Sheriff Mike Lewis was present at the meeting but abruptly walked out when the Council voted down his $10,000.00 a year pay raise. While there were some standing outside the Council Chambers, Mike nodded his head as he walked past everyone but never said a word.
These are very difficult times financially for the County and quite frankly Ladies & Gentlemen, when we announced last week there'd be a $3.5 million deficit in the County, after yesterday job loss report, we could be looking at closer to a $6 million dollar deficit instead if things keep going like they are.
There's NO question it is now going to be a lot worse than the $3.5 million even the County now recognizes. Sharee Sample Houghes should be ashamed of herself for even THINKING of moving forward with raises when there's not only no funding to pay for it, there could be a $6 million dollar shortfall come budget time.
Then you've got John Fredericksen and the Board of Education looking for an additional $3 million dollars just for the next STAGE of Bennett Middle School. CAN YOU SEE THESE LIBERALS ARE OUT OF CONTROL YET?
The SADDEST part is, IF there was ANYONE in Wicomico County who is UNDERPAID and DESERVES a raise it's Sheriff Mike Lewis. Pollitt SCREWED Mike by putting up other inside names months ago. Very well orchestrated there Rick. Hopefully Mike isn't fooled by Rick's jolly nature and realizes Rick knew what was coming several months ago. He simply USED the Council to be the "Bad Boys, What Ya Gonna Do", with no money vote.
Here's a little TIP for you Mike. Executive Rick Pollitt still retains the POWER to give you your raise anyway, seriously. Check Mate Rick! Let's see what happens from here.
I stand Corrected.
Joe to clarify what Councilman Joe Holloway said if I heard him correctly was that he wished he could take back the large pay increases and not the 1.9% pay raises that all employees received. A selected number got ten thousand dollar and five thousand dollar raises. He based that comment on the flawed information that was furnished to the council.
55 comments:
Why do any of the the council think they deserve a raise. We have a huge deficit. Thatvmeans no one is doing a good job and if anything they should have less pay
I also agree that if anyone deserves a raise it is Mike, however it was childish for him to react the way he did in front of the very people that respect what he has done for this county. Run for county executive Mike, less hassles, I'd vote for you in any election.
11:15, Honestly, the Council Members that FOLLOW Salisbury News were well aware of the upcoming financial crisis and voted NO, even to the last set of raises. The Council Members that do not follow Salisbury News were clueless and followed Pollitt's lead like sheep.
We have delivered absolute FACTUAL figures with NO exaggeration whatsoever.
We called out Rick Pollitt a YEAR ago telling him in a public meeting this was going to happen and the next thing we knew there was an e-mail then went around threatening to have us ARRESTED if we showed up at another meeting.
Yeah, Salisbury News is the BAD GUY, as usual. We speak the truth and we deliver you what your County Executive and his entire Staff CANNOT.
I'll ADD, where's your local MSM on this matter as well. Oh, NO, don't say anything negative about Salisbury or Wicomico County. Just LET your elected officials lie and or mislead you and the Press just publishes Press Releases and uses the excuse, well, we didn't lie, it came from the County or City.
And people wonder why Salisbury News has skyrocketed, no you know.
Joe - funny you should chime-in as I was thinking the exact same thing when I saw the latest US BLS numbers in an earlier posting. We are not talking about a few dozen losses in the workforce, we are not even talking about a few hundred job losses, but we are talking about 1000s that are vanishing from our employment roles. This information is of a CRISIS PROPORTION.
Oh please, lewis deserves a raise????? Here is an idea base his raise on crime statistics you throw out there all the time. We would be cutting his salary. Little man with a Napoleon complex. Period.
Rick Politt and Jim Ireton are the worst possible things that could have happened to our area. We are just beginning to see effects of their policies and agenda. They will destroy this county and city before they are done. Everyone was warned and now it's happening, one step at a time. Taxes up, home prices down, government budgets up, employment down, people needing govt assistance up, take home pay for those that are working..down. Most of us except the blind liberals can see what is happening. To make matters worse..even our republican controlled county council is following a liberal agenda thanks to Matt Holloway, John Hall, and Stevie Prettyman. These RINOs are just as bad as Pollitt and company. Stevie, I'll take this opportunity to thank you again for your wonderful vote on Bennett Middle School. You'll be gone at the end of your term and leave us all with mountains of debt. We're so grateful Stevie. We'll have a Taj Mahal school though...wonder if there will be any county residents left to attend it. Oh well, the city, county, state and federal governments are all being run by the liberals. It must be what everyone wants. I'll see you all in bread lines!
11:36, Look, IF Mike Lewis wasn't in the financial position he is in, IF Mike Lewis didn't truly care about this County, he would have walked years ago. The County is lucky to have him, honestly. Granted, I do not always agree with Mike Lewis. I'll even say, unlike Mike, I know how to agree to disagree and walk away.
The bottom line is, Mike is underpaid. Wicomico County is in a very unique position. We're not only the crossroads of Delmarva where drug trafficking is actually pretty bad, we have massive job losses, heroine on the streets so out of control just about every other person you know is a victim of a crime and a Sheriff's Department so understaffed it isn't funny.
I HIGHLY DOUBT you'd get a more dedicated Sheriff to replace Mike Lewis. One only has to look at a photo of Mike when he was elected and then a current one today. Paying such a price to protect this community the way he has is NOT something I would do for the kind of money he's paid.
Comparing crime statistics is just plain wrong at this point. This country has never seen the kind of job losses and drugs on the street like we're seeing nation wide. Now factor in the Eastern Shore where businesses are closing left and right and there are no good paying jobs. I'll add, the MORALE of citizens and workers is probably at an all time low here as well.
Yes, I'd like to see Mike in the Office more, because we need him. I have been the victim of 4 crimes in the County over the past 4 months. Take a look at a map of Salisbury, then look at just how big Wicomico County is. Mike's Department is way understaffed and it's shameful.
As for the person who stated Mike should run for County Executive, he should. He should let Gary Baker take over the Sheriff's Department, (or someone Mike feels fit to fill his shoes) and run the County before it's too late. Rick Pollitt has no chance of winning again.
If Wicomico County did like Maricopa County in Phoenix, they could give Mike Lewis two checks by putting him in charge of WCDC. Sheriff Joe Arpaio barely makes more than Lewis in a much larger area and runs the jail and sheriff's department.
Why did they start building Bennett Middle without all of the funding?
There are other schools in the County that needs things more than we need another new school in Salisbury. All the overages from Bennett High School would have made up the difference for the Middle School. And why did they need every desk, chair, etc brand new? I was there last month for the first time and they have padded chairs with the Bennett School name and Mascot on them; was this really necessary?
The cost of living is going up and people need raises to afford to live. Cut unnecessary things from the budget, starting with take home cars!
The County Council is out of control. They all need to be voted out along with all the other politicians in this Country.
We need normal everyday people, not good ole boys, running things.
I will say this, the state income tax collections is the largest revenue line item for the county, so if something catastrophic is happening to the employment base, it will have a detrimental effect on our county's finances. From my perspective it is of crisis proportion and is not getting any better.
Joe to clairify what Councilman Joe Holloway said if I heard him correctly was that he wished he could take back the large pay increases and not the 1.9% pay raises that all employees received.A selected number got ten thousand dollar and five thousand dollar raises. He based that comment on the flawed information that was furnished to the council.
Joe: I know one time you published that Matt Maciarello - states attorney - makes a lot more than Mike Lewis - to me that is a big problem. Mike should at least make as much if not more than Matt - I mean come on! Mike can catch em - but Matt needs to step up on better sentencing and no more plea bargains!
Mike should at least make as much if not more than Matt - I mean come on! Mike can catch em - but Matt needs to step up on better sentencing and no more plea bargains!
February 6, 2014 at 12:35 PM
It's up to the ELECTED judges to accept or deny plea bargains, and to impose ANY sentences.
Matt just decides whether to file charges and prosecute them.
Any punishment, or lack thereof, rests with the judges.
If they don't like what they are getting paid, please leave. There are millions of unemployed who would love and would fight to have your job. They should be damned grateful to have a job in these hard economic times. Wages and salaries should be more in line with what the average person is making in this county. I am sure it is under 30k per year! If they don't like it, there are more qualified people out there who desperately need a job with just as many qualifications if not more! To hell with them!!!!!!
I took a pay cut when my job was outsourced and had to find a job at less pay. They should do the same. Wages that we make are no longer in line with there high salaries!!!! Taxes and assessments should also be adjusted to reflect this.
Let me say first that I have no idea if the sheriff deserves a raise. In my opinion, any cop who hides behind bushes, buildings, rocks, etc., monitoring (babysitting) normal traffic to write tickets for speeding, in what are archaic and unrealistic speed zones, and other minor 'safety' violations, are overpaid as it is.
If their office is short staffed to such a degree that 'safety' is affected, why would they not use any available monies to hire more deputies and staff?
Granted, ten grand would not get you much in those terms, but to give it to just one person when there is a greater need to use it elsewhere, is not fiscally responsible.
Here's a tip: if you don't have money to fund existing, let alone future, endeavors, cuts should be made anywhere possible.
That's how we do it in my house. And WE EARN that money. Politicians/tax collectors DO NOT.
If Lewis wants to make as much as the states attorney, tell him to get a law degree. OVERPAID
1116 mike is not qualified to be a department head, let alone a County Executive,
1136 AMEN,
Joe @ 1150 Where was the last big bust along the Notorious RT 13 Corridor ?
Morale at Wicomico County Sheriff
Office Sucks, just ask any honest Deputy,
Gary Baker is a nice guy and probably more qualified than mike lewis to run the Department but he has never been a cop,
1235 the States Attorney has a lot more education, more than mike lewis or Gary Baker,
1255 Many Deputies were told many times McDonald's is hiring, so if you don't like it leave.
Funny WCSO is not attracting qualified Laterals anymore,
1319 (119) AMEN
Answer to headline: You can, its called a PAY CUT. I had to get one in the past. Time they had a wake-up call from the voters.
I am shocked about the comments defending the State's Attorney - are you kidding me? There is no comparison between the work Mike Lewis does and the work Matt does! Matt makeover 100,000 dollars people! Mike makes less than 90,000 are you kidding me!!! Mike deserved a raise and he had every right to walk out of that meeting!
11:55, DON'T make a sweeping statement regarding ALL our county council reps. My councilman is Joe Holloway and he has historically done an Excellent job of trying to reign in spending. He continues to do his homework above and beyond by NOT depending on rick's reports and taking everyone's word for their budgets. he does his research and his constituents appreciate him for watching out for our money.
You have no clue how much Matt does. Mike may deserve more but Matt earns his keep, no question about it.
12:51 you are wrong! Yes Matt decides whether or not to bring charges, but all run the plea bargains - don't kid yourself. If he or his staff works out a plea bargain than the judges usually just sign off on what the what - check your facts!
Mike Lewis did not abruptly walk out of the meeting like is being indicated here. He sat there for at another 5 to 7 minutes and then exited. Gary Baker left within a couple minutes after the Sheriff and Tod Richardson continued to sit through the meeting. Be truthful with the comments please.
I had to take a pay cut to keep working - no it isn't right...but no laws were broken...
to add insult - the tax rates went up and now I'm paying more for getting less.
These guys need to suck it up like the rest of us.....
I agree with the above Statement that Mike could run the Wicomico County Detention Center as well as the Sheriffs department...
This would save the County allot of MONEY.
For example the Warden their ( making $80,000 a year), the assistant Warden, the Security Director and the Security Chief salaries...good grief...allot of money there with all the big cheese...Mike would alleviate that with his staff...
If you think Mike Lewis is underpaid, then you are out of your ever loving sane of mind. If any of you think it was appropriate for Our Sheriff to walk out of the council meeting in the fashion he did, then your just as childish as he is and I hope you get what you ask for by electing that spoiled brat snooty person that he is.
Walking out of a meeting because he did not get his pay raise???? Sounds like childish behavior to me. If you want to be thought of as someone who deserves a raise, or a paycheck at all, start acting like a man instead of a child. Lewis is not earning the money he gets,. Look at the crime rate. Crime is his product and he has lost control of it. REPLACE HIM.
You have to wonder who keeps making it personal about Mike walking out of the meeting. Remember Folks, it's an election year coming up and someone is trying to make points here.
There's nothing that requires Mike to stay at the meeting. His topic was brought up, shot down and guess what, he has a beautiful Wife and Family at home I'm sure he doesn't get enough time with.
For the commenters and the ones who want to make political jabs; STOP IT. Stay on topic. Wicomico County is being run into the ground as we speak by the Liberals and Rinos; this is what must be exposed, not your petty comments. We have work to do and we need to make major changes. Be part of the answer not part of the problem !!!
What purpose could have been served by the Sheriff sitting through the rest of the meeting?? Looks to me like he was using his time wisely.
If I knew my boss was down $3.5 million, I wouldn't even think of asking for a raise
Joe Holloway (but not that buffoon Matt Holloway) has my vote again.
Day 4. You never disappoint.
Reference to 4:30 Posting - 'If I knew my boss was down 3.5 million, I wouldn't even think of asking for a raise.'
Response: It might be alot more than 3.5 million, have you seen the lastest US BLS numbers for the month of December?
My God, if it is this bad now, wait until Obamacare's Employer mandate kicks-in. Do you think that the employers are going to hire above the 50 employee threshold? How about working 30 hours or less, what do you think the employers are going to do?
This County is in for a hard landing and guess who's a>>> is going to pick-up the tab! WE - THE TAXPAYERS ARE BEING SET-UP.
You seem to want Pollitt to give Lewis the raise anyhow. What is wrong with you?
I do income taxes for a living and I can tell you exactly what is happening. People are bringing in their tax information and they are not making enough money to even have to file a return. So what is happening is that they aren't filing. The reduced number of filers are translating into lost revenue for both, the state & local governments. It is indeed a bad economy.
I personally do not believe that the current administration can get a handle on what is happening in our economy. But I do believe that the taxpayers are being set-up for a perfect storm. Wait and see, a tax increase is imminent.
sounds like a lot of mike and matt bashers. After what just went on showing the level of criminal activity in this city/county/area. One would think they need all our support!
funny how most will whine but never willing to do the heavy lifting! And no I am not a cop! or related to one!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
12:51 you are wrong! Yes Matt decides whether or not to bring charges, but all run the plea bargains - don't kid yourself. If he or his staff works out a plea bargain than the judges usually just sign off on what the what - check your facts!
February 6, 2014 at 2:09 PM
How is what said wrong? Just because you say so?
Whether or not the judge 'signs off' on any plea agreement is irrelevant. The JUDGE still has the only authority to administer punishment, or not.
And which facts, if any, do you allude to?
Wait a sec -- Pollitt didn't even attend that meeting, so why should he get more pay for driving Wicomioc County to the poorhouse?
As a county employee I have no problem taking furlogh, but top management should take 20% pay cut. Lay offs only reinforce panic and more lay offs. Lets work through mess and vote out all the over spenders and unrealistic democrats. Sheriff makes enough money with his teaching gig, get rid of middle management or put them back on the road. Deputies make fairly good money, let forget about raises when it's hard enough to keep people in jobs. We have hard times ahead until Obama and o'mally are history.
$10,000 raise? wow! Well, im sure the city could do it if they would wouldn't have so many section 8 housing
It is obvious now that you have lost your mind Joe! Mike Lewis is not out on the street catching the drug dealers, "his" deputies are! Mike gets a pension from the state and benefits so his family is covered if something ever happens to him. However MY FAMILY is not!! My husband works the road and if tomorrow he was injured so badly he couldn't return to work we would no longer be able to pay our bills because the disability doesn't pay enough to pay for a hotel room! Spare me about how hard Mike Lewis works, my husband rarely says an off word about Mike but when I ask him if he has seen the sheriff lately he just laughs, Mike is to busy being a politician! He can preach all he wants to about how much he cares for his deputies and blah, blah, blah but he wont even fight for them to get better disability but he sure will stomp off like a toddler not getting his way when he is denied a 10K raise!! He has surrounded himself with a bunch of "yes men" you hang on his every word like he is some sort of god! Most of those "yes men" talk about me like a dog when he isn't around but the ones who actively supported him during his run for office got crapped on! Maybe Mike should explain what his overpaid "yes men" do every day, I mean one them gets paid 70K+ a year to do the schedule, you could pay a few thousand dollars and buy a computer program to do that. Hell half of them haven't worked the road more than a few years before they were promoted during the Hunter Nelms era, they wouldn't be worth a damn on the road locking anyone up because they never have.
Anonymous said...
I will say this, the state income tax collections is the largest revenue line item for the county, so if something catastrophic is happening to the employment base, it will have a detrimental effect on our county's finances. From my perspective it is of crisis proportion and is not getting any better.
February 6, 2014 at 11:56 AM
You are wrong! Real property taxes are, now go crawl back under your rock.
To 8:46 Posting - You are correct but 11:56 is not very far off - the State Income Tax revenues are the second largest revenue item - it represents appoximately 34% of the overall budget whereas the Real Property tax revenues are approximately 45% of the budget. Either way - they are significantly larger than any other revenue line items.
Lewis is a pile of Sugar Honey Iced Tea. Someone run against him please
The people at the top are all over paid. Including Pollitt, Lewis and others. I do feel sorry for the teachers who have a pay scale that is in place and haven't gotten a raise in years! The county is spending money on "things" and not the teachers who teach the children. I think their raises should be performance based though. Good teachers, get raises. Union mentality teachers don't. The WBOE has too many fat cats at the central office and their are administrators who need to be fired and replaced by people who will take pride in their jobs again. The deputies are paid very well. And, stop sensationalizing the combat zone jobs they have. 82nd, Marine grunts barely get minimum wage and they truly are in combat zones.
12:51
when are you going to answer 5:55 PM's questions?
Anonymous said...
I am shocked about the comments defending the State's Attorney - are you kidding me? There is no comparison between the work Mike Lewis does and the work Matt does! Matt makeover 100,000 dollars people! Mike makes less than 90,000 are you kidding me!!! Mike deserved a raise and he had every right to walk out of that meeting!
February 6, 2014 at 1:50 PM
Anyone that gets on here to claim that Mike Lewis should be making more money than the States Attorney is nothing more than a backwoods uneducated Hillbilly.
Mike Lewis is barely a High School graduate with no college education.
Matt Maciarello graduated from high school, college and law school. Matt is now an accomplished lawyer and prosecutor. In reality Matt should be making twice as much as Mike Lewis.
The Sheriff's election was nothing more than a popularity contest.
Anonymous said...
$10,000 raise? wow! Well, im sure the city could do it if they would wouldn't have so many section 8 housing
February 6, 2014 at 7:50 PM
HUH!!!
Do you know the difference between the city and the county?
Say what you want but Stevie Prettyman is the reason they started building Bennett Middle School in Fruitland. She is the one that called for the Special Meeting and it was her vote to force the County to spend more money on the Taj Mahal that it didn't have. That is correct the school is going to be a Taj Mahal just like Bennett High School. The project is not needed and it was shot down until Stevie's Special Meeting. You can blame everything you want on Stevie because she did it for the "Kids." No she did it for her because Parents In Action kept putting pressure on her. Parents in Action was started by Kim Hudson who is now on the Board of Education.
Stevie is a RINO and I am glad she is in Florida right now vacationing and claiming she is resting. She attended the meeting via phone. You people that voted for her have been duped. LMAO.
February 6, 2014 at 1:19 PM
Anonymous Anonymous said...
1116 mike is not qualified to be a department head, let alone a County Executive,
1136 AMEN,
Joe @ 1150 Where was the last big bust along the Notorious RT 13 Corridor ?
Morale at Wicomico County Sheriff
Office Sucks, just ask any honest Deputy,
Gary Baker is a nice guy and probably more qualified than mike lewis to run the Department but he has never been a cop,
1235 the States Attorney has a lot more education, more than mike lewis or Gary Baker,
1255 Many Deputies were told many times McDonald's is hiring, so if you don't like it leave.
Funny WCSO is not attracting qualified Laterals anymore,
1319 (119) AMEN
February 6, 2014 at 1:37 PM
Agreed!
I was there and Sheriff Mike Lewis did not walk out of the meeting "in the fashion" that he did. It was long after his part of the meeting in which he didn't have to speak so he didn't have to be there. Gary and Todd were their so they represented the WCSO if needed. I have know problem with Mike Leaving. There were more people leaving before and after him. No big deal.
Anonymous said...
You seem to want Pollitt to give Lewis the raise anyhow. What is wrong with you?
February 6, 2014 at 5:10 PM
Rick Pollitt doesn't give raises to the Sheriff. That comes from the Wicomico County Council. You people obviously have no clue about the process of the County Charter.
Beezer.. 8:46 here, thanks for the clarification and defense of the previous poster. My point is that people get on hear piss and moan over something they have no clue about.
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