Pocomoke Police Chiefs Contract Expires Mayor & Council REFUSE to Take Action as Promised

As the final days of Police Chief Ervins employment contract draw to a close June 30th, I just gotta wonder; what's going to happen? His contract was written at the 11'th hour on the eve of the 2005 municipal election where a change in adminsitration was imminent. The newly elected Mayor promised to get rid of the chief for negligence & incompetence back in 2005 - 2006 but now embraces him as a fellow "Boss Hogg" buddy and partner in crime... It gets better read on.



Will the Chief retire?

Will he be replaced?



Will he stay on and continue as if it's not over?

For those of you who don't know, or don't remember... Fearing for his job and the job of Chief of Police, on the eve of the 2005 Mayoral election, City Manager Russ Blake, the night before Mayor McDermott was elected to his first term in office, called an off the record emergency meeting of the Mayor and Council. He called them together to write a 3-year 3-month, employment contract for himself and the Chief, that stated they could not be fired for any reason except some sort of grievous action.



It also gave them both significant monetary compensation, tons of perc's such as car and housing allowances. Wardrobe, travel, and continuing education allowances not to mention the great medical plan.



But the best part of both of the contracts was the part that made the City liable for either man's entire contract amount in 'one' lump sum if they were dismissed. Talk about good work if you can get it, heck I don't blame J.D. for accepting it! Russ Blake "King Boss Hogg" of Pocomoke wrote himself & the Chief a sweetheart of an employment contract.

According to the Mayor these were the 'First' employment contracts ever written and adopted by the city for any employee.



These contracts were signed without ANY negotiation in full agreement to their specifications by the entire city council & Mayor.

Why did "Boss Hogg" think that this action was so important? Because he thought that heads were going to roll at city hall, just as every single person who voted for Michael McDermott believed would happen. But the new Mayor wimped out and backed down when he could have terminated Russ Blake "for cause" (self-dealing) and he is now owned by the King of Pocomoke.

In most communities this type of contract writing for your self would be called 'Self-Dealing' and cause for immediate termination, for cause without any benefits or notice. In other words its criminal, against the law, immoral and wrong. Unless you are talking about Pocomoke City Maryland.

When confronted on the issue of these illlegal and immoral contracts City Manager "Boss Hogg" Russ Blake 'verbally' rescinded his, the Chief did not. (Billy has FOIA'd the original contract TWICE and has yet to have been provided with it, as the Mayor told him "no one can find it at City Hall")

Mayor Michael McDermott assured those who were concerned that "Russ was only going to be here for another couple of years. He wants to retire soon". "And the Chief will just ride out his contract to it's end and then he'll be gone".... So, now here we are at the twilight of the Chiefs contract and we haven't heard a word about what is to become of Chief Ervin.

We have numerous e-mails from the Mayor (2005 - 2006 era) telling us to "calm down" we will get rid of the chief and be done with his "incompetence" when his contract expires.

The Agenda for Monday Nights Meeting has been posted, nothing about hiring a new Chief of Police and one of the councilmen told me "off the record" that there has been no mention of replacement.

If you want to buy some refreshing crack cocaine, c'mon down to Pocomoke City and drive up Fourth Street, you will be able to score right in front of X-Councilman Canes "business" and not worry about the cops. You see with the open corruption at City Hall they also have "politically protected drug dealers" that the Mayor wanted to get rid of 3-years & 3-months ago but now.

It's Pocomoke...