By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
It was round two for the Bowie City Council’s budget workshop Tuesday night, and after an anger-filled Monday session, the second discussion was just as tense.
The agenda called for the workshop, followed by evaluations of the three employees hired by the council: City manager, city secretary and municipal judge. Following brief reviews of City Secretary Sandy Page and Judge Darla Cordell that lasted less than 10 minutes each, the council met with City Manager Bert Cunningham for about 30 minutes.
Back in open session Page and Cordell had their employment continued for one year with a three percent raise if that is included in the budget; however, Cunningham, who had been involved in rancorous exchanges with two councilors the night before continued thanks to a tie-breaker.
Councilor Arlene Bishop made a motion to retain the manager for one year, but without the three percent raise. Councilors Bishop, Buckmaster and Thomas Kent voted yes, Chuck Malone, Jason Love and Wayne Bell voted no, with Mayor Gaylynn Burris casting the tie-breaker no vote. Cunningham will continue as city manager with the raise if it is included in the budget.
The council went into executive session after about two hours in the workshop but then went into closed session for the evaluations. The council reconvened into the workshop afterward, but Councilors Buckmaster and Bishop left.
With a quorum still present, the workshop continued.

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