The E List: Salisbury Mayor Barrie Parsons Tilghman

March 16th, 2009 by Kenneth Burns

It’s time to make another addition to the dishonor roll known as Maryland Politics Today’s E-List.

This time, dishonors go to Barrie Parsons Tilghman, the mayor of Salisbury…or should I say, the outgoing mayor of Salisbury because she is not seeking re-election this year.  However, she is trying her best to make sure her legacy continues through City Council Vice Chairman Gary Comegys, who wants to succeed her.  How badly does she want this to happen, during her radio segment on WICO (1320AM), she is proudly promoting Comegys.

Believe it or not, that is not what placed her on the naughty list.  The Maryland Daily Record is reporting that during the state of the city address recently, she warned city residents that it’s not crime, or the stagnant economy that is a great danger to the city…but malicious bloggers.

The Daily Record reported that Tilghman in her speech said that the presence of a small group of suspicious, mean-spirited people over the last five years focused on the negative has grown, endangering the city’s vitality.  She added that some people are avoiding serving their city because it’s not worth chancing the scorn of bloggers.

Umm, one would say that this goes back to only three years ago, which was when in February 2006, Joe Albero, of Salisbury News fame as well as our Eastern Shore Correspondent, before he had any blog, filed a complaint against the Salisbury Waste Water Treatment Plant to the state Department of the Environment.  That ultimately resulted in the city getting spanked on the hand by the state.

It should also be pointed out that this is not the first time that Tilghman has gone after the bloggers.  In the past, she has called a press conference to direct attention to the blogs she says were unfairly attacking her.  She has also participated in dirty tricks during an election.  The last municipal election in 2007, she invited the candidates for city council for a community forum she hosted.  Which is all well in good, but it was with her three picks.

In addition to that, she has gone through great lengths to control the media, forbidding anyone in city government from speaking to WICO Radio host Bill Reddish, after Reddish gave the good old fashion grilling to City Council President Louise Smith.  The station had to give her a show in order to have city coverage.

Believe me, it is not the scorn of bloggers that city workers are afraid of.  It was the scorn of Barrie if they violated her gag order and let the truth out.

Based on history, I would think that the biggest threat to the city of Salisbury right now, besides the economy, is Tilghman with a microphone  in an election year.  Believe me, you might not want to take the words coming out of this woman’s mouth at face value.

That woman is Salisbury Mayor Barrie Parsons Tilghman…