Ireton’s Slumlord Proposal Appears DOA

NEXT STOP – CITY ELECTIONS

Elections for three Salisbury City Council District 2 seats are less than a year away.  Salisbury mayor Jim Ireton seems to believe that his sledgehammer approach to slumlord regulation is his ticket to a more pliable city council.  Buckle up Salisbury, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Vacuous Salisbury councilwoman Louise Smith is already whining that she wasn’t part of the process that drafted the legislation.  It doesn’t matter that former mayor Barrie Tilghman threw legislation on the council without consultation, or even time for review; Smith supported it anyway.  Now that Tilghman is gone, I guess the rules changed with her too late exit.

Regardless of councilman Gary Comegys’s health status, he’ll be present to oppose any attempts to regulate SAPOA.  Shanie Shields knows where her bread is buttered.  That’s three votes against (if the legislation ever gets a public hearing) and then we’re heading for next spring’s elections.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Media Monday – DT Wraps A Scam In the Flag

A notorious slumlord lies on his application for a building permit of a boarding house.  A shady “counselor” acts as his front man and claims “it’s for the veterans”.  After the fact, the city government learns that city solicitor Paul Wilber has a lawyer / client relationship with the same ‘counselor”.  The shady “counselor” is now represented by a neighbor and political ally of councilwoman Louise Smith.  The slumlord also happens to be councilwoman Shanie Shields’s landlord (and gives her a “really nice break on the rent” according to Shields).  Ace Daily Times reporter Laura D’Alessandro leaves the council meeting before this issue even comes up on the agenda.  So … What’s the headline in Sunday’s Daily Times?

COUNCIL TIE THWARTS VETS CENTER  Discrimination complaint filed with HUD over block by Salisbury

What can I say?  It’s classic “journalism” from the good folks over at the DT.  The problem is, this piece wasn’t written by D’Alessandro.  At least Laura can always fall back on the fact that she’s incompetent.  No, this future Pulitzer winner was penned by Greg Latshaw.  He’s neither stupid nor incompetent.  He’s just biased.  Therefore, we are forced to ask why Latshaw would put his name to a piece that is not only grossly biased, but shot full of half truths and factual holes.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

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.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Scandal Brewing At PAC-14

We haven’t written much about PAC-14, Wicomico County’s public access cable channel in quite some time.  Because of that, many of you may think that all is well there.  Sadly, you would be mistaken.  The crew running PAC-14 (along with some of the vocal “supporters”) are just as conniving and deceitful as always.

We have to admit that we made a mistake.  We tried to be fair and allow PAC-14 Executive Director Mike Goodson and a majority of PAC-14’s board the opportunity to do what they said they were going to do.  Instead, this merry little band has decided that giving Wicomico taxpayers the “middle finger” is the best route to obtain their goals – and those goals have little to do with providing viewers an opportunity to watch their government in action and providing citizens the opportunity to produce local content.  No, the goal of the PAC-14 board is to siphon money from the taxpayers and build an entity that will eventually be handed over to Salisbury University so that taxpayers will no longer have even a marginal say as to how a portion of their tax dollars are being spent.

Thanks to elected officials like Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt, Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton, Salisbury council members Louise Smith, Gary Comegys, and Shanie Shields, along with unelected “volunteers” such as Phil Tilghman, Elizabeth Bellavance and WCBOE President Mark Thompson, expect PAC-14 to blossom into an organization which wastes money (your money) on consultants and plans for grand schemes while refusing to adhere to the basic rules of transparency (which are in their own by-laws).

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

In Salisbury, Working People Need Not Apply

As Salisbury councilwoman noted on the radio this morning, today’s Salisbury City Council work session is “relatively meaty”.    While I haven’t talked to councilwoman Debbie Campbell today, it’s a decent bet that she won’t be there.  Why?  Campbell has to work for a living.  So does Cohen, but fortunately she is self-employed.

The “council majority” of Louise Smith, Gary Comegys, and Shanie Shields don’t work for a living.  They live off of the teat of the taxpayer.  Therefore, why not move work sessions to the morning.  The meetings aren’t televised.  Working citizens can’t attend.  Campbell can’t attend many.  Cohen will undoubtedly miss a few because she has to earn a living.

By this action alone Smith, et al provide an excellent argument for not allowing anyone on a PUBLIC pension to hold elected office.  No – I’m not advocating that action.  I’m just noting that there is an argument to be made when people like Smith, Comegys, and Shields behave as they do.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Despotism Returns to Salisbury

When elected officials waste your tax dollars your recourse is limited.  You can complain.  You can lobby your officials.  Ultimately, you can vote those persons out in the next election.  One of the wonders of our great nation is our willingness and ability to replace politicians with the ballot rather than the bullet.

Sadly, there are instances in our local, state, and federal governments when officials steal from the taxpayer – either through embezzlement or spending public monies that are not lawfully appropriated.  Do we resort to the bullet?  Of course not.  This is America; that’s what prisons are for.

During the fascist regime of the former Queen of Barrieland, Salisbury taxpayers witnessed a constant, and consistent, stream of spending public funds without lawful appropriations.  When current Salisbury mayor Jim Ireton ran for his present post he promised voters that this type of behavior would not be repeated under an Ireton regime.  Sadly, this has proven NOT to be the case.

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Saturday’s Conway / Mathias Meeting

Much has already been written about Saturday morning’s Salisbury town hall meeting held by Del. Norm Conway (D-38B) and Del. Jim Mathias (D-38B).  Michael Swartz of Monoblogue provides a very factual, blow-by-blow account.  Julie Brewington of Right Coast Girl weighs in with a little more opinion.  My friend Joe Albero, uncharacteristically, is taking a “can’t we all get along” approach.

There are two things that almost everyone seems to agree on.  One is that we appreciate Conway and Mathias taking time to meet with constituents.  Yes, I know it’s an election year AND that it’s part of their job.  Yet, not every member of the legislature takes the time.  The second thing is that both Conway and Mathias are “good guys”.  I concur.  Wicomico County Exec Rick Pollitt is a “good guy”; so is Councilmen John Cannon and Dave MacLeod.  Councilwoman Sheree Sample-Hughes is a “good person”.  Hell, I’m sure there are even a few people who like Salisbury Councilwoman Louise Smith and Wicomico Councilman Bill McCain.  Regardless, taxpayers need to ask themselves if they can afford to continue supporting these “good guys”.

BIG GOVERNMENT CONSERVATIVES?

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Speak Out Against Crime in Salisbury

Attend this evening’s Salisbury City Council meeting.  During public comment ask this simple question:

Will you continue to support the rising crime rate or will you take action against crime, starting now?

Let the Barrie Comegys bloc – Gary Comegys, Louise Smith, and Shanie Shields – know that you want change!  This means letting Police Chief Allan Webster go and putting someone in the job that is more concerned about fighting crime than attacking Mayor Jim Ireton and Councilwoman Debbie Campbell.

Sphere: Related Content

The Joke That Is Salisbury’s Tapegate

On days like this I am reminded of a comment made by my friend and Red Maryland colleague Brian Griffiths.  It was something to the effect that more things appear to be written about Salisbury town government than most cities 10 times its size.  He’s right.  I’m one of many culprits; but at least I can be thankful that I’m not in the idiot pen with the Tilghman Times and the Barrie Comegys crowd.  Case in point – TAPEGATE.

The Story -

It all began in early July.  Salisbury police chief Allan Webster thought that the town’s new mayor, Jim Ireton, might send him packing.  Fair assumption given Webster’s record and the city’s less than stellar crime statistics.  Ireton had made both an issue during the recent mayoral campaign and Webster attacked Ireton in the Tilghman Times on multiple occasions.

To save his job, and reportedly to pad his pension, Webster went on the offensive by publicly attacking Ireton’s two allies on council – Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen.  Unfortunately, Ireton’s bungling of the matter appeared to make Webster and his cronies even more brazen.

To date, Webster has asserted (on several occasions in collusion with the Tilghman Times) that his rights were violated, that city personnel policy was circumvented, that the Salisbury taxpayers should foot all of his potential legal bills, … and that he was was somehow being persecuted as a “whistleblower”.  What makes this so amusing is that it was either Webster or someone acting on his behalf that provided copies of the documents (which Webster claims are damaging to his reputation) to both the Tilghman Times and to the house blog of the Barrie Comegys party.

Webster’s claim of “whistleblower” status is based (if one can call it that) on a purported investigation of Councilwoman Campbell.  Webster claims that Campbell has possession of police surveillance footage supposedly taped about 12 years ago when Mrs. Campbell was the founding Executive Director of Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Service.  TAPEGATE!

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Barrie Comegys Party Wants to Waste More Tax Dollars

When will they ever learn?  The Barrie Comegys bloc on Salisbury’s city council wants to throw more tax dollars (potentially millions more) down the drain.  Since Mayor Jim Ireton vetoed their attempt to take a notorious property owner off of the hook for cleanup, their response was tried and true (at least in Democrat circles) – they played the race card.

BARRIE COMEGYS WANTS YOUR MONEY

I understand the argument for acquiring the Lake Street property.  It could serve as a means to jump start the proposed North Prong redevelopment project.  As someone who supports redevelopment of the North Prong (just not the ham fisted Barrie Comegys approach), acquiring the property could have some merit.

However, to call this property a “brown field” is probably being generous.  Given that no one has any idea what kind of clean-up problems will be encountered if the city took possession of the property, it makes good sense to find out BEFORE the city is on the hook.  In fact, Councilwoman Terry Cohen made such a specific motion to amend the agreement before council last Monday.  Councilman Gary Comegys stated that he would support such an amendment ONLY IF it did not stop the city from acquiring the land.  Councilwomen Louise Smith and Shanie Shields (the other two legs of the Barrie Comegys Party stool on the Salisbury council) also voted down the amendment.

Let’s try this again.  NO ONE knows what the clean-up will cost.  It may me $10,000.  It could be $1 MILLION!  For all anyone knows, it could be more.  YET, Comegys stated that it was more important to acquire this piece of land.  Basically, the Barrie Comegys position is that this land is worth ANY PRICE.

Why not?  The taxpayers are footing the bill.

RACE PIMPING IN THE ‘BURY

Read more

Sphere: Related Content

Next Page »