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More than 300 graduate from Stephen Decatur HS

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(June 5, 2015) In front of a room packed with family, friends and loved ones, 327 seniors graduated from Stephen Decatur High School last Wednesday, May 27, at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center on 40th Street.

Class President Tripp Ortega delivered a farewell address to students during the ceremony, encouraging his fellow classmates to dream big, be themselves, never give up and do everything to their full potential.

After thanking facility, friends and family, he proclaimed, “The class of 2015 is the best class that went through Stephen Decatur.”

The Worcester County Board of Education uses a three-tiered senior recognition program where each student receives a cumulative weighted GPA, which is calculated at the end of the third marking period in English, math, social studies, science, world languages and Advanced Placement courses. Class rank with valedictorian and salutatorian honors was ended several years ago.

Students who earned a 5.05 GPA or higher received Summa Cum Laude honors, those receiving a 4.9-5.04 GPA earned Magna Cum Laude accolades and those earning a 4.8-4.89 GPA received Cum Laude distinction. All honorees stood for recognition during the commencement ceremony.

Of the graduates, 163 (50 percent) will attend four-year colleges or universities and 107 (33 percent) will attend two-year schools. Two students (less than 1 percent) will study at trade and technical schools, 40 (12 percent) will go into the workforce and 15 (5 percent) are heading to the military.

The top choice college for Decatur graduates was Wor-Wic, with 94 enrolling this year and another 33 will stay close to study at Salisbury University.

Other popular choices include Towson University, University of Maryland College Park and University of Maryland Eastern Shore who will each welcome 10 or more Decatur graduates in the fall.

The class of 2015 received more than $9.3 million in scholarships and grants with $3.7 million in tuition aid.

“Commencement is not an ending, it’s a beginning,” said Dr. Jerry Wilson, superintendent of Worcester County schools. “A whole new, exciting phase is about to begin… set the bar high…”

He reminded the graduates of Dr. Steve Maraboli’s quote, “To embark on the journey toward your goals and dreams requires bravery. To remain on that path requires courage. The bridge that merges the two is commitment.”

Class of 2015 graduates were given the opportunity to choose their own commencement speaker and they decided on Louis Taylor, chief operating officer for Worcester County Public Schools, a 1978 graduate and principal of Stephen Decatur High School for 17 years.

He told the graduates they will find out who they are and what they want to be during challenging periods.

“Understand life is not what you are given, but what you aim to achieve when you refuse to give up,” Taylor said. “Obstacles and loss will act as motivation. Learn from failures and always keep persevering.”

Stephen Decatur Principal Thomas Zimmer may have said it best, “They have left our mark on us… it’s time for them to leave their mark on the world.”

The Next Ice Age returns to the Carousel hotel

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The Next Ice Age returns to the Carousel hotel

(June 5, 2015) A group of former competitive figure skaters will be dazzling audiences every night this summer at the Carousel Hotel on 118th Street starting Thursday, June 11.

The Next Ice Age performances will take place at 6:30 p.m. nightly. Each show will run about 30 minutes and are free to the public.

Returning to Ocean City for its 15th year, the show is a favorite among Ocean City residents and visitors.

“The unique proximity to the ocean… there are not many ice rinks near the beach and the ocean makes it special,” said executive director, Nathan Birch. “It’s a free thing to do and exposes the family to a winter sport when they are not expecting it. The show may even inspire people to try skating afterwards at the Carousel.”

The performances involve a story about a family and every genre of music will be heard during the shows, Birch said.

This year, Megan Marschall, 23, will skate alongside, Julianne DiMura, 23, Rachel Jones, 21, Shawn Rogers, 29 and Michael Solonoski, 31.

For the opening weekend of June 13-14, World Figure Skating Champion Kimmie Meissner will join the others and make her Ocean City debut in the Next Ice Age performances.

“We are so proud to be working with Kimmie,” Birch said.

In 2005, Meissner became the second American woman to land the triple axel jump in national competition. She was a member of the 2006 Olympic team and the youngest American athlete to compete at those games.

Meissner is the 2006 world champion, the 2007 United States national champion and the 2007 four continents champion. She is the first American to simultaneously hold the world, four continents and national titles.

Since spectators are standing during the show and their proximity to the action on the rink is within a few feet, performers are constantly interacting with the crowd.

“You are really close, with just a rail separating audiences and they get drawn in,” Birch said. “Everyone is invited and encouraged to meet the cast to get autographs and take photos after the show.”

Birch said he has met a fair amount of skaters who told him they got their start after seeing a performance.

“I am happy to be associated with something so positive and heartwarming,” Birch said.

Watch the Ocean City show every night at 6:30 p.m., June 11 through Aug. 20, rinkside at the Carousel Hotel on 118th Street. 

Those who wish to eat dinner during the show should call the hotel in advance at 410-524-1000 to make a reservation for rinkside dining.

Visit www.thenexticeage.org to learn more about The Next Ice Age skating company.

More than 800 terrapin spotted during May count

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More than 800 terrapin spotted during May count

(June 5, 2015) The Maryland Coastal Bays Program participated in the fourth annual terrapin head count survey May 26-30, which encompassed all five bays including tidal creeks and marsh guts. More than 800 turtles were spotted by 39 volunteers.

Last Friday, a turtle count on Sinepuxent Bay near Assateague Island uncovered about 45 turtle sightings from around 8-10:15 a.m., although other volunteers may go out and not see any at all, said Maryland Coastal Bays Programs Manager Jennifer Rafter.

All surveys taken during the count, regardless of turtles spotted, are valuable to the Maryland Coastal Bays and the Maryland Terrapin Working Group, who partnered together to count turtles in the Chesapeake Bay and Coastal Bays for the fourth year.

Population numbers of diamondback terrapin in Maryland are largely unknown and to better understand their status in the area these surveys are taken annually.

“In order to study if a species is doing well you need a starting point and it takes time to gather information to see if they are declining, remaining the same or increasing,” Rafter said.

Counting terrapin heads in the water as they gather to breed or come out of hibernation is considered an effective way of monitoring population numbers. The state reptiles are never captured or disturbed.

Wayne Faircloth provided his motorized boat for the adventure on May 29, with more than half a dozen surveyors using canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards this past week to count turtles.

He has been participating since the second year of surveys and has a seminal site, which allows researchers to compare the same areas for a consecutive amount of time and is valuable research for the group.

“It’s largely a citizen effort and it wouldn’t be effective without volunteers,” Rafter said. “We had 30-40 volunteers this year [Maryland Coastal Bays] and could always use more, we need more people to cover larger areas.”

Each year, new participants survey different areas and repeat volunteers continue to count turtles in the same places.

In addition, land based surveys were conducted to collect additional data for the first time.

Rafter said hundreds of turtles are counted each year and the Maryland Coastal Bays conducted its surveys a little later than surrounding areas since the Coastal Bays have colder water temperatures and terrapins emerged later after the harsh winter.

The decline of their habitats is the main reason the Maryland House and Senate decided to ban commercial harvesting of the Diamondback Terrapin in April 2007.

The turtles take a long time to reproduce, which makes it harder to increase population numbers quickly.

Females need soft, sandy beaches to nest in. Many shorelines in the area are too hard for these creatures with their bulkheads and rift raft, Rafter said.

Diamondback Terrapin eat mollusks, clams, worms, some fish and love snails, she added. 

Snails destroy the Chesapeake’s marsh grasses, which makes terrapins essential to the Chesapeake ecosystem and invertebrates would increase without the state reptile.

Forgotten crab and ghost pots trap and drown dozens of turtles every day.

“Reptiles have to breathe air and pots need to have a turtle excluder device, which is a piece of metal to block the entrances for terrapin shells,” Rafter said.

Faircloth recalled finding an abandoned crab pot with six turtles who were stuck and drown inside.

“They are our state reptiles and we should not let anything happen to them,” Rafter said.

Report terrapin sightings all summer long at www.mdcoastalbays.org/terrapin-project. It is important to supply GPS coordinates or a specific street address when reporting turtles.

 

Annual Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show this weekend

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(June 5, 2015) A variety of unique items can be found this weekend during Treasures of the Earth, Ocean City’s annual Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show starting today, Friday, at noon and continuing until Sunday afternoon at the convention center on 40th Street.

Dozens of vendors featuring classic, estate, handcrafted and contemporary jewelry made from an assortment of metals, gems, crystals, pearls, minerals and fossils will be featured in the show.

Also, jewelers and wire wrappers will be on site who can design, remount or repair jewelry.

“The variety of items from the vendors, the hours one can spend looking and the fact that the tickets can be used all weekend are reasons why people should come out to join us,” said promoter Jane Westbrook, who is organizing the show with longtime exhibitor Ellen White, of C. White Ltd.

The show attracts hundreds of people and has been an Ocean City tradition for almost three decades.

“Customers love to shop for unique jewelry, including fine jewelry, sterling, custom designed pieces, fashion jewelry and estate jewelry,” Westbrook said. “There will also be loose gemstones available, beautiful mineral specimens and gift items.”

Attendees who enjoy beading will find a large selection including gemstone beads, pearls, crystals, pewter and novelty beads.

Kynanite, which is fairly new to jewelry and pieces featured at the show, will be made of the mineral, Westbrook said.

Several vendors have participated in the show for more than 20 years, but attendees should look for a couple newcomers as well, she said.

“Just spending time talking to the individual vendors, the customer can learn a lot of valuable information. Each vendor is very knowledgeable about their products,” she added.

The Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show is open today, 12-6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ocean City convention center.

“For those interested in beautiful and unusual gems, minerals and jewelry, the Treasures of the Earth Show provides hours of enjoyment,” Westbrook said. “We look forward to seeing you there.”

Admission costs $5 and is good for the entire weekend. Members of the military with an ID and youth under 16 get in free with an adult.

Visit www.treasuresoftheearth.com for more information and for $1 off admission or bring the ad on page 60 in Ocean City Today for $1 off.

Dulany returns as director of Ocean City Tennis Center

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(June 5, 2015) Rod Dulany has returned to his position as director of the Ocean City Tennis Center on 61st Street with plans to expand its programs and drive more traffic by offering activities for everyone to enjoy.

“We have the nicest public facility on the Eastern Shore and offer a wide variety of programs for everyone from doubles to private lessons and clinics on all types of activities,” Dulany said.

This Tuesday evening, June 9 from 6-7 p.m., will be the final opportunity to attend a free adult tennis clinic for players who have never tried the sport or who want to get back into the game.

Participants will be taught the basics of court positioning, doubles strategy and certified professional staff will be on site to assist players.

The clinic leads into an evening doubles league, which runs from June 16 to Aug. 11, where participants can go out and compete against others who have the same skill level.

“We are trying to build up the local base and serve the resort visitors,” Dulany said.

Expanding the youth program is a huge priority for Dulany and tournament play for all age groups will be going on throughout the summer.

“We want to expand the junior base that is out there and try to be the center for junior tennis on the Eastern Shore,” Dulany said.

During wintertime, four 10-and-under and four 8-and-under USTA-sanctioned outdoor courts were added to the tennis center in Ocean City to benefit children with their modified size.

A 10-and-under play day will take place on the last Sunday of each month this summer, where youth can learn to play tennis in a low-pressure setting. The cost is $10 per day and each session runs about two hours.

“Kids from six to 10 years old have the opportunity to meet a lot of other kids while competing in a couple different matches with pros on hand to help out, and it’s a low cost,” Dulany said.

Opportunities are abundant for younger players and tournaments for high school tennis male and female athletes will be offered.

Pickleball, one of the fastest growing sports in the country, is being introduced at the tennis center this summer and consists of a wooden paddle and whiffle ball. It is played on the 10-and-under courts on Mondays and Wednesdays for $10 from 5-7 p.m. through Aug. 19 with instructors.

Marie Thomas, the women’s tennis league coordinator for 13 years, has grown the program from about eight women to more than 220, Dulany said.

“Ladies will drive from Salisbury and Rehoboth Beach to play in Marie’s group because she makes you feel like a part of the family,” he added.

Men and women have dozens of adult programs to choose from and they take place at various times throughout the day.

“Quality hard and soft courts with a USTA certified staff makes it easy, accessible and fun for everyone,” Dulany said. “It’s a low expense sport with a variety of programs for all ages.”

Dulany grew up on the Eastern Shore and eventually bought a home in Ocean City. He ran a country club in northern Virginia for 30 years and moved to Ocean City permanently when it came time to retire last year.

“We would come down on the weekends, my wife loves it here on the bay and it’s very calming,” he added.

He was asked to return as director of the tennis center and the camaraderie of Ocean City staff made his decision easy. Dulany was the director of the center from 2002 until 2008. For six years, he served as executive director of the United States Tennis Association/Mid-Atlantic Section.

“If you’re visiting Ocean City, we can probably get you in two or three days if you’re here for a week,” Dulany said. “Tennis hasn’t had a focus on the Eastern Shore for years and we want to change that.”

For activity times and more information, visit www.oceancitymd.gov/tennis or call 410-524-8337.

NVL receives ‘amazing feedback’ after event

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NVL receives ‘amazing feedback’ after event

(June 5, 2015) The National Volleyball League hosted a successful inaugural pro and amateur tournament with a junior clinic last weekend in Ocean City.

May 29-31, professional beach volleyball players from around the world converged in Ocean City to compete for a $75,000 prize purse. The tournament on the beach between Talbot and Dorchester streets consisted of 38 men’s and 25 women’s teams.

Ocean City was the league’s third stop of the 2015 season.

Eric Haddock and Roberto Rodriguez-Bertran of Puerto Rico, and Kristen Batt-Rohr, of Florida and her partner, Brazilian Priscilla Piantadosi-Lima, were the men’s and women’s division winners during Sunday’s championships.

Sixteenth seed Haddock and Rodriguez-Bertran made an appearance in the Panama City Beach Championships earlier in the year and battled seven-seeded Skyler McCoy of California and Eric Zaun of New Jersey, in the Ocean City finals. They won 21-16, 21-18.

Second seed Batt-Rohr and Piantadosi-Lima continued their domination with a second consecutive win on the 2015 NVL tour and upsetting the No. 1 seed and Panama City Beach champions, Brooke Niles of California and Karolina Sowala of Florida, 22-20, 21-18.

“The NVL had a great time in Ocean City and we hope to be back next year. Since the Dew Tour isn’t returning to Ocean City, we hope to be the major summer event for the area,” said Albert Hannemann, founder and CEO of the National Volleyball League. “Ideally, we would come back in late June to capture a greater audience with kids being out of school.”

Many people pulled up beach chairs on the exterior courts or walked up to watch for a while, which made it difficult for organizers to track the attendance number.

“We did have a good attendance flow throughout the weekend with amazing feedback onsite from attendees and on social media,” Hannemann said.

The National Volleyball League partnered with the Baltimore Ravens to host a “Clinic With The Pros” at the Clarion hotel on 101st Street during the fourth annual Ravens Beach Bash. Professional volleyball players, Niles and Sowala, joined Ravens’ players and cheerleaders, to teach skills, hand out prizes and sign autographs.

“The Ravens clinic had a good fan turn out and we’re hoping to partner with them again next year and do even more during their annual event,” Hannemann added.

The Ocean City Championships is one of eight professional events for the NVL in 2015. Remaining tour stops are in Milwaukee, Cincinnati, California, Seattle and Florida.

The National Volleyball League was established in 2010 and built by players to create a sustainable future for pro beach volleyball in the US.

NVL is the only national platform for current professionals and players of all levels to showcase their talents and pursue their goals in the sport.

Visit www.thenvl.com for more information.

Scammed OC lifeguards trying to move on

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Scammed OC lifeguards trying to move on

(June 5, 2015) Four Ocean City Beach Patrol members who were scammed out of $7,000 and their housing for the summer on Craigslist have begun to move on by finding a nice place to live on 36th Street and creating a Go Fund Me web page to raise money.

“We are so happy about the Go Fund Me page. Friends and family members have donated a lot and we love them so much for their support,” Ocean City lifeguard Youcef Belrachid said. “We are still far from the $7,000 goal so we encourage people to continue sharing our story, talking about it and make a donation, anything helps. Finally, we have received amazing messages from [donors] and these comments are the ones that make us want to go out there every day and do the job that we do.”

Belrachid said they feel blessed after seeing family members of Beach Patrol members, Ocean City residents and people who they have never met helping to cover their loss.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the lifeguards had raised $3,430 in six days from 63 people.

On May 24, Belrachid and two friends, all from Montreal, Canada, drove about 600 miles to Ocean City for a job on the Ocean City Beach Patrol. They arrived to a gutted and unlivable condominium that had already been paid for via an Internet rental company. Belrachid’s brother, Rayhm, did not make the initial trip.

A summer housing ad placed on Craigslist by “Ocean City Vacation Rentals Management” turned out to be a scam and does not exist.

Belrachid, Rahym, and friends Aude Lemaire-Hamel and Adam Bielawski, were all supposed to live at the Nassau Village in unit 50 on 94th Street this summer, or so they thought.

“Scammers know we are not from here. It’s easy to steal identities online and it’s hard to trace, but we are not dropping this. If it keeps happening over and over to people, it means we are not shouting loud enough,” Belrachid said.

After investigating, it became apparent that the Canadians weren’t the only victims of fraud. The scammer had also co-opted some images and logos of the local vacation rental company, Central Reservations, to make its faux ad look more official.

In addition to lifting information and pictures from Central Reservations’ website, the fraudulent outfit also took company owner Mark Fritschle’s name to make the Craigslist ad and pretended to be him through emails with the lifeguards.

The fictional company’s ad included an email address, phone number, trademark and copyright icons.

The Ocean City Police Department could not write a report since the incident did not occur in its jurisdiction, Belrachid said.

The money was sent through PayPal, whose insurance policy does not cover real estate or services. PayPal did file a claim for the group, but if the scammer answers in 10 business days and disputes the charges, PayPal does not investigate and the case is closed, he added.

Local Realtors were helpful this past week and Belrachid met with them on his lunch breaks and before shifts.

“It was hard because our working hours go beyond those of the Realtors so it was not easy to visit places and see all the options out there while working,” Belrachid said. “We still managed to figure it out and we are glad we did. The place is a bit pricey but at this point we are just grateful to have a roof over our head for the summer.”

Any money raised that exceeds their $7,000 goal will donated to the SurfRider Foundation in Ocean City.

“It’s an organization that invites popular surfers to teach disabled or impaired children how to surf,” Belrachid said. “Their work is really meaningful and they change the lives of many kids so we really want to encourage such an engagement in our community by giving them all the extra money that we will raise.”

To donate money to the lifeguards, go to www.gofundme.com/OCBPlifeguards

Longboard Team Challenge this weekend at 38th Street

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(June 5, 2015) For those wanting to catch a wave of surfing nostalgia, or those looking to ride it before it hits the Zeitgeist, there is this weekend’s Longboard Team Challenge.

The challenge runs all weekend in the water in front of the Castle in the Sand, 38th Street in Ocean City.

Friday night is for the local surfers, as they make further inductions to the OC Legends roster at a ceremony to be held at Barn 34 on 34th Street. OC Legends are analogous to a hall of fame registry for the Ocean City Surf Club, member Brad Hoffman said.

Saturday is when the event begins in earnest with a lighthearted, spirited team competition beginning at 8:30 a.m. and running until 4 p.m.

“It’s a fun event and everyone comes out to compete. We keep score and award points but it’s just a really open, good time,” he said.

Registration for the competition is closed, but it’s free to watch.

On Sunday, the professionals take over from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“It’s the Stanley Cup of longboard surfing,” Hoffman said, “It’s a perpetual trophy, so it’s kind of cool that it passes from winner to winner from one year to the next.”

Called the “Walk da Plank” open, this is the second year for the competition offering about $5,000 in cash prizes, Hoffman said.

“You’re going to see things you haven’t before,” at the competition Hoffman said.

“These guys hang five, hang ten; they really know how to work these longboards,” he said. “It really takes a lot of knowledge to work the boards the way they do.”

About a dozen professional longboarders are registered to compete with the hope that another few will trickle in before the event starts. A significant amount of competitors, Hoffman said, will compete both Saturday and Sunday.

“This is another step in the right direction to put Ocean City back on the map as a surfing destination. I’m super excited,” he said.

The Ocean City Surf Club, a non-profit organization that sponsors scholarships, local cleanups and competitions runs the Longboard Challenge, Hoffman explained.

“We’re trying to make great surfers and great people. We want to teach people how to give and get respect, and to keep all the money we raise local,” Hoffman said.

This year, for the first time, the competition is “going green” by partnering with environmentally conscious sponsors, Hoffman said.

Ocean City movie theater pursuing beer, wine license

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Ocean City movie theater pursuing beer, wine license

(June 5, 2015) Presumably as part of its $1.5 million redevelopment effort, which included new reclining seats with retractable armrests among other upgrades to the 143rd Street Fox Sun & Surf, Fox Theatres has applied for a Class B liquor license and hired Ocean City attorney Joe Moore to facilitate the effort.

“Class B is normally for a restaurant,” Moore said. “So we must put our proposal in line with the requirements of the board. We think we can make it work.”

The movie theater has applied for a seven-day, beer and wine license and was originally scheduled to appear at the June 17 meeting of the Board of License Commissioners, the governing board for liquor licenses in Worcester County. Moore has asked for, and received, a postponement until the July meeting.

A Class B license would allow sales of beer and wine both as an on-site purchase and for takeaway.

While the license, if granted, would be the first of sorts in Ocean City, it would not be breaking new ground nationally or even in Maryland. A number of movie theaters on the western shore offer customers the opportunity to make such purchases, as doe some theaters in Virginia and Delaware.

Another of the Fox Theatre chain’s locations, Fox Berkshire in Wyomissing, Pa. began selling alcohol earlier this year.

Fox Theatre owner Donald Fox told the Reading (Pa.) Eagle that sales in that venue would take place at specific registers at the concession stand. In addition, the concession area was upgraded to expand food service.

Incorporating these elements might be enough to meet Maryland license code’s rule 11, which requires Class B license holders to “have available from the regular menu, hot meals between the hours of 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. provided the premises are open to the public.”

Other movie theaters in the region that offer alcohol sales do so with widely varying slates of amenities. Some offer iPads to VIP customers for in-show ordering of food or beverages, while others employ “ninjas” — or, employees dressed in black outfits as to not disturb other patrons, to provide wait service.

Some offer light appetizers and finger food, while others offer full meals. Some chains dedicate certain theaters to alcohol-consuming guests only.

County tax rate jumps

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County tax rate jumps

(June 5, 2015) Starting July 1, Worcester County residents will see their property tax rate increase by 6.5 cents per $100 of assessed value to 83.5 cents, and Jan. 1, 2016 will bring a one-half percent hike to the income tax, increasing it to 1.75 percent.

In a 5-2 vote, with Commissioners Bud Church and Joe Mitrecic against, the Worcester County Commissioners officially adopted the fiscal 2016 budget.

Mitrecic said he supported the budget and the tax increases, but the exclusion of funding for raises and cost-of-living increases for county employees and teachers, along with the elimination of an additional $200,000 to Ocean City’s grant, changed his mind.

Mitrecic said the increased grant to Ocean City was not a fix for what the resort sees as double taxation, but would have “gone a long way” to stave off possible litigation. For years, Ocean City has desired a tax differential to offset the taxes resort residents pay for county services they don’t use because resort government provides them.

Instead of a budget request this year, Ocean City officials offered a memorandum of understanding that would phase in a differential.

Church called the budget “short-sighted,” and said it did the most harm to employees who earn the least.

Commissioner Chip Bertino of Ocean Pines, however, said the tight strictures on spending were necessary.

“It’s not going to make everyone happy but does what needed to be done,” Bertino said.

Earlier this year, County Treasurer Phil Thompson delivered the county’s revenue report, which showed that revenues had not recovered from the financial crisis of 2008. Last year was expected to be the “bottom of the trough” with regard to revenue, because Ocean City, representing about 60 percent of the county’s assessable base, was due to be reassessed for 2016 and property values were expected to rise.

But they didn’t. Worcester county is on a three-year cycle of assessments, which means the resort won’t be reassessed until 2019, so the hard times for the county don’t appear to be over.

The flat revenue left the county with less money than it had last year. According to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, the county had a tax base of $14.86 billion in FY 2015. That number slipped to $14.79 billion for the upcoming tax year. For comparison, the tax base in 2009 was $20.25 billion.

Then there is the matter of the budget stabilization fund, which is money previous boards of county commissioners set aside as a rainy day fund.

The county is projected to use about $8 million from the fund before the current year is over, leaving a balance of between $8 million to $10 million.

But when the county departments and municipalities made their budget requests, the total was $22 million more than projected revenues, meaning the commissioners could empty the rainy day fund and still come up short.

To cover the shortfall using only property tax revenue would cost residents an additional 15 cents per $100 of assessed value from the current tax rate of 77 cents. From there the rate increase moved to an eight-cent increase before settling on the 6.5 cents accompanied by the income tax hike.

These rate increases are not revenue neutral, and are expected to create almost $1.5 million in surplus funds. These funds, according to County Administrator Harold Higgins, will go to replenishing the budget stabilization fund.

That surplus has not gone unnoticed by teacher advocates.

“I find it interesting the board is taxing people more than necessary to increase budget stabilization,” while not including funding for salary increases, Gary McCabe, of the Maryland State Education Association, said.

Educators protest with ‘work to rule’

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Educators protest with ‘work to rule’

(June 5, 2015) At least a few teachers from each of Worcester’s 14 schools are participating in a “work to rule” salary protest in response to the absence of a raise in the Worcester County Commissioners’ budget for the next fiscal year.

“Work to rule” means doing only what the rules or contract require and nothing more. In this case, the teachers are entering school at the exact time they are required and leaving promptly at the end of the school day. The idea is to demonstrate how much more teachers in the county do beyond the dictates of their contract.

During budget work sessions late last month, the commissioners voted to remove funding for step and cost-of-living adjustments for all county employees, including teachers. That decision was ratified Tuesday morning when the commissioners formally adopted the FY 2016 budget without changes in a 5-2 vote. Commissioners Bud Church and Joe Mitrecic voted against the adopted budget, specifically citing the raise funding as a reason for their dissent.

The county commissioners decide how to fund 13 separate areas of the Board of Education’s budget, of which one is employee salary. The teachers’ union can then negotiate a contract based on that figure.

The Board of Education can, subject to the commissioners’ approval, reallocate funding between the areas. This is traditionally done at the end of the calendar year, Assistant County Administrator Kelly Shannahan said.

“We were hoping that commissioners would fund a pay increase to all county employees, but they have not. As a result, we are forced to decide if giving our employees a pay increase warrants internal reductions. Because we believe our employees have earned a pay increase, we will be seriously considering the options. For us, our people come first; they are worth it,” Superintendent Dr. Jerry Wilson said.

All seven of the commissioners said they would be willing to listen to a proposal from the Board of Education, should it decide to pursue this option to fund step increases.

This is the fourth time in six years the county commissioners have decided to forgo step increases for county employees by invoking a circuit-breaker clause that permits them to skip raises because of financial limitations. The county has used this measure in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

County budget not end of salary debate

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County budget not end of salary debate

(June 5, 2015) Money for employee salary increases was not included in Worcester County’s 2016 budget, but that doesn’t mean the discussion is over for teachers.

County employees, on the other hand, have little choice but to grin and bear it. Like the board of education employees, county workers also operate on a step system. Their annual base salaries are expected to increase with favorable reviews and additional experience. But like the proposed funding for teacher pay raises, the money for county employee pay increases was spiked in the budgeting process.

County Administrator Harold Higgins said the people he oversees realize the county’s situation and haven’t protested in the ways the teachers have. Worcester teachers have begun working to the exact terms of their contract and are expected to continue to the end of this school year, June 18.

“I was hoping for a better turnout, but I’m confident the Board of Education will work with us,” Beth Shockley-Lynch, president of the Worcester County Teachers Association said, “I give Commissioners Church and Mitrecic credit for their comments, but we have better relationships with the board [of Education] than here [at the county].”

Commissioners Bud Church and Joe Mitrecic voted against the fiscal 2016 budget, due in no small part to the elimination of salary increases for employees.

The county commissioners allocate funds to the Board of Education in 13 separate areas, one of which is employee salaries. The teachers association negotiates pay based upon the salary allocation. With the county’s approval, the school board could move funding from one area to another, and while this is usually done at the end of the calendar year, there is no rule preventing that from happening now. That assumes the money can be found.

Indeed, all seven of the county commissioners said they would listen to a proposal developed by the board of education.

“If they take responsibility for the lost services, I’d be fine with it,” Mitrecic said, “Can they cut out all after-school programs? No, but I understand if that’s what they need to do. If there are no teachers it doesn’t matter if we have the programs or not.”

Commissioners Chip Bertino, Ted Elder, Diana Purnell and Merrill Lockfaw said they would listen to a proposal.

“I’ve always advocated that the board of education should operate within their budget. I’ll take a look at it, but it’s got to be requested,” Commissioner Jim Bunting said.

Church also had conditions.

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with the operation of their facilities or the curriculum, I’d be OK. I’d entertain their proposal but my vote would depend on their plan,” he said.

The schools, however, maintain there are only so many places to get the money.

“With 90 percent of our operating budget directed toward salaries, benefits and bus contracts,” Chief Financial Officer Vincent Tolbert said, “the choices of where to realize reductions are limited. We have to allocate revenues toward operations and fixed expenditures such as heating, cooling and electricity. There are no options there. We would likely be forced to look at position reduction.”

To reduce positions, the board would need to negotiate with the teachers’ union and the Worcester County Education Support Personnel Association, the non-teacher board of education employee union.

“We present a budget to county commissioners that reflects what we need to sustain excellence and to fairly compensate our employees. Our budget proposal has been negotiated with the WCTA and the WCESPA,” Worcester County School Superintendent Jerry Wilson said. “Since the commissioners have passed a budget which does not fund our needs, we must go back to the negotiation table and reach another agreement.”

 

Wind power survey boat hits bottom at inlet

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Wind power survey boat hits bottom at inlet

(June 5, 2015) Finding out what commercial fishermen in the area already know, the Shearwater, a 110-foot vessel hired by U.S. Wind to conduct geophysical surveys of the ocean floor, struck bottom trying to enter the Ocean City inlet on Monday and returned to sea for 12 hours before docking.

U.S. Wind is a Maryland-based offshore renewable energy company that won the rights to build a 500-megawatt offshore wind farm near Ocean City. The survey is one of the first steps in the process to construct the farm, which isn’t expected to be operational before 2019.

“We were coming in nice and slowly when the crew sensed we were close or slightly touching the floor,” Paul Rich, director of project development at U.S. Wind, said.

Rich said the Shearwater has a 9-foot draw, while the inlet is approved by the Army Corps of Engineers to be dredged to a 10-foot depth with a 2-foot overdraft, for what should be a total of 12 feet.

“This underpins the need for continued Army Corps dredging, that’s for sure,” Rich said.

The Shearwater was traveling to Ocean City to pick up supplies for its mission to survey the ocean floor in the area where the wind turbines are expected to be built. Detailed maps of the area will let the company know where the best spots for placement are, and what challenges they may face.

“When you’re dealing with these kinds of operations, you build inconveniences like this in,” Rich said. “There will be no tangible delay in our mission.”

Once supplied, the complement of six crew and 14 scientists are expected to remain on the proposed construction site for three or more weeks conducting surveys.

Commercial fishermen have known the perils of navigating the inlet for a long time now, as the inlet, formed by a hurricane in 1933, continues to fill with sand and sediment. The dredging that has been done seems no longer to be enough.

At least one commercial fisherman has moved his fleet to New Jersey, costing the county millions in associated revenue. State, local and federal officials met with commercial fishermen, county employees and dignitaries from several agencies at the end of April to discuss the issue.

Three solutions were proposed and of those one required no additional effort. Bob Blama, a self-described “mud sucker” and project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers said he would pursue additional funding in an attempt to dredge the inlet to a total depth of 14 feet.

The second and third options both required a letter of intent signed by local officials describing the need for a more robust dredging effort and an increased depth allocation to anywhere between 14 and 16 feet. The county approved these letters of intent at the end of May.

There is likely to be some local contribution to the proposed increase in depth and advanced dredging procedures, but those contributions may be in-kind, such as the county procuring or donating a site to dump the dredge material.

Those considerations will be worked out if and when a contract is signed, County Attorney Sonny Bloxom explained to the Worcester County Commissioners when asked a similar question when the letters were approved.

 

County to save $800K in bond sale, refunding

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County to save $800K in bond sale, refunding

(June 5, 2015) The Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday agreed to proceed with the sale of about $43 million in bonds to finance a number of capital projects and save an estimated $800,000 to $850,000 because of improved interest rates.

County Treasurer Phil Thompson said the projects included in a $12 million capital improvement bond issue are the Berlin rubble fill cap and closure project, which will close the operation, a new 800 MHz radio system for the Emergency Services department, financing for the construction of a new cell at the landfill and interconnections for the Mystic Harbour wastewater interconnections plus costs, fees and capitalized interest on the bonds.

The county is also pursuing $30 million in refunding bonds, which are essentially refinancing old debt at a lower interest rate. Included in that are the 2007 refunding bonds, covering the Worcester Career and Technology Center construction and other public works projects, and 2008 capital improvement bonds for the Pocomoke High addition and renovation plus a loan from Taylor Bank financing the Ocean Pines Fire Protection system loan as well as fees, interest and other associated costs.

Bond rates change frequently, and Thompson said he believes market conditions will remain favorable for Worcester County ahead of next week’s sale. Thompson and his staff met with credit agencies last week to shore up the county’s credit score in preparation for the sale, but the final report will not be available before Ocean City Today’s press time.

Commissioner Jim Bunting asked Thompson what the expected savings might be, to which he replied, “It’s a moving target but I would expect between $800,000 to $850,000. It still seems to be there.”

Thompson said he has had his eye on the market for a while to ensure the trends were favorable for the county.

County Briefs 06/05/2015

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County Briefs 06/05/2015

(June 5, 2015) The Worcester County Commissioners also discussed the following issues during their most recent regular meeting.

Water fees hike

Four of the 11 sanitary service areas are slated to increase fees, as there were no public objections during a hearing at Tuesday’s meeting of the county commissioners.

Edgewater Acres will see an increase of $2 per EDU of water and $5 per EDU in domestic sewer rates, Mystic Harbour will go from $138 to $148 per EDU in domestic service, Ocean Pines will increase by $5 per EDU and Riddle Farm will increase $10 per EDU of domestic service.

Mystic Harbour, Ocean Pines and Riddle Farm will increase their commercial rates by 5.5 percent from $158 to $528 based on number of EDUs.

Tipping fees unchanged

If the Solid Waste Enterprise fund is accepted as presented at the next meeting of the Worcester County Commissioners, tipping fees will not increase in Worcester County this year.

The pilot “pay as you throw” program that allows residents to buy individual tags for trash rather than paying the flat $100 rate is off to a slow start, according to Jessica Ramsay of the Worcester County Treasurers Office, noting most people prefer to pay the flat rate.

Retiree cost share set

In the ongoing struggle to provide benefits to employees, the commissioners decided to retain the current health insurance system of an 80-20 cost share for new employees upon their retirement.

Since the program won’t apply to employees hired after July 1 until 15 years of service have been completed, the number can change later.

Worcester GOLD

Representatives of the nonprofit Worcester County Giving Other Lives Dignity Inc. presented the commissioners with an update on its services on Tuesday.

The organization helped 1,933 residents with emergency assistance last year such as food, utility assistance, coats and baby or eldercare supplies.

Worcester GOLD operates on donations and grant funding.

New county roads

Since there were no objections voiced to the county taking over Martins Point Drive and Wight Island Court, these roads are expected to be added to the county inventory of roads at the next commissioners meeting.

Loophole to be closed

Hearing no objections to the proposed plan to close a loophole in insurance benefits, which had led at least one employee to lose coverage while awaiting a disability ruling from the state, the commissioners are expected to adopt the change at their next meeting.

An employee applied for state benefits, County Attorney Sonny Bloxom said in early May, and was denied, An appeal followed, but in the interim between the denial and successful appeal, the employee’s job ended, as did that person’s county insurance.

The new process will allow employees to keep their insurance and will be applied retroactively to Aug. 31, 2013.

 

Delicious Dishes from Ocean City, Md Photos

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Delicious Dishes from Ocean City, Md Photos

There is always something delightful to discover in the restaurants, bars and cafes in Ocean City.  Check out these Delicious Dishes from Ocean City, Md Photos to see what appetizing feasts await you.

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