contract

Will a Last-Minute Proposal Keep Confederate Monument in Talbot County?

December 10, 2021 by John Griep

A D.C. firm with at least one statue removal among its recent projects was the sole bidder for the removal and relocation of the Confederate monument on the Talbot courthouse green.

The county council awarded the contract Nov. 23 to Stratified Inc., which offered a $67,000 bid to remove the controversial monument and relocate it to a Civil War battlefield site in Virginia. However, a majority of the council also provided additional time for another location — preferably in Talbot County or elsewhere in Maryland — to be offered.

If a closer, suitable site is offered — the council had asked for any last-minute proposals to be submitted by Monday, Dec. 6 — the county could then negotiate with Stratified Inc. to amend the contract to reflect the new location. Any proposals that were submitted by Monday will be reviewed by county staff and presented for consideration at the council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 14.

“We have some possibilities within the county to relocate the monument,” Councilwoman Laura Price said. “Nobody’s trying to keep it here (on the courthouse green) anymore. But there are people who would like it to stay in the county. And that needs to be given an opportunity.

“So all we’re talking about here is to allow the county manager some flexibility that if a location within the county or even possibly, if it’s not in the county within the state, rather than moving it to Virginia, comes available during the process — because the RFP will take some time a little bit of time — to allow the county manager some flexibility that if a location is appropriate, and council chooses to do that, it just gives some flexibility.

“It does not stop this RFP process. It just allows it to be moved elsewhere in the county rather than to Virginia if that opportunity presents itself in the next month or so,” Price said.

Other council members noted supporters of keeping the monument on the courthouse green or in Talbot County have had ample opportunity to find and propose a suitable location elsewhere in Talbot County.

Councilman Frank Divilio said two proposals came in after the deadline for the RFP and he was disappointed in those offers. (During the Nov. 23 meeting, Price said she was getting text messages that there was another proposal that had not yet been provided to the county council.)

“I feel that it was a bit disingenuous when individuals say that there are locations and people that would take it without giving thought to their neighbors, their homeowners associations,” Divilio said. “I don’t see how extending the deadline will make anyone who has reservations of coming forward as have been expressed, come forward any faster.

“We gave that opportunity. We were approached and told that many individuals who are willing to accept it are afraid to come forward. And to me that doesn’t show the full commitment to the community that they would be willing to do it,” he said.

Council Vice President Pete Lesher expressed similar concerns about a location other than Cross Keys and outlined his criteria for a suitable monument site:

“(T)here are two attributes that I think the Cross Keys location has that that another location would have to provide. One is that it is owned and operated by an organization that is organized for that purpose in perpetuity. In other words, … the land will not be bought and sold…. It is owned by a preservation organization. And there is … no foreseeable prospect that that will change in in any foreseeable timeline. So there’s an element of perpetuity here.

“You know, if this was a private landowner, the land could be sold and then what. So I don’t see, I don’t see a private landowner being a responsive prospect for this destination.

“Second, is that there is an authenticity to this location. A lot of Talbot County boys fought in this location, people who are named on this monument, there’s something that is true about that location. That authenticity of location I think is something that happens (to be) a particular advantage. Now, perhaps there are other places that would meet (that authenticity).

“(A)nd most important is that this location also ensures public access for the indefinite future.”

“If there are other locations, perhaps that are closer, that could fulfill all of those requirements,” Lesher said he would be willing to support such a location. “(B)ut there … are a lot of advantages to the (Cross Keys) location and that is why I’m reticent to support this. I’m willing to explore alternatives. But right now, I’m skeptical that there’s one that will exceed the advantages of the (location) that is on the table.”

The council voted 3-2 to amend the awarding of the bid to include the possibility of another location; then voted 5-0 to award the bid as amended.

That ultimate vote prompted Lesher and Councilman Corey Pack to note that the council had voted unanimously to move the monument.

“This council just voted unanimously to award a bid to move the monument,” Lesher said. “That’s something that I did not expect and I think it is pretty extraordinary.”

Pack said he had not picked up on that point during the confusion over the votes.

“… (T)he statute will be moved. And for the first time — as Mr. Lesher pointed out — a unanimous vote to move the statue. That should be the front page story: That this council had voted unanimously to move the Confederate statue.”

Council President Chuck Callahan seemed to take some umbrage to that point.

“Laura and I voted against moving that statute. So that’s, that’s number one. I want to make sure we understand that.

“Number two, is we tried to create a situation to keep it here. Okay. So that’s the reason we voted the way we did,” Callahan said. “Okay, so you can think what you want.

“But, you know, hey, it’s over, it’s done with. The people that maybe have a place for it they have another couple of weeks to go ahead and, you know, see what that’s all about,” he said. “And all we tried to do is create a situation to try to please everybody and keep it here. That’s all we’re trying to do.”

Lesher, Pack, and Divilio had voted Sept. 14 to relocate the monument to the Cross Keys Battlefield near Harrisonburg, Va., which is part of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

Callahan, Price, and Lesher voted Nov. 23 to allow for additional time for proposals for an alternate location.

The costs associated with the monument’s removal and relocation will be paid by a private fund held at the Mid-Shore Community Foundation and there will be no cost to county taxpayers.

The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation works with partners to preserve the Shenandoah Valley’s Civil War battlefields, to share its Civil War story with the nation and to encourage tourism and travel to the Shenandoah Valley’s Civil War sites.

Sealed bids in response to the RFP were due 10 a.m. Nov. 19 and considered by the council at its Nov. 23 meeting.

Stratified’s proposal calls for the firm to begin the planning process for the statue removal and relocation once the bid is awarded, with removal to begin on Jan. 17 and to be completed by Jan. 21.

As a result of the pending relocation of the monument, a federal lawsuit calling for the statue’s removal has been placed on hold. The case currently is stayed until at least Jan. 21, with attorneys telling a U.S. District Court judge that a new status report will be submitted if “any new developments affect the timing of the proposed work prior to January 21.”

St. Michaels Names Interim Town Manager

July 15, 2021 by John Griep

Jeff Rhodes, who retired June 1 after nearly 10 years as city administrator for Cumberland, has been named as interim town manager for St. Michaels.

Town commissioners selected Rhodes by unanimous vote after candidates were interviewed, according to a July 9 town press release. (The St. Michaels Commissioners met in closed sessions on July 7 and July 9.)

Rhodes is set to begin work on Monday, July 26, according to the town.

Commission President Michael Bibb said Wednesday night that Rhodes is expected to serve as interim manager for 3-4 months. He will help write a new job description for the position and assist with a nationwide search for a new town manager.

The town commissioners had voted 4-1 in a June 24 closed session to dismiss longtime Town Manager Jean Weisman.

In a June 30 statement, Weisman’s attorney said she was told that the “(c)ommissioners had decided to go in a different direction and her 37 years of employment with the town, the last 10 as (t)own (m)anager, was at an end.”

Residents questioned how much Rhodes would be paid and asked for clarification on the new direction for St. Michaels.

“How much this is going to cost the town?” Paulette Florio asked. “(Commissioner) Tad (DuPont) since I know you’re very, very concerned about our budget, can you give us an idea of what this is costing the town to hire this gentleman?”

DuPont, elected by his fellow commissioners as treasurer, said, “I don’t think we’ve really determined that. I mean he’s given us an hourly figure. I’ll let you know as soon as I can give you an honest answer.”

“So he’s accepted a position, but he doesn’t know what he’s going to be paid yet?” Kristen Greenaway, president of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, asked.

Bibb explained that a contract had not been signed yet.

“He has given us a hourly rate, and some of his other things that he wanted with it,” he said. “So, we can officially … give you that information once a contract is signed, which will be hopefully sometime this week.”

Greenaway also asked if the public would be allowed to have some input on the job description for town manager. Commissioner David Breimhurst, participating remotely, said that was “not a bad idea.”

“Well, in that case it would be very useful if we knew the new direction because we would obviously need a new town manager that would fully comprehend the new direction,” Greenaway said.

Earlier during the July 14 meeting, DuPont expressed his thoughts on change, noting the COVID-10 pandemic, the effects of tourism, and financial concerns.

“There has to be a balance between the businesses and what they view as their expectations and the rights of the residents,” DuPont said. “I know a lot of people have asked me, … that is part of what I think direction and change is going to have to be about.”

Greenaway and others said the commissioners needed to be more specific.

“I would like to address the commissioners and when they may be able to share a more definitive direction than what they have given just now, that they do intend following,” she said. “I ask as CBMM is currently in the middle of its … master plan, actively planning for a new strategic plan starting 2023 and a vision 2028 initiative.

“We have plans, we have plans, involving a great deal of capital and personnel investment. We’re currently 79 full time staff,” Greenaway said. “And we really need to know if the commissioners’ direction will impact positively or negatively … on our direction and I suspect that many St. Michaels businesses and residents would also like to pose the same question.”

Kim Hannon, president of the St. Michaels Business Association, said numerous business owners had voiced concerns to her.

“St. Michaels has been a tourist town, and has been that for as far as I know for at least 40 to 50 years…. Most of the residents know when they buy a house in St. Michaels, especially in town, that it is a tourist town. They shouldn’t be surprised about that….

“The businesses want to know what’s … going on and what the plans are,” Hannon said. “So if we can have more clear thoughts of that and descriptions of what is going to be taking place…. We have to think of the future … so we’d really appreciate that.”

Near the end of the meeting, Florio thanked Weisman, who was on the Zoom meeting, for her service through difficult times.

“I mostly want to say that the communication I’ve had with more than over 200 people of our community are sorry and offended that you were let go so abruptly without any explanation. We may never know,” she said. “I charged the commissioners with having an explanation because anybody who’s fired from a job that they’ve dedicated themselves to for 37 years really deserves an explanation. We as your community, who supports you, would love to know — ourselves — because we feel a great loss.

“We think you’ve done a fabulous job through this pandemic. You survived the illness of your husband keeping a caregiving operation going at home while you survived your own cancer,” Florio said. “You kept the town going (through) this incredible pandemic, and we’ve floated through just beautifully and I thank you for that on behalf of the entire town. And I do hope that at some point, our voted-in commissioners, who … really promised us transparency, will share with us their particular reason for letting you go. So thank you from the hearts of all of us.”

Cambridge City Manager Will Not Seek Contract Renewal

July 11, 2021 by Spy Desk

City Manager Patrick Comiskey has declined to seek renewal of his employment contract following the current contract’s expiration on July 31.

Comiskey, who was hired following a search in 2018, is Cambridge’s second city manager, having served in that role for
three years. Comiskey’s time as city manager has seen many transitions for Cambridge, with development and growth occurring across the city, according to a press release from the city.

“I wish Patrick, his wife Jane, and their beautiful dog Weaver all the best in the next phase of Patrick’s career,” Cambridge Mayor Andrew Bradshaw said in the statement. “The care they all have shown for the City of Cambridge, and their work to make this city a better place to call home cannot be overstated. Patrick’s good-heartedness and genuine love for others makes him the kind of public servant that is an asset anywhere he goes.”

According to the press release, city commissioners issued the following statements about Comiskey’s decision:

Ward 1 Commissioner Brian Roche — “I’ve appreciated Mr. Comiskey’s service and assistance while Cambridge continues to go through inevitable growing pains of the early stages of our professionally managed form of government.”

Commission President Lajan Cephas (Ward 2) — “We must remember that at the completion of each lap, the city commission did not run the race alone. Mr. Comiskey, thank you for the contributions you and your wife Jane has provided to the city of Cambridge.”

Ward 3 Commissioner Jameson Harrington — “It was always a pleasure to see Mr. Comiskey out at the many local events and businesses in Cambridge. It was nice to have a city manager involved with the local community.”

Ward 4 Commissioner Sputty Cephas — “Mr. Comiskey, thank you for time and commitment to the City of Cambridge. Best wishes on your future endeavors. Continue to share your knowledge and skillsets.”

Ward 5 Commissioner Chad Malkus — “I want to wish Patrick all the best in his future endeavors and to thank him for the great work he did over the past few years. I look forward to the hiring process for a new city manager, and my hope is that we can hire someone with equally extensive municipal experience and knowledge of strong fiscal governance.”

The Mayor and Commissioners of Cambridge will discuss the city manager vacancy at an upcoming meeting in July.

A review of requirements will occur with regard to naming an interim city manager, as well as requirements for search committee members for the hiring of a permanent city manager.

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