Arrogance Abounds in Wicomico County Government

Don’t criticize the Wicomico County Government. It doesn’t matter whether you are an ordinary citizen, or a member of the County Council. This message was repeated again today, when the Wicomico County Tourism office dismissed County Councilman Joe Holloway’s criticism of wasteful spending on gifts as “grandstanding”.

For reasons unknown to the public, Parks and Tourism Director Gary Mackes and his crew are immune from any discipline. Back in December, 2006 Mackes publicly criticized the new Wicomico County Council for not backing a TIF bond for the old Salisbury Mall project. Last year Mackes attempted to ignore a request by the same Councilman Holloway to investigate repair, rather than replacement, of the civic center roof. Now the troops are rallying to defend the Tourism office giving Christmas gifts to elected officials.

This affair is reminiscent of Salisbury Mayor Barrie Tilghman spending $2,500 on stadium cups. People like Tourism Advisory Board members Wayne Strausburg and Michael Getzey just don’t get. They are dealing with tax dollars. When the county is over $10 million behind in necessary road repairs, should the county be spending money on overpriced pens? To add insult to injury, shouldn’t the pens have at least shown that they were from Wicomico County Tourism.

Holloway is correct:

“There’s only one way to control how much money the government spends, and that is to control how much you give it,” said Holloway, who is returning his pen. “People are amazed our money would be spent like that.”

I can only hope that the Wicomico County Council spends an adequate amount of time in determining how to restrain costs in Wicomico County.

cross posted at Salisbury News

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