If you believe that the Wicomico County government is competently handling your tax dollars, you may want to take a closer look. On the Friday, May 15 edition of OPEN AGENDA (S3 E29) we focus on the annual budget hearings presently underway. We start with the County's plans to renovate the Verizon Building, which was purchased for the Health Department's use. The public was told it was a “turn key” acquisition, but now it looks like the interior improvements are going to cost exponentially more than originally represented. As you will see, the Director of Finance and County Health Officer failed spectacularly in their obligation to conduct the appropriate due-diligence (i.e., building condition assessment, needs assessment, conceptual plans, preliminary cost estimates, value engineering, etc.) before the building was purchased.
The Fire Services Agreement between Salisbury and Wicomico County has become a matter of deep concern. Salisbury's mayor has made it clear that the (paid) city Fire Dept. is being underfunded by the County and threatened to stop providing services beyond the City's service district. In the interests of public safety, shouldn't this issue be satisfactorily settled before allocating exorbitant funds to the Health Department's equivalent of the “Taj Mahal?”
Finally we must ask, why has the County Executive denied the public access to the entire proposed county budget in all of its detail? It is our money after all, and I'm fairly certain that no national security secrets are are risk. Curious, isn't it? Tune in and be informed.
