Commissioner Abbott responds to Pocomoke leadership about leadership

POCOMOKE CITY, Md. – Commissioner Caryn Abbott with a response on the controversy happening at the last Pocomoke City Council Meeting.

Her focus, transparency. Officials were in a heated discussion at the most recent meeting, as Councilman Scott Holland brought up the issue of how council members received an extra $400 on their paychecks.

Holland requested answers from Pocomoke City Manager Brandy Matthews, who explained that credit card statements don’t show the full story.

Commissioner Abbott takes aim at the Pocomoke leadership, stating they need to vote on big matters publicly to be as transparent as possible. “That to me is unconscionable, how can you do that with taxpayer money without talking about it in open session and taking a vote?”

She adds Worcester County Commissioners try to be as open with the public to avoid these discrepancies. “As commissioners, we approve or deny travel all the time, and it’s not that it is always expensive, it’s whether or not we feel that it is necessary. But nevertheless, it’s voting on.”

Commissioner Caryn Abbott adds that Councilman Scott Holland has every right to make the request on why they are receiving these extra checks on their paychecks. She claims Pocomoke City has been trending backwards the last few years.

“We have so many issues at the same time here, and having a dysfunctional council shouldn’t be one of them. We should be addressing what’s going on in the town, it should be the crime, the violence that we have seen a huge uptick in. We should be addressing that.”