2009 State of the County address

Unless some other blogger watched it on PAC-14, this may be the first in-depth analysis you get of the 2009 State of the County address delivered by Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt.

Upon arrival, I found a 20-page “County Executive’s Report to the People” placed on each chair. As expected, it was in full color but this year’s rendition was simply bound with a plastic binder and clear sheet over the cover. This was a cost-saving move, it was revealed later, as the entire production was done in-house. But it conveyed the message of positive things occurring in Wicomico County sufficiently to get the points across.

After greeting the audience both on television and live in the room, Pollitt quoted Thomas Paine in that these were indeed “the times that try men’s souls.” The challenges we faced were unlike any since the Great Depression, and, among other things, Rick noted the hopelessness of current conditions led some to commit criminal acts out of desperation.

While adequately funding the county’s needs was “at risk” in the current climate, Pollitt preferred to see the glass as half full. “America is at its best when it’s challenged,” continued the County Executive, and he was confident that Wicomico County would come through this stronger than ever.

There were two key challenges the county faced in the next year; one being the ongoing budgetary woes. Some “had no idea things would turn out as badly as they have,” and even the state of Maryland was optimistic that their revenues would increase by 5% as late as last May. As we all know now, state cuts and a shortage of revenue on the local side put the county in a precarious financial position.

However, Pollitt claimed there was a bright spot in that the county had been putting money into reserve – “contrary to the belief government spends every penny they get their hands on.” (Well, they do, just not immediately. We are spending some of the money the government got its hands on 2 and 3 years ago.) Again he pointed out that government officials don’t spend money just for the sake of spending it and that government is the “ultimate service provider” on items like education, public safety, roads, parks, public health, the library, our Civic Center, senior citizens, courts, and planning and zoning, which Rick claimed was there to “preserve our rural lifestyle.” For all those, we forget there’s steadily increasing costs.

Pollitt also brought up the county’s bond ratings, which were unchanged from last year thanks to fiscal prudence. Moody’s commented that the county has “maintained a healthy financial position” while Standard & Poor’s commended Wicomico’s “conservative management practices.” But a “minority” is still skeptical about how the county spends its tax dollars.

A common theme in Rick’s presentations is bringing up the question “what kind of county do we want to have?” In Pollitt’s view, we need to evaluate decisions based on quality of life. For Pollitt, it also meant he was “reluctant” to resort to layoffs but the time for them “is approaching quickly” if conditions don’t improve. The next budget would be “more wrenching” than this year’s edition, but he was “being proactive” on the budget – including telling department heads to “start from scratch” on their own budgets.

Rick also announced the formation of two new groups as advisory bodies. The Council of Economic Advisors and the Debt Affordability Advisory Committee would be comprised of local experts and report to him on policy advice.

The second main issue which needed to be addressed was in the area of land use and zoning. His was an effort to balance the rural character of the county with maintaining property values for farmers, who he termed the “most committed environmentalists.” Rick was committed to a “viable farming environment” in Wicomico County.

One pressing issue was restoring the farmland restoration certification and funding from the state, but Pollitt “expected” Wicomico County to be recertified in 2010. He also promised to have a “comprehensive farm bill” to introduce later this winter to address these and other agriculture-realted issues.

Pollitt then shifted his focus to a number of accomplishments shown in the “Report to the People.” Most prominent among them were the continuing usage of the county’s prescription discount card, a $408,000 state grant to buyers of foreclosed properties, and the settlement of the landfill theft case, pointing out the $250,000 insurance settlement along with $205,000 in restitution due from the perpetrators would draw the county about even as far as the value of the items stolen.

Regarding previous initiatives undertaken during the Pollitt era, the Wicomico Neighborhood Congress was now up to 44 local neighborhood organizations thanks to a “aggressive recruiting campaign,” and the Council of Physical Fitness and Healthy Living (announced in his 2008 State of the County Address) would finally be kicked off later this month. On a personal level, Pollitt’s commitment to being more fit resulted in a 30 pound weight loss and, “if I can get through this, anyone can.”

Rick concluded his speech with several things to consider.

In quoting Kennedy’s famous “Ask not…” speech, Rick opined that we had “gotten far away from that thinking,” remarking that during the recent public budget hearing the attitude was mainly in favor of cuts – except for their favorite things. We “can’t solve problems with a ‘me first’ attitude,” Pollitt warned.

In a nod to my concerns at that budget hearing, Pollitt told those assembled that economic development and job creation were much more difficult if quality of life issues weren’t addressed (which to me makes this a chicken-and-egg argument. One has to be there for the other to occur.) Citizenship is a heavy responsibility, and those who complain and do nothing otherwise should make the effort to get involved and become an informed, active citizenry. Pollitt pointed out that volunteering opportunities abound, even in areas Wicomico County normally involves itself with.

Afterward I had two questions for Rick; just curiosity for the most part. There was no concerted effort to place this address before Christmas for the first time, just possibly a better opportunity to spend time with family during the week between the holidays. And, doing my best Julie Brewington impersonation, I asked why this address wasn’t done during the evening. Basically the answer was that no one had made the suggestion before, and if Rick gave the address next year that would be considered.

Obviously, the way the next year progresses will have a drastic effect on whether Rick Pollitt will be giving a State of the County Address in 2010. Methinks the issues brought up today will be once again a strong component of the speech regardless of whoever delivers it.

Author: Michael

It's me from my laptop computer.

4 thoughts on “2009 State of the County address”

  1. Good reporting, Mike. Thanks for being there for those of us who couldn’t make it.

    I take issue with Pollitt’s memory of the budget hearing. It wasn’t “cut spending except for what I like.” Instead, there were a group of people there to advocate for the West Side Community Center. They wanted their favorite thing preserved. That was clearly an organized group. The other speakers, however, said that cuts should be made. I don’t recall anyone talking about areas that should be exempt from cuts, except maybe police.

    Looking at myself (since I was one of the speakers), I don’t use a lot of county services, but I do utilize the library. If it has to cut back hours or eliminate days of service, that will affect my “favorite thing,” but I think it should be done. Our club uses Schumaker Park and will have to pay a higher fee for its use next year, but that’s fair.

    I think many of us who were advocating cuts feel the same as I do. Pollitt likes to smear those of us who want restraint in government spending as being motivated by selfishness. Fiscal prudence isn’t the same as selfishness, though. If I were being as ungenerous as he, then I’d say maybe this is because Pollitt has no idea what fiscal prudence is, so he is searching for an explanation that makes sense to him. However, I won’t cast aspersions on his character as he casts aspersions on ours. I’ll just say that he’s simply wrong and needs to listen better to what the citizens are saying instead of dismissing their reasonable suggestions.

  2. Okay. I graduated from high school in Wicomico County, so I am working off the same “math” as the County Exec. But…

    How can it be called “Restitution” if you still need a $250k insurance settlement — more than the value you are calling “Restitution” — to bring the County “even”?

    Not to mention the cost of investigation, prosecution, and incarceration.

    Please explain this to me.

  3. Thanks for being there Michael and letting everyone know, what occured. I had to work and I am grateful for that….

    I had to laugh at your “impression”. Great job!!

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