grab for power--who has it and who wants it. In their little tugs-of-war they forget who put them where they are and can surely take them out. I don't recall that, "back in the day," we had such problems. (Of course, we didn't have a county executive. I bet many of you who voted for that would like to rescind your votes.) At the end of the day, whatever disagreements had occured were quickly forgotten.
Both Ireton and Pollitt are acting like both children and emperors, and that won't work well for either. Come on, people, start working with each other and for the people. How hard can that be. Forget the power-grabbing.
Being a county employee who has somewhat of a working knowledge of our county charter and our personel manual. If Mr Pollitt does not reorganize his office this money can be used for raises without council approval.The other means of using these funds without council approval would be for paying the accured time,back sick pay, vacation,comp time etc for the two employees that are retiring from his office. Unforturely this is a sum of money that many find unimaginable. By the way this comment comes from my home PC due to the fact I am furloughed today.
Any council member that folds on this is no better than Pollitt.
Pollitt preaches transparency, but overwhelmingly fails to execute. He told the council and public that Shea's position would remain as "transitional" for the first year of his first elected term. Although he stated his intentions in an effort to convey transparency, he failed to execute his promise when Shea remained employed with the County for another 4 years, 6 months of which he was out on medical leave-seems like his job was still being covered despite his absence during that time. Now we are faced with some "good ole boy" network kickbacks know as "early" retirement. Everybody eligible for "early" retirement was eligible for the standard retirement, so why not FORCE these folks into retirement to actually SAVE the County some money? Instead, we toss some more benefits at them and dig our hole deeper; where does that make sense? Dedicated county employees (I said Dedicated, not all employees) and the tax payers are the ones taking the brunt of the blows when it comes to Pollitt's poor fiscal responsibilities and loyalty to HIS cronies!
You all can stand here and say "I'll never vote for Pollitt again" because of this, but you are blind if you voted for him in his second term. He has been doing this all along, nothing has changed! Ollinger may not have been the best candidate, but at least he was the better candidate-a businessman looking to lean up this County's expenditures! Pollitt will never restructure and he will never deviated from his personal status qua! His proposed "restructuring" is simply a redistribution of Shea's salary so the men and women of his office can line their pockets! Let's be honest here anyway, Shea did Pollitt's job, Morris did Shea's job and Finneran shouldn't have a job! Then you also have 2 secretaries in that office that a part-time intern would fulfill!
STAND YOUR GROUND COUNCIL!!!
A message to the Wicomico County Council. we elected you to protect us, please do your job.
Interesting that when you click on your link to Pollitt's proposal, it clearly states that Pollitt, and I quote, "requested" the county council..... Now for dramatic effect, he is DEMANDING. Even if everything you say is true, the slant you put on every post about Pollitt is predictable and sends up the red flags for me to question if any of this accounting is accurate. Yes, petulent children demand; adults request. Two posts, two stories. Which is it? If I hear Pollitt say he refuses to meet with council, I would ask him why. Has anyone ever asked that question? Or has he (in the past) never actually refused to meet them? I don't know the answer, do you? If he feels now that the council is reversing themselves because of politics and they don't have the guts to stick to what they originally voted for, they maybe he has reason to not engage in the game playing. It's petulant when you don't agree with him; it's something all together different when you do. I believe that they should all stop talking to the media and just talk to each other until they get something resolved. You people elected ALL of them. So be quiet and let them work it out as they see fit.
throughout all of history APPEASMENT has NEVER worked.
county council; this is not the time to appease this "self crowned" king. you have a job to do; just do the "right" thing and stand firm for the taxpayers of this county. it's not time to fold. say what you mean and mean what you say. "mambie pambie pussy footers" do not do well in leadership.......
Anon 1141 -
Good argument. Good questions. Here are your answers:
Initially Pollitt requested. At first a majority of council was reluctant so he threatened. Then, council started to give him what he wanted and then reversed. Then he DEMANDED, bullying the council with threats of "going to the newspaper", etc. Now a majority of council appears ready to give in. By Monday morning, it could change again.
As far as Pollitt refusing to meet with council, he claims that he is doing this because of "separation of powers" and because this is the precedent set by other County Execs around Maryland. Sounds reasonable, but its not really true. Remember that he asked David Craig, the Exec of Harford County to come down and pitch his request. Craig admits that he meets with Harford's council on a regular basis and consults with them on the budget. When Pollitt wants something he will come and meet. When the council wants to ask questions, he says that it isn't appropriate.
Pollitt is the one "playing politics" with this, not council. I agree that they should talk to each other. However, Pollitt refuses to sit down in public and talk to the council. He won't even sit down with the President and VP in private.
As for "letting them work it out as they see fit", that is ridiculous. Don't we, as citizens, have a right to express our opinions? Don't we have a right to petition our elected officials for redress? OR ... is it only Rick Pollitt who gets to do that?
The world according G.A. Harrison. I guess if G.A. states it it must so.
I am a strong republican and I think Pollitt has done well with what he has to work with. The man has been embattled since the day he was elected. The narcistic, ego driven decisions made by three council members has almost made the council a mockery. Thank God for the new blood on the council. They came into the system with a County Exec. in place. They seem to understand there is no "I" in team.
The stalling of the speed cameras has cost this county over three hundred thousand dollars in revenue. Wow you dont seem to be upset with that G.A..
We praise a council member that saved the county four hundred dollars for spotting pens purchased by Parks and Rec, but we let him slide on three hundred thousand.
If we are going to put a spin on things lets at the very least look at the whole picture.
It is blatantly obvious we need a County Exec. that is why we voted for the position in the first place. You do not have to far into the past record of the council to see this.
I think your dissension between the Exec. and certain members of the council has us on track to look like Salisbury city in the Tilghman era. I pray we do not go down that road. I am sure you would love it. I gives you fodder for your post. G.A. try to remain remotely unbiased. It is evident you did not like Pollitt from the start. You are a very intelligent man no doubt about it. We all lose clarity when we think with our hearts and not our mind.
The fact is Wicomico County is a diamond in the rough. This county has the potential to be a great place to live. It is not that bad at the moment. It will never happen if the majority of the work sessions by our elected officials is spent bickering and stalling progress.
The Wicomican
1:00 you must mean you lift weights to be strong . Because you could only be a rhino republican or a lying democrat to support what Pollitt is doing. He's a tax and spend lib and you must be too if you support him.
Pollitt needs to GO! He has stepped over the line!
Yeah, 1:30, I, too, had trouble with 1:00 calling himself a "strong Republican" and then going on to support Pollitt. There's something that doesn't quite make sense there. I am a "strong Republican" who could never support Pollitt. He might as well realize that he now has to work with six Republicans on the seven-member Council, like it or not.
I don't know how Rick has managed to keep his cool for as long as he has. I am a very conservative person but with the head games he has had to deal with, the man deserves kudos and he has mine 150%. With all the backwashing and underhanded bull that goes on with some of the council members, their lack of integrity speaks volumes. They are the reflection of why the County is so crime ridden. Don't let them bully you Rick or manipulate the situation. Stick to your guns. No wonder he doesn't want to meet with the Council. You cannot reason with narcicistic people. they don't hear anyone but themselves as they blow kisses at themselves in their mirror.
Amen 3:57
I wish someone would head up a petition for a referendum to do away with the county exec job. We made out just fine before we had it.
Rick is good at eating and crying. Someone find a tablecloth for a diaper!! Get him a nuk pacifier too! What a little kid in a very big body!! VERY BIG! In my opinion, he's just a LIAR! Council, we are counting on you to be the grown up's in this and to be the only ones who will be responsible....don't give in!!!
The council that does not want to fund services, will be the same ones screaming as to why things aren't getting done. Mark my words. There will be a crisis in the county infrastructure in 5 years or so. All of these subdivisions that were built at one time, are going to fall apart at the same time. It is starting to happen now. Lots of it due to subpar work by money grabbing developers and the private sector trying to make the biggest profit they could off of a job. Crime is going to get worse. The council had to water down the speed cameras so they could grandstand. Everyone wants parks, but doesn't want to pay for them. Our schools are suffering. Just remember, if you want low taxes, don't complain about lack of or low level of services.
3:57pm If this post is correct, seems to me Rick is the one who is a bully, not the council. I don't understand your thinking on this one. Please explain.
4:47pm Ya, let's blame everything on the "grandstanding council members." That's a great way to approach resolving problems. I watched as the council worked as a team the other night to resolve some issues each one had and I say "good for them." If some of you didn't like what they did then attack the issue and not, as you call them, the "grandstanding council members."
Frankly, Rick could never be a bully. Its not in his makeup. But how about we take a poll on the little personal secrets of councils members that will give you a little view of their character.
Wicomican (Anon 1300) -
Why am I not bitching about speed cameras? Simple. While I am not VEHEMENTLY opposed to them, I (as you seem to) realize that they are a revenue generation tool and not about public safety. You may be right about the $300K. I doubt it though. I haven't seen any evidence that they would generate that much money (remember the council first rejected them just a few months ago). If the proponents of speed cameras had been more up front abut this being a revenue bill, I would have been more supportive.
I agree with the County Exec form of government. You are wrong that I don't like Pollitt. I do and I supported him in the last election. That doesn't mean that I won't criticize him when I disagree. I like most of the council. Ditto for them. While most of the comments were directed against Rick, the post was chastising council. I don't blame Rick for trying to bully the council. It has worked for him in the past. Why change, UNLESS the council shows that they will not reinforce his behavior.
BTW - I NEVER think with my heart. Not even with my family. It is considered to be one of my (many, I'm sure) character flaws.
While I haven't been ra-raing Rick's tax RATE hike. I wouldn't be opposed IF I thought that the county government (and BOE) were better stewards of our tax dollars.
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Anon 1330 -
I've got to ask - do you really thing that your comment is either constructive or persuasive? I have opposed MANY of Pollitt's policies. I have supported some (including his reorganization plan). I supported him in the last election because my party nominated a poor candidate. We nominated a worse one in 2006.
I can't read Anon 1300's mind. I doubt you can either. Why then don't you address his complaint rather than calling him (or her) names?
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Anon 1546 -
While I disagree with part of your comment, you are correct that he needs to learn to work with a GOP-majority council. However, before he is going to learn that the council must prove that they will not be bullied or approve 11th hour legislation.
Anon 1557 -
Who are you kidding? You make baseless accusations against the council, but provide no specifics or evidence. I'm tempted to think that you're the same person who wrote that disgraceful editorial in the DT that called the council majority a bunch of Jihadists.
IF council holds firm and demands some accountability from Pollitt, he will learn. THEY are the appropriating body, not him.
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Anon 1645 -
There a many arguments for going back to the council / manager form of government. There is one big, and I believe overriding, reason not to. The council members are PART TIME citizen legislators. They work far harder and put in many more hours than most people realize. However, if you go back to the council / manager form, it is the bureaucrats that run things. They are not accountable to the voters. A county executive is.
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Anon 1646 -
Very constructive. Very persuasive.
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Anon 1647 -
I agree with much of what you say. Unfortunately, the voters seem pretty clear - they don't want higher taxes. Now, if Pollitt were more efficient and a better steward of the taxpayers' money I would be more supportive of these other things. I would also (probably) be out of a job. But ... he isn't. John Fredericksen isn't. Therefore, people like me are not willing to make an argument for more spending.
BTW - Pollitt has already tried that "bait and switch" of starving portions of the citizenry of services. It doesn't seem to work. Ultimately, the voters rule.
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Anon 1657 -
DITTO!
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Anon 1725 -
DITTOS in spades!
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Anon 2037 -
Do not EVER accuse me or anyone at SbyNEWS of dealing in innuendo after that comment. This is rank hypocrisy!
Every day the word is spreading more and more like a wild fire. Word of mouth is the best advertising.
GA. Look at what this county has cut from the budget over the last 4 years. This county provides services cheaper than ANY other surrounding county. I don' think it has so much to do with the County not being a good steward of our tax money, as it does the public not understanding what it costs to provide those services. Sure, you may be able to nitpick your way through the budget and find some cost savings, but this county is pretty lean. Everyone has gotten on this trip that there is all this waste and it just isn't so. Lots of the comments I hear about waste are talking about programs by the Federal Government! People just don't understand, and are quick to open there mouths and create disention. MARK MY WORDS. SERIOUS CRISIS to infrastructure in the next 5-10 years, and part of the blame will fall on this council for not allowing the county to MAINTAIN its current level of revenue after cutting 14 million out over the last 3 or 4 years. It isn't sustainable. How about talking about taxes per capita for the eastern shore, the types and quality of services provided by each, and then say that this county isn't a good steward of it's tax dollars.
L
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