S2 E49: EXECUTIVE WANTS MORE MONEY TO PICK UP LITTER
The chaos at the County Dept. of Public Works (DPW) is worsening. After years without a DPW Director, several months ago the newly hired Director resigned after less than one month on the job. Last week, the Deputy Director of DPW was fired. Over the past couple of years, several DPW division heads and managers have also left. The circumstances surrounding these terminations haven't been revealed but the resultant problems are unmistakable. It doesn't appear that the stockpiled dredge spoil at Sharps Point will be moved by the Oct. 1 deadline mandated by the Army Corps of Engineers. This may delay next year's scheduled Wicomico River dredging project for several years, even though maintaining navigability of the channel is essential to the county's economy. The new landfill cell still hasn't gone out for construction bidding as promised, further delaying an essential project that's already a year and a half behind schedule. County roads are falling into disrepair, but money allocated for repairs has been transferred to the (apparently underfunded) pension fund instead of being used to keep our roads safe. The (former) Deputy Director of DPW logically wanted to combine two positions in the Roads and Solid Waste Divisions, but the Finance Director maintains that two separate positions are required at additional taxpayer expense. Are the conflicts, lack of continuity, and absence of competent leadership within the Executive Branch preventing these critical projects from moving forward as necessary to avert multiple crises that will profoundly impact county residents? Who in the Administration is responsible for this disarray?
