In a dramatic show of support for Rock Hall Town Manager Ron Fithian on Monday, over 100 residents flooded a meeting of the Town Council for a second day to demand that Fithian stay in the job he’s held for 16 years.
Fithian’s supporters got their wish and saw Councilmen Brian Nesspor, Brian Jones, and Olin “Butch” Price vote to keep Fithian at his job. Councilwoman Susan Francis abstained and Mayor Robert Willis only votes to break a tie, under the town code.
The move to fire Fithian was launched by Willis on April 12–the day he sent a Notice of Termination to Fithian citing “performance” issues. The allegations ultimately could not pass muster with the the rest of the council after a visceral 12-hour executive session on Sunday that failed to garner a vote. Willis then scheduled another executive session for Tuesday.
But at the beginning of Monday’s regular town meeting, the packed room of supporters demanded to know the outcome of Sunday’s executive session–and were told by Willis that another session was scheduled for Tuesday in order to hold a vote.
The idea of a Tuesday meeting was quickly rebuked by the crowd and some demanded an immediate up or down vote. Fithian then rose from the back of the room and waived the confidentiality that is granted in an executive session and asked that the allegations against him be heard in a public meeting.
“I don’t have anything to hide, and I’m willing to do this in front of all these people…,” Fithian said. “Just vote right now. If you vote me out, I’ll get my stuff and I’ll leave, but lets not drag these people back night after night. You either want me to be the town manager or you don’t.”
Fithian also reminded Willis of the 12 hours of deliberations from the previous day and said nothing new would come out of another closed session.
After the vote, Fithian extended an olive branch to Willis and asked that the meeting scheduled for Tuesday be used to settle any issues the council has with him regarding the performance of his duties.
“Let’s get this settled so we don’t have to go through all this again,” Fithian said.
The common theme among those close to the council, and the community at large, is that Willis’ issues with Fithian are more personal than professional.
Sunday’s Accusations
Monday’s vote comes after a long train of accusations of financial impropriety that Willis leveled Sunday night against Fithian and Price for misuse of the town’s check writing policy, a policy that has been in place under four mayors and that Willis operates under himself, Fithian said.
According to procedure, the only people who can sign checks for the town are the Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Town Manager. The policy requires that two of the three signatories be on each check that the town writes to pay bills. In the absence of the Mayor, the Vice Mayor, who happens to be Price, can sign in the Mayor’s place.
“This only happens when the Mayor is not around,” Fithian said.
Willis took issue over a $1,000 check that Price signed with Fithian to pay Shore Plumbing, a company owned by Price, Fithian said on Sunday night.
“On a couple other occasions there was a check for work Price had done on the boiler and that he had signed the check for,” Fithian said. “But I had to sign it too, still two signatures were required. It was legitimate work, and I OK’d the invoice and signed the check first because I was satisfied that Butch had done what he was supposed to do.”
“If the Mayor is not around, he sends Butch to come and sign the checks, which is probably what happened with the plumbing bills,” Fithian said. “It’s been done this way for years.”
“Willis also knows that when we have a problem with our boiler, the only person who knows a damn thing about it is Butch Price, and we get him to fix it,” Fithian said. “Butch also stops at the boiler every morning in the winter and make’s sure the Town Hall is warm before the people show up to work. He does this every single day and never charges the town a cent.”
“They’re in there making Butch feel like he done something wrong and he hasn’t,” Fithian said outside Sunday’s executive session. “They’re in there trying to wear him down.”
Fithian said the checks he has co-signed with Price were handled no differently than the check Willis signed for to buy $1250 in tickets for his family and friends to attend a Dancing with the Stars event in January, and it is no different than the checks Willis signs to make payments to Durdings, a sandwich shop owned by the Willis family.
The quick vote that came Monday is a continent away from the three attempts the council made on Sunday to force Fithian to resign. Fithian turned down a $40,000 severance, which would have most likely come with a non-disclosure agreement, or gag-order.
“I’m not selling out for $40,000 and not be able to tell my story,” Fithian said. “That would leave a cloud over my head that I had admitted to doing something wrong, and I haven’t.”
“I worked with Ronnie for many years and he has done an excellent job for Rock Hall,” said former Mayor Rosalie Kuechler, who served on the Rock Hall Council for 30 years–with seven years as Mayor. “He would never do anything dishonest to hurt this town.”
Delegate Jay Jacobs, R-Kent, said it was “crazy” to think that Price would do anything dishonest or against the town.
“I have known Butch all of my life and the man doesn’t have a dishonest bone in his body,” Jacobs said. “He would never knowingly do anything inappropriate or dishonest.”
In addition to local residents, fellow Kent County Commissioner William Pickerum and Kent County State’s Attorney Robert Strong were also seen in the crowd in support of Fithian on Sunday.
Anne Wilson says
To all the people that put Ronnie Fithian through so much heartache and stress try to put yourself in his shoes of what the last week has been like. I salute the Rock Hall people that came out and supported Ronnie’s work ethic for 16 years. Mayb e a lesson should be learned from this and it isn’t Ronnie that should be let go maybe you need to clean house in many of your departments. You may not like the person you work with but you can at least work side by side during those hours for the betterment of the company.
Jack Offett says
Does anyone know who this guy is? A simple public records search turns up that the mayor was arrested for INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE DRUGS in a SCHOOL ZONE. He also had an unregistered GUN in a SCHOOL ZONE. What is wrong with this guy? Here’s the public record: https://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/inquiry/inquiryDetail.jis?caseId=0L00000623&loc=12&detailLoc=DSCR
carol cameron says
Jack, you have done a great disservice to Mayor Willis with this post. Since Circuit Court records do not go back online for Kent as far back as District Court does, there is no way to ascertain what the disposition of the charges were. Do you know? Were you here 18 years ago as a courtroom observer? Do you believe this bit of information, taken wholly out of context and glaringly incomplete, has any bearing on the events going on now in Rock Hall? Do you think this will damage his character and reputation with the voters?
By posting the data of the arrest alone, with absolutely no follow-up, has it occurred to you that Mr. Willis may have been found innocent (acquitted) of the charges? Or that he may never have gone to trial, the state may have dropped the charges?
Are you now just coming across this bit of history, or did you have it and use it against him during his campaign when he ran for mayor?
Can’t we keep the discussion on a level that does not resort to smear tactics? We get it. You dislike the mayor. Strongly.
donnie sparks says
First things first, I have no dog in the fight and could care less how this matter ends up. But when we resort to tactics of pulling up people’s past personal history, I feel we are going down a slippery slope. I believe most of us have some skeletons in our closets and hopefully have learned from our past mistakes. When we put somebody’s past on open forum like this, I find it very troubling. I also think the leadership of the Spy should do some soul searching on this, because I think it is wrong. It has nothing to do with the story itself.
Jan White says
Mr. Willis was elected mayor despite his past legal record, which speaks to Rock Hall’s ability to overlook past indiscretions. That does not excuse poor decisions once elected to office.
Jeannine Marsey says
I do agree everyone deserves a second chance. If Mayor Willis was doing a professional job which last week if not earlier has shown he is not. A second chance deserved was wasted by his incredible unprofessional, verging on emotional breakdown attempting to get his way over what appears to be simply a personal not personnel issue with Mr. Fithian. The townspeople attended meetings, spoke out, networked, attended another meeting AND were able as a group working together to get our council to vote openly. I am thankful for the council members who led & voted. I question the council member who chose not to lead and abstain. That is not leadership obviously…that is what has been happening in DC. Again, praise to all including our Chief Of Police & staff(who really were professional & helpful) who showed democracy does still work when the people speak out & participate.
Thank-you
rachel goss says
I feel Jack had every right to post the cases. When one decides to enter the world of public service, one should expect to have questions raised…
I am not saying Bobby should be damned by his past – Goodness knows, people change – but Jack didn’t do anything wrong, imo.
Mike Hunt says
“the check Willis signed for to buy $1250 in tickets for his family and friends to attend a Dancing with the Stars”??? I question whether the Council really approved such a ridiculous expenditure–if not, that is the real impropriety because it is embezzlement. Can’t Willis and his friends pay for their own dancing tickets? And he has the nerve to go after Fithian for signing off on necessary plumbing repairs…
Keith Thompson says
Here’s how I see this…the “Dancing With The Stars” event was a local fundraiser and if the town’s intent was to contribute to the charitable cause with the mayor representing the town’s donation, then I don’t have a problem with this especially if such an expenditure is approved by the council at a public town meeting. If the expenditure is to pay for the mayor’s expenses as a contestant, then I agree with you.
Mike Hunt says
I must respectfully disagree. There are many charitable causes which I support, but were I an elected official, it is not for me to open up the public coffers for my personal causes (or for a group of lawmakers to do so). The spending of the public’s money is a fiduciary trust and the taxpayers have the right to expect that their money will be spent solely on public, not charitable, expenditures. But is it even charity to spend the money of others? Why, if the cause is so noble, can’t the mayor open up his own wallet–as opposed to mine? And what of his friends for whom the town also paid?
But the real question is whether the Council approved this at all. Especially against the backdrop of Willis’ allegations against Fithian, that is a question worth answering.
Keith Thompson says
Mike, I’m not sure that we really disagree. I’m not sure that taxpayer money to charitable causes is something I’d favor, but the point I was making is that if taxpayer money was going to charitable causes it needs to be something approved by the taxpayers.
Keith Thompson says
Mike, to add…one of the reasons why I could go along with the town making a charitable contribution to accompany the mayor’s participation in a charity event is to take advantage of a marketing and good publicity opportunity for the town.
rachel goss says
If the Town agreed on a gift/donation – great!
Tickets – no way!
Mike Hunt says
I’ve gone through the town minutes going back through August of last year. There are discussions about many events. I see nothing that indicates the Council agreed to spend $1,250 to send Mayor Willis and his friends to Dancing with the Stars at the taxpayer’s expense. If the mayor got approval on that check by saying the Council had approved the expenditure when it did not, that is embezzlement, whatever people may otherwise believe about the propriety of such an expenditure had it had approval.
Keith Thompson says
Of course purchase of tickets is akin to a making donation, but your point is valid.
MB Troup says
I’m not a resident, but here’s what I would ask if I were:
Are the Town’s books audited by a third party? And if so, who is stamping them with an unqualified opinion? (In the audit world, silly as it sounds, unqualified = good). While this isn’t illegal in the sense that the Town’s policies are being followed, there appears to be a flaw in the policies themselves. A consultant with average talent should be able to sort it out.
carol cameron says
I believe state law requires that every incorporated town (municipality) has an official audit done annually by an outside (3rd party) provider. Just what these audits encompass, or, put another way, do these audits address just the sort of policies that Rock Hall has apparently followed and has now come home to roost.
Common sense would dictate that a business owner in which a check is made “payable to” that very business should not be signing such a check! Of the two signatures that are required a system in place should ensure that both of the signatories have an “arms length” relationship with the vendor. The mayor is quite right that if this was going on it is high time to put a stop to it. Any outsider looking at this objectively would see a potential for a conflict of interest. Or worse.
It is also somewhat troubling to hear that the town manager’s explanation is little more than “We’ve always done it this way for years”. Maybe so. But if it’s wrong, it’s wrong.
The implications of all this go far beyond Rock Hall. If the mayor of Rock Hall feels there are issues with the way Mr. Fithian practices fiscal management of the town’s finances, to the the point of recommending dismissal from his job, well, how does that inspire confidence in Mr. Fithian in his role as president of the board of county commissioners?
Keith Thompson says
Carol, I think you raise some valid points and ask some valid questions. I think the mayor also has the right to ask these questions (whether or not his concerns are valid I can’t answer because I’m not privvy to the details), but the major problem I observe is that I don’t see this as a job performance issue that would necessitate being handled behind closed doors. I see this as a issue of how the town conducts its business which I think needed to be dealt with out in the open in front of the public.
Jack Offett says
Welcome to small town government where the Mayor is inconsistent and the vice mayor and plumber is forced to do the job. Curious that Willis supporters focus on the plumber’s bill, but are not at all concerned about dancing on the Town’s dollars with his friends. At least the Town receives something of value from the plumber. Though Susan Francis appears to have had a great time on the town’s nickel.
Mayor Bobby as “The Sailor” courtesy of the taxpayers of Rock Hall. https://horizonsatradcliffecreek.org/media-gallery/
Susan Francis having a great time on Town’s nickel. https://horizonsatradcliffecreek.org/media-gallery/?nggpage=2
Clara Cummings says
Yes why wasn’t that subject brought up. I didn’t see any other council members at that table, were they even invited?
Mike Hunt says
As I recall, Fithian realized that this was an error and apologized–the check was sitting in a larger batch of checks that needed signing. I suppose at the least we should be thankful that when Mayor Willis is not fulfilling his public duties, vice mayor Butch Price does–and more.
Gren Whitman says
From where and how did Mayor Willis plan to get $40,000 to pay Town Manager Fithian to resign?
Obviously, that $40,000 would have to come from Rock Hall’s meager treasury.
Obviously, Willis would need a majority vote by his town council to spend $40,000 of town money.
Obviously, such a vote could not legally be taken in an secret — sorry, “executive” — session.
Obviously, no sane Rock Hall council member would vote to approve $40,000 on such flimsy accusations as Willis was leveling at Fithian.
So, what’s truly nutso is why Willis apparently thought he’d be able to get that $40,000.
MB Troup says
Interesting perspective. Plus if he were outlining a case “for cause” then why would any severance be necessary?
As Carol added to my previous comment, I keep going back to the internal controls, and who has signed off on these as being kosher. Refer to the C’town minutes where the council motions and approves the payment of bills. This is analogous to the Sarbanes Oxley requirement that CFOs sign off on, and bear responsibility for, their firm’s financial statements. Does RH do the same? So once again, as long as Ronnie is within the established town guidelines and a third party hasn’t submitted a qualified report demanding a management response, the mayor’s ire would be better used on the policies themselves than the people who carry them out. I assume this is what Ronnie refers to in his “talk it out” approach.
Sean C. Malone says
“Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight.”
Mike Hunt says
Or as Fithian demonstrated, don’t go alone.
John Sirna says
The key here is that good people, who love Rock Hall, got involved and demanded honest government.
Could the same kind of good people, who love America, force our federal government to be responsible, not borrow about one half of what they spent and prevent the collapse of America?
The Rock Hall caper proves that there is hope for America.
Jim Jones says
Who was the second signature on the DWTS check?
carol cameron says
Who paid for the official shirt Butch Price is wearing in the interview? The taxpayers? Who approved the invoice? How many shirts were ordered? Did the council vote to approve the shirt expenditures? Whose signatures were on the check? Who was the vendor who got the shirt job? Why didn’t Brian Jones wear his official shirt for the interview? Or didn’t the town furnish him with an “Official Rock Hall Town Council Member” shirt? Or was he given a shirt, but refused to wear it because he feels uncomfortable? Not itchy or scratchy, he feels strongly the way the shirts were handled lacks transparency?
Looks like there is more here than just Plumbergate. Someone should start digging into Shirtgate as well.
Jim Jones says
Honest enough questions raised, all akin to the alleged improprieties perpetrated by Butch and Ron, but thank you for crystallizing our point. If you have a beef, bring it up through the proper channels and deal with it there. When you jeopardize people’s livelihood and reputation you had better get your ducks in a row first, otherwise you get what we had here; your dubious past exhumed for the world (town) to see- a worst case scenario for Mr. Willis I’m sure.
The crowds are fickle.
Mayor Bob Willis says
The donation check to Horizon’s for $1,250 in question was written from the Mayors expense account expressly for these types of activities. The check was signed by the Mayor AND Town Manager for $1,250. Why the program is so important is that approximately 32% of the children who participate are from the Rock Hall area. The local charity serves children throughout the summer time to continue to participate in educational and youth enrichment programs for the youth of the entire county. Solely intended for the children from impoverished families would not be able to participate and otherwise fall behind. As Mayor I have been an ardent supporter of education and children. The check did in fact provide a table at the earlier fundraiser. At the table representing Rock Hall was the principal, guidance counselor, Councilwoman Francis whom serves as liaison for RH Parks and Rec , Doug Francis, RH Museum Chair, Clerk Treasurer a proud parent of a RH elementary student and my wife Jennifer Willis, recent receipt of the KCPS friends of education award.
gren Whitman says
Financial question for Rock Hall’s Mayor Willis:
For fiscal 2012, the Rock Hall Town Council approved $12,000 for “legal counsel,” but the town actually spent $42,457, a whopping $30,457 extra, or 354% over budget.
Did the Town Council vote to modify the budget — to shift $30,457 from elsewhere in the budget — or did the mayor OK this all by himself?
Mayor Bob Willis says
Delegate Jacobs, I could not agree with you more.
I too have known Vice Mayor/Council member ‘Butch’ Price all my life. I’ve counted on his wise and kind manner many many times. The problem I have is this–why would our Town Manager, a person we should have unwavering trust in, allow this honest person to sign eight checks totaling over $4,000 to his own business is in clear violation of the Town’s conflict of interest rules. Why did the trusted Town Manager allow the Vice Mayor to sign checks to his own business over $1,000, this is in clear violation of the Town’s financial controls? Why would our trusted Town Manager knowingly put an Elected Official at risk?
Gren Whitman says
Methinks the mayor doth protest too much!
Get off it, Bobby. The results are in. You lost. Go away!
Arnold Jackson says
What you talkin’ ’bout, Willis?
The check writing issue Mr. Willis speaks of was created approx. 10 days after Mr. Fithian received his termination letter. Mr. Willis thought that getting rid of Mr. Fithian would be as easy as it as it was for him to fire other town employees. Unfortunately for Mr. Willis, he realized he would have to do some actual work and then asked the clerk treasurer to get him copies of all the checks that had been written in the past year. The town attorney, the bank and the auditor have verified that nothing illegal or inappropriate took place. This check writing issue was created to camouflage his true reason to fire the town manager. Now that the attorney and auditor didn’t say what he wanted them to say, he now wants to fire them. Mr. Willis is the one that needs to be fired/impeached before he further embarrasses our town, his family and himself.
carol cameron says
Mr. Jackson, if what you say is factual, then, please enlighten us further. Just what was the “true reason” for firing the town manager if the check signing irregularities was all just “camouflage” ?
MBTroup says
The pseudonyms are getting funnier and funnier.
I thought I had some questions that, once (if) answered, could help. But the more I read about this, the more I perceive a need for RH to overhaul their procure-to-pay process. The mayor seems to think one set of internal controls exists, and the auditors apparently think there is another. That’s the environment that exists, and that makes assigning the blame an “Orient Express” situation.