Library proposal put on shelf

This just in from the Wicomico County PIO:

Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr., announced today that he has received a letter from Valerie Murphy, Chair of the Wicomico Public Library Board of Trustees, in which the trustees recommended suspending consideration of a site for a new county library headquarters in order to concentrate on the delivery of basic library services.  Ms. Murphy stated, “With great reluctance, the Library Board has voted to withdraw from its $375,000 site acquisition grant award from the state and allow the funds to revert while reserving the right to reapply in the future. The Library’s 39% cut in County Operating Funds has created a crisis which makes even this preliminary step toward construction of a new Main Library impractical and inadvisable at this time.”

Mr. Pollitt reacted to the statement by saying, “Under the circumstances, I agree with the Library Board’s position and understand our immediate priority is to continue to make our county library viable and accessible to our citizens. I see this not as abandoning a noble cause but, to use a sports metaphor, it is a ‘rain delay’ until the project can resume when economic conditions warrant.  I applaud the hard work and dedication that has brought us to this point and I continue to strongly believe that it is our duty to develop and work toward a vision that improves the quality of life for our residents.  That part of the effort will continue.”

Pollitt stated that he will not pursue acquisition of a site for future library operations at this time but will work with the Library Board to make short-term improvements to the existing facility.

Obviously that will come as a relief to those who try and figure out our capital budget, but it would also be worth following up as to what the library and county consider “short-term improvements.” I have the question in to Library Director Tom Hehman regarding this priority list.

On the other hand, I could’ve done without the complaint about a 39% cut in county funding since everyone needs to tighten their belts. I don’t think anyone is going to get their full wish list in this county budget, and the library likely has pondered several areas where it can cut back or raise a little bit of revenue. You might have to wait a little longer to borrow that best-seller and I wouldn’t hold my breath on a fine amnesty, that’s for sure.

So it looks like local fiscal conservatives have carried the day on this front. While the Wicomico Library may need a new facility sometime in the future, the future isn’t now. Of course, I’m sure the state doesn’t mind getting back $375,000 in the short term either. In a time when priorities are the key, having an older library isn’t going to tip the “quality of life” scale all that much to the negative.

Rutledge slates local fundraiser

Local voters will get the opportunity to help out the U.S. Senate campaign of a conservative seeking to unseat one of Harry Reid’s Maryland toadies.

It was a year ago this coming weekend some of us were introduced to Jim Rutledge as the Lower Shore Young Republicans held a fundraiser, while others met him shortly afterward at a Wicomico County Republican Club meeting last June.

For a small price ($25 per person is the “suggested” donation, kids under 16 free) you can meet and greet the Senate candidate this Saturday. It’s a pig roast and barbecue being held at 32625 Spearin Road, southeast of Salisbury. (Take Snow Hill Road south from Salisbury and turn left on Spearin Road to the last farm on the right – if you hit the Worcester County line you went too far.)

Granted, even getting 100 people to pay $25 apiece isn’t going to make much of a dent in the incumbent’s $2.7 million cash on hand (primarily garnered from special interest groups, trial lawyers, unions, and other PACs) but making her spend that money to defend the seat creates a situation where she can’t help anyone else. As opposed to other GOP candidates, there’s local people campaigning for Jim on the street and yard signs large and small being put up by local supporters.

You may also run into a number of other local GOP candidates at this event, so it can be a “one-stop shop” for getting to know local officeseekers. If you’d like to support one of the conservatives trying to turn Maryland and the U.S. Senate in the right direction, it’s easy to do: please R.S.V.P. (include the names of each person attending) and contact Don Coffin at 410-860-2111 or e-mail dcoffin@ezy.net.

The pause that refreshes…

Okay, I’m back. Spent a nice weekend with Kim and really didn’t look at much in the local blogosphere except reading Chris Slavens’ site to bring context to a Facebook response I penned regarding the Delaware GOP convention.

Thanks for the encouraging words and comments, which you’ll notice I just moderated finally.

I’m back at it today, although after thinking about it a little I realized I need to write more of my posts here like I do for Examiner – shorter and punchier. Obviously I can’t do that all of the time but I can do it more than I had. Maybe a little self-editing will bring back the sharp edge.

Later this afternoon I’ll have a post of newsworthiness; enough navelgazing for now.