Salisbury has seen a flare up of tensions on the city council as members face a major shift in the direction of the city. Delmarva Public Media's Don Rush talks with former council president Mike Dunn now president and CEO of the Greater Salisbury Committee about those tensions. Dunn was also once the corporate fundraiser for WSCL and WSDL. A fuller look at the history of the council conflicts can be heard on this Friday's Delmarva Today at noon on WSDL and WESM.
Recent clashes on the Salisbury City Council have intensified to the point that members are considering introducing a formal code of conduct that could include fines for inappropriate behavior.
The proposal comes as public disagreements among council members have become increasingly visible, both during meetings and online.
Councilmember Michelle Gregory defended her use of social media to communicate with residents, saying she has no plans to change how she engages with constituents.
"You can try and put in rules... I am not going to stop reaching my constituents where they are, whether it is on TikTok, Facebook, or anywhere else," Gregory said. "If you don't like what I'm saying... maybe you need to change your votes."
Council President April Jackson also addressed the growing tensions, criticizing colleagues who have walked out of council meetings.
"There has been times when I've been so mad in here... and I have never ever walked out of here," Jackson said. "I can still be cordial with you even if we don't agree."
Former Salisbury council member Mike Dunn, now president and CEO of the Greater Salisbury Committee, said the current strife can at least in part be attributed to the recent leadership changes on the council. After the departure of council president D'Shawn Doughty, a shakeup of the city council organization ensued. Now, April Jackson is the council president with Sharon Dashiell as the council vice president. In between Jackson and Doughty, councilwoman Angela Blake served as the president.
Dunn also pointed to social media as a major factor amplifying disagreements. While Salisbury has long had an active online blogging community, most active during his tenure on the council some twenty years ago, he said today's digital landscape has dramatically increased public scrutiny and conflict.
"Social media is everywhere," Dunn said. "It is exponentially more of a factor... contributing to the friction, at least at the Salisbury City Council level and at the national level."
