Charles County Commissioners - SUV or Police? Hmmm

[SPotter286]

What's more essential, brand new SUV's for each County Commissioner or police presence on the street in Charles County?

On Wednesday, September 16, 2009, Charles County law enforcement personnel were informed that their emergency legislation proposal to stop the impending 2.5% decrease in pay (as a result of being tied to the Maryland State Police pay scale) was DENIED to even be heard let alone voted on by the Charles County Commissioners. In addition each officer will be furloughed for 10 days.

These brave men and women are running directly into live threatening situations when everyone else is running away from them. Here is glimpse at how they've been rewarded:

• The nature of their jobs require they give up holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and special events with their families, friends, and loved ones. Beginning last year, they were asked to give up their holiday pay to the tune of 1.7 million dollars.
• They haven't had a raise in the pay scale in almost 7 years
• They were denied several scheduled step pay increases
• They were denied several scheduled Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) increases.
• Now their base pay will be reduced by 2.5%
• Nowthey will lose an additional 10 days of pay due to furloughs

We can't possibly expect them to give anymore. Who takes care of the caretakers? It's time that we give back to the selfless acts of kindness and compassion that the members of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #24 (FOP) give to us each and every day.

In times of economic strain, the highest priorities for the County Commissioners are education and public safety. When the Commissioners are purchasing brand new SUV's with $8k emergency kits that they will never use for themselves, renovating their offices, renovating their board room and auditorium, the can pay police officers.

I encourage you to ask them why they are not being furloughed? Why is their salary not being cut?



Your Charles County Commissioners voted to TAKE AWAY 24,000 man hours of police patrol time away from the citizens of Charles County. Call and express your concerns. 301-870-3000

When they tell you that the Sheriff didn't budget properly? Ask them what they did with the 1.7 million they took last year from the Sheriff's Office. When they tell you that the Sheriff didn't have to furlough, that he could make cuts elsewhere, ask them where they think he should have cut when he was told to cut the human resource budget. Human = people = labor. Let's not play games with people lives!!

 

[Otter]

Why is SUV in the title but no where in the story?

 

[muttdog]

Why is SUV in the title but no where in the story?

I was wondering the same thing. I know our commissioners are a bunch of greedy aholes that are turning chuck county into little pg county but did they get new suvs?

 

[EmptyTimCup]

We can't possibly expect them to give anymore. Who takes care of the caretakers?

suck it up ........

everyone has to make sacrifices

 

[eddy1]

suck it up ........

everyone has to make sacrifices

The nature of their jobs require they give up holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and special events with their families, friends, and loved ones. Beginning last year, they were asked to give up their holiday pay to the tune of 1.7 million dollars.
They haven't had a raise in the pay scale in almost 7 years
They were denied several scheduled step pay increases
They were denied several scheduled Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) increases.

Seems to me that they had already been the good soldiers and had made the sacrifices.

 

[clevalley]

suck it up ........

everyone has to make sacrifices

Have to disagree with you here - they are taking a 4% pay cut AND a 7 day furlough...

After talking to one of my buddies he can understand the furlough as they let them one year to take the 7 days. Taking money away from their salary is assanign.

 

[SPotter286]

I was wondering the same thing. I know our commissioners are a bunch of greedy aholes that are turning chuck county into little pg county but did they get new suvs?

It was the first line in the post:

"What's more essential, brand new SUV's for each County Commissioner or police presence on the street in Charles County?"

In times of economic strain, the highest priorities for the County Commissioners are education and public safety. When the Commissioners are purchasing brand new SUV's with $8k emergency kits that they will never use for themselves, renovating their offices, renovating their board room and auditorium, the can pay police officers.

I encourage you to ask them why they are not being furloughed? Why is their salary not being cut?

The officers have sucked it up and while they did and will continue to do so, they stood in front of you while you pumped your gas when when under attack of snipers, watched over your personal belongings that were scattered across miles after a tornado, kept drunk drivers off of the streets so that you get to enjoy your family when you get home at night, kept your children safe while missing their own child's birthday. They've sucked it up enough.

 

[SPotter286]

Have to disagree with you here - they are taking a 4% pay cut AND a 7 day furlough...

After talking to one of my buddies he can understand the furlough as they let them one year to take the 7 days. Taking money away from their salary is assanign.

That's my point...if the Commissioners were less frivilous with there own spending habits, the county employees and citizens wouldn't have to pay the price.

It's a 10 day furlough in Charles County and 8 months to take the hit because the fiscal year starts in July.

 

[clevalley]

That's my point...if the Commissioners were less frivilous with there own spending habits, the county employees and citizens wouldn't have to pay the price.

It's a 10 day furlough in Charles County and 8 months to take the hit because the fiscal year starts in July.

I know the furlough is 80 hours - so if you are a 10 hour guy it is 8 days or if you are an 8 hour guy it is 10 days...

My letter has been sent with a copy CC'ed to Mac Middleton and a writer for the Maryland Independent. Sheriff Coffey and the President of the CC FOP will get a copy forwarded on my behalf via my friend.

Their actions (Commissioners) are nauseating... if it does not benefit them (or should I say line their pockets) they do not care.

 

[TurboK9]

Why is SUV in the title but no where in the story?

When the Commissioners are purchasing brand new ----> SUV<----- 's with $8k emergency kits that they will never use for themselves, renovating their offices, renovating their board room and auditorium, the can pay police officers.

It's there ^.

 

[foodcritic]

This is a sad story. Could this be payback for one of the commissioners son's getting locked up last year?

 

[muttdog]

It was the first line in the post:

"What's more essential, brand new SUV's for each County Commissioner or police presence on the street in Charles County?"

In times of economic strain, the highest priorities for the County Commissioners are education and public safety. When the Commissioners are purchasing brand new SUV's with $8k emergency kits that they will never use for themselves, renovating their offices, renovating their board room and auditorium, the can pay police officers.

I encourage you to ask them why they are not being furloughed? Why is their salary not being cut?

The officers have sucked it up and while they did and will continue to do so, they stood in front of you while you pumped your gas when when under attack of snipers, watched over your personal belongings that were scattered across miles after a tornado, kept drunk drivers off of the streets so that you get to enjoy your family when you get home at night, kept your children safe while missing their own child's birthday. They've sucked it up enough.

I didnt see the whole thing about the suvs in the first post, thanks for adding that part. As for our sherrifs department, they should be the very last thing that recives a budget cut. Crime in this county is getting worse and the last thing we need is cops getting underpaid and furlowed.

 

[Otter]

When the Commissioners are purchasing brand new ----> SUV<----- 's with $8k emergency kits that they will never use for themselves, renovating their offices, renovating their board room and auditorium, the can pay police officers.

It's there ^.

I saw that, but that wasn't said in the original post...

 

[TurboK9]

I saw that, but that wasn't said in the original post...

Ooooh them poster's and their tricky edits!!!

 

[G1G4]

Looks like the MSP are going to have to step up to the plate.

(On that note, I'm glad the SMC Sheriff's haven't had to furlough anyone)

 

[OldHillcrestGuy]

The Sheriffs Officers have given up enough in the past couple of years with no cola's and giving up holiday pay.
Sheriff Coffey has squeezed his budget about as much as you can squeeze and came up with a surplus last year of some $1.7 million, the Commissioners took from what I understand a million of that back and would not let the the Sheriff keep it all to help with this years budget.
This group of Commissioners has by far been the worse group ever elected into office, Cooper the worst by far. Good ole Sammy Graves you would have thought he would have stood up for Coffey, having been an officer for over 25 years, but he must have been one of good ole ex Sheriff Fred Davis boys and wont support Coffey. Its ashame what is happening to the officers, they are taking a 2.5% pay cut and 10 furlough days where other Charles County employee's are getting 10 days furlough and no paycuts.