Wednesday, December 02, 2009
The Firetruck/Football Team Parade and the Noise Ordinance
Lets me say up front I do not have a problem with the occasional parade thru town to celebrate an excellent outcome of a school event. What I do have is a problem with the way this event has shown an ugly side to this town. The problem was created by a blogger who does not live in town but is well known for stirring up hate and a large number of people in this town went along with him. However he is a minor concern in this matter, what concerns me is a large number of people in essence said we know it is breaking the law and we do not care and we intend to do it again. Now I have always felt that if a law was a bad law you should fight it and I think the noise ordinance was a bad law, but it is a law. For the picky people I am considering a town ordinance the same as a law.
The noise ordinance came about in 2006 when the Holly Lake Estates people (who do not live in the town limits) came to the Delmar Maryland Council (Doug Niblett was Mayor at the time) to complain about the Saturn Dealership playing loud music in order to attract customers. At the time it was passed I made several Comments in my posts and on this
blog. It was a Maryland issue but Mayor Outten jumped on the Me Too bandwagon and had it put in place for the Delaware side of town also.
Last Monday night we had the newly elected fire chief say he fully intended to break this ordinance again on Saturday night regardless if the team wins or loses. Was Dr. Rings present there an official indication of school support for law breaking? A number of the elected official (who passed the ordinance) applauded this action. The Maryland Mayor (who started this noise ordinance to begin with) invited the parade to travel on the Maryland side of town.
What kind of message does this send to the world and more so to our children? On one hand there are those people who would say it shows we support our children and the other it tells our children that you do not have to obey the law. What kind of elected officials do we have that will pass an ordinance and than say to ignore it? Was it not a big waste of time to begin with? What was demonstrated Monday night to our children was that Delmar has mob rule as opposed to a stable government made up of laws and ordinances. I will be gracious and say the town police, who escorted the parade thru town, were merely trying to make an unlawful situation safe for the public by their escorting them.
The noise ordinance came about in 2006 when the Holly Lake Estates people (who do not live in the town limits) came to the Delmar Maryland Council (Doug Niblett was Mayor at the time) to complain about the Saturn Dealership playing loud music in order to attract customers. At the time it was passed I made several Comments in my posts and on this
blog. It was a Maryland issue but Mayor Outten jumped on the Me Too bandwagon and had it put in place for the Delaware side of town also.
Last Monday night we had the newly elected fire chief say he fully intended to break this ordinance again on Saturday night regardless if the team wins or loses. Was Dr. Rings present there an official indication of school support for law breaking? A number of the elected official (who passed the ordinance) applauded this action. The Maryland Mayor (who started this noise ordinance to begin with) invited the parade to travel on the Maryland side of town.
What kind of message does this send to the world and more so to our children? On one hand there are those people who would say it shows we support our children and the other it tells our children that you do not have to obey the law. What kind of elected officials do we have that will pass an ordinance and than say to ignore it? Was it not a big waste of time to begin with? What was demonstrated Monday night to our children was that Delmar has mob rule as opposed to a stable government made up of laws and ordinances. I will be gracious and say the town police, who escorted the parade thru town, were merely trying to make an unlawful situation safe for the public by their escorting them.
# posted by Howard @ 7:47 AM 
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Howard,
This event happens ONLY! when the football team makes it into the finals. Prior to David Hearn taking over the football program this towns HS football teams were pathetic. The first celebratory parade through town did not occur until the Division II win in 1985. I have never met you face to fact but if you are who you say you are I have seen you to many of the home football games. I believe also that you were in town government when these impromtu parades began. This tradition lasts all of 20 minutes at best and does not directly affect the complaint that residents of Holly Lake Estates filed to get Saturn to turn the music off. The music they played was all day, all night long. I would have complained as well had I been a resident.
You already know the history behind the town supporting the football program. A legacy is currently in the making with the current coach. The towns people are coming to expect this parade when the team makes the finals. I witnessed first had Friday people standing out on their porches just waiting for the parade to come through town. As usual the Official stance of the town was to support such an impromptu event since a municiple government vehicle led the parade, as they have so graciously done since the tradition started. The clincher here also was that two "Laurel" municple vehicles were also in this impromptu event raising just as much hell. Please stop talking out of both sides of your mouth.
Incidently NO COMPLAINTS WERE FILED accept from the Delmar MD Mayor as you stated. Give it a rest.
This event happens ONLY! when the football team makes it into the finals. Prior to David Hearn taking over the football program this towns HS football teams were pathetic. The first celebratory parade through town did not occur until the Division II win in 1985. I have never met you face to fact but if you are who you say you are I have seen you to many of the home football games. I believe also that you were in town government when these impromtu parades began. This tradition lasts all of 20 minutes at best and does not directly affect the complaint that residents of Holly Lake Estates filed to get Saturn to turn the music off. The music they played was all day, all night long. I would have complained as well had I been a resident.
You already know the history behind the town supporting the football program. A legacy is currently in the making with the current coach. The towns people are coming to expect this parade when the team makes the finals. I witnessed first had Friday people standing out on their porches just waiting for the parade to come through town. As usual the Official stance of the town was to support such an impromptu event since a municiple government vehicle led the parade, as they have so graciously done since the tradition started. The clincher here also was that two "Laurel" municple vehicles were also in this impromptu event raising just as much hell. Please stop talking out of both sides of your mouth.
Incidently NO COMPLAINTS WERE FILED accept from the Delmar MD Mayor as you stated. Give it a rest.
# posted by 
: 9:11 AM
: 9:11 AM
VERY well said anonymous!!! Let the parade begin...GO DELMAR WILDCATS....one of the smallest high schools in the state will show ALL HEART AND PRIDE when we hit the field on Saturday. Coach Hearn & staff are to be commended for leading this mighty team to this level.
# posted by : 10:24 AM
: 10:24 AM
The football "parade" is an accepted exception to the rule. Some occasions are worthy of noise and celebration--the winning of a foreign war, the 4th of July, and in Delmar, the winning of an important football game.
Howard, This an EXCELLENT example to use to teach children about life and the real world. Laws are wriiten by man, and therefore are imperfect, and cannot conceiveably cover every single situation that can arise. This is where basic common sense should take over. For example, when I pass grandpa doing 48 in a 55 zone on a 2 lane road, I readily exceed the 55 mph limit for that moment, because it is the common sense, safe thing to do. Trying to pass soneone with a 7 mph speed differential, or being stuck in a multi-car rolling roadblock, is patently UNSAFE. A brief celebration on a weekend nite, of a bunch of young men this town is so proud of, that skirts a noise ordinance aimed to curb chronic abuse, is certainly one of those times when common sense trumps the rigid interpretation of the letter of the law. This is what I teach my children.
# posted by : 11:12 AM
: 11:12 AM
It is like they say; you just can't make stuff like this up. Anon 5:36 if you don't like my comments and opinions don't read my blog - it doesn't take a real intelligent person to figure that one out. This is a personal blog. I do not claim to be a news source, I write about places and events that I go to and I express my opinion on anything I feel like talking about at the moment. If you want news reporting buy a newspaper.
Howard,
It doesn't take an intelligent person to see that when you have a blog called the "Delmar Dustpan" naturally some will look to you as the news source for the town. You selectively place ALL kinds of news about events around town. Sometimes you are positive about events, sometimes you are extrememly and unnecessarily negative. However, you have set your self up to be looked as someone in this community who supposedly "knows Delmar" and attends many events in the town.
I guess everyone who reads this blog which contains a ton of great, and sometimes not so great, information about our town needs to realize that the title for this blog is not meant to necessarily promote our town.
I am not telling you to change the name of your blog but it doesn't take an intelligent person to realize that a blog with a title with our wonderful town name it will be looked at as a source.
You certainly do set yourself up for a good written ass whoopin from time to time. So maybe you should humbly internalize it and try to get some good out of it...or not. This is just my opinion and I am entitled to it since you gave me this opportunity to post in on your blog.
I was at the town meeting and I thougth it was AWESOME that many of our young people got to see that when banding together you can make a difference especially when you have the support of many adults....even if it "violates" a noise ordinance. Fair is not always equal.
It doesn't take an intelligent person to see that when you have a blog called the "Delmar Dustpan" naturally some will look to you as the news source for the town. You selectively place ALL kinds of news about events around town. Sometimes you are positive about events, sometimes you are extrememly and unnecessarily negative. However, you have set your self up to be looked as someone in this community who supposedly "knows Delmar" and attends many events in the town.
I guess everyone who reads this blog which contains a ton of great, and sometimes not so great, information about our town needs to realize that the title for this blog is not meant to necessarily promote our town.
I am not telling you to change the name of your blog but it doesn't take an intelligent person to realize that a blog with a title with our wonderful town name it will be looked at as a source.
You certainly do set yourself up for a good written ass whoopin from time to time. So maybe you should humbly internalize it and try to get some good out of it...or not. This is just my opinion and I am entitled to it since you gave me this opportunity to post in on your blog.
I was at the town meeting and I thougth it was AWESOME that many of our young people got to see that when banding together you can make a difference especially when you have the support of many adults....even if it "violates" a noise ordinance. Fair is not always equal.
# posted by : 7:01 PM
: 7:01 PM
Wasn't there always an exception for emergency vehicles and trains in the noise ordinance? If not, I hope they changed the verbiage.
I totally abject your use of "mob rule". Mob rule is associated with violence. The council meeting was merely a gathering of passionate people about a topic. Aren't you one of the people that calls people out regularly for not going to meetings? Now 100+ people show up and you call them a "mob"? What gives? Makes no sense. Perhaps you don't agree with WHY they showed up, but them showing up to participate in local government on a local issue doesn't make them a mob.
The real gripe that we probably both share, is that many of these people will not darken the door of the council for months, if not years after this. Budgets, taxes, roads, water, wastewater, growth, etc... will all be discussed in the coming months, but most of these people will not be there. And to me, that is the story... and a sad one.
I totally abject your use of "mob rule". Mob rule is associated with violence. The council meeting was merely a gathering of passionate people about a topic. Aren't you one of the people that calls people out regularly for not going to meetings? Now 100+ people show up and you call them a "mob"? What gives? Makes no sense. Perhaps you don't agree with WHY they showed up, but them showing up to participate in local government on a local issue doesn't make them a mob.
The real gripe that we probably both share, is that many of these people will not darken the door of the council for months, if not years after this. Budgets, taxes, roads, water, wastewater, growth, etc... will all be discussed in the coming months, but most of these people will not be there. And to me, that is the story... and a sad one.
# posted by : 11:04 PM
: 11:04 PM
Anon 11:04 I don't agree with the people who were there cheering about the fact they broke the law and they plan to continue to break the law. Yes that is a mob. Our elected official not only did not stand by the law they made but made public comment (should be part of the minutes) that they were part of the parade and blew their horns. Again in Delmar the police and elected officials are selective in applying the law some people might call it discrimination. The people from Woodcreek have filled town hall before and they did not advocate breaking a law. They expressed their problem and were peaceful.
Just wanted to say that these celabrations were started before 85 granted they did not happen as often but they have been happening longer than that.It just so happens that over the last twenty some years there has been more to celebrate in Delmar also they do not soley take place for the football team over the years this has been done for other school teams and also on occasion for non school related groups
# posted by : 9:31 AM
: 9:31 AM
Why not do a parade during a scheduled time when all who live outside of town limits could also come and celebrate.
# posted by : 12:44 PM
: 12:44 PM
It is kinda sad that the town enacted a noise ordinance that even pertains to trash trucks operating in the early am hours but that it is perfectly fine for this to go on.
The ordinace is crap anyway since they stated violations can only occur from 10pm to 7am.
The ordinace is crap anyway since they stated violations can only occur from 10pm to 7am.
# posted by : 1:40 PM
: 1:40 PM
It is unbelievable how broad the spectrum is of the human perception of reality. No wonder we are, for the MOST part, rubbing shoulders on the wide path to destruction.
More bluntly put, the majority is selfish and ignorant well beyond what is good for our social environment, and the lawmakers are oblivious to it all.
Brother Howard, this most excellent blog of your own making is a beautiful thing...Sad how so many think that they alone have a better answer.
You even referred to the original blog post in reference to the Saturn dealership. But yet....
Right off, you get the all so typical "me and my wonderfull town of Delmar" egocentric response, avoiding all, pertaining to values and respect and obeyment of the law which is to be written for the benefit of ALL.
Might someone even dare to say that maybe the ordinance needs to be updated to be more realistic?
Again, as usual, I believe your intent was to reflect on the fact that people are fed up with ineffective government due to it's general complacency and lack of COMMON SENSE.
Fifty-five on a two lane road? I'm not familiar with such a glorious speedway. Even so, if and when one cracks sixty-something on such road, including in passing another vehicle, if radar is being run from behind an ole Oak tree at that point of the roadway, do you think the driver is exempt from receiving a speeding ticket?
This anon makes sense:
///It is kinda sad that the town enacted a noise ordinance that even pertains to trash trucks operating in the early am hours but that it is perfectly fine for this to go on.
The ordinace is crap anyway since they stated violations can only occur from 10pm to 7am.///
Now that certainly makes sense. As usual, the managers of the town, combined with the 'special' big heads of the town, are to blame for such a poorly written ordinance.
Amazing though, how many BIG MOUTHS are critics of your bloggings, but yet too spineless to state their names.
Guess it is all a mute point now as the game should be over by dinner time, and the parade, Lord willing shall commence somewhere around the time when many still go to Sunday evening church services.
I'm sure that won't pose a problem.
///Fair is not always equal///
!!!!! GO WILDCATS !!!!!
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More bluntly put, the majority is selfish and ignorant well beyond what is good for our social environment, and the lawmakers are oblivious to it all.
Brother Howard, this most excellent blog of your own making is a beautiful thing...Sad how so many think that they alone have a better answer.
You even referred to the original blog post in reference to the Saturn dealership. But yet....
Right off, you get the all so typical "me and my wonderfull town of Delmar" egocentric response, avoiding all, pertaining to values and respect and obeyment of the law which is to be written for the benefit of ALL.
Might someone even dare to say that maybe the ordinance needs to be updated to be more realistic?
Again, as usual, I believe your intent was to reflect on the fact that people are fed up with ineffective government due to it's general complacency and lack of COMMON SENSE.
Fifty-five on a two lane road? I'm not familiar with such a glorious speedway. Even so, if and when one cracks sixty-something on such road, including in passing another vehicle, if radar is being run from behind an ole Oak tree at that point of the roadway, do you think the driver is exempt from receiving a speeding ticket?
This anon makes sense:
///It is kinda sad that the town enacted a noise ordinance that even pertains to trash trucks operating in the early am hours but that it is perfectly fine for this to go on.
The ordinace is crap anyway since they stated violations can only occur from 10pm to 7am.///
Now that certainly makes sense. As usual, the managers of the town, combined with the 'special' big heads of the town, are to blame for such a poorly written ordinance.
Amazing though, how many BIG MOUTHS are critics of your bloggings, but yet too spineless to state their names.
Guess it is all a mute point now as the game should be over by dinner time, and the parade, Lord willing shall commence somewhere around the time when many still go to Sunday evening church services.
I'm sure that won't pose a problem.
///Fair is not always equal///
!!!!! GO WILDCATS !!!!!
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