Freel’s Protest

Filed in National by on February 2, 2016

Kudos to Wilmington City Councilman Bud Freel:

A handful of contracts that Mayor Dennis P. Williams brought to the City Council for approval have sat untouched for more than a month as Finance Committee Chairman Bud Freel wages a silent protest against the mayor. Freel has refused to bring three agreements to the full council for a final vote until Williams provides members of the state General Assembly with information about how the police department deploys officers.

The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee on Dec. 2 approved putting $1.5 million toward fighting Wilmington crime, but said the money would not be released until the police department discloses the number of officers on patrol and how they are used. Legislators said they included the stipulation because of concerns the department is not effectively using current resources. […]

Williams has not responded to state lawmakers, saying he was offended by the stipulation.

Mayor Dennis P. Williams has something to hide: either his incompetence or something more sinister. Hence his refusal to turn over the data. It was long past time someone, anyone, on the Wilmington Council revolted. I say shut down the entire city until Williams relents. And then, come November, Wilmington voters need to wipe the city clean of all of most of elected officials, starting with Williams and his entire cabal.

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  1. cassandra m says:

    This is a really great move by Freel and it is well past time for people in City Council to flex what muscles they have. Nice touch that the Red Light camera contract is among those being held.

  2. Caution says:

    The fixed mindset in a reactive city, under the good old boy network must stop. I will take office with a growth mindset, be proactive, and transparent. The mindset of our democratic machine operates as such, like a machine. I believe that there will be a paradigm shift in the upcoming election and change for the better will occur. I find it to be interesting that so many democrat candidates haven’t paid attention to the current situation with in the Democratic Party. Steven Washington, M.Ed for Mayor 2016 Independent Party of Delaware.

  3. Geezer says:

    Wow. Talk about a moron. Hey, Mr. Mayor, ever give any though to typing your name where it says “name” instead of at the bottom of the comment, where people have to don their tin-foil hats before they can see it?

    If you can’t find the “name” spot on the form in front of your face, how are you going to dismantle the “Democratic machine”? By waiting for the city’s populace to undergo a “paradigm shift” and break down by itself?

    Lord save us from such saviors.

  4. Courage says:

    Ignorance is not knowing and or not wanting to know. You fit both! Names are not important, what kind of moron are you?

  5. Geezer says:

    Getting your name out there IS important, and your inability to understand that illustrates why you won’t get more than a handful of votes. Go away and do your campaigning on your own dime.

  6. cassandra_m says:

    Names are important, Mr. Washington, and that is why we ask people participating here to use just one. You need to be either Courage or Caution and be done with it.

  7. ben says:

    instantly getting into a spat on the internet and calling someone a moron is a bad way to start your campaign.

  8. liberalgeek says:

    Is a vote for Mr. Washington a vote for courage or caution?

  9. Caution says:

    Do you even have the courage to vote? Do you caution the voters in Wilmington to vote? Do you even care about Wilmington? Mr. Ben, just wondering which campaign you are speaking to, the Mayoral or the moron campaign. Freedom of speech is far better then the crime in the City of Wilmington.

  10. mediawatch says:

    Just what the city needs: a courageously cautious mayor.
    (Of course, the case could be made that the incumbent is neither.)

  11. Geezer says:

    What else the city doesn’t need: A guy with an master’s in education who doesn’t know the difference between “than” and “then.” Just. Go. Away.

  12. Al says:

    I am so proud of Councilman Bud Freel and his courageous act. Many more of the council folks should be joining him in protest, the Mayor needs to get his act together. Dennis will never reveal the police data because it will expose his ridiculous 24/7 security detail that he has for himself and the additional officers that he uses for his wife, who’s not even an elected official.

  13. AQC says:

    I don’t have much thought about his protest either way although it appears to be more showmanship than governing. What I’d rather see is a council that would actually start to do something.

  14. The Godfather says:

    Freel certaintly deserves props for pulling city council’s panties down around their ankles but to call it “courageous” give me a break. Its smart politics. Courageous is saving the baby from the burning house. If the city was just as aggressive and diligent collecting property taxes as they are in collecting wage taxes from suburban residents working in Wilmington..Theo Gregory, one of the worst offenders is running for mayor.We’d have a new national distinction Murdertown USA would have a deadbeat mayor.. There’s no shame no remorse. You’d think that once confronted with Freel’s ordinance that they would pass it as quickly and quietly as possible and sweep this piece of cat shit under the rug

  15. cassandra m says:

    AQC, this is a protest, but it forces the Mayor’s hand to do something in return for getting his contracts approved and in place. Freel is using the power the Council has (over spending) to get some changes. A good (and overdue) use of the limited power the City Council has, really.

  16. Dorian Gray says:

    I agree with Cassandra here. Freel is using the so-called “power of the purse.” He wants the city to have the money, but he also wants Williams to cooperate and stop simply trying to protect his particular idea of city autonomy. There’s a bit showmanship here, sure, but the concept behind this “protest” is sound.

    By the way, Freel was in attendance at our Forty Acres community meeting Wednesday evening. It was very well attended due to a few hot neighborhood issues I won’t bore you with here, but I will tell you this, Freel got a hero’s welcome for this stand he’s making. His constituents are behind him. And I don’t even really like the Freel, but I’m with him on this as well.