Your local yokel bloggers take a particularly dismal view toward representatives addressing citizens as though they are interlopers squeaking an un-greased wheel. The whole reason we’re banging on keyboards is to make sure local issues get attention–blight in the city is a doozy–so we’ll accept a certain amount of responsibility for loudly barking into cyberspace. To the same tune, we have come to expect a certain degree of dismissive attitude from our county. We’ve typically seen better from The City of Frederick. City officials and Mayor McClement should avoid doing anything that appears like those guys (you know the ones we mean). It’s just unbearable, and it really gets us riled up. Do we need some letterhead for city residents to use as well? Just to be sure no one forgets this is all about working together for our community.

It sounds as though it is assumed that too few people care about blight in the city for it to be a major concern. I would have expected the city to notice that people interacting with the City of Frederick’s Blight Problem Facebook Page are concerned, even when they have not heard from them directly. If you had lived/worked/passed by the Asiana Property since 2001 when it closed (14 YEARS FOLKS) you would be beyond fed up, too.  Perhaps that subtlety has been lost. Although the Asiana property is most often highlighted, other specifics to chew on include :

“The Old Carmack Jay’s” is a meaningless descriptor to anyone who has lived here less than a decade or so.

Whatever that crumbling facade is next to Downtown Piano Works, it is a mess that is preventing the core of Frederick from truly taking off, considering its proximity to the “Square Corner.” With that amazing location, it is a real shame. Given the expense that has gone into creating the lovely Carroll Creek Linear Park, it is sad to see that bringing everything down. Worse, the sidewalk is never cleared after snow. At times it is extremely dangerous.

It is absolutely true that we should endeavor to be respectful in our interactions with our representatives. This is plain good sense, and it improves the probability that we will see our desired outcomes. But, we do know that old saying that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. A fourteen year old wheel needs lots and lots of grease. Keep it civil, locals. It is true that frustration gets people’s tempers going. City slickers, bear in mind that is a two way street.

Grease the wheel via Mayor McClement’s email address nbamonti@cityoffrederick.com