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November 24, 2024

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

Point of View Opinion

Video Opinion: Oxford Needs a Forensic Audit by Scott Rensberger

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Editor’s note: journalist and filmmaker Scott Rensberger has lived part-time in Oxford for the last eight years quite contently for most of that time. But last year, when a simple inquiry about a stormwater flood gate near his home went unanswered after several attempts to reach Town Hall, Scott began increasingly worried about the town’s management and commitment to transparency.

More recently, after a community debate on the actual salary of the town manager, he faced a similar stonewall when requesting the precise compensation figure for the position. His response was to use his background as a professional storyteller to highlight his concerns.

This video is approximately nine minutes in length.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Letters to Editor

  2. I am surprised and disappointed that the Talbot Spy, a publication I had highly respected, would print this without fact checking. There is much disinformation and outright fabrications in this very clever distortion of the facts.

  3. Cyberbullying based on lies, unsubstantiated allegations, and inuendo.
    If the bully wants to come after the Commissioner, I am fair game.
    You have a problem with an employee of the Town, make an appointment to speak with me, and bring me your evidence of any wrongdoing.
    But then we would find out YOU HAVE NO EVIDENCE.
    SDB, commissioner of Oxford

  4. This is slander. I am disappointed that the Talbot Spy would provide a forum for this video. Attend the meetings, review the audits, speak with current and former commissioners. Oxford is an amazing small town and this video is a discredit to the challenging, often thankless work that is being done on behalf of the citizens.

  5. To the Editor,
    This is obviously a one sided hit piece. Shame on you for circulating this garbage. This amounts to cyber-bullying, contains outright lies, half truths and innuendo behind a veneer of middle school adolescent til-tok style video production. I expected better of The Spy!
    Please publish a number of letters (which you must be receiving) to counterbalance this malcontented individual and his grudge against the many individuals who care so much about the Town of Oxford and are peaceful and content.
    Cameron J Mactavish

    • I hear you do great work. I’m sorry that you think I did a one sided story. It’s tough when people don’t answer questions. BTW, didn’t you work with Cheryl Lewis and get paid tens of thousands of dollars for the MEWS project? I think the fee was 75-thousand but I have no idea what you personally made on that town project — if anything. Do you mind sharing that information?

  6. Looking at the comments so far, there are accusations of falsity, disinformation, fabrication, clever distortion of the facts and even slander regarding the content of Mr. Rensberger’s video. But none take the time and space to state, specifically, which information is false and or slanderous. I think the Spy readership would welcome the opportunity to review thorough and forthright challenges to any of the assertions made in the video — rather than just expressions of indignation and outrage. This is a forum — the Oxford story if not told correctly here, why not counter it here in Spy?

  8. Here’s a suggestion: Let the Talbot Spy pick a moderator and let’s all meet for a big town gathering at the OCC. It’ll be great. People like Susan Delean-Botkin, Susie Hurley, Molly Sause, Cameron Mactavish, John Pepe, Ray Stevens, William Dial, Tom Costigan and Cheryl Lewis can all be on one side and I’ll be at the other table. Let’s do this. Can’t wait to debate.

    We should do it on Oxford Day — the turn out will be great. Susan Delean-Botkin you’re a commissioner — make it happen.

  9. Scott Rensberger has a second, follow up video showing the meltdown of some people in Oxford. He also shows support e-mails from people in Oxford, too. I’m disappointed that a real estate agent in the second video who sells homes in Oxford thinks so poorly of us who bought homes and live here part-time. I’m disappointed in the town ethics person in the video who started leaking information about the firing of the police chief and maintenance manager despite a confidentiality agreement forced on everybody. And I’m ashamed of Commissioner Delean-Botkin for her terse, unprofessional reply on this page with no supporting evidence of her own. Oxford needs an audit and more importantly, a house cleaning based on all this.

  10. Mr. Rensberger is on point! What has gone on in Oxford is absolutely ludicrous! BRAVO to him for his creativity in handling a very difficult and sad subject matter. Anybody who criticizes this video has no idea what has happened to the town or is complicit in the nefarious activity that has plagued Oxford over the last five years!

  12. Very interesting and concerning.my family first came to Oxford in the late 1600s. I lived my first 2 years at the Robert Morris inn while my father was on a Navy boat somewhere around Italy during WW2. My dad was Emory Balderson, boat builder, town commissioner, commissioner President and served on the zoning committee for years. He would be (as I am) Very sad regarding the corruption in our town. Don’t give up!

  13. FYI – Scott Rensberger has posted a follow-up video, ‘Lack of Transparency Part Two (Feedback Story)’, https://youtube.com/watch?v=CsL8xe3pvik&feature=shared .

    Who knew such a simple single factual question,(to locate the salary paid by Oxford to its Town Manager/Town Treasurer position(s) in its town budgets or final accountings), would trigger such a tsunami of emotional/misdirected reactions from those in a position to a) simply answer the question or b) recommend that the Town Manager/Treasurer release the requested information.

    Clearly, any town budget (or public accounting) is a public document … these same documents of transparency are NOT meant to serve the opposite role (i.e. as an instrument of NON-transparency) as may occur when the public, esp. residents, are blocked from the details of the financial dealings of their town.

    So… one wonders … what is the difference for Oxford? Why such a push-back against a single simple legitimate request for the salary information for Oxford’s most important town staff member?

  14. I think we need to find a solution for the town to begin the healing process. Let’s get together in a public forum and share all the facts. Scott’s videos have now raised questions that should be answered or disproved factually. It’s really ok to disagree and still be civil with each other. I,personally,support the Forensic Audit. It is obviously a concern for many folks on both sides for different reasons. Cost seems to be a major road block. The price, we will pay, will deliver the transparency to heal our town that we desperately need. That would be priceless!! It’s time to get our town report card. Let’s see where things truly are and what areas we can improve on.
    I was taught in the Navy not to fear inspections, it is the time to show off all your hard work. I still believe that.
    If there are any concerns, let’s get them fixed. If we are doing a great job, tell us.
    Most importantly, it would deliver the “reset” that we truly need to come together again as a town. Also, it will give our new Town Manager the fresh start he/she deserves.

  15. Thank goodness for Scott Rensberger. Oxford owes him a debt of gratitude for his perseverance. I hope we can get an audit and find out how much we are overpaying our Town manager.

  16. I just want the Talbot Spy readers to know that I’ve been reaching out to Commissioner Susan Delean-Botkin regarding her suggestion to meet with me. I’ve written to her and to the other two Commissioners plus the Town Manager and so far no one has responded regarding our possible meet up. And, I personally don’t think they ever will. Why? Because they know I have the goods and Commissioner Delean-Botkin will embarrass herself.

    I respect any and all criticism but I find it a tad ridiculous for a Commissioner to use the Talbot Spy’s comment platform to call me a cyberbully and a liar who has unsubstantiated allegations. She claims I HAVE NO EVIDENCE In bold letters. This is totally nuts.

    Did Cheryl Lewis make $178,000 dollars in 2022? Yes.

    Did the town and Cheryl Lewis hire Lewis’s daughter and pay her at an inflated rate? Yes.

    Has anyone in the town office shown me where I can find Cheryl Lewis’s income inside the town budget? No

    Did the town and Cheryl Lewis hire her longtime partner’s nephew as the head of maintenance and give him a subsidized Oxford owned home paid by the taxpayers? Yes.

    Did the town and Cheryl Lewis hire two maintenance workers who also appear to be financially connected to Cheryl Lewis’s partner? Yes.

    Did the town and Cheryl Lewis get rid of the Chief of Police and Head of Maintenance after putting in a total of 48 years? Yes.

    Did the Oxford Ethics Board Chairman say unethical things? Totally.

    Did real estate agent Ray Stevens say an untruthful thing about Will Cawley? Yes.

    Dear Talbot Spy none of these things are allegations. They are all facts. Facts like the sky is blue.

    I actually learned today that Cheryl Lewis’s daughter was paid $87,500 and I’m told she had very little experience. After the town found out she was related to Lewis the daughter left her job. Her replacement, who came in reportedly with more experience, is making $70,000. Or, $17,500 less than the daughter. This is insane. And, when the town hired Lewis’s daughter did the Oxford Ethics Board even review this unbelievable ethical question? Nope. The Oxford Ethics Board never addressed it. Facts, facts and more facts.

    So, I’m finding it a bit crazy that Commissioner Botkin’s post is even up. Her followers actually believe I’m a liar with “unsustainable allegations.” It’s a big batch of misleading propaganda designed to attack my character and credibility. I honestly want to move on from these types of stories but as long as I keep being unfairly attacked by people like Delean-Botkin I will continue my work.

    Scott Rensberger

    • Thank you Scott for your determination. Some of us had given up out of frustration. The stonewalling and outright refusal to answer questions has been plaguing the citizens for a couple of years. The longer answers are withheld the more suspect the town actions become. Obviously the APPOINTED COMMISSIONER does not want to face your investigative efforts, but wants to continue to deny.
      Deborah Pulzone needs to check her facts – one item is …very few of the PIAs were actually answered. When looking at the list most are tagged unresolved, mainly because the price for the answers was completely out of line.
      Scott, maybe time to give up on the meeting and let’s move forward obtaining a forensic audit.

  17. I would like to give a different perspective on my home town. Our town manager, Cheryl Lewis, was hired as Town Clerk around 12 years ago. Over time her responsibilities have expanded dramatically and her title was changed to Town Manager in recognition of this fact. Her salary has also increased over this time, approved in each instance by the Town Commissioners, our elected officials.

    Until very recently our town staff had consisted of only two employees, the town manager and administrative assistant. As in many small towns it is normal for a manager to also be the treasurer due to the lack of staff. I would like to note that even with her limited staff Lewis not only kept our town running smoothly but during her tenure she has procured over $24 million dollars in grant money. This is has greatly added to our financial well-being and kept our town working as optimally as possible. She has managed major projects funded by those grants, including the installation of a new sewer treatment plant, extensive renovation of the town water system and major shoreline protection projects. In the last year she has also responded to more than 27 public information requests ranging from requests for 22 years of town audits, to requests for salaries, benefits and bonus of employees, to hiring information and practices, among others.

    In response to the increasing workload, the Town Commissioners authorized adding a town planner position to assist with the administrative functions. The position was advertised, and a number of candidates applied. The Town Commissioners, after full disclosure that she was Lewis’ daughter, hired an experienced town planner. Her salary was set by the Commissioners. She recently resigned her position in Oxford and has gone to work for a private firm at an increased salary.

    I don’t know of any municipality that seeks community input in making personnel decisions. The departure of our police chief was discussed between him, the Town Commissioners, Lewis and the Town’s attorney. This was a private and personal matter and should be respected as such – left private. As for our previous head of maintenance I had assumed, probably like most Oxfordian’s, he left of his own volition. If this were otherwise it is still the decision of our elected commissioners and town manager to make. Personally, I like both previous employees. I wish to thank them for their years of service and wish them well.

    Cheryl’s record speaks highly of her achievements as town manager. Her expertise and dedication to our town will be sorely missed. It saddens me that with all her hard work and years of service she has been treated in this fashion.

Trackbacks

  1. Out and About (Sort of): Calming the Waters in Oxford by Howard Freedlander - Chestertown Spy says:
    April 14, 2024 at 9:27 AM

    […] watching Scott Rensberger’s superbly produced and well-researched opinion video shared on the Spy, I am disappointed in Oxford’s leadership. But I am […]

  2. Out and About (Sort of): Calming the Waters in Oxford by Howard Freedlander - Talbot Spy says:
    April 14, 2024 at 9:28 AM

    […] watching Scott Rensberger’s superbly produced and well-researched opinion video shared on the Spy, I am disappointed in Oxford’s leadership. But I am […]

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