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Residents criticize mayor’s removal of Pride crosswalks as ethics complaint and seat vacancy shadow council meeting
Summary
Speakers at the Nov. 10 Salisbury City Council meeting criticized the mayor’s plan to remove downtown Pride crosswalks and highlighted an ethics complaint tied to the recently vacated District 2 seat. Residents urged transparency and protections for vulnerable groups while urging council action on housing and homelessness.
Michael Langford, a Salisbury resident, opened public comment on Nov. 10 by saying he filed a complaint on Oct. 2 alleging former council member Deshaun Dowdy misrepresented his residence and therefore was ineligible to serve under the city code SC 2-2 and charter resolution 2024-2. Langford said he provided more than 60 pages of documentation and called the conduct "deeply unethical," saying his goal was to preserve the integrity of local office.
"When an elected official knowingly and intentionally violates the rule of law meant for us all, it is something deeply unethical and ought to bar them from the ability to serve public office in the future," Langford said, describing his complaint and thanking the city election board and clerk for handling the matter.
Multiple speakers followed, focusing on the mayor’s plan to repave downtown and remove the rainbow/‘Pride’ crosswalks near the library. Emily Zarehner, a District 5 resident, said the crosswalks—described in public remarks as the first in Maryland—helped her feel welcome after moving to Salisbury in 2022 and called the planned removal "short-sighted and heinous."
"These Pride crosswalks were the first in Maryland," Zarehner said. "They were a big deal in making me feel welcomed to the community. Removing them with no plan for replacement signals that LGBTQIA community members and allies are not welcome in Salisbury."
Other residents urged civility in the debate. Joe Schiofino said disagreement over public symbols does not, by itself, make a person a bigot and urged restraint in rhetoric. Community commentator Giovinosa criticized local media coverage and said citizens had resorted to independent reporting to examine the allegations Langford raised.
Speakers stressed the distinction between criticism and formal council action: several commenters urged the council and administration to document decisions, increase transparency around project information, and coordinate with outreach providers working with people experiencing homelessness. Deborah Rossi, executive director of Helping Outreach Point of Entry, asked the city to avoid discarding individuals’ belongings during sweeps and to give outreach partners time to help people remove and store items.
The council did not take an on-the-spot policy vote on the crosswalk decision during the evening; instead, a number of the responses and the ethics allegation were raised during public comment. The presiding officer also announced at the start of the meeting that Deshaun Doughty (the transcript name varies) was no longer serving the council and that the city was accepting applications to fill the District 2 seat by Nov. 21 at 4:30 p.m.
The city has not issued a formal council action on the crosswalk removal during the Nov. 10 session; residents called for clearer public explanation of the legal and policy basis for the removal and for the council to consider alternatives or replacement measures.
What’s next: the council listed upcoming agenda topics including housing, election reform and a fire service agreement; the vacancy for District 2 remains open and the clerk’s office was instructed to accept applications ahead of a future appointment decision.
