Ireton’s “Slumlord of the Week” – Policy or Sham?

Today’s front page story in the Daily Times regarding Salisbury mayor Jim Ireton’s new “Slumlord of the Week” policy fails to answer several questions:

1. Is this “policy” meant to accomplish anything?
2. Why doesn’t Ireton actually do something to fulfill his campaign promise “to ‘close loopholes’ in the city’s municipal codes and get crime out of neighborhoods”?

IF Ireton was actually doing something to close these loopholes and to actually enforce the spirit, as well as the letter, of the city’s zoning laws that would be one thing.  Instead, we have seen one woman loose her rental income because of zoning (last Sunday’s DT), but we’re not seeing any progress in taking care of the scores of non-conforming uses in the city.

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That Slumlord Cash Just Keeps Coming for Comegys, Boda, and Shields

While the legal, over-the-table cash from Salisbury’s major and minor slumlords continues to be heaped upon the head of the Barrie Comegys ticket – Gary Comegys, it’s the illegal, under-the-table money that I find most interesting. Billing themselves as “a group of concerned rental owners”, a group of anonymous slumlords has spent thousands of dollars on a mailing to benefit the candidacies of their chosen ticket – Gary Comegys, Muir Boda, and Shanie Shields.

Little more than baseless lies, this mailing appeals to fear:

If you don’t vote for Comegys, Boda, and Shields we’re going to raise your rent!

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Jim Ireton Announces for Mayor …

… With a Unique Blend of Rhetoric and Substance

Anyone who attended Jim Ireton’s announcement that he was running for Mayor had to be impressed.  Ireton’s well thought out speech hit on the major problems facing Salisbury and Ireton presented common sense solutions to solving them.

The most important thing to note about Ireton’s speech was an almost unique blend of persuasive rhetoric and substantive policy recommendations.  Ireton accomplished this because he is truly passionate about Salisbury and in solving the problems facing a once great city.  There was nothing “over the top” about anything he said.  Instead Ireton focused attention on 5 issues:

• The Wicomico River

• Growth and Development

• Housing

• Fiscal Policy

• Crime

Ireton’s approach is well studied, without any rash proposals.
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Barrie Comegys / Daily Times Campaign for Mayor Continues

The Daily Times campaign to elect Barrie Comegys Mayor of Salisbury continues.  At least the paper put today’s piece of tripe on the op-ed page as opposed to their previous piece of mis-statement and fabrication which was portrayed as reporting.

Today’s piece, purportedly authored by the Barrie Comegys himself, was laughable in its inaccuracy.  It appears as if Comegys is taking the platform of Councilwoman Debbie Campbell’s re-election campaign and simply substituting his own name for Campbell’s:

Together we can make our streets safer.

Comegys has opposed almost every effort to reduce crime in Salisbury and increase funding for law enforcement.  Citizens need to be reminded that it was Comegys who was in full agreement with the Tilghman administration in closing all police substations (except in the area where the Mayor and her husband own commercial property).  The man who claims to support “community policing” was the man who gutted the concept in Salisbury.

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Salisbury Council Feels Your Pain When It Comes To Crime

As a resident of Salisbury’s Johnson Lake neighborhood (who was victim of an attack in her home) discovered Monday night, the majority of the Salisbury City Council “feels her pain” when it comes to crime. She just shouldn’t expect much to be done about it.

The woman who appeared before the Salisbury Council claims that she can identify her attacker. Unfortunately, it appears that the police didn’t do enough investigating to secure a conviction. I wonder what would have occurred if the attack had been a few blocks north in the home of Councilman Gary Comegys or Salisbury Mayor Barrie Tilghman?

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Salisbury’s Own Nannny State and “Barack Obama Lite”

Did you know that Salisbury taxpayers have their own “community organizer” on the payroll? As the Daily Times promotes National Night Out in Salisbury, certain salient details are left out of the perfunctory puff piece.

When appearing before the Wicomico County Council a couple of months ago, Ms. Michelle Parks was described by Barrie Tilghman acolyte Lore Chambers as a “community organizer”. Ms. Parks is on the city payroll.

In the past, when a neighborhood held a “National Night Out” event it was usually a volunteer effort. Of course the city is expending plenty of tax dollars in attempting to revitalize the Church Street / Doverdale area of Salisbury. Why have people take responsibility for their own neighborhood when you can throw tax dollars? Read more

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The Re-Packaging of a Boondoggle

Salisbury Mayor Barrie Tilghman’s “State of the City” address on Monday provided us with a glimpse of how a truly devious mind works. For several years Tilghman and her “Dream Team” promoted the idea of a revitalization of the “North Prong” area of the city. The unstated goal has seems to be the gentrification of the West Side of Salisbury. To those of you not familiar with the term, gentrification usually has the end affect of driving the poor black folks (and Latinos) out and replacing them with nice, well coiffed white folk.

To date Tilghman and her minions have been unsuccessful in their pursuit. Their desire to subsidize developers through a Community Development Corporation (CDC) have been a bust. Too many of the unwashed see it for what it is (a bureaucratic boondoggle designed to consolidate Tilghman’s power while funneling city funds to her friends). The state has, so far, refused to fund Tilghman’s attempts to push a large portion of the minority community out of the city. Oh, what to do?

To get around this little problem Tilghman has devised a brilliant solution! The North Prong project is no long an economic development issue. It is now an “environmental disaster”! Tilghman is now seeking federal funds, with the help of Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (?-MD). Read more

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Crooked Oak Proposal: Defending the Indefensible

A goodly number of citizens spent Tuesday evening at the Youth & Civic Center in a meeting that permitted proponents and opponents of the aptly named Crooked Oak land purchase to share their thoughts in front of the County Council and on PAC-14. The County Executive did not attend. Some spoke long, and some spoke short. Folks were polite and respectful to each other. The council members listened but made no comments.

Thanks are due to the council members for their presence and attention, and for providing the opportunity for all who wished to speak to do so.
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Shanie Shields Supports Study to Aid Gentrification of West Side

When large numbers of residents on Salisbury’s West Side are forced to leave their homes thanks to proposed “rehabilitation” of the area along the North Prong of the Wicomico River they should ask Councilwoman Shanie Shields if they can move in with her (in her non-city home on Jersey Road). Monday night the Salisbury City Council voted (with Shields in the majority) to fund a “strategic plan for the revitalization of the North Prong”

There is no secret that the Tilghman administration wants to turn the North Prong (and adjacent areas) into “condo city”. Personally, I don’t think it’s such a bad idea. Of course I don’t live there and I won’t be displaced. Who will benefit? The slumlords, who will see the values of their property rise ten fold (or more).

Where will these people go? I guess that’s not Shields’ problem. It appears that Mrs. Shields won’t be on council much longer anyway, due to her impending exodus from the city.

Technorati Tags: Maryland, Salisbury, politics, Salisbury politics, Shanie Shields, development

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Does Salisbury Really Need Police Substations?

In Thursday’s Tilghman Times, Salisbury Police Chief makes an excellent argument for shutting down police substations in Salisbury and replacing them with a “mobile substation”. On Friday, we were treated to a letter to the editor from Mr. David Ganoe applauding the Salisbury PD for its “mobile substation”. Bill Duvall admits that Webster’s argument is so persuasive as to make the debate over the closing of the Smith and Cecil Street substations virtually a “no-brainer”.

Mr. Duvall follows up with the very prescient question, “What am I missing?”

What he and many others are missing is the disingenuousness of Chief Webster’s argument. IF Webster’s argument were sound, why is the city keeping the Church Street substation open? IF Webster’s argument were sound, why are there not more police truly on the streets versus merely driving around in patrol cars?
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