PooGate Continues … Why Doesn’t Barrie Tilghman Want to Save Money?

March 26, 2009 by Cato  
Filed under Environment, Fiscal Policy, Maryland, Salisbury Politics

PooGate Continues …

In the wake of Monday’s news that the city’s new waste water treatment plant (WWTP) may be an $80+ milliion white elephant, new facts come to light that raise far more questions than provide answers.  It appears that Salisbury Mayor Barrie Tilghman holds the city’s taxpayers and ratepayers with less regard than even I thought … or that even then Tilghman was trying to hide the truth about the WWTP from the public.

Citizens need to think back about a year when Tilghman and her rubber stamp council majority of mayoral candidate Gary Comegys, Shanie Shields and puppet-in-chief Louise Smith voted to hit water and sewer ratepayers with an increase of 50% spread over several years.  We have learned that prior to this the Tilghman administration was contacted by a company offering their services in managing the city’s WWTP.  That company SPECIFICALLY mentioned the proposed rate increases and offered its services with the expectation of saving ratepayers money.

This comapny, Severn Trent Services, is a national firm that manages water and sewer plant throughout the country, including operation and maintenance.  Locally, they manage Lewes, Delawre’s new WWTP.  They contacted City Administrator John Pick (the same man who sat mute while his boss made the ridiculous claim that his correspondence regarding this matter was “privileged” when it clearly wasn’t marked so) and made special note that they wished to make a proposal to the city regarding management of the new WWTP that would save ratepayers money.  The company also noted that they had BEEN sending Tilghman information over the past several years.  The Tilghman administration made no attempt to pursue the matter.

Why would Tilghman refuse to discuss a proposal which could save it’s citizens money,  potentially provide better service, and relieve the city of one more operational headache?  That’s what “enquiring minds want to know”.

Over the years we have noted Tilghman’s apparent contempt for the people she claims to serve.  We have noted her great desire to grow the size of the city’s bureaucracy.  Therefore, it is conceivable that her refusal to discuss this matter with Severn Trent was simply additional evidence of Tilghman’s desire to grow the size of the city government.

However, there is another possible explanation.  Perhaps Tilghman didn’t want to hold discussions with Severn Trent because then she might  have to explain why she doesn’t want to save money for the taxpayers and ratepayers Salisbury.  Perhaps Tilghman knew LAST YEAR that these “fundamental problems” existed with the WWTP and that they would come to light if forced to contract with a firm like Severn Trent.

Unfortunately, we’ll never know.  History has taught us that we cannot depend on Barrie Tilghman and her minions for something as basic as the truth.  Consequently, we ride into a city election with the Barrie Comegys team crossing their fingers and hoping that they will continue in power so that the blindfold may be kept on the eyes of the public.

How much will the taxpayers and ratepayers of Salisbury have to pony up in order to fix this mess?  We won’t know until AFTER a new mayor and council are elected.  By then it could be too late.  The fiscal consequences to this once fine city are potentially staggering.  The potential impact on economic development is even greater.  Of course, this administration was never particularly interested in that anyway – unless we’re talking residential development.