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October 17, 2021

The Talbot Spy

The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community

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Breaking News: Talbot County Council Votes 3-2 to Move the Talbot Boys

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The county council voted 3-2 Tuesday night to move the Confederate statue on the courthouse lawn to the Cross Keys Battlefield in Harrisonburg, Va.

Cross Keys is a private park under the custody, care, and control of Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

Councilman Frank Divilio had the administrative resolution prepared for introduction and vote at the council’s regular meeting.

Divilio was joined by Council Vice President Pete Lesher and Councilman Corey Pack in voting to relocate the statue. Council President Chuck Callahan and Councilwoman Laura Price voted against the move.

Divilio said he had tried to find a local site, but no one wanted the controversial monument.

Price, who had had an administrative resolution prepared to provide for a unity monument that would add a Union soldier statue and the names of Talbot’s Union soldiers to the base, said she thought the issue deserved a public hearing and planned to introduce a numbered resolution at a later date instead.

Price and Callahan urged Divilio to delay a vote on his resolution so a public hearing could be held. But Pack noted a council majority had denied several requests from community groups for meetings to discuss the statue.

The draft administrative resolution to relocate the statue is below.

DRAFT_Administrative_Resolution_-_Relocation_of_Talbot_Boys_Statue_-_September_2021

The 3-2 vote garnered applause from the audience, which consisted almost entirely of those who supported moving the monument, and cheers from the larger crowd gathered outside. Audience seating in the county council chambers is limited to about 30 people, available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Talbot Officials Ask Court to Dismiss Lawsuit Seeking Removal of Confederate Monument

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Talbot County officials want a federal lawsuit seeking removal of the Confederate monument from the county courthouse grounds dismissed, according to Wednesday court filings.

The Maryland Office of the Public Defender and the Talbot County NAACP filed a lawsuit in May seeking the removal of the monument from the grounds of the Talbot County courthouse lawn in Easton. Plaintiffs and advocates argue that the statue’s presence is racist and unconstitutional.

The plaintiffs say the presence of the monument on the courthouse lawn violates the U.S. Constitution’s 14th amendment, which guarantees due process and equal protection of laws. The lawsuit charges that the monument’s location is “facially discriminatory.”

But in a Wednesday motion to dismiss the case and a memorandum supporting that motion, attorneys for the county argue that the plaintiffs “have failed to state any claim upon which relief may be granted.”

“The Complaint alleges no specific example where any client of either Ms. Petticolas or the OPD was deprived of due process or equal protection due to the presence of the Talbot Boys statue on the Courthouse lawn,” the memorandum reads.

Attorneys for the county argue that the plaintiffs haven’t done enough to prove that the statue’s presence is discriminatory. The memorandum charges that plaintiffs “failed to identify any occasion that, because of the mere presence of the Talbot Boys statue, any Plaintiff or other member of the public was denied access to the Circuit Court or prevented in any way from petitioning the County for redress.”

The county, in the memorandum, also argues that the statue issue is a “political question.”

“The County respectfully submits that the issues raised by the Complaint are inherently local and not ones calling for the intervention of a federal court.

“This is so because the question of when, or where, Confederate symbology transgresses into an area of unlawfulness transcends judicial determination, just as does fashioning manageable judicial standards for resolution.”

The county’s attorneys further argue that the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction in the case.

“The law governing this Complaint establishes Plaintiffs lack standing to bring any of the claims asserted,” the memorandum in support of the county’s motion to dismiss reads. “And, even if standing were not an issue, Plaintiffs have failed to state any claim upon which relief may be granted. For these reasons, the Complaint should be dismissed in its entirety.”

The memorandum also argues that all claims are barred by limitations, noting that the limitations period on all civil claims is, at most, three years:

“The Complaint alleges that Ms. Petticolas has ‘been obliged to pass by’ the statue for fourteen (14) years. The OPD’s alleged injuries are coextensive, at least, with the injuries alleged by Ms. Petticolas.

“Mr. Potter allegedly has been ‘directly involved with removal of the statue since 2015’ and became aware of its meaning when he was first involved with advocating for a statue of Frederick Douglass. The NAACP has been ‘for years’ speaking out against and advocating for removal of the statue, and its injuries must be, at least, coextensive with Mr. Potters.

“There can be no bona fide dispute that if Plaintiffs incurred an actionable injury, a point not conceded, the cause of action accrued when Plaintiffs first observed the statue as an offensive symbol, which, on the face of the Complaint occurred for all Plaintiffs well before the limitations period for Complaint began to run.”

Advocates have been lobbying for removal of the Talbot Boys statue from the courthouse lawn in Easton for years. Talbot County Council members rejected a proposal to move the statue last year, although rallies to remove the monument have continued.

Read the full memorandum here:

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By Bennett Leckrone

John Griep contributed to this article.

Angela Lane Retires as Talbot County Finance Director

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Angela Lane of Easton who is retiring as Talbot County’s Finance Director after 30 years of service.

After recently preparing and presenting one last budget for Talbot County Council, Angela Lane of Easton has retired from her position as Talbot County’s Finance Director after 30 years as a public servant.

Lane, who is a graduate of the University of Maryland College Park and the University of Madrid in Madrid, Spain, started her accounting career in private industry. In 1987, she took a position with local government, working as Director of Administrative Services for the Talbot County Health Department. In 1991, she was hired as a Fiscal Analyst for the Talbot County Government, working as the County’s liaison between auditors and the County Finance Office and playing a key role in the annual budget process. She became Director of Finance for Talbot County in 2000, only the second person in the position, and worked in this job for the rest of her career, except for a brief job in the private sector from 2004 to 2009. She is also a 2002 graduate of Shore Leadership.

Although Angela is remembered for her incredible skills in creating budgets and preparing for audits, she views her most recent accomplishment of working with the Property Tax Referendum Committee in 2019 and 2020 on ballot questions to deal with property tax revenue constraints as the most rewarding part of her career. The ballot questions passed in November 2020 to modify the Tax Cap, allowing the County Council to add an additional cent ($0.01) to the property tax rate every year for the next 5 fiscal years beginning July 1, 2021.

“Thanks to the support of County citizens through passage of the ballot questions, the County will be able to address some of our most critical issues like law enforcement, emergency services, roads infrastructure, as well as several capital projects for the schools, Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Medical Services, the Talbot County Health Department, and the Talbot County Free Library,” Lane recalls.

“Most significant to me, however, was the process of the community coming together on this committee to frame the issue for the ballot in a way that the public could understand the County’s needs. I was particularly proud to work with a range of representatives from our towns, schools, public safety, and veteran constituencies as we disseminated the information to citizens across the County. We came together around a common cause.”

Throughout her distinguished career, Lane enjoyed working with all the departments of Talbot County Government, as well as other governmental and nonprofit agencies, to help deliver the best services to the community.

“It has been a great place to work and it’s never been boring. I was here when the County formed its Advanced Life Support services and look how far Emergency Services has come since then,” she adds.

She also has pride in leaving the County in excellent fiscal health, including its high bond rating which was upgraded during her tenure; unqualified audit opinions; and strong fiscal reserves to maintain stability during an economic downturn or crisis like the pandemic.

“Talbot County is poised for the future. The County Council and staff have been good stewards of the taxpayer dollars, operating under conservative fiscal policies, while delivering necessary and important services to our citizens. I will miss the process of putting together the budget and getting the audit done – I really liked those parts of my work,” she states.

“Angela has been an incredible asset to Talbot County. Her fiscal expertise and wisdom in the areas of budget and audit have been extraordinary and we were blessed to have her with us for these past 30 years. She worked well with staff in creating a cooperative environment and a positive atmosphere for getting County initiatives funded and implemented. She will be missed by us all,” comments Clay Stamp, County Manager for Talbot County Government.

Lane states that she is confident in her successor Joye Nagle, who brings years of experience to the job of Finance Director. “She will be great in carrying forth the efforts of the Finance Office and I am thrilled she has joined the team,” Lane adds.

As far as her future plans. She quips, “I look forward to traveling and pursuing some part-time work, but mostly, enjoying some time off.”

Talbot County Council President Chuck Callahan is Building a Foundation

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What started as an interest in improving the permits and inspections process for Talbot County businesses, led local builder Chuck Callahan of Easton to run for a seat on the Talbot County Council in 2014. Callahan, age 55, serving his second term of office, was recently elected as President of the Talbot County Council.

Chuck Callahan, President of the Talbot County Council

“My passion for small business in the County is strong. I first got involved with local government after my partner and our company’s CFO, Julie Fickes encouraged me to run. I hoped to offer a building contractor’s perspective on the permits and inspection process, hoping to improve upon it. I realized I could be a voice for local business and my initial goal was to represent the local business on the Council,” Callahan comments.

Callahan is the owner of West and Callahan, Inc., a custom home and home remodeling company that got its start in 1969 when “Pee Wee” West and Charlie Callahan, Callahan’s father, decided to join forces. Chuck Callahan took over the business in 2002 and has been running it ever since. He also owns two other companies – Eastern Millwork, specializing in custom cabinetry, windows and doors, and Energy Savers, a home energy audit company.

“I love the people in this County and the lifestyle here. It is laid back,” comments Callahan who was born in Easton and has remained here. His family roots go back several generations.

“As an elected official, it’s important to preserve this quality of life. I love working with the County staff to accomplish this. I think we have some of the region’s best employees working for Talbot County government.”

While during his first term, Callahan reports that he spent his time “learning the ropes” of being a council member. He adds, “I spent most of my time listening. I was elected to listen to all sides of the issues and to have an open mind.”

He likens his transition from business owner to elected official to building a house. He states, “You have to set a foundation first before you can find solutions. This means meeting people and listening to their points of view. I want people to trust that I will find solutions to the issues the county is facing.”

One of Callahan’s passions is education. Having graduated from Easton High School, where he took vocational classes in automotive mechanics and the building trades, he believes in career technology and has fought to keep it in the schools.

“I wanted to be sure there were offerings in the schools to build skills that graduates could rely upon as they became adults,” Callahan comments.

Another of Callahan’s passions is community service. He is a life member of the Easton Volunteer Fire Department, with more than 30 years of service; a member of Easton Elks Lodge #1622; and a member of the Easton Rotary Club.  He was a youth ice hockey coach for many years and during his tenure as head coach for the Easton Ice Hawks, the team won the 2011 Capital Beltway Hockey League Pee Wee Lower A Division Championship. Over the years, he helped to coach his two sons, Cole and Chuck, both of whom attended Talbot County Public Schools.

“I love challenges and making decisions. I am about fewer words and more action. I especially enjoy helping people,” states Callahan.

Callahan reflects on the County’s role during the coronavirus pandemic, commenting, “To be a part of the efforts to help our citizens during this crisis has been very fulfilling. With the CARES Act funding, our staff, working with partner agencies, was able to help 200 people get help with their rent payments and mortgages, as well as assisting numerous small businesses including restaurants and hotels. That is significant.”

“During my second term on the Council, I am more comfortable with the process. Being in government has taught me patience in achieving goals while listening to people and engaging in conversation on all sides of an issue. Learning the craft of leadership also involves building trust and consensus on the Council. We are all different people with different perspectives,” Callahan comments.

“I never thought I would be on the Council, let alone be the President. I love the challenge and I have gotten one. I have a chance to make a real impact in this county and I am very grateful for the opportunity.”

After Rejection, Advocates Continue Push to Remove Confederate Monument in Talbot

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For Ryan Ewing, the debate over removing a Confederate statue from the Talbot County courthouse lawn is personal: One of his family members is among those memorialized on the monument.

Ewing, a public defender who grew up in Talbot County, spoke to dozens of residents at a rally to bring down the statue last week. He told protesters at the Nov. 10 rally that the monument’s continued presence at the courthouse flies in the face of the United States justice system’s promise of fair trials.

“We ensure the appearance of fairness in every way that we can,” Ewing said. “It’s what we do in our justice system. And my question to everyone is: Does the presence of this statue give any of my clients the appearance that they will get a fair trial?”

The monument includes a statue of a soldier holding a Confederate battle flag. That flag has long been used to represent southern heritage, according to the Anti-Defamation League, but is sometimes also used as a symbol of racism and white supremacy.

It stands adjacent to a statue of Frederick Douglass, the prominent abolitionist who was once jailed in Talbot County while attempting to escape slavery.

Ewing said he won’t miss his family’s name on the monument if it’s moved from where it stands outside of the county courthouse. He prefers to memorialize his family members who fought in other wars, like his great uncle who was shot down over occupied France during World War II.

Talbot County Council members voted to keep the Confederate statue on the county courthouse’s grounds earlier this year — but for local advocates and residents, the fight to bring down the monument is far from over.

As county council members were meeting last Tuesday, dozens of residents crowded the lawn of the courthouse to demand the removal of the century-old monument that memorializes county residents who fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War.

The Confederate monument has been a flash point in the county for years, with residents clashing over the memorial’s meaning and message. Those who want the statue to stay say the memorial isn’t meant to perpetuate a racist message, but opponents argue the statue’s presence is an ugly reminder of the county’s history of slavery and segregation.

According to data from the U.S. Census, roughly 12.8% of the county’s population is Black. The county’s population has been steadily increasing over the past decade, and it’s electoral makeup is changing as well: former vice president Joe Biden narrowly won Talbot County, becoming the first Democratic presidential nominee to win the county in more than 50 years.

Residents protest the continued presence of the Confederate monument after a rally earlier this month. Photo by Bennett Leckrone

At the protest, county residents homed in on the Confederacy’s connection to slavery in demanding the monument’s removal, arguing that the statue’s presence at the courthouse is inappropriate.

Keith Watts, a retired labor attorney, told protesters that the monument stands on the grounds of a former slave market, and said the Confederate symbol shouldn’t be allowed on grounds where families were split up forever.

He also addressed criticism of the movement to remove the statue, wherein advocates are accused of attempting to erase or censor history.

“I’m not advocating erasing history,” Watts said. “I’m advocating relocation.”

JoAnn Asparagus, a longtime magistrate for the Caroline County Circuit Court, noted that some who oppose the statue’s removal charge that slavery wasn’t the main reason for the Confederacy’s split from the Union.

“I don’t care whether it was the main reason, second or third,” Asparagus said. “It was a reason.”

Others pointed to Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens’ “Cornerstone Speech” as evidence linking the Confederacy to systemic racism and slavery. In that speech, Stephens said the “cornerstone” and foundation of the Confederacy was slavery and racial inequality.

“There are those who claim that removing that monument changes history,” Michael Pullen, the longtime Talbot County attorney, said after reading a portion of Stephens’ speech to the protesters. “I wish we could erase the 400 years of slavery, and the kidnapping, rape, torture, death, murder, the horror and terrorism that followed. I wish we could erase all of that by taking that statue down.”

Continued controversy 

As Confederate monuments were toppled across the country amid a wave of protests against systemic racism and police brutality earlier this year, Talbot County Council members narrowly decided to keep the monument on the courthouse lawn.

Council members rejected a proposal to remove the monument in a 3-2 vote at an August meeting. In voting to keep the monument up, Republican council members said the Confederate monument’s fate should ultimately rest in the hands of community members.

“This should be in the hands of the community, and not our hands,” Council Vice President Charles F. Callahan III (R) said in rejecting the resolution.

The contested vote came amid pressure from state and federal officials to remove the monument. U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) and Maryland Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot (D) had both publicly called on county council members to remove the monument.

Republican Council President Corey W. Pack, who led the charge in attempting to remove the monument, was disappointed in the resolution’s failure. At the time, he warned that having a confederate monument outside of the county courthouse sends the wrong message to community members.

“I do not support the Talbot Boys statue remaining on the courthouse lawn,” Pack said in August. “It is not appropriate to keep that symbol on the courthouse lawn.”

Pack and Peter Lesher (D) voted to remove the monument, but the other Republicans on the council, Laura E. Price, Frank Divilio and Callahan, voted to keep the statue up.

The debate over the memorial isn’t a new one for county residents: In 2015, the county council voted to keep the statue after the local NAACP campaigned to remove it. At the time, Pack said the Confederate monument should stay on the courthouse grounds, arguing that removing it would be “disrespectful to the family members” of the soldiers memorialized.

Pack’s reversal and recent drive to remove the monument came after the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis earlier this year. Floyd’s death sparked nationwide protests over police brutality and led to a renewed conversation about whether Confederate monuments should stand on public property.

In one of his final acts as Wicomico County Executive before his death, Bob Culver (R) removed a Confederate marker in Salisbury in June. The movement among local governments to remove Confederate monuments has continued in recent months: Just two weeks ago, officials in Fairfax County, Va., ordered the removal of several Confederate markers and memorials from their county courthouse.

Asparagus, the magistrate, told the crowd outside of the Talbot County Courthouse that Mississippians had voted to remove a Confederate symbol from their state flag during the Nov. 3 election. She encouraged county residents to continue to push council members for the statue’s removal.

“They don’t go down easy,” Asparagus said.

Continued conversations

Richard Potter, the president of the Talbot County NAACP, said he tried to convene a meeting between advocates and county council members in late October. County council members rejected his request, Potter said, because they didn’t want to discuss the monument publicly.

Pack said at an Oct. 27 meeting that the Talbot County Council hadn’t met with the NAACP in roughly five years. While Lesher and Pack weren’t opposed to meeting with Potter’s group, Price, Divilio and Callahan said they weren’t ready to convene a workgroup.

“We know that this is not a finished, done deal,” Price said. “I don’t want anybody to think that we’re just digging in and we’re not continuing to talk with members of the community and leaders in the community.

Lesher told Maryland Matters that other council members thought the next step in dealing with the memorial was to encourage constituents to meet with them one-on-one instead of hosting public debates or workshops.

“I personally don’t see what’s wrong with convening a workshop,” Lesher said. “But I’m willing to work with whatever will give us a path forward. If that’s what will move us forward, I’ll work with that.”

Residents left signs protesting the continued presence of the monument after a rally earlier this month. Photo by Bennett Leckrone

Callahan said at the Oct. 27 meeting that he wants the next phase of debate over the monument to start with one-on-one conversation. He said he wants to “iron some things out” in private to have a more informed conversation during future public meetings.

Price said some county residents might not be comfortable sharing their views on the Confederate monument on public record, noting that a meeting with a majority of the county council must be public record under the Maryland Open Meetings Act.

“Speaking individually, one-on-one, I believe is going to be a lot more productive at this time,” she said.

Potter accused council members of stalling the conversation about the Confederate monument instead of addressing it head on, and vowed to continue pushing for the removal of the monument.

“Nothing has been done,” Potter said. “I think these are all stall tactics, to not … address the issue. And we’re going to keep pressing on.”

Potter said he thinks the monument will hamper Talbot County’s efforts to modernize and grow moving forward, and said he thinks the time has come for officials to take another look at removing the statue.

“I think it has its place in our history,” Potter said. “But the place of it being on the courthouse lawn is no longer. It was there to send the message of hate. It was there to scare Black people. And that’s not our community anymore.”

By Bennett Leckrone

Stamp Will be New County Manager as Hollis Set to Return to Nonprofit Sector

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County Manager Andrew Hollis is stepping down at year’s end to return to the nonprofit sector and the county council has named Clay Stamp as his replacement.

The Talbot County Council announced the news in a Thursday morning press release.

Andy Hollis

Hollis has served a total of 17 years as county manager — from 1999 to 2010 and again from Dec. 15, 2014, until he leaves the post on Dec. 31, 2020.

He served as an elected member of the county council during the gap in his tenure as county manager, including one year as vice president. During that time, he also worked as assistant chief operating officer for Delmarva Community Services from 2010-12 and as executive director of Londonderry Retirement Community from 2012-14.

Hollis was the county’s assistant planning officer from 1985-89 and St. Michaels town manager from 1991-99.

“Andy’s efforts have made our job all the easier, and his counsel has been greatly appreciated,” Council President Corey W. Pack said in a statement. “He has gone above and beyond in fulfillment of his duties. The council wishes him all the best as he closes this chapter in county government and enters the nonprofit sector.”

“It has been my greatest honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Talbot County,” Hollis said in a statement to The Talbot Spy. “I consider the county incredibly fortunate to have someone of Clay Stamp’s caliber step into the position. In addition the county’s department heads are well equipped to carry on and second to none in dedication to our citizens and their needs.”

Clay Stamp

Stamp, who currently serves as the county’s emergency services director and assistant county manager, will be county manager effective Jan. 1. He previously has served as county manager on an interim basis.

Stamp served 27 years as the emergency management director for Ocean City, Md., and has served in several senior level state positions in emergency management and homeland security.

“Clay’s demeanor, attitude, and approach to day-to-day operations will serve the council, the county, and its employees well,” Pack said. “He will assist the council as it deals with a variety of challenges in the years to come, in both the budgetary and legislative arenas.

“The budgetary responsibility of the county council is one of its most important functions. Clay has been a part of a number of previous budget processes, and that historical knowledge will be invaluable,” Pack said. “In general, Clay’s past service, as both county manager and director of emergency services/assistant county manager, will allow this council to continue moving forward with the job of doing the people’s business.”

“I am most appreciative of this opportunity given me by the county council,” Stamp said in a statement. “It is both a privilege and an honor to step back into the position of county manager to serve the citizens of Talbot County. This council is a group of dedicated, experienced, and enthusiastic individuals who work for the betterment of the county. I again appreciate the opportunity to be a part of it.”

Stamp also notes that the quality of the county’s department heads is second to none, and that it is a privilege to again work
with them in providing public service of the highest level.

“Andy Hollis has done a terrific job as county manager, and has set the bar high with his team’s many accomplishments,” Stamp said. “I look forward to working with Andy and the department heads in what I anticipate will be a very
smooth transition as the new county manager.”

Per the Talbot County Charter, the county manager is appointed on the basis of education and professional experience in executive and administrative affairs, and is the chief administrative officer of the county. Under the direction of the Council, the county manager directs and supervises the administration of all agencies of the county government, except as
otherwise provided by charter or by law.

Council Can Vote Tuesday on ‘Talbot Boys’ Removal

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The county council can vote Tuesday night on the latest effort to remove the “Talbot Boys” from the courthouse green.

Resolution 290, introduced by two of the five council members, calls for the removal of the statue of a young flag bearer carrying the battle flag of the rebel Army of Northern Virginia. As introduced, the resolution would allow the base, containing the names of Talbot County men who fought against the United States, to remain.

An amended resolution has been introduced by Councilman Pete Lesher and Council President Corey Pack, who introduced the initial resolution. The amended resolution calls for the removal of the entire monument and removes language that would have banned depictions of soldiers.

Lesher also plans to introduce two amendments during Tuesday night’s meeting, according to the agenda.

One would change language concerning the statue’s relocation to have the monument safely stored in the care of the county “until a place for its ultimate relocation can be identified and prepared.”

The second would establish a restricted county fund to receive any private contributions toward the cost of removing the monument.

During a July 28 public hearing on the resolution, the overwhelming majority of those calling into the meeting of the Talbot County Council urged members to completely remove the monument.

The council also was given a petition with 30-plus pages of signatures of people calling for the Talbot Boys to be removed from the courthouse green. A video entitled “I am Talbot County” also was submitted into the record.

“Statues are not how history is taught. It’s not about erasing history, but about what history to glorify,” one caller said. “What we do not support is a monument glorifying the Confederacy.”

Another caller cited a community survey in which 63% of respondents said racism is an issue in Talbot County.

“The Confederacy should not be glorified and that’s what the Talbot Boys statue does,” another caller said.

“This isn’t the first time the removal of the monument has been discussed. I hope it will be the last,” he said. “The question now is what side of history do you want to be a part of.”

“To commemorate is to celebrate” and the statue symbolizes racism and slavery, another caller said.

David Montgomery disagreed.

“The monument is to soldiers of Talbot County, not to slavery, not to the Confederacy,” he said.

Montgomery argued that it was highly unlikely that Talbot’s soldiers were fighting to preserve slavery.

Paul Callahan argued that Talbot’s rebels were fighting against Lincoln’s unconstitutional actions during the war against the secessionists.

“During the Civil War, what was done in Maryland was unconstitutional, unlawful, and brutal,” Callahan said, citing martial law, the suspension of habeas corpus, and the arrests of thousands of Marylanders suspected of Southern sympathies.

But Benjamin Rubenstein noted that Talbot’s rebel soldiers fought for the Confederate States of America.

“Even if they didn’t own slaves, they fought to protect slavery,” he said. “There’s no place for racism and white supremacy” on the public square.

Larrier Walker agreed that the fact that someone fought in a war could not be separated from “what they fought for.”

“Where in Germany are there statues or memorials to Hitler or the Nazis?” he asked. “There are none. To African-Americans and others, the Talbot Boys are just like Hitler and the Nazis.”

Henry Herr, who circulated the petition for the statue’s removal, noted the seceding states went to war against the U.S. in order to preserve slavery.

“The vast majority of historians have proven it time and time again,” he said.

“This symbol is a scourge of Talbot County,” Herr said. “Stand up for the minorities in your community who have been begging you to take it down.”

One caller said he was related to 10% of the names on the Talbot Boys monument.

He noted that the monument has 84 names, but many times that number from Talbot County fought for the United States.

The “time has come to remove” the monument and show that “Talbot County does not hold racism as a central tenet,” he said.

Others noted that the courthouse green was the site of the county’s slave auctions, where the KKK met in the 1880s, and where thousands gathered — just a few years after the Talbot Boys monument was erected — in an attempt to lynch a black man accused of sexually assaulting a white girl.

Keith Watts said the statue stands on hallowed ground — the site where thousands of Talbot’s slaves were brought to auction, where families were torn apart, “sold on the very spot that that statue stands.”

“Those people have no voice now. They need to be heard down through the ages,” Watts said. “The weight of history is on you tonight. The eyes of the nation and world are on you tonight. If Mississippi can do this, Talbot County can do this.”

Talbot OKs Fines for COVID-19 Violations

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This video is about 21 minutes long.

Individuals and businesses violating COVID-19 restrictions in Talbot County may face additional civil fines up to $1,000 per violation.

The Talbot County Council voted 4-1 Tuesday night to adopt an emergency resolution that sets civil fines for violations of the governor’s executive orders on COVID-19.

The discussion Tuesday night and at a previous meeting focused on concerns about businesses, particularly a few restaurants with bar areas, that have not been requiring customers to comply with Gov. Hogan’s orders.

In an executive order allowing certain businesses and facilities to open with 50% indoor capacity, restaurants are only allowed to serve customers who are seated.

While the governor’s executive orders allow for businesses and individuals to be charged with a misdemeanor offense and face a fine up a year in jail and/or a $5,000 fine, Talbot officials wanted the ability to impose civil, rather than criminal, penalties.

The civil fines may be imposed on businesses that violate the governor’s directives on how to safely open for the public, as well as individuals who fail to follow the order requiring facial coverings.

“These measures take effect immediately,” Council President Corey Pack said in a statement. “We are working to keep everyone as safe as possible and are continuing to closely follow the governor’s Maryland Strong Roadmap to Recovery.”

The draft of the emergency resolution is below:

Emergency Resolution – COVID Enforcement - as approved on 7-28-20

The resolution refers to two orders issued by Gov. Larry Hogan.

Order 20-04-15-01 requires face coverings on public transportation and in retail and food service establishments. The order also requires stores to sanitize carts and baskets and designate at least 6-foot spacing between customers waiting in line.

Masks-and-Physical-Distancing-4.15.20

Order 20-06-10-01 largely allows various businesses and facilities to open up at 50% capacity indoors and allowed restaurants to serve food and drinks indoors to customers seated at tables, but not at bar/counter areas.

Gatherings-NINTH-AMENDED-June-10

Dr. Fredia Wadley, the county’s health officer, also had recommended that the council consider limiting the number of people allowed at both indoor and outdoor gatherings, and empowering the county liquor board to suspend the liquor license of violators.

As health officer, Wadley has the authority from the state health secretary to suspend the food service license of any establishment that is operating in an unsafe manner.

The council plans to discuss restrictions on outdoor gatherings during its Aug. 11 meeting.

“When you are talking about a virus like COVID-19, there is no safe number,” Wadley told the council. “It’s where do you want to set the number?”

During Tuesday night’s meeting, Wadley also outlined the recent COVID-19 trends in Talbot County and the state.

“In Talbot County, we had the first good day for a long time and I never thought I’d say six new cases is a good day, but it’s better than 10 which is what we’ve been having,” she said.

The county’s 7-day average for new daily cases had hit a peak of 10 on July 20 and 21 before dropping back to the single digits.

From the county’s first confirmed COVID-19 case on March 16 through July 10, the 7-day average had not gone higher than three.

Talbot Council Talks Floyd, ‘Talbot Boys;’ Lesher Calls for Removal of Confederate Monument

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The “Talbot Boys” monument should be removed from the county courthouse grounds, Talbot County Councilman Pete Lesher said Tuesday night.

Lesher is the first county councilman to call for the removal of the monument to the county’s Confederate soldiers (including some who moved to Talbot after the war) since a renewed effort began after the death of George Floyd.

Council President Corey Pack later asked council members to adopt a resolution to prohibit all statues depicting persons, signs of symbols of military actions on the courthouse grounds. He said the resolution would not prohibit monuments listing the names of Talbot County veterans of war.

The Talbot Boys monument has a statue of a young color bearer holding the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia atop a base listing the names of the Confederate soldiers. If Pack’s resolution was approved and applied to existing monuments, the statue would be removed but the base would remain.

The council discussion comes as the nation grapples with police brutality against people of color and amid demonstrations calling for racial justice and equality after the death of George Floyd while pinned down by Minneapolis police officers.

A peaceful protest last Saturday in downtown Easton attended by hundreds included calls for the monument’s removal.

During a public call-in comment period at its Tuesday night meeting, the Talbot County Council heard from several county residents urging them to remove the statue.

During the public comment period, Emily Thompson said she had emailed the council members about the statue’s removal.

“There will be a future Talbot County Council that will take this down,” she said Tuesday night. “You have an opportunity now to take action and listen to black voices. Are you going to wait and let your successors do the work you should have done years ago?

“All across the state and across the United States, we have seen true leaders,” Thompson said. “Show you don’t sympathize with rebels against the United States and white supremacists.”

“This isn’t history,” Benjamin Rubenstein of Trappe said in a call. “This is an opportunity for the county to act and take a stand. This is an opportunity for Talbot County to be a part of the solution.”

“I’m extremely outraged and disappointed” that a “symbol of slavery, white supremacy and racism” remains standing in Easton and Talbot County, Ari Rubenstein said.

“What side of history are you going to be on?” he asked. “We’re going to eradicate symbols of oppression. You need to be on the right side of history.”

Pack, who voted against a request to remove the monument in 2015 and 2016, said he had shared a written statement with his fellow council members before the meeting. Each council member spoke about the issue — some more directly than others — during council comments.

Pack, in his statement, said he was going to ask the county council to put a question on the November ballot asking Talbot voters whether the statue should be removed.

But to do so would have required action by the Maryland General Assembly, which completed its 2020 legislative session in a shortened session in March.

Pack, instead, offered his proposed resolution and also called for:

• a report outlining the county’s diversity training over the past two years and additional steps the county could take in the future;

• the drafting of a diversity statement to be included in the county employee handbook;

• putting a question on the ballot to amend the county’s charter to limit council members to two consecutive terms (a member could run for election again after sitting out a term);

• the council to send a letter to federal lawmakers supporting the Justice in Policing Act of 2020.

Current council members Laura Price and Chuck Callahan had voted with Pack against the monument’s removal in 2015 and 2016, after the NAACP officially requested the monument be removed following the murder of nine black parishioners at a Charlotte, N.C., church by a white supremacist.

The issue arose again in 2017 after a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., during which a counter-protester was killed and numerous others injured by a white supremacist who drove into a crowd.

Talbot Council, Congressmen Join Opposition to Coast Guard Closure

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The county council voted unanimously Tuesday evening to send a letter opposing the proposed closure of the U.S. Coast Guard station in Oxford. Maryland’s two U.S. senators and First District Congressman Andy Harris also are opposing the closure.

The letters from the county council and the congressmen were among 102 comments received by the Coast Guard, with many of those writing in opposition to the closure of the Oxford station.

The station is among five being considered for closure, according to a notice in the Federal Register seeking comment. The notice was published in mid-February, but only recently came to the public’s attention, just days before a midnight Tuesday deadline for comments.

A 2017 GAO report said the Coast Guard, in 2013, had identified 18 stations that could be permanently closed without negatively affecting the agency’s 2-hour response standard for search and rescue missions. In its Federal Register notice, the Coast Guard said it was planning to close five stations.

According to the report, the FY2015 operating cost for the Oxford station was a little more than $1 million. Crews there responded to 117 search and rescue missions between 2010 and 2016, about 17 annually. Of those 117 missions, eight were during winter months.

The Talbot County Council, in its submitted comment, said, “Station Oxford is necessary to provide security of the public health and safety and emergency assistance.”

The council, in a letter signed by Council President Corey Pack, wrote, in part:

“.. (T)he closing of Station Oxford would be detrimental to the safety of boaters on the Eastern Shore. Station Oxford plays a pivotal role in the safety of boaters along the waterways from northern Tilghman Island to the Little Choptank River on the eastern side of the Chesapeake Bay, and also over to Chesapeake Beach and south to Calvert Cliffs on the western side.

“Station Oxford provides timely response to any emergency on the water and plays a critical role in educating the public on boater safety. If Station Oxford is closed, the next closest station to most of the areas Station Oxford serves is Station Annapolis. This is a major concern.

Map Data © 2020 Google

“Station Annapolis is 32 nautical miles from Oxford, 25 nautical miles from St. Michaels, 45 nautical miles from Solomons, 80 nautical miles from Crisfield, and 48 nautical miles from Cambridge. In addition to the distance, Station Annapolis requires the responding crew to travel across the entire Chesapeake Bay, which can be treacherous at times and require slower boat speeds, resulting in an increased response time.

“A response time of greater than an hour is concerning. It is even more concerning when you consider that hypothermia can set in within 45 minutes. Talbot County has more licensed watermen than any other jurisdiction in Maryland, many of whom work in one fishery or another nearly year round, and the loss of a nearby USCG station in Oxford will mean that their lives will be in greater peril.

“The Eastern Shore is also known for waterfowl hunting during the winter months. Hunters routinely take out large groups on guided boat hunts during the winter. If a guided tour experienced an emergency on the water, the response time would be crucial to the group’s survival. Relying on a boat from Annapolis, in poor winter weather, could easily result in tragedy.”

Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, both Democrats, and Rep. Andy Harris, a Republican, also urged the Coast Guard to take the Oxford station off the chopping block.

They wrote, in part:

“Station Oxford is the only U.S. Coast Guard site in the Eastern Shore of Maryland, a region that consists of nine counties and makes up more than a third of the total land area of the State. We fear that the loss of the facility in Oxford would drastically increase emergency response times with the effect of undermining the region’s safety and security.

“The Eastern Shore is a vast geographic region that includes the waterways of the Chesapeake Bay, Choptank River, and Little Choptank River. Economically, the area and its waterways form one of the most critical seafood harvesting grounds in the state. In its large geographic jurisdiction are the active Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant as well as the Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas export facility, two key national security assets. Moreover, these waters are part of the Intracoastal Waterway that vessels use for transit along the length of the East Coast of the continental United States. Thousands of watermen work and travel along the waterways, even in cold water and inclement weather. The individuals who work in this and other industries on the water will at times require assistance in a time of emergency.

“Station Oxford is all the more essential for meeting the unique security and safety needs of the Eastern Shore given that it is the only U.S. Coast Guard facility in this extensive region. Manned by approximately 20 U.S. Coast Guard personnel, Station Oxford provides critical emergency response in a timely manner that is not likely to be maintained if it were to close. Indeed, many of the public safety agencies in the area simply do not have the boats and other resources necessary for responding to emergencies on the waterways. There is no alternative facility that can meet the needs of the Eastern Shore. …

“Two other government agencies share the site with the U.S. Coast Guard: (1) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Service’s (NCCOS) Cooperative Oxford Laboratory and (2) Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This cohabitation of three agencies on one site has created longstanding partnerships while also allowing for greater utilization of the unique resources of the U.S. Coast Guard by state and local entities. Yet while both NOAA and DNR also provide important functions, they cannot be a substitute for Station Oxford, whose public servants stand ready to respond to emergencies 24/7 all year round. Their commitment to serving the needs of the Eastern Shore was only underscored when, during the 35-day federal government shutdown of 2018-2019, the men and women of Station Oxford continued to work even as they went unpaid and the NOAA and DNR facilities were vacant.”

The other stations being considered for closure and consolidation with neighboring stations are Fishers Island, N.Y., Salem, N.J., Shark River, N.J., and Roosevelt Inlet, Lewes, Del.