Pocomoke residents weigh in on removal of city manager

POCOMOKE CITY, Md. – “Pocomoke is suppose to be the friendliest town on the Eastern Shore, but they weren’t very friendly were they,” said George Young, a Pocomoke resident.

Neighbors in Pocomoke shared their concerns on Monday after learning that Bobby Cowger a man they say played a huge role in the community was suspended as city manager by council members.

“You’ve got flooding on front street, everything else,” said a protester at a city council meeting on Monday.

“A marina is like a big catch basin plus it brings people into town, and he jumped on it and went after it and then I find out because I’ve never been up here before I find out that you’ve fired him,” said the protester.

City officials voted to suspend Cowger back on April 16, but it was not until last Monday that council members voted on a resolution to remove Cowger from his position because of quote “unsatisfactory performance.”

Council members refused to elaborate on what that meant, but protesters tell 47 ABC the council’s claims do not match up with what they have seen.

“He’s run around town trying to get the ditches all open and his own personal self while the other men are doing things he was out working and doing things on his own and he was an honest man,” said George Tasker, a former Pocomoke councilman.

According to the resolution, as of April 29th Cowger will have 30 days to request a public hearing to convince council members that he deserves to keep his job.

47ABC reached out to Cowger, but we only got word from his attorney that he still has not made a decision.

Locals say they just hope he does not give up.

“Bobby Cawger put his heart and soul in improving Pocomoke unlike any city manager who’s served before him,” said a protester at the Monday council meeting.