One of the few increases in the Caroline County 2012 budget is an increase in the retirement fund for firemen. Two of Caroline’s commissioners are life members of their fire companies, Are they feathering their own nests?

In the rush to guarantee that Caroline County’s Hobbs collection site will never reopen, Caroline County’s commissioners sold the loaders used at that site. One sold at auction for $7000, the other brought even less. New loaders of this type sell for $200,000 or more. A motor grader sold by the county public works department at a similar auction a few years ago is still in use by the lucky buyer today. Are the bureaucrats running the show?

Gov. O’Malley cares about Dover Bridge and the Eastern Shore residents who are forced to use it at great risk to life and limb. (If only we could move the bridge to Montgomery County)

When Beavo travels to Ruthsburg he finds it difficult to distinguish the village idiot. The wise man on the subject of government facilities has as his chief qualification vast experience dipping ice cream. Queen Annes County elected officials turned from stallions to geldings at the first sign of public pressure. Wait a second. This comment should be under the TRUE bullet!

Residents of Preston, Federalsburg, Goldsboro, Henderson and Marydel will soon be paying a trash sticker fee of $100 that no county commissioner will pay. Seems to Beavo that a fee is simply a tax you can’t deduct on April 15. The commissioners deserve a special cow patty for this brainstorm.

Caroline County residents who live in town will also be getting a tax increase courtesy of the Caroline County Commissioners. Removing the municipal tax differential will result in an automatic increase in their tax bill. Perhaps the commissioners thought no one would notice. Beavo noticed, and that’s no bull!

These gents will proudly say they did not increase taxes. In reality two taxes were increased or created without the intestinal fortitude to call them what they are. Pasture hockey anyone ?

Holy dual standard !!

Your public servants serve you right – Adlai Stevenson

Dr. Ed Shirley’s outstanding service to Caroline County Public Schools is coming to an end. His replacement will have large shoes to fill, but an excellent board and staff to work with. Beavo hopes that Tina Brown will be a part of that staff. She also is A-1.

Queen Annes County’s Sheriffs Department has done what appears to be a top notch job with the investigation of the murder of a Denton woman. The rapid closure on this case indicates we are blessed with skilled people in that department.

Recently a memorial park for those 89 people lost to the dangerous Maryland Route 404 was dedicated. Yet another opportunity to recognize the tireless efforts of Jim Voss, the Freeman family and the entire C-Team. Mid-Shore residents are grateful for the efforts.

Chesapeake College continues to be one of the Mid-Shore’s great assets. The college has an outreach that extends far beyond the classroom, making the area a better place and keeping the community in community college. Worthy of note, Gov. O’Malley recently appointed Nash McMahan to the board. Excellent choice.

Thursday night in Caroline County is the best night of the week for many Mid-Shore folks.. A trip to the Curtis Andrew Auction is an opportunity to connect with true Americana. The Labor Day equipment auction is the best chance you can get to greet old friends and relatives. The now and then concerts in the building bring top performers to entertain large crowds of decent, drug-free folks from all over the map. Curtis seems to have cornered the market on tourism and economic development. No tax dollars either.

Talbot Council member Laura Price has quickly demonstrated that she is a council member to be reckoned with. Beavo has heard that her fellow council member Dirck Bartlett regrets that he is no longer the prettiest member.

Nepotism – favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics.
One Caroline Commissioner  has a wife working in the Caroline courthouse, a brother working in the Caroline County jail. His son’s girlfriend worked in the Caroline County courthouse until they called it quits. Her employment soon ended. Not to worry. The girlfriend’s job was quickly filled by the commissioner’s niece.

Is there no shame? The high-handed extortion efforts of Talbot County’s BoE and superintendent hit a new low this year, if that’s possible. Beavo spends enough time in the pasture to recognize that stuff when he sees it.

Caroline County”s  fearless leaders recently threw their support behind the MAPP project. This huge electric power project will be a windfall for the power companies and real estate developers. Choptank Electric had a VP plead their case before the commissioners, one of whom was a close friend. Beavo sees a pattern here! Dorchester County has consistantly opposed this project. Hope Caroline does not need a friend in the future.

There’s that gentleman from Greensboro who was blown off the deck of a battlewagon at Pearl Harbor  on that infamous day in 1941, as he carried rounds for her big guns. The retired school administrator who holds a Silver Star and Purple Heart brought back from Vietnam and that paramedic who responded first to a tragic accident involving a young girl. The Mid-Shore is filled with quiet and humble heroes.

We will observe the tenth anniversary of that act of treachery that took so many innocent lives in 2001. What an appropriate time to thank our veterans and courageous first responders. They are the real heroes!

Let’s make a special effort when we encounter a military veteran or a long-time provider of emergency services to take a moment to express our gratitude for what they do for us, our community, and our nation. They will remain humble, but they will know that they are appreciated.

Preston VFC has built a free standing EMS facility that makes it possible for the Caroline EMS to operate safely, with an excellent “home away from home.” Marydel is at work to establish a similar facility. Goldsboro has done a great deal of work to make their station EMS friendly. All of the fire companies in the county put forth a great deal of effort to establish a safe, professional environment. There is however a glaring exception in the Caroline County county seat. To guarantee that safe and responsive atmosphere, the county found it necessary to provide it’s own facility away from the DVFC.

County personnel were removed after the second incident of gunfire at the DVFC facility during a hall rental gone bad. The second incident had potentially tragic consequences when a bullet penetrated the first floor ceiling and traveled into the second floor where EMS personnel were housed. Fortunately they were on a call at the time.

Fire companies are quasi-military organizations. The majority vote of the members here made an on-tap beer policy OK, This isn’t the Moose guys! Great atmosphere for young cadets. Perhaps next a keg in the Sheriff’s office.

One DVFC fund raising brainstorm is to operate an “in house” paid, but private EMS, staffing provided by folks fired by the county. Is anyone at the controls here?

The situation remains as it has been for some time. Beer on tap and senior officers in a drunken stupor when guests are present. When will the grown ups take charge? One commissioner tells us he is a life member here. Rather than providing more retirement money for these folks in this years budget, he should have considered providing some much needed leadership.

DVFC has many fine members and there is a legacy of outstanding service among many familiar names. Singer, Palmer, Horsey, Fretterd and many other dedicated volunteer families come to mind. One wonders when the sound minds  such as those mentioned will again take charge.  Until then, all county taxpayers will be underwriting this nonsense!