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Sunday, March 08, 2015

Will There Be A Power Play Tonight?

The Wicomico County Council Meeting tonight has more at stake then most of you realize. Allow me to explain.

When we go back to the election for County Council and County Executive, most of the people who won did so representing themselves as REPUBLICANS with conservative values. YOU elected them by a large margin because quite frankly we had all had enough with the incredible out of control spending.

Under Rick Pollitt, we have two new massive extravagant schools and I personally believe one of the reasons many voted the way they did was because you witnessed the Council reverse their vote on the Bennett Middle School project. It was voted down by the Council. Then, out of nowhere, Stevie Prettyman came back and said she wanted to revisit it and in a highly questionable move by then Council President Matt Holloway, it came back up for yet another vote. I have never seen such shenanigans in my life, but it is what it is. Clearly the voters said their peace at the polls in the November election.

Now, all of a sudden, the media and the BOE are all over West Side Elementary and the WE MUST DEMOLISH IT agenda once again. They told many untruths especially about the priority of repairs/potential replacement of this school. A skilled group of people volunteered to look at the structure and determined it was in fact salvageable and a renovation would be the preferred route.

Then came the tearing down of the old Bennett Middle School. The election happened and the vast majority of voters elected CONSERVATIVE people to represent them. The new County Executive says, I've got an idea that could not only work for everyone, we could actually resolve many issues space wise by renovating that building and housing different County departments/offices there. There is nothing structurally wrong with the building. New HVAC, a new roof, new windows and the place would be like new and save the taxpayers MILLIONS of dollars. Keep in mind, the taxpayers are paying RENT throughout the County and almost EVERYTHING can be brought within one building.

Bob Culver's proposal reflects the desire of the voters for more fiscal responsibility in government and therefore deserves to be explored in depth. In addition, it provides an acceptable answer as to where to place the ball fields the BOE expects and offers the potential for them to be completed ahead of the current schedule.

So what happened to the REPUBLICAN candidates who were elected? What do they REALLY stand for? Do we really want to go back to the dysfunctional ways of years past like we've experienced in the City of Salisbury? 

WELL out of nowhere, in walks Mike Dunn, former City Council President. I can't tell you how many people have contacted me and asked, where the hell did this guy come from?

He's a man who destroys just about everything he touches. He's a man who will do everything he can to take down a community and now he's after the County. Yet, the local Press gives him a podium and a microphone because he's the only one stupid enough to walk around with an air of superiority as if he's the man with all the answers. Mike Dunn is a cancer to this County.

I am hopeful that what we will see tonight is Republicans united in their support of the taxpayers wish to rein in spending. If they are disrespectful of the voters who elected them and align themselves with the views of Mike Dunn, John Fredericksen and other tax and spend liberals. I will spend the next 3.5+ years exposing these alleged REPUBLICANS who SUCKERED you voters by claiming to be conservative for exactly who and what they are.

This county (and State for that matter) chose to set a new course in the last election and I'll be damned if I'm going to stand for the media putting pressure on elected officials to get their way. I challenge any one of you to share why Culver's ideas wouldn't be fiscally responsible for Wicomico County. I think we've all had enough with property values plummeting while property taxes increase through the roof. We need to tighten our belts for a while and I truly believe Culver is leading us in the right direction. It's time the Council showed that same kind of leadership too.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

But will Liarton and Fake Day be their to back up their buddy, Donut-hole?

Anonymous said...

Joe, your observations are right on target. I agree it is time the Council stepped up and showed what they are made of. You'd think with 6 Republicans on the Council, Culver and the taxpayers would have all the support we need. If they continue to vote for the "old ways" they do need to be called out for betraying the majority of the voters.

Anonymous said...

Dunn's article was arrogant and insulting. All the "what we deserve" comments were entitlement bull. His group of "we" is different than my group of "we". My group is sick and tired of the tax and spend mentality. It has crushed many of my friends and their families. Their quality of life has drastically declined thanks to the likes of Dunn, Pollitt and the so-called educators. Why do I call them "so-called" because they have focused on the wrong thing with regard to education - the facilities instead of the quality of the classroom education. To say that kids can't learn in "old" environments is absurd. How many communities take pride in schools that are much older than those in Wicomico County. The difference - their "educators" took care of what they had and poured more money into the quality of education. What "we deserve" is to NOT be taxed to death. We also deserve to have kids receive the best classroom experience rather than rank in the bottom 5 in the state. Putting lipstick on a pig - the lipstick is fancy schools, the pig is ranking in the bottom in the state - isn't fixing anything. Why would anyone listen to the likes of Dunn?

Anonymous said...

I am so sick of the BOE, Dunn and people like them. The drama they bring to meetings is so unprofessional and does not set a good example for students. Angry speakers, crying mothers, all of this doesn't advance civil discourse and reasonable conversation. It sets up adversarial positions and makes those who disagree with them look like bad guys. I just have to shake my head that these are the people trying to teach our future generation. What are they really learning? Don't respect other people's views, don't try to negotiate and by all means throw a brat show if you don't get your way. The Council members are fools if they are influenced by all of this.

Anonymous said...

I hope the Council members read this and also your article of yesterday. Culver's supporters are not as loud and vocal as the ones the BOE whips into hysterical speaking at Council meetings. Unfortunately some council members seem to be intimidated by the drama. I know Joe H. and Marc K. will stand by their principles. This is a real test of the other ones.

Anonymous said...

My fear is that the tax and spend crowd, which I believe includes 2 to 3 members of the council, will find a way to derail Culver's ideas. My guess is they will have their crack legal team (ROFLMAO) come up with some interpretation of the Charter that suits their purposes. Baker is famously known for making the law fit the situation. Why do you think he got such a sweet deal with the county - they knew they could control him. Disgusting!

Anonymous said...

This should be a no-brainer for a Republican controlled Council. If it isn't, you are right Joe, the voters have been had.

Anonymous said...

What does Dunn do for a living? Live off his wife? Seriously, he has only had low paying jobs that I am aware of. Is he a slum lord? How does he support himself?

What makes him think his views matter to anyone outside of his little group of friends? What has he done to command our respect? His history with the City certainly isn't it.

Anonymous said...

Hopefully, the elected will do what they were elected to do (based on what they told us to get them elected)!

Anonymous said...

I cannot understand why Hall and Matt Holloway run as Republicans because they surely do not follow conservative values!

Anonymous said...

A few years ago, I was part of "We Care About Wicomico County", a very community minded folks. One of the things we were against was the redevelopment plans for the old Mall. While the Mall as still intact, we met with some of the City Council. Mr.(?) Dunn got in the face of one of the ladies and came very close to getting his nose reshaped by this old man. Some of the suggested uses for the Mall were, Sears Auto used by city or county for vehicle maintenance, etc. County offices could utilize many of the smaller stores for separate offices. WorWic could use much of the mall instead of additions at present site. BUT!!NO!! What do we have now?? Thanks MR(?) Dunn!!
OH!! We are blamed for objecting to 800 units (the size of Delmar)on the site and the fall of developers.
USN-RET

Anonymous said...

Does he still run Delmarva Public Radio?

KCSr said...

If the council disrespects the voters wishes the voters should call them to task, do everything possible including re-call. We the voters need to band together and get the government that we voted for. Come on the election wasn't even close.

Anonymous said...

Dunn must be doing something correct. He works at Apple Drugs in Fruitland.

Anonymous said...

Mike Dunn was a weather man at WBOC and won the lottery back in the late 80's early 90's

Anonymous said...

Dunn made a boatload on the Sassafras Meadows deal and probably some kickbacks from Dzaman and Natelson with that big fat TIF he made available to them on the old mall.

Anonymous said...

"Does he still run Delmarva Public Radio?"

He NEVER ran Delmarva Public Radio. He was hired as corporate fundraiser there, another one of his failures. They let him go after a couple of years when he proved himself there by what he could actually do, which was far less than what he was hired to do.

The Old Mall site was going to be his crowning achievement: 800 units with no city taxes for 20 years while the $15,000,000 TIF (gift to the developers) was paid off by the rest of the taxpayers (plus another $30,000,000 in interest over that period), who, in addition, would been stuck with providing city services to the development for free for those 20 years. It failed because Barrie Tilghman and the rest of her Dream Team council (Comegys, Cathcart and Shields) got caught at trying to violate zoning laws to put the development in place. They were smacked down hard in court and the delay was enough to kill the project, which would have been a huge drain on the city's tax revenue. Once the construction was completed, a huge tax increase would have been necessary to cover the revenue vacuum it would have created.
Thanks to those brave citizens who saw the writing on the wall and challenged Dunn & Company's zoning bait & switch in court. We owe them a debt of thanks for saving our bacon on this slimy piece of Dunn's work.


Anonymous said...

DUNN = DUNCE why are we paying attention to this private citizen Fool/

Anonymous said...

The TIF payback and tax deferral were for 28 years, not 20. Small correction, but big $$$$.

Anonymous said...

a power play? you mean a majority of the people who want something get it? a powe play would be when someone in power overrules the majority and does what he or she watns despite what the majority says.

Anonymous said...

It is time for we, the taxpayers, attend the council meeting tonight and back Bob Culver. You can't do anything by watching it on pac 14. You know that the BOE will be there in force crying etc. We ALL need to be there and speak up as taxpayers and backers of Bob
Culver. We will see you there!!

Anonymous said...

Over and over again, all across the Nation, TIFs (Tax Increment Financing) have been shown to be a benefit to a community ONLY if the recipient development is primarily commercial or industrial, both of which create tax revenue and sustainable, well-paying jobs. The Old Mall TIF was planned to have a few businesses with minimum wage jobs (coffee shops, etc.) in addition to the 800 housing units, resulting in a constant drain on city resources. This was pointed out again and again to Dunn and his crew by people who did their homework. They didn't listen.

Anonymous said...

I would like to thank the retired navy man for his service to this country. Also for his service as part of that We Care group.

Thank you to others exposing what happened with that old mall deal. To those who opposed it, thank you. I know you were harassed and threatened.

What WE deserve is to never see or hear from Mike Dunn again. He is the worst legacy Phil Tilghman and others left everyone with. Seeing Dunn on Phil's cable show bragging about how he brought fireworks back to Salisbury was sickening. He helped take them away in the first place. He went to the city council and said he could raise the funds for them without the city kicking in, and he asked them for pretty much the whole amount!

Said he couldn't do it "all by himself." A leader would get people behind him if the community wants it so much.

More proof to stay away from Dunn and that he should stay away!

Anonymous said...

He's a local elitist!What accomplishments did he do while in office other than set himself up to prosper?

Anonymous said...

I hope my District Council Person votes the way he feels is the right thing to do. The he$$ with R's & D's.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for reporting this, Joe.
Far too many people are swayed by emotionalism and empty rhetoric that encourages our leaders to believe that the one who speaks the loudest or with the most tears speaks for the majority.

Anonymous said...

Funny thing about Dunn is that he is good friends with Kim Hudson from the BOE. Is Ms. Hudson even a Republican like she claims to be?

Anonymous said...

Is Dunn and his significant other still swinging with people from that XXX site adultfriendfinder.com?

Anonymous said...

Dunn is on disability his gay old ass has Chronic fatigue that's how he pays the bills...