OPEN AGENDA brings you TWO new episodes this week! (S2 Episodes 29 & 30)
But first, an IMPORTANT UPDATE. After the County Council's repeated written requests to the County Executive as to whether her previously announced phased-closure of the landfill will begin this Saturday (8/2/25), no response was received until today (8/1/25), just 24 hours before the scheduled closure was to be implemented. The landfill WILL remain open, but commercial haulers report that they were NOT notified by the Executive's office. The Executive's failure to communicate her decision left the haulers no choice but to develop contingent logistical plans in anticipation of the previously announced closure at considerable expense. More on this next week.
Moving on, in S2 E29 we ask, does the County Executive actually want the public to be involved in civic affairs? Along with our guests, community leaders Jermichael Mitchell and Michael Lankford, we explore how the Executive's appointees to various committees, commissions and panels tend to be the same folks (the proverbial “good ol' boys” network), which are often over-represented by members of the Greater Salisbury Committee. Are these “Blue Ribbon Panels” working in the best interests of county residents, or do they exert influence on elected officials for their own benefit? Should committee members be chosen from a broader spectrum of citizens to bring fresh ideas and diverse opinions, or should we continue to live in the existing echo chamber? We also discuss just how often certain elected officials communicate with citizens other than when they're asking for your vote. Additionally, we address the low home-ownership rate in Wicomico County (we have among the worst records in the nation), lack of affordable (starter) homes, and the benefits of youth sports programs.
