By Scott Rensberger- Guest Contributor
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Cheryl Lewis’s last gift to Oxford was an unemployed, out of work person who has a past police record of flashing children near an elementary school — while wearing pantyhose. And, this pantyhose man was also found guilty of a separate charge of engaging in prostitution. After several months of searching for the next Town Manager this was the person Cheryl Lewis handpicked to replace herself. And Lewis’s last big decision, before retirement, was validated by the town’s head Commissioner Tom Costigan.
In the past few years the Town of Oxford, Maryland has faced a slew of problems. The maze of obstacles that residents have to jump through just to get basic information is endless. If the Olympics handed out gold medals for lack of transparency — many residents believe Oxford’s leaders would be standing in shame at the top of the podium.
Last week a BMW from South Carolina pulled into town carrying a man who had a ton of baggage. Michael Everett Calvert was hired by the town’s three Commissioners to be the next Town Manager. Calvert was given the keys to the Oxford townhouse, the code to the administration building and a handsome contract. Within hours his picture appeared on the Town’s website and on the front page of The Star Democrat.
For reasons still unknown, Cheryl Lewis, the outgoing Town Manager who has a very controversial past, was given the responsibility of finding her replacement. This decision, led by the town’s top Commissioner Tom Costigan, was a huge mistake. And, it didn't have to be this way.
All that separated the Town of Oxford from hiring a person with a very disturbing past was just ten feet. That’s right — ten feet. If former Town Manager Cheryl Lewis had simply walked across the hallway inside the administration building to the Oxford Police Department she could have easily run a complete background check. This apparently wasn’t done. And now the residents of Oxford want answers.
After Michael Everett Calvert was given the keys to the town and glorified on the World Wide Web by a handful of Oxford residents and the town’s leaders. A few other residents, including myself, started googling his name and within minutes alarm bells started going off. We found unsettling information that we couldn’t unsee.
In 1994, according to a Washington Post article Michael Everett Calvert allegedly exposed himself to children while wearing pantyhose. He was charged with two counts of taking indecent liberties with a juvenile and posted a $25,000 bond. Police had received reports of "seven" different incidents of a "pantyhose-clad man" approaching juveniles in various parts of town, including near Leesburg "Elementary School." After I purchased a background check for 28-dollars I learned that Calvert pleaded guilty to Indecent Exposure and paid a $950.00 fine and was placed on probation.
Michael Everett Calvert’s name also popped up again and was found guilty in Frederick County, Maryland for the offense of engaging in prostitution. All of this information could have been easily found if Cheryl Lewis had simply walked ten feet from her office to the Oxford Police Department. She had all the resources at her fingertips. Now, the Town of Oxford is facing a huge wave of embarrassment that’s rippling across the Eastern Shore and the United States.
As soon as I started learning the negative reports on Calvert I contacted the Oxford Town Lawyer, via email, and told her that she should look into our new Town Manager's criminal past. The Town’s Lawyer never responded. I sent two more emails with additional information. Still no response. But around 19 hours later Michael Calvert, along with his baggage, was sent packing. The Town of Oxford released a statement and said that both parties agreed -- it wasn’t a “good fit.” Not a good fit? This is what people say when they’re trying to put the wrong lid on a Big Gulp.
But, according to my little research I learned quickly that Calvert and Oxford were never a “good fit.” Even if it’s humanly possible to put aside Calvert’s prostitution-pantyhose-flashing children-days Cheryl Lewis should have never brought his name to the town’s Commissioners.
Calvert was the Town Administrator in Liberty, N.C. for under two years. I contacted a former Liberty council member who told me that Calvert was verbally abusive and under his brief leadership two council members resigned because of his lack of transparency. The former council member that I spoke with called Michael Calvert a “snake.”
Calvert had a rule where residents at public meetings could only speak for three minutes and the Town of Liberty didn’t have to answer any questions. For the residents of Oxford this policy might sound familiar. After Oxford residents, including myself, started asking tough questions in public meetings Commissioner Susan Delain-Botkin implemented the same “three minute - no answering rule.” Personally, after being shut down by the leaders of Oxford from getting answers I was forced into making YouTube videos. I simply wanted to be heard without the town’s commissioners shouting at me and calling me a liar.
My fight for transparency has been a rocky one. Several residents have spread terrible lies about me and have sent me hate mail. Recently, I was threatened by two different people. The first threat happened on Election Day, by an Oxford Board Member, in front of the ice cream shop in the middle of town. After I repeatedly refused to fight this irate man. He kept calling me a F-ing P—-y as kids walked by. A person working in the ice cream shop came out and tried to calm things down.
The last threat of violence was just a few days ago. I was watching a TV show with my wife and child and a resident pounded on our front door at 10:30 at night. The man appeared extremely drunk and threatened to beat me up until our German Shepherd stared him down. The Talbot County Sheriff came to our house and took the report. I’ve learned that trying to find "truth" in our little town is extremely dangerous. We had to purchase several surveillance cameras just to feel safe.
According to a former Liberty council member, Calvert left a trail of questionable credit card statements full of food and alcohol. Calvert certainly didn’t look like a person who would have much interest in opening a forensic audit on Cheryl Lewis and the Town of Oxford. Michael Calvert and Cheryl Lewis both seem to share at least one thing in common — they both seem to avoid full transparency.
Calvert was never a “good fit” for Oxford. Liberty is a landlocked town where flooding isn’t an issue. The closest high tide is 269 miles away and when it comes to grant writing Calvert certainly isn't a Cheryl Lewis. But, the one thing Calvert was extremely interested in while working in Liberty was annexation. Calvert was a big proponent of developing massive new neighborhoods.
So who’s to blame for all of this embarrassment? Well, several months ago Commissioner Katrina Greer proposed that the town hire a professional firm to help find a new Town Manager. But, Commissioners Tom Costigan and Susan Delain-Botkin ended up taking another route. These two Commissioners, who literally control the town, handed over the most important decision in the past decade to an outgoing employee who has never lived in Oxford.
In an attempt to calm the flames after the Town admitted Calvert wasn’t a “good fit,” the Town of Oxford reached out to its residents and said it had done a “pre-employment background check” on Michael Everett Calvert. If this statement is true then it's a reasonable conclusion that Cheryl Lewis knew, or should have known, exactly the toxic baggage that she was bringing into Oxford. After all, the kids at Oxford's Kids Camp, who own a smart phone, could have found this information online.
Currently, the Town of Oxford isn’t telling its residents — what its background check found. The Town’s not telling who did this pre-employment background check and exactly when was it done? The Town calls this procedure “Confidential.” Of course, there’s absolutely nothing confidential about who did the check and exactly when it was done. If the Town of Oxford refuses to answer these two basic questions then it has learned very little regarding this hiring nightmare.
What are the lessons? The Town of Oxford should not put one person in charge of the hiring process. The process should have more checks and balances and the Commissioners need to put in the time and effort required before making such an important decision.
And finally, the citizens of Oxford should always remember it was Tom Costigan’s leadership that has led the town to this humiliating point. By blocking an outside hiring firm from assisting the town Costigan chose another path. A very reckless path. Without the concerns and diligence of a few Oxford residents, who volunteered their time, this wonderful town on the Eastern Shore would be currently calling Michael Calvert — Mr. Town Manager.
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I tried reaching out to Michael Calvert and to the Town of Oxford regarding this story. Neither responded.
Editor's Note: The above article is the opinion of the guest contributor and is not necessarily the opinion of the Easton Gazette, CD Media, or its staff/owners.
WRITER PROFILE: Scott Rensberger is one of the most awarded journalists in the business. He's the only person ever to win both the highest award for investigative reporting (IRE Scroll) and also be named the best news photographer in the United States (NPPA Photographer of the Year). During the past two decades, Rensberger has crossed the globe working as a one-man band. He's worked extensively throughout Europe and has brought home stories from Central America to Asia and almost all points in between. His work has aired on dozens of networks across North America, Europe and Australia. Throughout the years Rensberger has also worked as a news trainer. He's lectured throughout the United States, Canada and Europe and has trained thousands of journalists in more than 30 countries. The BBC refers to Rensberger as the "best VJ in the world."
He currently lives part time with his wife Elaine and daughter in Oxford, Maryland.
