Costigan Suddenly Flips On Proposed Oxford Election Changes

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Move Prompts Questions About The Commissioner's Intent For Upcoming Election

The issue of Oxford Resolution 2501 has been discussed in the town since January. The Resolution would change the requirement for who gets to vote in the town elections. Voters, in order to be eligible, would have to register with the Talbot County Board of Elections. The current Charter allows residents who live in the town to register with the town, thus allowing part time residents to vote. The story is below:

Oxford Will Clean Up Enforcement Of Charter Rules For Voting - The Easton Gazette

The Resolution was tabled via a 2-1 vote, Commissioner Costigan being the one vote against tabling the resolution.

For the March 25th town meeting, the resolution was added to the agenda. Commission President Norm Bell presented a lengthy explanation of why he thought the Commissioners should now take a vote on Resolution 2501. He included a timeline about the process the Resolution had gone through. He stated that the Resolution was important because it clarifies who can vote, who can run for office, and who can potentially serve on Committees of the town. He said the timing is tight and the town had "no time to introduce new resolutions" which could become effective prior to the election. He also mentioned that maintaining an additional voter log, which the resolution wouldn't allow but is currently in the charter, creates the possibility of errors. Most important, Bell said that allowing part time residents to vote "dilutes the vote" of full-time residents.

When Bell finished, the meeting took an unexpected turn. Commissioner Tom Costigan stated that although he had voted against tabling the motion previously, he changed his mind. He alluded to wanting to let citizens vote on the issue via a ballot initiative. He suggested that the Resolution remain tabled.

Costigan's actions surprised many in the audience as well as the two other Commissioners, especially considering Bell's lengthy verbal support of voting for the Resolution. One resident asked, "Why the sudden change?"

Many are conjecturing that a letter from resident Dave Donovan might have swayed Costigan's decision. We published Donovan's letter on Monday:

Is Oxford Moving To Disenfranchise Voters? - The Easton Gazette

Others stated that Costigan is weighing a run for re-election this June and this sudden decision to consider citizen input is a way to garner support after a term that has been fraught with these controversial decisions:

1. The sudden "retirement" of Police Chief Pat Maxwell.
2. The appointment of Susan Delean Botkin, loser by a landslide of the election for commissioner, to a vacated commission seat before winner and current Commissioner Katrina Greer could be sworn in
3. The approval of the payment to contractor Underwood and Associates of over a million dollars for an unfinished Strand Restoration Project
4. The hiring and then dismissal of a town manager with a questionable legal past in June.

These are just to name a few.

Citizens reminded THE EASTON GAZETTE that Costigan, when campaigning for his first term, promised many people in town that he would rein in an out-of-control Town office and the extensive powers of Town Manager Cheryl Lewis. Obviously, that did not happen.

For Costigan to suddenly be worried about the opinions of the citizens of the town seems suspect. Some called it "grandstanding." They also saw his dramatic break with Bell's statement as an attempt to undermine the Commission President.

Others say he must have had a sudden "revelation" that he must seek more input from town residents in his decisions.

Whatever the reason, the election rules for Oxford, as written in the Town Charter, will remain the same for now. The town has not resolved any legal issues pointed out in Donovan's letter. The Commissioners have communicated a plan to tighten up the processes of the election itself including having poll watchers, monitoring who receives absentee ballots, how those absentee ballots are verified, handled and secured, etc.

With an election coming up in June, a "clean and fair election" will be very important, regardless of who is running.

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