Mayor Moyer: Letter to the Editor

The mayor had a letter published in The Capital today:

Why did the city take so long to fill the potholes on Moreland Parkway?

Is this some sort of trick question?

The city is currently in court with the developers who own the road. Fixing the pothole required a letter from their attorney acknowledging that taking action on the road "would not prejudice the case".

The city attorney pursued this course of action and a letter was received late in the afternoon on Friday, Aug. 31. Then, and only then, could city workers fill the now-infamous pothole. the pothole was filled immediately after we received the letter.

In the past, before the current legal proceedings, we have fixed potholes on Moreland Parkway as soon as we become aware of them.

It is my understanding that The Capital was in possession of all of this information, yet chose not to include it in its coverage.
ELLEN MOYER, Mayor, Annapolis

I actually think that this letter was generally good and appropriate. I think that public officials should use the media to clarify information, and that's it. This letter, rather usefully as long as the information is accurate, provides more information than we previously knew. We got a better understanding of the legal concerns, and are able to see that it was not the heroic actions of Alderwoman Hoyle that got the job done.

I even think the bit about The Capital is ok, as it is not taken too far. The Mayor takes her trademark defensive posture, but that is her personality.

The bigger question is: why can't these people figure out who owns the road? There are two options:

1. city
2. developers

It's not Non-Euclidian Geometry, for goodness sake.

When the area was developed, nobody bothered to worry about who would fix the roads? Parking lots should be privately maintained, streets maintained by the city, or county.

On a side note, can we get some tort reform? Heck, even the city government can't act for fear of a lawsuit! What does that say for the rest of us?!! Our litigious society causes us to waste so many resources that we would otherwise be using to produce goods and services. And if we don't produce goods and services, how will we fund the war in Iraq?! (Just thought I'd throw that in there for fun.)