The Talbot County Council turned back on a vote of 3 to 2 an effort to remove the Talbot Boys statue from the courthouse lawn at its meeting on Tuesday night.
The three council members all expressed concern that there had not been enough public input given the restrictions that have been placed on public meetings by the coronavirus pandemic.
Council member Pete Lesher had been looking to fellow council member Frank Divilio for a third vote.
Previously, Divilio had said he was open to removing the confederate statue even bringing in a design for a new one that would include both a union and confederate soldier.
He also said he had even been looking into some private funding for the project.
But, last night Divilio declined siting the covid 19 restrictions.
Lesher had added two amendments that would have kept the statue in storage until it could be moved to an appropriate setting and for the county to accept private funds for its removal.
However, that did not persuade his fellow council members.
Council President Corey Pack expressed frustration noting that he had changed his mind from his vote just five years ago to keep the statue up.
He told his fellow council member, “Times have changed. People have changed. I have changed my thinking.”
At a previous meeting he said that among other factors was the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer.
However, it was Lesher who led the charge for the removal hoping his amendments would bring Davilio and others around.
After the vote the chant of protesters outside demanding the removal of the statue could be heard in the chamber.
And, Pack did end the council session early noting the public reaction to the vote.
Afterward, Pack and Lesher met with the protesters.
Pack told them that this was “one of the toughest meetings I’ve had to sit through in my life.”
Meanwhile, Lesher promised that he would talk with Davilio again to see if the council member might come up with a new resolution with new public hearings.
As he was cheered on by the small crowd of protesters, he added, “It’s a defeat for me. It’s a defeat for you all.”
But he vowed not to give up.
