Civic turmoil in Rock Hall in recent weeks raises questions about possible misuse of public money by Mayor Bob Willis. Here are two examples:
First, on April 29, Mr. Willis offered $40,000 to Town Manager Ron Fithian to get him to resign (see Chestertown Spy, “Willis Blunders, Gets No Support From Council To Fire Fithian,” 4/30/13). To his credit, Mr. Fithian turned it down.
Mr. Willis’ extraordinary, and possibly extralegal offer, prompts me to ask:
• Without $40,000 approved in advance by the Town Council as a line item labeled “Pay-Off” in the town’s FY2013 budget, did Mr. Willis exceed his charter authority by making this offer?
• Without a public vote by the Town Council, how on earth did Mr. Willis think he could offer $40,000 to Mr. Fithian?
• Under state law, did Mr. Willis’ $40,000 offer constitute a bribe?
Second, using Town of Rock Hall check #14011 in the amount of $1,250 payable to “Horizons at Radcliffe School” for its “Dancing with the Stars” gala last January,
Mr. Willis purchased a table for 10 and invited his wife, Councilwoman Susan Francis, her husband, and six others to enjoy the festivities, which raises these questions:
• Why would a public official use $1,250 in public funds to benefit himself, his spouse, another public official, her spouse, and six other friends?
• Why wouldn’t Mr. Willis ask his invitees to pay their own way?
• Did Mr. Willis invite Rock Hall’s other three Town Council members to join him, or just Ms. Francis?
• Didn’t it occur to the mayor that using public money for private gain is called corruption?
Grenville B. Whitman
Rock Hall
Gretchen Stroh says
Hmmm, I’m not sure why Bob would use town funds to “buy” a table for the fundraiser. Horizons is a great program, my son is lucky to participate in it, but I don’t see the relevance of the town of Rock Hall making a donation to Horizons. And if they did want to make said donation, shouldn’t it be voted for in a town council meeting as a “donation”, also, who would have co signed the check? Don’t the town checks need double signatures? I thought that was the determining factor in the “Fithian” issue to begin with.
carol cameron says
Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. How in the heck can you go from a donation to a legitimate, registered, 501 (c) 3 charity to the wild accusation of “using public money for private gain”? Bizarre. What possible private gain could the mayor have received? A chicken or fish dinner from the whole evening, maybe.
As far as the $40K discussion, the entire council was present. I see nothing irregular or unusual on the part of the mayor throwing the idea out on the table. Had Mr. Fithian accepted, THEN it would have required a vote by the council to pass it. To vote on it first, then present it to Mr. Fithian, is just silly.
You are really reaching trying to smear Mayor Willis with more baseless and absurd conclusions. If you want to discuss the whole matter rationally, use facts, not absurdities.