Albero is on a rant again about the new firehouse in Salisbury. As usual his lack of knowledge about the Department is blatantly evident. For some reason he believes there should have been a banquet hall or some similar facility included in the project. If such a facility had been included I wonder how much additional cost would be added and how much louder he would squeal.
The answer is quite simple. The fire station is city building and the city does not rent out its facilities for such occasions. Who does Albero expect to conduct such services? The crews on duty? Wouldn’t you like to hear that 911 call? “Sorry sir but I will have to send an engine from across town for this call, the duty crew at Station 16 have just started the main course for the Smith wedding party.”
Yes, other county departments have facilities for such events but that is part of their fundraising to keep the department going. The city of Salisbury is not in the business of catering, nor is the volunteer corporations in the city. To be truthful, I question the legality of the city engaging in such activities as this would or should serve as a profit-making venture, and that is not a function of a municipality.
Once again shallow thoughts and lack of research on Albero’s part has brought to the reasonable mind a tortuous opinion of a non-existent ideal.
The issue is far more complex than Albero would have you believe. But than again, complexity and the brain of Albero is about as compatible as #6 bunker fuel and H2O. It just ain’t gonna blend.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
17 comments:
Not to mention -- as if Salisbury needed yet ANOTHER banquet facility.
Up here in the vale of the Gunpowder, the Hereford VFC got smart when they rebuilt the fire hall. Yes, they built a catering facility-- and they lease it out to Hunt Valley Catering to run and operate the place.
They get to use it a number of times per year for their fundraising needs, but 95% of the time, its Hunt Valley Catering that does all the booking and heavy lifting.
Heck, up here the "traditional" fundraisers of bull roasts and stuff are done. All the yuppies up here will come out for are art sales and wine tastings.
Not to mention that "back in the day", a lot of the cooking and management for those halls was handled by a "Ladies Auxiliary". These days -- and correct me if I am wrong, Soap or any other FF -- you are more likely to see a woman on the pipe than you are over the stove in a firehall.
According to the information that i've been able to get from those in the know, what space could have possibly been used for any type of "banquet area" was used as a teaching and training area. I was told that the interior of the station is a virtual working training area, with working props and space for training no matter what the outside weather might be. Just my opinion but i think, for the personnel, it'd be better used for training than serving cocktails and meals.
Just for my own curiousity, I just read some of the responses to Mr. Albero's claim that the new fire station should have a banquet facility in it. I saw where one person responded with a comparison of this city department with others in New York and Washington D.C. as well as in Prince Georges County. While some took it as simply comparing the size of Salisbury to that of NYC, DC & PGC, I took the higher intelligence road and called a friend to clear the comparison up. After reading it, he simply stated...it's only comparing the FACT that those other cities...ARE MUNICIPALITIES AND UNABLE TO BE IN BUSINESS TO MAKE MONEY AGAINST LOCAL COMPANIES IN THE CATERING/BANQUET BUSINESSES!!!!! It's like the City of Salisbury DOES NOT run a wrecker/recovery business for vehicle wrecks and disabled vehicles. It would be taking monies from businesses in that business and would not be giving the city a business friendly atmosphere. I'm sure if the city did go doing catering/banquet business in their fire stations, Mr. Albero would be the first to go whining and complaining about it.
Oh my, could you even imaginewhat he would have to say of there WAS a banquet room? "Look folks, they are building a banquet room and CHARGING for it, when your taxes have already paid for it! Too bad the people in the location it serves won't benefit, they can't afford it because the department is charging WAY too much. Do they think I was born yesterday? IDIOTS!"
Here's a thought: Why would the Jihadi want a banquet facility in the new HQ? Wasn't he going to buy old Station 16 and put a restaurant or a strip club in there?
Straight shooter hit a bullseye with that one!
GP
Albero could specialize his club with a pole dance wedding reception or maybe a table dance Bar Mitzvah.
Don't forget all those flourescent light condom tubes, too.
(oops, sorry, Soap: is "condom" a dirty word? if so, feel free to edit to "prophylactic")
Straight shooter you are soooo on point with that its not even funny. Actaully its hillarious but...
Joe just cant stick to the facts of what actually matter, Im really not thinking that any of the tax payers are upset there is no banquet hall at the new station. It prolly wasnt even a thought that crossed anyones mind...
Not to take up for the Delmar Dayglow.
But:
Is not the Civic Center owned and operated by the County Government?
(I really do not know, I just assume that it is.)
If it a County facility, what would make the County Gov't. any different than any of the other non-profit municipal governments mentioned above?
Hadley...Yes, the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center is owned by Wicomico County and run by total idiots!!
It is operated under the Division of Parks an Recreation and has been since being built. As for the building usage, it's an A to Z usage facility(Proms, Graduations, Rodeos, Monster Trucks, Sales Meetings, Kids Shows, Basketball Tournaments, Track Events,on & on). Dinners and banquets are a minor part of it's use. For years it was allowed to be served by multiple catering companies, according to the show/event contract customers desires(that was only if they actually wished for food service). For the last few years an in-house catering company was formed and it's now the sole source for food service at any and all events in the Civic Center.
Within the last 5 to 8 years it's been the county's desire and attempt to make that facility a self supporting entity, requiring less and less monies from the taxpayers to bear the burdens of costs for running it.
The talk has been for years to sell it off and allow a private company/corporation to buy it and run it. That has yet to take place due to how the ground it sits on was obtained and the rules set forth by the family that donated the property(no alcohol was to ever be sold).
That facility breaks the rules of good common sense in everything they do in that, they charge for every single event whether it's a musical group performing or a local high school is having a Prom or Graduation(schools are public funded by the same county, why are we paying again?).
It's a controversy that has been ongoing for years and probably will for countless ages!!
Inside looking out.
Thanks for that info. It saved me the time to research it.
Please refrain from using the word "Idiot". It sounds too much like Albero.
OOOPPPS....Sorry!!
While we're speaking of the WCYCC...I'm aware that a condition of the "gift" of the property was that no alcohol never be sold there. Who was the family number one, and have the survivors ever been approached to rescind that stipulation?
I'm fortunate enough that i know people that work there and also some that work for the catering group. All you have to do is ask the right people and the ACTUAL truth comes out, just wish others knew how to do that!!
Inside Looking Out said...
OOOPPPS....Sorry!!
FORGIVEN! LOL
The Woodcock family.
Used to be a big mansion, maybe on or just off of Camden Ave., I am not sure of the location.
But you ARE right Sooper Trooper, according to the original grant (deed) to the County, no booze sold there, although you can BYOB.
No joy on the getting the family to change, been tried an failed, the old man (General I think) Woodcock was a teetotaler.
The idea was for the County to build & operate a YOUTH center-so no booze.
I am not taking a side on how it is run/operated, as I do not know enough about it.
The last time I was there the Community Players were putting on Oklahoma!, which was before the big fire.
There is a simple answer to the civic center deal, but the county refuses to do it. First off, there is absolutely no prohibition on drinking booze there. Remember "Bright Lights, Big City" New Year's celebrations of pre-9/11fame?? Secondly, the CC building is only partially built on the Woodcock property. It would be a simple matter to locate the alcohol concession in an of the building off that property. DONE DEAL! Ww could get a minor league hockey team in here, and the building would turn a profit instead of being a drain on the county. But the Woodcock heirs got some friends in high places, and this idea has never received serious consideration, even though it is very viable.
Post a Comment