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May Lunar Eclipse: A partial moon eclipse – called the Super Flower Blood Moon – occurred early Monday morning for about 85 minutes.

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Worcester Boosts Hospital Funding

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OC Woman Named Miss Maryland

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Commissioner Candidates Share Views

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BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

WEST OCEAN CITY– An array of local candidates shared their views on issues facing the county at a forum hosted by the Republican Women of Worcester County.

With many races set to be decided in July’s primary election, a standing-roomonly crowd attended the forum hosted by the Republican Women of Worcester County at the Marlin Club Tuesday.

“One of the things that stands out to me is the fact that we have so many people running, that care,” said Mike Bradley, the WGMD radio host who emceed the event. “Doing this job is not easy.

Whether you’re already in office or running for office it’s a lot of hard work, dedication and sacrifice.”

Tuesday’s event featured comments from Sheriff Matt Crisafulli, whose opponent did not attend, and provided county commissioner candidates in District 3, District 4, District 5 and District 6 with the opportunity to share their views.

District 3 candidates, who are each hoping to get the seat currently held by retiring Commissioner Bud Church, kicked off the commentary. Candidate Tim VanVonno told those in attendance he’d moved to the area in 2007 and worked in construction and real estate. With his son taking over much of the business, he decided to seek the District 3 seat.

“I decided to run because I had the time and I think I have the experience,” he said. “I want to keep it the same, what we moved here for, I want to keep it the same way.”

VanVonno said his children had found success in Worcester County’s school system and that supporting the county’s educational system was important to him. He also spoke about making things easier for small business, evaluating the impact of development and the importance of public safety and supporting law enforcement needs.

“Safety is a big thing,” he said. “That is one of the great things about where we live, the safety.”

The next District 3 candidate to speak was Eric Fiori, who told the crowd about his young children and success as a local business owner.

“I’m ready to move on to the next chapter of my life,” he said. “I love Worcester County.”

Fiori said he wanted to bring the management skills that had helped him with his business to county government. He said the county was losing employees and needed to make changes to attract good help. Like VanVonno, he said he wanted Worcester to remain as amazing as it had been when he settled in the county in 2001.

“I’d really like to give back to the community,” he said. “This community’s been amazing.”

Candidate Shawn Kotwica, a Pittsburgh native, said he worked in real estate and had lived in the county for 18 years.

“I’m here to listen to the people,” he said. “What you want. Not what I want.”

He said he believed in smart growth.

“You all came here for the shore, the

May 20, 2022

beautiful waterways,” he said. “We need to preserve that but we also need to have strategic growth.”

Kotwica said he’d heard concerns about the county’s educational facilities and also felt there were issues with fire and EMS funding as well as zoning.

“I believe by listening to the public, by listening to all of you and all of the people in Worcester County, I can work together to make this place a better place for all of us,” he said.

District 3 candidate Thomas Gulyas said he’d owned a local business for decades and had served on the Berlin Town Council for six years. He said that experience had prepared him to serve as a commissioner. He referenced the importance of education as well as addressing the county’s fire and EMS needs. He also stressed the importance of paying close attention to the county’s budget.

“We need commissioners down there that are willing to make decisions both in hard times and good times,” he said.

“The budget is going to be one of the primary things I want to tackle.”

Gulyas said the county should be more efficient and provide citizens with access to more online. He also expressed concern regarding traffic on Route 611 and elected officials’ willingness to overturn existing zoning classifications.

He noted that Route 611 was the gateway to Assateague.

“We just can’t junk it up with poor zoning and letting folks build what they want to build,” he said. “It needs to be protected….The buildable areas need to be where there is sewer.”

District 4 candidate Nancy Bradford said she was a lifelong Worcester County resident and had decades of banking experience. She said she worked in residential and small commercial lending and had a strong background in finance.

“I think those skills are very much needed to run government,” she said.

Bradford said government should be managed like a good business with a balanced budget. She said maintaining education, public safety, and a qualified staff were critical.

“Unless we have the appropriate finance for it that will not happen,” she said.

Snow Hill resident Virgil Shockley, a farmer, told the audience he’d served as District 4 commissioner from 1998 to 2014. He said that economic development was important and bringing high speed internet to Worcester County was critical.

“I’m 68,” he said. “If I win it’s one term for me. This is it. I came back for one term. If we had high speed internet I would be not here tonight. It’s been my passion.”

He said there was a plan to bring internet to Worcester in 2014.

“I lost the election and the plan went away,” he said. “When we absolutely had to have it during COVID, when kids were staying home, we ended up paying for hotspots.”

Shockley said another issue facing the county was the comprehensive plan.

He said that when the most recent edition had been done, drastic changes had SEE PAGE 8

May 20, 2022

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Page 5

Ocean City Officials Gather To Update Strategic Plan

Page 6

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – Resort officials on Wednesday began a three-day strategic plan session with an opening conference focusing on the overall goals and the challenges the town faces as it updates the planning document.

Every three years, the Mayor and Council and key staff gather to update the town’s strategic plan. The last update was completed in 2019, and many of the goals in that version have been or will be accomplished, despite the pandemic.

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In advance of Wednesday’s opening session, consultant Lyle Sumek held interviews with elected officials, department heads and key staff to assess if everybody was relatively on the same page, what the perceived challenges are and what the common goals should be.

At the outset, of Wednesday’s opening session, City Manager Terry McGean pointed out the importance of the strategic plan update.

“We all know this is very important,” he said. “If you don’t know your destination, you’ll never get there.”

Wednesday’s session only includ-

ed the Mayor and Council, along with McGean and City Clerk Diana Chavis.

Thursday’s session was set to include department heads and other key staffers. By Friday, the Mayor and Council, staff and the consultant are expected to pull all input collected over the first two days into a strategic plan wrap-up session. At the start of Wednesday’s opening session, Sumek said the pre-interviews were helpful in creating a framework for the strategic plan update.

“Thanks for the interview responses, they were very productive,” he said.

“They generated 82 ideas of what you want to get done. Today, we’re just going to start with an elevated view.”

Sumek said he carefully reviewed the interviews and polls he collected from the elected officials and key staffers as he prepared for Wednesday’s opening session. He provided a clear mandate to the Mayor and Council.

“I sat up in the middle of the night jotting down ideas that came to me,” he said. “In the morning, most of them were good and some not so good. The key to this is governance is serving the community. Politics is getting elected. Once you get elected, you have to focus on governance. Our focus here today is governance. It’s a real challenge today.”

Sumek reiterated McGean’s analogy describing the strategic plan as a roadmap for the future.

“You need to have a destination,” he said. “We need a value-based set of principles to come out of this. The mission is your perspective as the board of directors. If you don’t have a clear mission, you’ll never get to your destination.”

Sumek said one of the challenges the town appears to be facing is the pending retirement of key staff and leadership.

“You have a retirement tsunami coming in the next five years,” he said. “Who is going to replace them? It’s a challenge here and all over the country.”

Sumek said the finished product will not be the end of strategic planning for the town, but rather a jumping-off point.

“Our strategic plan isn’t going to be perfect,” he said. “It’s an ongoing process. We need to constantly evaluate and adjust. It’s not going to be a rigid document.”

The consultant said he has worked

May 20, 2022

with a lot of different towns on strategic planning and the goals are not always the same for the officials in them.

“I’ve worked with towns that I’ve considered losers,” he said. “The elected officials are fighting amongst themselves, the community is fighting with the elected officials and the next thing is, the town has a bad reputation. That is difficult to overcome. Why would someone want to come in and invest in a community like that?”

Sumek said there are competitive communities, where the leadership repeatedly says “we’re doing okay,” or “we’re about as good as we can be.” He said there are winners that catch lightning in a bottle sometimes. He said the best category to shoot for is a true champion.

“True champions sustain success over a long period of time,” he said. “It’s not just having a goal, but adjusting and adapting and being guided by goals that improve the community. I see a lot of that here in Ocean City.”

Sumek explained public perception as a bell curve. He said there were 20% that were always negative and were never satisfied with what their elected officials do, and another 20% that were always positive and supported the decisions of their leadership. Sumek said there were 10% on either side of the curve that were trending either negatively or positive.

“The middle 40% generally don’t even know who their elected officials are or what you do on a weekly basis,” he said.

“They are just content and happy to live in a place like Ocean City.”

Sumek said the challenge is moving more of the negative people toward the center, but it is not always easy.

“If you’re trying to make everybody happy, you’re probably not governing,” he said. “Making people happy all of the time is not an outcome. Your challenge is doing what’s best for the community.

It might not make everybody happy all of the time.”

The elected officials were asked by the consultant to identify the town’s successes and point out a few of the shortcomings and rate them on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the best. The Mayor SEE PAGE 67

May 20, 2022

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FROM PAGE 4 been made and couldn’t be overturned in court like rezonings.

Candidate Jeff McMahon told the crowd he was a lifelong Worcester County resident and 42-year member of the Girdletree Volunteer Fire Company. He said he’d joined county staff as a communications clerk and had eventually become fire marshal. He retired in March after 35 years with the county and said he’d been able to work with various sheriffs, chief administrative officers and state’s attorneys. McMahon stressed the importance of public safety.

“I have a longstanding opinion about public safety,” he said. “You know where I stand on that.”

He said he’d been encouraged to run for commissioner by county residents.

“People came to me and said they’d like to see some change,” he said.

Incumbent Ted Elder, who has held the District 4 seat for nearly eight years, said some of the issues being cited by candidates were already being addressed by elected officials. He noted that the budgets for both education and public safety, two of the priorities mentioned by candidates, had both increased significantly in recent years. He pointed out a committee was tackling the fire and EMS funding needs.

“We’ve recognized that and are working real hard on it,” he said.

He added that high speed internet was also one of the commissioners’ priorities. The county has partnered with an internet service provider that has brought broadband to parts of Pocomoke and is now working in Bishopville.

Elder pointed out that the current group of commissioners had inherited issues with financing post retirement ben-

efits and had gradually been addressing those.

“We’re not just loafing down there, we’re working,” he said. “You can’t just do it on your own, it takes teamwork.”

District 5 candidate Grant Helvey, originally from West Virginia, said he’d lived in Worcester County for 20 years. He described his telephone company work and management experience that came from his time on the corporate staff of Bell Atlantic. He also talked about volunteer projects he’d done with the Jaycees in other parts of Maryland.

“I’ve always been involved in civic matters,” he said. “I’ve decided that the last days of my life I want to serve as a county commissioner.”

He also cited his local political experience.

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is to secure those rights. As a county commissioner, I’m going to be fighting for people’s individual liberty.”

Incumbent Chip Bertino said he’d served as a commissioner for nearly eight years. He said that time had hardened his core belief in limited government to ensure the rights of citizens were upheld.

“I stand with law enforcement,” he said. “I believe property owner rights are fundamental. And I believe the county treasury is not an ATM. I have voted accordingly.”

He said the essence of government was personal and that community residents were able to reach out to their commissioners when they ran into them into the supermarket or at the park.

“This reality fulfills the basic promise of the founding fathers that government is of, by and for the people,” he said. “It inspires me to be accessible, responsive and accountable to my constituents.”

Bertino said issues on the horizon included completing broadband, ensuring the plans for a sports complex didn’t become a taxpayer burden, and ensuring funding for fire and EMS as well as education.

District 6 candidate Richard Addis told the crowd he’d grown up in Bishopville and returned to the area to start a farm with his family after spending several years in the U.S. Air Force. He said they’d since grown their farm from three acres to 150 acres. As a busy farmer, he says he’s often asked why he wants to be a politician.

“The truth is I don’t want to be a politician and I’m not going to be,” he said.

“I’m going to be a citizen leader. There’s a big difference between the two. A politician’s working for the next election. I’m working for the next generation.”

He criticized burdensome regulations and the red tape created by government.

“Our liberties and freedoms are no longer being fought for,” he said. “If our elected officials would have fought for our basic constitutional principles, dozens of Worcester County businesses would not have shuttered their doors permanently from the mandates and illegal shutdowns.”

Incumbent Jim Bunting said he was in his 12th year as a commissioner. He said his experience benefited the county.

“I believe I bring more experience to the county commissioners than probably anybody here,” he said.

Bunting said he was a lifelong resident of Worcester County. He joked that he was still wearing the same sport coat and slacks he’d initially campaigned in a dozen years ago.

“You’re not in this job for the money,” he said. “You’re in it for the love of Worcester County.”

He said prior to election he operated a surveying company and also served on the county’s board of zoning appeals as well as its planning commission. He said his understanding of zoning, planning and the related environmental and land use laws served him as a commissioner.

“I’ve brought something to the position that was not there,” he said.

May 20, 2022

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BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – Police charged a Berlin man with assault following an hours-long incident in the Franklin Knoll community.

Police charged Berlin resident Eric Nordstrom, 50, with first- and second-degree assault among other things following an incident Wednesday.

Several area residents were delayed as they tried to reach their homes Wednesday evening as police diverted traffic in the Powell Circle area. According to a release from the Berlin Police Department Thursday, officers there received a complaint of a domestic assault involving a firearm and

requested assistance from the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation. During the investigation, it was determined that a high-risk arrest warrant and a search warrant would need to be executed. With the assistance of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office’s tactical team, police spent nearly two hours trying to communicate with the suspect. When contact was made, the suspect was arrested without incident.

According to police Nordstrom was charged with first- and second-degree assault, use of a firearm during a crime of violence and carrying a handgun on their person. He was seen be a commissioner for an initial appearance and held without bond.

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OCEAN CITY – One week after ironing out some details to green light the inaugural professional bull riding event in June, resort officials this week passed an emergency ordinance altering the town’s policy on non-domesticated animals on public property.

The Mayor and Council had before them on Monday an emergency ordinance that would amend a section of the code that prohibits certain animals not considered a domesticated household pet on public parking lots or other town-owned and operated public facilities.

The town does authorize from time to time certain non-domesticated animals on private property with special permits to allow for the exhibition of exotic animals as a visitor attraction at private businesses and other special events on private property.

More than a few years back, town officials passed an ordinance making it unlawful to harbor certain exotic animals within city limits including, for example, snakes and alligators, without a special permit largely from a public safety aspect and the safety of first responders that might report to an incident.

That ordinance at the time did not contemplate a professional bull riding

May 20, 2022

competition at the Inlet lot scheduled for June 3-5, now just a few weeks away.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR) will hold the first-ever rodeo in Ocean City at the Inlet parking lot in early June. The event, produced

by Triple Creek Events, will take place at the Inlet from June 3-5, with professional bull riding competitions on Friday and Saturday nights, and a matinee competition on Sunday afternoon.

To that end, the Mayor and Council needed to pass an ordinance amending the existing code to allow for bulls to be on public property for the event in June.

The bulls will be housed off the island during the three-day event and will be brought in for the competition each day. As a condition of the memorandum of understanding approved last week, there will be a certified veterinarian on hand during the event, along with other conditions.

On Monday, the council unanimously approved the ordinance on first reading.

However, because the Mayor and Council don’t convene again in a regular session before the event, there was no opportunity for a formal second reading on the ordinance. As a result, the council passed the ordinance on Monday as emergency legislation. An emergency ordinance needs the approval of the mayor, and Mayor Rick Meehan concurred.

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Commissioners Debate Use Of School Bus Monitoring System

Page 12

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

SNOW HILL – County officials agreed to introduce legislation that will allow Worcester County to install school bus monitoring systems despite numerous questions.

The Worcester County Commissioners this week agreed to introduce legislation that will allow the school system to install school bus monitoring systems on buses used in Worcester County. The company providing the system will issue citations to drivers who illegally pass school buses.

While several commissioners voiced support for the concept, there were numerous questions regarding the program’s cost and the revenue that it could potentially produce. They asked that the company recommended by the school

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

system, BusPatrol, attend to answer questions when a public hearing is hosted for the bill next month.

“I’ve got a lot of questions on this,” Commissioner Ted Elder said.

Lt. Robert Trautman of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and Kim Heiser, the school system’s transportation manager, met with the commissioners Tuesday. They asked that the commissioners introduce enabling legislation that would allow the county to work with the company BusPatrol to get school bus monitoring systems. The systems, which are similar to red light cameras, would be installed on school buses and would activate when bus lights activate to capture video of cars illegally passing the bus.

Trautman said the company would send the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office the video electronically and deputies would certify that a violation had occurred. Once

they do that, they’ll provide BusPatrol with the vehicle’s ownership information.

“The vendor issues the violation citation,” he said.

Elder, a retired bus driver, said he knew the cameras were needed because vehicles often passed school buses when they shouldn’t. He said he had extreme reservations, however, about private companies getting involved in law enforcement.

“I would have liked to see the investment into these cameras years ago rather than monitoring drivers with cameras inside,” he said.

Heiser said the cameras were needed because more and more vehicles weren’t stopping when they saw the bus lights come on.

“It’s becoming a very big problem,” she said.

Heiser said the cameras would come

May 20, 2022

at no cost to the county. She said BusPatrol would install them and in exchange the revenue from the $250 citations would be split with 60% going to the company and 40% coming back to Worcester County. That 40% would be split between the school system and the sheriff’s office.

She said the cameras were used in various other counties throughout Maryland.

Trautman said they were similar to the red light cameras that were in use in numerous areas as well. Elder pointed out that there had been proven issues with red light cameras. He added that he didn’t like the fact that BusPatrol would get the video footage before the sheriff’s office did.

“Video can be tampered with,” he said.

Roscoe Leslie, the county’s attorney, pointed out that there were state laws covering bus monitoring programs and that Worcester simply needed enabling legislation.

“There’s state law that authorizes and governs these programs,” he said.

When questioned further about the revenue sharing, Heiser said the revenue split would occur after a monthly technology fee had been covered by the money from the citations. She said the fee was $150 a month per bus.

Commissioner Chip Bertino asked how the company would get its money back if Worcester only yielded two citations a month, for example.

“They are not,” Heiser said. “They’re making their money in the large counties.”

According to Trautman, in the last three years the county has issued about 30 citations to drivers illegally passing school buses. Heiser said a daily survey, however, showed that bus drivers saw numerous violators. She said four buses had reported 19 situations of illegal passing on Monday.

Commissioner Bud Church said that on his daily drives on Coastal Highway, he saw many people passing buses.

“It’ll pay for itself just out of Ocean City,” he said.

Elder asked what percentage of the revenue the bus drivers would get, since they owned the buses. Heiser said they’d get nothing.

“Typical,” Elder said.

Commissioner Joe Mitrecic said he thought the cost breakdown of the program needed to be straightened out.

He said he wasn’t sure anyone would be making money once the $150 monthly fee per bus was taken out. The school system has more than 80 buses.

Others said they wanted to hear from BusPatrol.

“We need to have them in here,” Bertino said.

Elder assured the commissioners there would be plenty of violations captured by the cameras but said he still didn’t like the fact the company was getting involved in local law enforcement.

“I still have serious issues about private companies getting involved in law enforcement,” he said.

Heiser stressed that the program was meant to increase safety in the county.

“What we’re looking for here is the safety of the children,” she said.

May 20, 2022

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NEWARK – School board members defended their decision not to change the budget to address bus driver pay concerns this week.

During Tuesday’s Worcester County Board of Education meeting, school board members reviewed bus driver compensation. They stressed that while they appreciated the work contractors did, the drivers were already paid fairly.

“When you look at the fact that we’re the best paying school system on the Eastern Shore and we’re third in the state I think that says a lot about how we feel about our bus contractors,” said Todd Ferrante, vice president of the school board.

Representatives of the Worcester County School Bus Contactors Association (WCSBCA) approached both the school board and the Worcester County Commissioners this spring advocating for a pay increase. While the school system’s budget includes some increases for bus drivers, WCSBCA representatives said those increases weren’t enough to cover rapidly rising costs. Despite the pleas, neither the school sys-

May 20, 2022

tem nor the commissioners adjusted compensation levels beyond what was included in the board of education budget. An effort by Commissioner Ted Elder to bump the rates slightly failed during a county budget work session last week with a 3-4 vote.

School board member Bill Buchanan asked staff at Tuesday’s meeting to review and clarify the fuel supplement paid to bus drivers when prices at the pump went up.

“I’ve got a lot of my constituents that are asking about this,” Buchanan said.

Vince Tolbert, the school system’s chief financial officer, explained that each year the school system set a base amount for fuel. Any time fuel goes 10% above that rate, the mileage reimbursement for bus contractors is adjusted.

“This year that base amount is $3.35,” Tolbert said. “So 10% above $3.35 is $3.68. So for this year, once the average price of diesel fuel rose above $3.68 the bus drivers received a fuel supplement.”

In February, he said they received an additional 3 cents per gallon. In March, they received an additional 14 cents a gallon and in April they received an additional 17 cents. He said if fuel prices stayed where they were now the mileage rate would be adjusted by 32 cents for May. So instead of the $1.60 they currently receive per mile, bus contractors will likely receive $1.92 per mile for the month of May. “That was put into place to protect our bus drivers, to make sure they weren’t harmed by huge increases in fuel,” Tolbert said. “And I believe it shows that it’s working.”

Ferrante said there was misinformation in the community regarding bus driver pay rates.

“I want everybody to know we value our bus contractors, we appreciate them delivering our students to and from school safely every day,” he said.

Ferrante said the school system showed that appreciation by paying bus drivers even when schools were closed during the pandemic. He added that the coming year’s budget increased drivers’ hourly rates from $22.50 to $25. The budget also increases their administration fee, their per vehicle allotment and their mileage rate, which will go from $1.60 to $1.62.

“The average bus runs about 100 miles a day so that’s about $162 per day to cover some of these costs,” he said.

Ferrante said that in developing the increases, school system staff had reviewed bus contractor rates throughout the Eastern Shore and Maryland. He said Worcester County Public Schools’ bus contractors were the best paid on the Eastern Shore and the third best paid in the state.

“This board has done everything possible to make sure that we’ve given our bus contractors a fair and extremely just package,” he said.

Ocean City Approves $156M Budget

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Town Tax Rate Set At Constant Yield

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – With little further discussion, the Mayor and Council on Monday approved on second reading the fiscal year 2023 budget with the property tax rate set at the constant yield.

The proposed budget sets the property tax rate at the constant yield of .4526 per $100 of assessed value. The constant yield is the tax rate needed to produce the same revenue as the prior year in order to maintain the same level of services and programs.

Last year’s budget was set at the constant yield rate of .4561, meaning the fiscal year 2023 rate of .4526 would represent a slight property tax decrease for many. Residential property taxes were reassessed in the last cycle and property values went up modestly in general.

Those whose Ocean City properties are their primary residences are insulated from rising property taxes due to increased assessments by the Homestead Tax Cap, which is set at 0% in Ocean City. However, non-resident property owners are not protected by the cap.

Nonetheless, setting the property tax rate at the constant yield represents a modest tax decrease for many.

Heretofore, the town’s stated policy was to maintain reserve fund balance at 15% of the total operating budget, but that figure has grown in recent years to over 20%. Last month, however, the council voted to increase that minimum fund balance threshold to 17% after moving some of the undesignated funds around to certain capital projects and to increase the separate capital reserve fund dedicated to ongoing maintenance projects such as street paving and canal dredging, for example.

The total fiscal year 2023 budget comes in at over $156 million for all funds, with a general fund budget of a little over $101 million. The tax rate for personal property and corporation tax is reduced by $1.13 per $100 of assessed value in the fiscal year 2023 spending plan.

Anticipated revenue from real property taxes is $42.5 million, which represents 42% of the general fund budget.

The majority of the general fund budget is derived from room tax revenue and other revenue sources, including parking. During budget deliberations, City Manager Terry McGean said the projected room tax revenues were somewhat aggressive based on estimations of a strong summer season.

In the proposed fiscal year 2023 budget, capital projects are funded at $3.6 million, which includes $2 million for street paving, $1.5 million for the capital maintenance fund, and another $100,000 for the Boardwalk re-decking project. Projects approved in the capital

improvement plan (CIP) will be funded through the capital maintenance fund.

They include street paving at $500,000, canal dredging at $400,000, a City Hall roof replacement project at $375,000, another $80,000 for the City Watch video surveillance system, a Northside Park roof replacement project at $149,000 and storm drain cleaning at $50,000.

The ability for the town to fund payas-you-go projects from fund balance and the capital maintenance fund is being made possible largely because of one-time federal grants related to the COVID pandemic in the last budget cycle. For example, federal American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, funds in the amount of $3.4 million have been applied to the fiscal year 2023 budget to ensure the continuity of government.

In addition, an estimated $1.9 million in federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act funds and grants specifically dedicated to transportation projects are being used to offset the town’s general fund contribution to transportation at over $725,000 for fiscal year 2023. Of course, those federal grants are one-time funding sources related to COVID, necessitating the importance of maintaining a healthy fund balance in future fiscal years.

Page 15

Page 16

Air Rights Ordinance Approved For Margaritaville Development

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

“GHOSTS IN THE SURF”

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

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OCEAN CITY – Despite some privatesector pushback, resort officials this week approved on first reading an ordinance that would convey the air rights over a town-owned alley to the developers of the proposed Margaritaville project.

On Monday, the Mayor and Council had before them an ordinance for first reading that would, if approved, convey the air rights over a portion of Washington Lane to the developer of the Margaritaville project. The proposed project over 12 different lots would include 265 hotel rooms and three restaurants, including the JWB Grill with high-end steaks and seafood, the Landshark Bar and Grill, and a coffee shop and provisions store in the lobby.

The project would also include three outdoor pools and one indoor pool, a wellness center and gym, 14,000 square feet of flexible convention center space, retail stores facing the Boardwalk and many other upscale amenities. The project would replace the old Phillips Beach Plaza property along with associated parcels within the full city block.

However, a portion of Washington Lane bisects the east and west sides of the property. To that end, the developer, MHROC LLC, requested the town convey the air rights over the alley in order to connect the different elements of the project.

Under the proposal, that 16-foot wide portion of Washington Lane that bisects the Margaritaville property would remain a public right of way and the developer would make significant improvements to it. For example, the existing 16-foot-wide alley would be widened to 23 feet, allowing for two vehicles to safely pass through that section of Washington Lane.

In addition, five-foot-wide sidewalks would be added on either side of the alley, along with a dedicated three-foot-wide bicycle path. Because of the changes, the portion of Washington lane that bisects the Margaritaville property would have to be realigned by about nine feet, so it would align with the sections of the alley to the north and south.

Before the ordinance conveying the air rights was passed on first reading on Monday, Mayor Rick Meehan sought clarification on the timing of the conveyance.

In other words, the air rights would not be conveyed to the developer if the project did not come to fruition.

“This authorizes it to be done, but not before we have all of the final approvals for this project, correct?” he said.

City Solicitor Heather Stansbury explained the procedural nuances.

“What would happen is, if this were to advance, we would not record the easement,” she said. “We could make it more specific in that this ordinance would only be carried through upon final site plan approval for this project.”

Stansbury said if the Margaritaville project was not ultimately approved, the

May 20, 2022

ordinance conveying the air rights would not be upheld. She said language could be added to the ordinance to make that clear.

“If this project ran into some problem down the line, you would have to repeal this ordinance,” she said. “Presently, that is the way it is set up. This conveyance is not going to happen until final approval for this project.”

Meehan was reassured the language changes made that clear.

“That’s what’s important,” he said. “It is this particular project, otherwise, it does not get approved. I’d feel better if that was in there. I think it reads better and it’s more direct as to what the intent is of the Mayor and Council and how they’re doing it for specific reasons and under specific conditions.”

Before the council could vote, however, local attorney Pete Cosby, representing a neighboring hotel, called the project-specific ordinance into question.

“The town is jumping through hoops to accommodate the density of this project,” he said. “This is projected as one main building, and this ordinance conveying the air rights supports that fiction as it allows the physical connection between the westerly part of the project and the easterly part of the project.”

Cosby questioned the proposed density of the project and the town’s continued accommodations to make it work.

“It is my contention this is a disguised parking garage,” he said. “This fiction is running through all of the zoning changes that are being made to accommodate this project. It’s like cramming 10 pounds of potatoes into a five-pound bag. This project is too dense. It’s not going to serve the neighborhood.”

Cosby also contended the town was essentially giving away the air rights under the guise of a trade-off with the developer. .

“Number one, air rights have value,” he said. “In the past, when you’ve closed an alley, developers had to pay for the alley. In this case, you’re accepting a tradeoff. They’re supposed to be giving you extra width to the right of way in exchange for the air rights. That’s really a red herring. To make this project work, they have to have the width of the alley anyhow. They’re only giving you what they need to accommodate this project.

The density of this project is out of control.”

Cosby urged the council to pump the brakes on the air rights conveyance ordinance.

“I think you’re putting the cart before the horse,” he said. “This ordinance should not be passed until this project can demonstrate it has the land area to accommodate it. I don’t think we should be jumping through hoops to accommodate the devastating density of this project.”

The council ultimately approved the ordinance on first reading with a 6-1 vote, with Council President Matt James opposed.

County Fully Funds Hospital’s Request

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 17

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SNOW HILL – Elected officials opted to increase Worcester County’s grant to Atlantic General Hospital this week.

Despite last week’s 5-2 vote to flat fund Atlantic General, which would have provided the hospital with the same $100,000 grant it got last year, the Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday revisited the issue. A motion to increase the hospital grant to $200,000 passed 4-3.

During a budget work session last week, Commissioner Chip Bertino made a motion to flat fund the hospital with a $100,000 grant. Commissioner Bud Church advocated for AGH, however, and said it would be a mistake not to grant the hospital’s $200,000 grant request.

“They’re one of the largest assets we have in the county,” he told his peers last week.

Nevertheless, Bertino’s motion passed 5-2, with Church and Commissioner Diana Purnell opposed as they wanted the hospital’s request of $200,000 fully funded.

At the close of this Tuesday’s meeting, Commissioner Joe Mitrecic said he wanted to revisit the Atlantic General funding decision. He said that while he’d spoken in favor of the hospital last week, pointing out that it was the county’s second largest employer, he’d not voted to grant its request for $200,000 in funding.

“There was so much going on, the motion was to fund it flat,” he said. “I personally didn’t support that. I pointed out that they’re our second largest employer in the county and I thought with the new director coming on that possibly we should fund them at the requested level.”

He voted in support of the motion to flat fund, however, and said that’s why he was asking that the grant amount be revisited.

“I voted to keep it flat,” he said. “Honestly it was a mistake on my part. I spoke for funding the $200,000. It was a mistake on my part.”

Commissioner Josh Nordstrom subsequently made a motion to include a $200,000 grant for the hospital in the fiscal year 2023 budget. It passed 4-3, with Commissioners Jim Bunting, Chip Bertino and Ted Elder opposed.

In recent years, hospital funding has been a source of contention among the commissioners. Last year, the county provided AGH with $100,000 but only after an initial motion to eliminate the grant entirely failed with a split 3-3 vote without Church present initially. In 2020, approval of the entire budget hinged on the hospital grant. That year, the grant was eliminated during budget development. When the budget came up for adoption in June 2020, however, the vote to approve it failed with a 3-4 vote.

Church, who’d voted in opposition, made it clear that he’d only be voting in support if a grant for AGH was included.

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 19

Worcester Delays Approval Of Police Accountability Resolution

Page 20

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

SNOW HILL – County officials this week opted to delay approval of a police accountability resolution.

The Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday voted 6-1 to delay consideration of a resolution to comply with Maryland’s Police Accountability Act until next month. They noted the act, which replaces the Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights as the system for police discipline, doesn’t go into effect until July.

“I’d like to know what this actually means before I sign off on it,” Commissioner Chip Bertino said.

Roscoe Leslie, the county’s attorney, presented the commissioners Tuesday with a resolution to comply with the Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021.

He said the resolution needed to be approved and the commissioners needed to identify individuals to appoint to a police accountability board, a charging committee and a trial board. The act becomes effective July 1 of this year.

“This is mandated from the state, we’re just implementing it at the local

level,” Leslie said.

Commissioner Jim Bunting asked how the county was going to find retired or administrative law judges willing to serve on trial boards. Leslie said the county was still trying to identify judges who’d be willing to be involved. The county is also waiting for details on the training that will be required of board and committee members. The sevenmember police accountability board will serve as the overall governing body of the system while the five-member charging committee will review complains and investigations of police misconduct. A trial board will be convened if the police officer doesn’t accept the discipline recommended by the charging committee.

“Even if the commissioners had all their appointments made, all these people have to go through training that probably hasn’t been finalized yet,” Leslie said. “We’re all just trying to do the best we can to get it implemented.”

Commissioner Josh Nordstrom expressed frustration at what he called another unfunded mandate from the state.

Bertino said he had a lot of questions about the resolution as proposed. He said

it seemed like the resolution had to be passed before officials could understand what was in it.

“Well I’d like to understand what’s in it now,” he said. “I’d like to better understand from the point of view of law enforcement exactly what this means to them and their officers in the real life world.”

He said there could potentially be a lot of people worried about perceived recklessness among officers.

“I want to make it clear that if we have law enforcement that aren’t doing their job professionally or within the law they should definitely be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he said. “But my concern with this—I’ve seen this go through the state legislature. This isn’t what this is about.

This is about putting the preponderance of guilt on law enforcement for them just doing their jobs.”

Bertino said he wanted to speak with the county’s sheriff, state’s attorney and other law enforcement before voting on the accountability resolution.

Commissioner Ted Elder questioned the costs associated with the program.

He pointed out that in addition to training

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costs there would likely be compensation provided to those serving on the boards and committees.

“I’m just saying there’s a lot of hidden costs in here on top of all the other issues Commissioner Bertino’s listed,” Elder said. “I’m very concerned at this time.”

Commissioner Diana Purnell asked how the resolution had been developed.

Leslie explained he’d reviewed other resolutions and worked with Wicomico officials as they drafted their resolution.

“We did a lot more work than a lot of other counties to make this more agreeable from all parties’ perspectives,” he said.

When asked when a trial board would convene, Leslie said the new discipline system would be used when a complaint from a citizen was received. He said the charging committee would decide whether to move forward with discipline.

He confirmed that the new system would go into effect in July whether the commissioners voted on it or not.

“We’re just dressing it up for local implementation, giving it our spin,” Leslie said.

Bertino pointed out there were still two commissioner meetings before July.

“We‘re not required to pass it today,” he said.

Commissioner Joe Mitrecic said that the commissioners probably didn’t need to vote on it at all. He indicated the county would be left with the state’s language however if it didn’t adopt its own resolution.

“I don’t think any of us are really thrilled about this,” he said.

Mitrecic added that if the commissioners did delay adoption of the resolution, they should at least begin identifying constituents who might be willing to serve on the boards and committees.

“So that when we do put this in effect in July we’re not scrambling to find people at that point,” he said.

Mitrecic voted against Bertino’s motion to delay.

“It is what it is and we have to do what we have to do...,” he said. “We could in fact lose a lot more funding from the state going forward than we’re going to spend on this board.”

WCPS Announces New Appointments

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

NEWARK – At Tuesday’s Worcester County Board of Education meeting, several administrative appointments and transfers were announced. The new assignments are effective July 1, 2022.

Joining the central office instructional team is Showell Elementary School Principal Diane Shorts, who will bring over 21 years of elementary experience to the role of coordinator of early childhood education following the retirement of C. Todd Hall. Dr. Brian Phillips, current assistant principal at Snow Hill High School, will succeed Diane Stulz as coordinator of career technology education (CTE) and world languages following her retirement in June. The school system’s Bess Cropper will become coordinator of special education following the previously announced promotion of Windy Phillips.

Ryan Cowder, current principal of Berlin Intermediate School, will transfer to helm Showell Elementary School, and Dr. Amy Gallagher, the school system’s current coordinator of accountability and assessment, will return to Berlin Intermediate School as a newly appointed principal. Gallagher previously served as an assistant principal at the school from 2016-2018.

Several changes at the assistant principal level were also announced: Snow Hill Middle School Assistant Principal Jonathan Kehl will transfer to Snow Hill High School.

Page 21

Worcester Technical High School counselor Jennifer Howard was appointed to become assistant principal at Snow Hill Middle School.

Pocomoke Middle School Assistant Principal Joseph Stigler will transfer to Pocomoke High School, following the retirement of Bryan Perry.

Pocomoke Middle School’s Reading and Math Interventionist Danielle Jackson was appointed to be the school’s assistant principal.

Tuesday’s announcements follow the appointments previously announced at the Board of Education’s April meeting. Succeeding Rae Record following her retirement as supervisor of special education is Windy Phillips, who has served as coordinator of special education since 2017. Following the retirement of H. Stephen Price as manager of school safety and security is Corporal Shawn Goddard, who has years of dedicated service protecting our schools as a valued member of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office.

“These changes continue the positive trajectory for our school system,” said Superintendent of Schools Lou Taylor. “We continue to have a deep pool of incredibly talented educational leaders here in Worcester County. I am confident that these changes will lead to greater educational opportunities for our students. Congratulations to them all, and I thank them for their commitment to bring their best to these new roles.”

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OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department this week feted the winners of the regional Good Sports Coach of the Year and Co-Players of the Year with a special ceremony at City Hall on Monday.

Each year, the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department nominates candidates for the regional Mid-Atlantic Recreation and Parks Sports Alliance (MARPSA) for Coach of the Year and Player of the Year honors. MARPSA is a collection of recreation and parks agencies from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Ocean City’s department names its own players and coaches with the Al Hondo Handy Sportsmanship Awards. This year, the department honored Jason Konyar as Coach of the Year and brothers Gabe and Graham Geiser as coPlayers of the Year. They were then nominated for the larger MARPSA awards and each was names award winners by the regional sports alliance. Recreation Manager Travis Davey introduced the award winners on Monday.

“Sportsmanship is very important to what we do at the recreation department,” he said.

“Ocean City is part of the MidAtlantic Recreation and Parks Sports Alliance and the organization has the honor of naming the Good Sports Coach of the Year and the Good Sports Player of the Year.”

Davey explained Konyar’s impressive credentials for the Coach of the Year award.

“Coach Konyar has been a teacher in Worcester County for 16 years at Snow Hill,” he said.

“During the summer, he works for the Beach Patrol and he’s coming back for his 23rd year this summer. In addition to all of that, he volunteers for us as a basketball coach.”

Davey said Konyar brings a wealth of experience and energy to Ocean City’s recreation department in his role as a coach and a mentor.

“As a former college player and a coach at Stephen Decatur, Jason shares his love and knowledge of the game with his players,” he said. “He encourages and motivates his team with patience and achieves our goals of player development and fun. We’re lucky to have Jason as part of our program.”

As for the MARPSA Player of SEE PAGE 24

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 23

Page 24

… Coach, Players Feted At City Hall Ceremony

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022

Mid-Atlantic Recreation and Parks Sports Alliance’s Good Sports Award winners for Ocean City were, front from left, Jason Konyar, Gabe Geiser and Graham Geiser. In back are Recreation Managers Travis Davey and Eddie Pinto.

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FROM PAGE 22 the Year award, Ocean City’s recreation and parks department nominated brothers Gabe and Graham Geiser as co-recipients of the award.

“We typically nominate just one player to win this award every year,” Davey said. “This year, we have two very deserving winners and they are both recognized as Good Sports Players of the Year.”

Davey explained how active the brothers are at the town’s recreation department.

“Both participated in our indoor soccer league this winter, showing good sportsmanship and teamwork throughout the season,” he said. “The younger kids play in the morning and the older kids play in the evening. Even though they played games at night, they both showed up at 8:30 a.m. every morning to help with the younger division, volunteering as a scorekeeper or jumping in as a coach. We couldn’t run this program without them.”

Davey explained both Gabe and Graham are varsity soccer and varsity lacrosse players at Decatur. In fact, the Decatur boys’ varsity team’s regional playoff game scheduled for Monday was postponed until Tuesday, allowing Gabe and Graham to be present for Monday’s award presentations. Davey said both brothers are on the honor roll and both are recipients of the Presidential Service Award for completing 100 hours of community service.

Del. Wayne Hartman was on hand to present a proclamation from the Maryland General Assembly for each of the award recipients. Hartman praised Konyar for his wide range of community service from being a teacher to being a lifeguard and coach.

“It’s an honor to be here to present these awards tonight,” he said. “We appreciate what you do during the day, but not only that, you come out in the evening and coach.”

Pat Schrawder was on hand representing Sen. Mary Beth Carozza, who was with the governor at a bill-signing ceremony in Annapolis on Monday.

Schrawder read a governor’s citation for the award winners into the record and said Carozza was disappointed she missed the ceremony.

“She really hated to miss this one,” she said. “Her family goes back with the recreation and parks department for a long time. Her dad coached eighthgrade basketball and Mary Beth was on the team. Her dad coached way back when the gym was here in this building.”

As for the Geiser brothers winning the Player of the Year awards, Hartman said the future looked bright for both recipients.

“I don’t know your ages, but you have an awesome resume already,” he said.

“Keep up the good work. Thanks to the parents for doing a great job with these two.”

OC Welcomes Cruisin For 31st Year

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Participants in the daily Boardwalk parades during a previous year’s Cruisin are pictured.

Photo by Chris Parypa

OCEAN CITY – This weekend marks the return of the 31st Annual Cruisin Ocean City, which began Thursday and runs through the weekend.

This nationally recognized event attracts more than 3,000 customs, hot rods, street machines, classics and more. While the main events take place at the beachside Inlet parking lot and Ocean City’s convention center there will be various citywide locations.

Scheduled to appear at this year's Cruisin, Faye Hadley from the hit shows All Girls Garage and Motor Mythbusters.

Faye will be at the event on Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the convention center and Saturday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the beachside Inlet meeting fans. Also scheduled to appear, from the classic show Good Times meet Jimmie JJ Walker, who will be at the event, Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Inlet, Saturday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the convention center and Sunday 11 a.m.1 p.m. at the Inlet. Additional entertainment includes Deejay Seaside Jimmy, Cruisin Gold Deejay, the 7th Annual Pin Up Contest, a Neon and LED light car show, a pedal car show, drive-in movies, BINGO, live music and much more.

Taking the stage during Cruisin Ocean City, direct from Las Vegas, will be the Legends in Concert This show features the world’s greatest tribute artists with tributes to Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin and The Blues BrothersTM. Show time is 8 p.m. on Friday, May 20 at the Ocean City Performing Arts Center.

For tickets visit the box office located inside the convention center or Ticketmaster. For more information visit legendsinconcert.com or ocmdperformingartscenter.com. This will be a show you won’t want to miss.

On Friday evening cruise on down to the Inlet parking lot and enjoy a Drive-In movie on the big screen starting at 9 p.m. featuring Gone in 60 Seconds.

Event organizers issue a special thank you to The Dough Roller, Ocean Downs Casino, Worcester County and the Ocean City HMRA for sponsoring the drive-

in. While the movie is free to enjoy make sure to pay for parking on Friday night at the designated kiosks.

Some of the country’s top national names will be showcasing their products in manufacturers midway at the Inlet Parking Lot. At the convention center there will be vendors both inside and outside selling automotive merchandise along with arts and crafts, jewelry, Tshirts and many other specialty items.

Also taking place inside the convention center there will be a Car Corral, Friday and a Swap Meet Friday and Saturday.

The Starsky and Hutch Show car will be on display.

Additional Cruisin Ocean City highlights are the special Boardwalk parades that will take place Friday and Saturday mornings at 8 a.m.

On Sunday the Grand Finale Awards will take place at the Inlet with more than 500 trophies, plaques and awards presented plus over 3,000 giveaways.

Spectator tickets are $10 a day for Sunday and $15 a day for Friday and Saturday, good at the Inlet and convention center. Children under 14 are free with an adult. Show hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and Sunday (Inlet location only on Sunday) with the Grand Finale Awards starting at 2 p.m.

A statement from event organizers touched on safety and a few reminders for the good of the resort area. The statement read, “Cruisin Ocean City has always held safety as our number one priority. The event does not tolerate unlawful activities or the disrespect of Ocean City. During Cruisin the town of Ocean City will be classified as a Special Event Zone where there will be increased fines for speeding, negligent/reckless driving, spinning wheels and alcohol related offenses. We encourage everyone that comes to Ocean City for Cruisin, both participants and spectators, to respect the town and abide by the rules.

Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.”

Page 25

Wicomico Postpones Budget Adoption County Scores $616K In Grant Funds

Page 26

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SALISBURY – County leaders this week voted to postpone the adoption of Wicomico’s annual budget.

On Tuesday, the Wicomico County Council voted to extend the date for the adoption of the annual budget and appropriation bill from June 1 to June 15.

While the county charter calls for the council to adopt a budget and appropriation bill by June 1, Council Administrator Laura Hurley noted it also included a provision to extend the adoption date by two weeks if needed.

“Extending the date of adoption will allow council to further review and discuss the executive’s budget,” she said.

Hurley added that the council held its meetings on Tuesdays, and that June 1 fell on a Wednesday.

“This will allow the council to adopt the budget at a regularly scheduled meeting,” she said.

With no further questions, the council voted 6-0, with Councilman Josh Hastings absent, to approve the extension.

As it currently stands, the proposed operating budget totals $173,908,637, a 7.6% increase over the current year’s spending plan. Once approved, the fiscal year 2023 budget will take effect on July 1.

The council this week also voted to approve two amendments to the fiscal year 2022 budget.

Finance Director Pam Oland told of-

ficials she was seeking a $35,000 increase in the law department budget to cover unanticipated legal expenses.

“In making sure we’re monitoring our accounts, we looked at the current run rate of our monthly bills and found we’ll be over budget by the end of the fiscal year …,” she said. “We’re trying to be proactive.”

Oland told council members the increased costs within the law department were the result of several projects.

“It’s the police accountability act, the charter review, redistricting, and the Village Down River,” she explained. “Those were four major projects that weren’t considered in the making of the fiscal budget last year.”

Oland said she was also seeking a $400,000 increase in funding to the asphalt paving contract budget.

“With the escalator built into all our contracts, due to the cost of oil the cost to pave the number of roads we had in the budget has gone up,” she said. “If we don’t do this, we can stop paving and postpone projects to fiscal year 2023, but it just shuffles us further down the line.”

Councilman Joe Holloway questioned if that amount was enough.

“It sounds like a lot of money …,” he said. “But do you think we’re going to get through with that?”

Roads Superintendent Lee Outen said it would be sufficient.

“We think it will allow us to do what we planned to do,” he replied.

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SALISBURY – More than $600,000 in federal grant awards is expected to help the county fund two major projects.

On Tuesday, Finance Director Pam Oland came before the Wicomico County Council seeking approval to accept $116,000 from the Congressionally Directed Spending Grants to purchase body-worn cameras for the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office.

“Congressionally Directed Spending is also referred to as earmarks, and last year was the first in several years the Senate was able to do that,” she said.

“We submitted an application for several projects … This was one of them.”

In the spring of 2021, the county applied for several Congressionally Directed Spending Grants to be funded in the fiscal year 2022 budget. In a memo to the council, Acting County Executive reported that two of Wicomico’s projects were accepted.

“When the federal government passed their funding legislation on March 10, 2022 these projects were approved,” he wrote. “We were awarded $116,000 to purchase body worn cameras for the Wicomico Sheriff's Office. Additionally, we were awarded $500,000 to help with funding the runway extension at the Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport.”

While the sheriff’s department has already deployed body-worn cameras, of-

May 20, 2022

ficials noted the grant funding will allow the agency to expand the program to meet state mandates.

“We started our camera program in 2017, before it was mandated,” Capt.

Tim Robinson told the council this week.

“It’s been a great asset to us at the sheriff’s department.”

Officials noted the county also received $500,000 to extend a runway and taxiway at the Salisbury airport. The project is expected to meet the needs of the local air carrier, secure air service and airline jobs, and support future demand and growth.

While the county applied for funding in 2021, Oland told the council this week the county was notified of the two grant awards after the federal budget was passed in March.

“Until the federal government passed their budget, which was in March, these would not be funded,” she explained.

“But these have now been passed.”

Oland, however, noted that the county was now required to provide an additional application to access those funds.

In the meantime, she said she was seeking the council’s approval to accept the $616,000 in grants.

“We have actually received documents and are filling them out,” she said.

With no further discussion, the council voted 6-0, with Councilman Josh Hastings absent, to accept the two awards from the Congressionally Directed Spending Grants in an amount totaling $616,000.

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Officials Seek Solutions As Parking Issues Grow

May 20, 2022

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

FENWICK ISLAND – As parking problems mount in Fenwick, a town committee agreed this week to seek help from local businesses.

On Monday, the Fenwick Island Ad Hoc Parking Committee met to discuss solutions to an ever-growing parking shortage in town. As the town grows and visitation swells, officials say they will begin reaching out to commercial businesses in an effort to help restaurants and shops find additional parking spots for its employees.

“The community has evolved, and we have an issue with existing businesses …,” Mayor Vicki Carmean told committee members this week. “The reality is they don’t have enough spots."

In March, the Fenwick Island Town Council voted to establish an Ad Hoc Parking Committee for the purpose of exploring potential parking solutions in town. And at its first meeting in April, the workgroup agreed to explore additional parking options for the businesses’ employees.

Back on the agenda for discussion this week, members agreed to being sending letters to shopping centers, banks and real estate agencies with the hope of finding a property owner willing to share part of their lot with neighboring businesses. Committee members noted the biggest parking issues came during the summer months, particularly during the dinner rush.

“The sooner the better,” committee member Ann Riley said. “We are close to kicking off the season.”

Carmean told committee members this week the Fenwick Island Charter and Ordinance Committee was exploring the town’s patron-to-parking ratio with the goal of developing regulations that would ease parking issues as new buildings are constructed.

“I believe there’s a proposed ordinance through Charter and Ordinance that will have the parking ratio conform to what the county says …,” she explained. “You can ‘t change the past, but you can plan for the future.”

Committee members noted, however, that it didn’t address problems at existing businesses.

Residents said that employees and customers are often found parking along the side streets within the residential district.

Public Works Manager Mike Locke added that the number of off-street parking spaces – currently totaling 112 – have dwindled in recent years as residential property owners have extended their driveway openings.

“This town has lost numerous parking spots because of homeowners putting in gravel, covering one end of the lot to the other,” he said.

After further discussion, the committee agreed to begin drafting letters to commercial property owners with a goal of finding additional off-site parking for business employees.

“This is businesses helping businesses,” said committee member Ed Bishop.

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 27

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OC Woman Named Miss Maryland USA

Page 28

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

OCEAN CITY– An Ocean City woman will represent Maryland at the Miss USA pageant this year.

Caleigh Shade, a 22-year-old Ocean City resident, was crowned Miss Maryland USA on Sunday during the 70th edition of the Miss Maryland USA competition. The win came as a surprise to Shade, who was competing in the contest for the first time.

“I was shocked,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it.”

Shade, a Cumberland native, attended Salisbury University and has now lived in Ocean City for the past four years. She moved to Ocean City permanently to work at The Hobbit, where she is a sommelier.

She said her pageant career was inspired by someone she met when she was modeling. After a debut in a teen pageant, Shade said she knew she wanted to compete for the Miss Maryland title.

Leading up to Sunday’s competition, she worked with a coach and prepared with mock interviews. When she made it to the top five during Sunday night’s event, she was ecstatic.

“There were 82 girls competing,” she said. “I was just happy to be top five. It’s an amazing group of girls.”

When asked about her glittering, oc-

May 20, 2022

ean-inspired blue gown, Shade was thrilled to have an opportunity to talk about Ocean City.

“The gown was ocean inspired and I got to talk about Ocean City being a tight-knit community,” she said.

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As for her on-stage question from judges, Shade was asked to define pageantry reimagined. She said she talked about how pageants can inspire confidence and touched on her work as a sommelier, which she noted was a male-dominated field. She believes that at 22, she’s probably one of the youngest female sommeliers on the East Coast.

“I think pageantry is something that gives you a place to advocate for yourself,” she said. “The experience I’ll get is something I’ll never forget.”

While she doesn’t yet know the date of the Miss USA competition, she plans to spend three months preparing. And while she naturally wants to win, that’s not all that’s on her mind.

“The goal is to win,” she said. “And I’d like to win Miss USA. But I’d love to be a master sommelier someday.”

Snow Hill Council Commits To Bringing Riverboat Back

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

SNOW HILL – The town’s riverboat should once again be docked in Snow Hill this summer.

The Black-Eyed Susan (BES), Snow Hill’s riverboat, will return to the county seat after undergoing partial repairs in Norfolk. The boat will need even more work, however, before it can resume its cruises up and down the Pocomoke River.

“Ultimately, a majority of the town council voted in favor of the limited repairs that would keep the BES in service, albeit in a reduced capacity, while efforts are made to fund a full restoration in hopes that the vision that inspired the original purpose can still be realized,” a news release from the Town of Snow Hill reads.

Last week, the council voted 2-1 to proceed with the repairs needed to get the BES back to Snow Hill. Though the

The Black-Eyed Susan is pictured docked in Snow Hill last summer.

Photo by Charlene Sharpe

Minimal Repairs To Total $193K

boat, purchased in 2020, had a successful season in 2021, an inspection in Norfolk earlier this year revealed it would need extensive repairs in order to resume regular service.

“As it happened, the BES was acquired in year four of a five-year mandated U.S. Coast Guard inspection routine,” the town’s release reads. “Accordingly, the BES was taken to Colonna’s Shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, in February where it underwent an extensive inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The thorough inspection revealed multiple issues with the hull, hydraulics system, and paddlewheel frame to the tune of an estimated $604,000 repair estimate, a cost beyond the means of the town’s budget.”

Since then, officials have been exploring potential funding sources. While no financial assistance has been identified yet, officials are hopeful some grants might become available. At the town’s request, the Coast Guard also provided a condensed scope of work that would improve the vessel enough that it could be used as a floating, docked venue. According to town staff it will cost $193,000 for the minimal repairs.

Though the possibility of selling the boat was considered, officials said that was expensive too.

“The town consulted with legal counsel to determine its obligations should they abandon the BES and attempt to sell it on the open market,” the release reads. “That option also proved to be expensive with varying degrees of loan and grant obligations to the participating parties and lingering after-effects regarding future grant opportunities.”

According to municipal officials, residents offered mixed opinions regarding the boat’s future. Shae Von Marsh, a lo-

Page 29

cal business owner, said she was excited to see the boat return.

“Seeing this vessel docked in our little town evokes momentous emotion and provides hope that Snow Hill will continue to prosper,” she said. “As a unique attraction, the Black-Eyed Susan increases visitors to our area on the Eastern Shore and we believe that as it grows in popularity and recognition, it will continue to help introduce new people to the charm that Snow Hill has to offer.”

Town officials said the repairs are expected to take a month to complete and the boat should be towed back to Snow Hill shortly thereafter.

Resort Council Approves Stacked Parking Code Changes

Page 30

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

OCEAN CITY – After considerable debate, resort officials this week approved a proposed code amendment allowing for tandem, or stacked parking, with a valet system for some major downtown redevelopment projects including the proposed Margaritaville project.

The Mayor and Council reviewed the changes Monday after the town’s planning commission in April held a public hearing on the proposed code amendment and forwarded a favorable recommendation to the Mayor and Council.

In simplest terms, if a redevelopment project for a hotel complex or a commercial use in the downtown area could not meet its minimum parking space requirements on-site, tandem parking, or spaces

in which vehicles are stacked on behind the other, could be utilized to meet the minimum requirements as long as a comprehensive parking management system, or valet service, for example, was provided. In other words, if a project required 100 parking spaces according to the code, 20% of them could be tandem, or stacked, spaces to meet the minimum requirement.

The code amendment is somewhat specific to major projects already in the planning pipeline, including the Margaritaville project. The proposed project over 12 different lots would include 265 hotel rooms, three restaurants, including the JWB Grill with high-end steaks and seafood, the Landshark Bar and Grill and a coffee shop and provisions store in the lobby. The project would also include three outdoor pools and one indoor pool, a wellness center and gym, 14,000

square feet of flexible convention center space, retail stores facing the Boardwalk and many other upscale amenities.

Planning and Community Development Director Bill Neville explained the proposed code amendment recomended by the planning commission.

“This would allow tandem or stacked parking for commercial uses,” he said.

“In this case, we felt it was important to put this forward with the staff recommending the code amendment. It is somewhat project-specific, but it could lead to more redevelopment in the downtown area.”

Specifically, the code amendment as presented reads, “In the downtown and upper downtown design overlay district, and subject to the planning commission approval, 20% of the required parking for a hotel, motel or a commercial-use property that requires 100 or more park-

Notice of Public Hearing Worcester County Water and Wastewater Enterprise Fund FY 2022/2023 Requested Budgets and Assessments The Worcester County Commissioners will conduct a public hearing to receive comments on the proposed operating budgets, assessments, user charges and other charges for each of the 11 sanitary service areas operated by the Worcester County Department of Public Works, Water & Wastewater Division: Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at 10:45 a.m. in the County Commissioners’ Meeting Room Room 1101 Government Center, One West Market Street Snow Hill, Maryland 21863 Copies of the proposed operating budgets for the 11 sanitary service areas are available for public inspection in the County Commissioners’ Office in Room 1103 of the County Government Center in Snow Hill and online at www.co.worcester.md.us.

The 11 sanitary service areas and proposed changes to the user charges are as follows: Assateague Pointe – increase from $90 to $96 per Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU) per quarter domestic water flat charge; increase from $140.50 to $150 per EDU per quarter domestic sewer flat charge; and increase from $25 to $27 per lot grinder pump flat surcharge.

Briddletown – increase from $66 to $69 per EDU per quarter domestic water flat fee; increase from $27 to $30 swimming pool flat charge; and increase from $60 to $65 irrigation flat charge; increase in commercial water base fee ranging from $56.75 to $472.50 at present to $62.43 to $519.75 based on total EDU's; and increase in water usage charge from $9.75 to $10.73 per thousand gallons.

Edgewater Acres – increase from $175 to $183.75 per EDU per quarter domestic water and sewer base fee; and increase from $150 to $157.40 per EDU per quarter domestic sewer flat charge.

The Landings – increase from $250 to $267.50 per EDU per quarter domestic water and sewer base fee; increase from $39 to $42 per EDU per quarter Lewis Road domestic water base fee; increase in commercial water and sewer base fees ranging from $295 to $2,461 at present to $324.50 to $2,707.10 based on total EDUs; and increase from $240 to $257 per EDU per quarter accessibility fee.

Lighthouse Sound – increase from $215 to $230 per EDU per quarter domestic sewer flat charge; increase from $100 to $107 per EDU per quarter sewer accessibility fee.

Mystic Harbour - increase from $178 to $195.80 per EDU per quarter domestic water and sewer base fee; increase from $175.75 to $193.33 per EDU per quarter domestic sewer flat charge; and increase in commercial water and sewer base fees ranging from $227 to $1,890 at present to $249.70 to $2,079 based on total EDUs; increase from $150 to $165 per EDU per quarter water and sewer accessibility fee; and increase from $48.75 to $53.20 per EDU per quarter sunset village domestic water flat charge.

Newark - increase from $216 to $222 per EDU per quarter domestic water and sewer base fee; increase from $266 to $274 per EDU per quarter commercial water and sewer base fee.

Ocean Pines – increase from $179 to $187 per EDU per quarter domestic water and sewer base fee; increase from $164.75 to $170.75 per EDU per quarter domestic sewer flat charge; increase from $141 to $146 per White Horse Park lot per quarter per domestic water and sewer flat charge; increase in commercial water and sewer base fees ranging from $227 to $1,890 at present to $242.89 to $2,022.30 based on total EDUs; reduction in quarterly debt service from $37 per EDU to $36; and increase in quarterly supplemental debt service from $20 per EDU to $31.

Riddle Farm - increase from $200 to $220 per EDU per quarter domestic water and sewer base fee; increase in commercial water and sewer base fees ranging from $227 to $1,890 at present to $249.70 to $2,079 based on total EDUs. River Run - increase from $150 to $158 per EDU per quarter domestic sewer flat charge; increase from $56 to $59 per EDU per quarter domestic water base fee.

West Ocean City - no proposed changes.

In addition to user charges, assessments will be levied in the Mystic Harbour, Newark, Ocean Pines, Riddle Farm and Snug Harbour service areas or sub-areas to make debt payments. All assessments shall be made on an EDU basis.

For additional information, contact the Worcester County Treasurer’s Office at 410-632-9309.

THE WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

May 20, 2022

ing spaces may satisfy the on-site or offsite parking requirement by using tandem or stacked parking,” the proposed amendment read. “The tandem parking spaces must be reserved for a specific use and managed by a comprehensive parking management system, with no more than one vehicle stacked behind another. The second space in the stack are the spaces that shall be counted toward the 20% limitation.”

Most on the council had heartburn with the lack of a clear definition of a “comprehensive parking management system.” Basically, it means a dedicated valet system managing the spaces earmarked for tandem parking, but the code amendment as presented did not make that clear, according to Councilman Peter Buas.

“I’m a little concerned about the language regarding a comprehensive parking management system,” he said. “I think we need to narrowly tailor the criteria for the planning commission.”

Mayor Rick Meehan agreed.

“We don’t have a clear idea of what a comprehensive parking management system is,” he said. “Is this a process where we’re going to be learning along the way? I think it’s important to have criteria for the planning commission at site plan review.”

Councilman Mark Paddack said the comprehensive parking management system wasn’t clearly defined in the code amendment as presented, but said the planning commission would have discretion to review the proposed plan at the site plan approval level.

“A comprehensive parking management plan isn’t clearly defined,” he said.

“The planning commission should have the ability to think outside the box. It’s not unusual to see stacked or tandem parking all over Ocean City, especially on private property.”

Paddack made a motion to forward the ordinance as written to first-reading, a motion seconded by Councilman Lloyd Martin. Councilman John Gehrig said he wanted the language in the amendment to reflect a dedicated valet system not run willy-nilly by other staff at a commercial property.

“I have a much bigger problem with comprehensive parking management plan,” he said. “I’m fine with the definition. I just think it needs to be a dedicated position, not a general manager that runs out there and valets, or a chef that goes out and valets. How many valets do they need? I’m not ready to vote on this until some of these things are defined.”

Gehrig said the code amendment before the council on Monday contemplated a dedicated valet service for the major projects with parking deficits, but some other type of comprehensive parking management system could be forthcoming in the future.

“The problem is if we need a comprehensive parking management system in the future we can add it,” he said. “What we have in front of us today is valet parking. I don’t want to provide an escape SEE NEXT PAGE

… Amendment To Help Downtown Redevelopment Projects

May 20, 2022

hatch for someone that doesn’t want to hire valets. How do we enforce it? I’m not trying to kill this. When something doesn’t feel right, it’s usually not right.”

Neville responded, “This is an opportunity for the redevelopment of downtown.

The planning commission is always looking for the simplest solution. They believe this accomplishes that.”

Paddack pointed out the Margaritaville developers came before the council at an earlier stage of the approval process with a clear plan for how to meet their parking needs, including a noted parking system consultant.

“Margaritaville came in here with a national expert,” he said. “This project is big for economic development for the town. This is what they do. I don’t think we need to micromanage this. We have a planning commission, we have experts, we have architects and we have code enforcement. If they don’t do what they’re supposed to do, and the complaints come in, we can address it. We don’t need to micromanage this all the way down to the person who pulls the keys off the board.”

Gehrig said the proposed code amendment was too big of an issue not to get right the first time.

“We owe it to everyone to provide some sort of guidance,” he said. “If it’s valet, that’s great. If something better comes down the line, we can consider it.”

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Council President Matt James questioned why the scope of the proposed code amendment was so narrow.

“Why just downtown?” he said. “There could be other properties in the north end that might be redeveloped soon where this could be applicable.”

Neville said the amendment “only applies to the downtown overlay district. If somebody wanted to do this uptown, there isn’t a mechanism right now to do that.”

There was considerable debate about whether a valet service would have to be required all year long regardless of the season. For example, would valet service be required at Margaritaville in January or February, or just during the peak season. Paddack suggested there could be some occupancy level reached when a comprehensive parking management system, or valet service, would be triggered.

“What if valet service was required at 50% occupancy?” he said. “I don’t know what the number is. How do we define when a comprehensive parking management system should be implemented?”

Gehrig said the goal was to further build the offseason, which is why he wanted clear guidelines in place for the parking system requirements. He raised concern some visitors would avoid the valet parking and park on the city streets.

“Everything we’re doing it trying to put more people in town year-round,” he

said. “What this does is put more cars on the streets. We should have some sort of guidelines. We have to have a rule.

We have to have some parameters.”

Meehan said what was being considered represented a potentially huge change for the town and each project should be carefully reviewed on a caseby-case basis. He urged the council not to remove language related to the planning commission approval, as was suggested at different times during the debate.

“Every site plan and every property configuration are different,” he said. “I just don’t think we should remove the language about subject to the approval of the planning commission. This is a big change. There will be attempts to take advantage of this. There will be times when it is utilized when it does not have to be utilized.”

James reiterated the code amendment as presented appeared to be sitespecific to a handful of proposed projects.

“Why is it limited to the downtown and upper downtown areas?” he said. “Why isn’t this applicable town-wide? We should do this right. I don’t think we need to cater this to just a couple of projects.”

City Manager Terry McGean urged the council not to connect any comprehensive parking management system to occupancy levels. He said other com-

Page 31

mercial businesses in town were required under the code to meet their minimum parking requirements whether it was July 4 or Jan. 4.

“My only concern is this is not tied to some occupancy level,” he said. “It makes it difficult to enforce at the staff level. I don’t want an inspector to go in and check on the number of reservations.

If the business is open, they have to have valet service.”

Another issue raised was a comprehensive parking management system tied to approval by the planning commission. Meehan said he believed the planning commission should review and approval plans.

“Is it unreasonable to have a review by the planning commission at site plan approval?” he said. “What this does is just allow it without a review.”

After considerable debate, Buas made a motion to strike the language “subject to the approval of the planning commission,” and reinserting language stating “spaces must be managed by a valet and comprehensive management system sufficient in efficiency and effectiveness as determined by the planning commission.” That motion failed on a 1-6 vote with Buas the lone positive vote.

Paddack then made a motion similar to Buas’ motion, but kept in the language “subject to planning commission approval.” The motion passed 6-1 with Buas opposed.

Page 32

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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New Water Taxi Service Planned From Ocean Pines

May 20, 2022

OCEAN PINES – Starting on Tuesday, May 31, Ocean Pines residents can take advantage of a new service: a water taxi carrying passengers between Ocean Pines and Ocean City.

Thanks to a collaboration with OC Bay Hopper, riders can leave from the Ocean Pines Yacht Club to one of three stops in Ocean City: 118th Street, 48th Street, and the West Ocean City Harbor.

The water taxi is scheduled to travel from Ocean Pines to 48th Street each day at 12:45 p.m., 3:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.

Boats will return to Ocean Pines heading north at 2:15 p.m., 5:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.

One-way passes will cost $15 and round-trip tickets will run $25.

Ocean Pines General Manager John Viola said he sees the water taxi as both a service for residents and a potential benefit for Yacht Club business.

“We encourage Ocean Pines residents to take a trip over to Ocean City and stop by the Yacht Club for a drink or bite to eat, before or after their ride,” Viola said. “We see this as a service for our residents and we believe it will be a benefit to us.”

Ralph DeAngelus, co-owner of the Matt Ortt Companies that manages the Yacht Club, said he believes the strong live music at the Yacht Club will be enough to pull some visitors from Ocean City to Ocean Pines.

“The Yacht Club fully supports the arrival of the water taxi to and from its docks on a daily rotation,” he said. “We believe it will be financially beneficial, and we thank General Manager John Viola and the Board of Directors for pushing it through.”

OC Bay Hopper will also offer a special sightseeing trip from Ocean Pines to Assateague on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

“Our plan is to pick riders up at the docks in Ocean Pines at 9 a.m. and whisk them down to Assateague for a tour of the island by water,” OC Bay Hopper Coowner Steve Butz said. “They’ll get an amazing view of the wildlife and then return to the Yacht Club at about 11:15 a.m., just in time for lunch.”

Launched in 2018, OC Bay Hopper transported roughly 8,000 riders last summer.

Starting this summer, Butz said each of the three Bay Hopper boats would carry an Ocean Pines Yacht Club placard, and that OC Bay Hopper staff would help promote Ocean Pines as a new destination.

“The Ocean Pines Yacht Club is a hidden gem available to residents and visitors in Ocean City and we are excited to add this spot to our list of Bayside destinations,” he said. “We are hoping that a strong reception to this service from Ocean Pines residents will also allow us to expand service in the future, as we add more boats to our fleet."

For more information, visit www.ocbayhopper.com.

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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Page 34

Professor Paints First Lady Portrait

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022

Yumi Hogan is pictured with Salisbury University Professor of Art Jinchul Kim at this month’s portrait reveal.

Submitted Photo

SALISBURY – Jinchul Kim, Salisbury University professor of art, knew Yumi Hogan well before she became the First Lady of Maryland.

The two artists traveled in the same circles, including the Han-Mee Artists Association of Greater Washington for Ko-

rean American artists, and have displayed their work together.

When Hogan chose Kim for her official portrait, it meant more to him than some of his other works, as it gave him the opportunity to capture a friend on canvas.

“When you create a portrait painting, you do more than just the likeness or resemblance of a person,” he said. “The portrait creates an incredible understanding of the personality.”

The portrait of Hogan and that of her husband, Governor Larry Hogan, painted by artist Cedric Egeli, were unveiled recently at the Government House in Annapolis.

The Foundation for the Preservation of Government House of Maryland, Inc. commissioned the official portrait, which is part of the state’s art collection.

“It’s very exciting, and it’s a great honor for me to be invited to do the portrait and finally have the unveiling,” Kim said.

The First Lady visited Kim’s studio on several occasions throughout the process, which was completed early in 2021. She is an abstract artist whose work impressed Kim before he even knew who the artist was. She has said that when she comes to the Eastern Shore, the geography and agriculture of the chicken farms and corn fields remind her of the town in which she grew up in Korea.

“When I first saw her work, I felt that,” Kim said. “Without even knowing she did that painting, I thought, ‘This is a very inspiring painting.’ It was an abstract expressionistic style painting with the magical harmony of ancient Korean traditional painting spirit. The mood and atmosphere is a combination of the eastern and western juxtaposition of the two different cultures.”

Kim is the head of the painting and drawing areas in the Charles R. and Martha N. Fulton School of Liberal Arts. He is a former winner of the Maryland Board of Regents Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching and has received critical acclaim for his artwork.

Students Win Prize Money In Annual Hatchery Competition

May 20, 2022

SALISBURY – When Edwin Djampa earns his B.S. in nutritional food science from the University of Maryland, College Park, in just a few days, he will do so with an extra $30,000 — all thanks to his quest to create a better granola bar.

Djampa founded Omega 3, LLC, in 2019, to produce granola bars enriched with omega-3 fatty acids after attending a class lecture on how the American diet often lacks those essential nutrients.

His vision earned him the top spot — and $30,000 in funding to grow his business — in this semester’s 18th round of the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation Shore Hatchery entrepreneurship competition at Salisbury University.

Held at the University’s new Dave and Patsy Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship at SU Downtown, the competition featured some 13 applicants from throughout the Mid-Atlantic vying for their share of $100,000 in prize money.

Other winners included: •Simple Assist Therapeutics, LLC – Rebecca Della-Rodolfa. Based in Rehoboth Beach, Del., this firm plans to produce a therapeutic apparatus for assisting mobility impaired and disabled persons with performing common tasks such as bathing and getting dressed - $25,000 •Beauty in the Scars Corp./BITS

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 35

Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation Shore Hatchery entrepreneurship competition winner Edwin Djampa, center, is pictured with program mentors Dave Wilson and Patrica Royak.

Submitted Photo

Cleaning – Elizabeth Day. This Salisbury-based business offers commercial and residential cleaning services. With a doctorate in education, Day believes in helping her employees by providing growth opportunities and job security $20,000 •Resolved Property Solutions – DeVanna Young. This Salisbury-based, woman-led family property management business specializes in long-term, Airbnb and vacation rentals - $15,000 •Real Vibez Productions – J’kai Bra-

boy. Based in Salisbury, this photography and videography production company focuses on expressive, cinematic imagery - $5,000 •Move and Still, LLC – Dominiece Clifton. This Baltimore-based health and wellness business aims to provide greater accessibility to tools for stress management and trauma recovery $5,000 In addition to funding, winners and participants also receive mentoring support from the program’s board. Mentors

include business leaders such as Chris Perdue of Perdue Farms, Inc.; Mike Cottingham of the Rommel Companies; Kathy Kiernan and Patricia Royak, members of SU’s Franklin P. Perdue School of Business Executive Advisory Council; and Jennifer Layton of Layton’s Chance Vineyard and Winery.

This round’s winners join the program’s 88 previous award recipients, who have self-reported estimated profits of some $76,668,454, creating more than 638 jobs.

The Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation Shore Hatchery program was established with an initial $1 million contribution in 2013. In 2017, the Ratcliffe Foundation announced a second $1 million gift to continue the Shore Hatchery through Spring 2023. It is administered through SU’s Franklin P. Perdue School of Business. Its goal: to fund entrepreneurs and have new businesses opening within six months, with the potential of employing three or more within three years.

Up to $200,000 annually is available for those applying for grants through the Shore Hatchery program. Its board of directors selects recipients based on presentations.

For more information call 410-5464325 or visit the Ratcliffe Shore Hatchery website at www.salisbury.edu/shore-hatchery.

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 37

OPA Announces Six Candidates For 2022 Board Election

Page 38

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

OCEAN PINES – Director Rick Farr, Ocean Pines’ new association secretary, announced this week that he has certified six candidates as eligible to run in this year’s board election.

With the application deadline now past, the Ocean Pines Association (OPA) this week announced the six certified candidates for the 2022 Board of Directors election – incumbents Amy Peck and Josette Wheatley, and residents Monica Rakowski, Stuart Lakernick, Paula Gray and Stephen Jacobs.

This year, three board seats currently held by Directors Larry Perrone, Peck and Wheatley will be up for grabs in the election process. In a comment this week, Farr said the six candidates have met the

application deadline of May 10 and all eligibility requirements.

“All candidates meet the minimum criteria set forth by section 5.02 of the OPA bylaws,” he said.

With Wheatley running for a seat in this year’s election, Association President Colette Horn announced Wheatley’s resignation as association secretary last week. To that end, the OPA Board of Directors held a special meeting last Friday to elect a new officer.

“Although it is not a requirement that she resign, she resigned her secretary duties because of the potential for conflict in the candidate verification process, which is one of the secretary’s responsibilities,” Horn said. “So I want to thank Josette for the work she did for this board in her term as secretary. We wish her well in her candidacy.”

Following her remarks, Horn an-

nounced that Farr had been nominated to fill the secretary position.

“He has agreed to step up and assume those duties if elected,” she added.

With no further discussion, a motion to elect Farr as secretary passed 5-0, with Wheatley and Peck absent. Horn noted that Farr’s liaison duties will be reassigned to both Wheatley and Peck.

“Josette Wheatley has agreed to take on the ARC liaison position, and Amy Peck has agreed to take on the Rec and Parks liaison position,” she said.

According to the association’s bylaws, the secretary is responsible for keeping meeting minutes and performing functions associated with elections and referendums, among other things. The secretary is also responsible for verifying candidates’ eligibility in board elections.

Farr’s nomination to the post of secretary comes less than a year after the

May 20, 2022

association’s former officer, Camilla Rogers, disqualified him as a candidate during the 2021 board election over his homeownership status in the Pines. Following a months-long legal battle, a Worcester County Circuit Court judge in January granted Farr’s claims for declaratory judgement and ruled him an eligible Pines homeowner and eligible candidate in the 2021 election. He was seated as the association’s newest board member two weeks later.

The association on Monday also announced the dates for upcoming election events.

An eligible candidate draw and workshop – to determine ballot and forum order – will be held June 7 at 2 p.m. in the Ocean Pines Community Center. The first candidate forum will be held June 22 at 6 p.m. in the Clubhouse meeting room, and a second candidate forum will be held June 25 at 10 a.m. in the Clubhouse meeting room.

The cutoff date for voter eligibility is July 6, and ballots will be mailed out no later than July 12 with a return date of Aug. 10 by 4 p.m.

Ballots will be counted, and vote totals will be announced, the next day, Aug. 11, beginning at 10 a.m. in the Clubhouse meeting room.

The annual meeting will be held Saturday, Aug. 13, at a time and venue to be determined. Those with questions about the election are asked to contact elections@oceanpines.org.

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May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Nursing Grads: Thirty Wor-Wic

Community College associate degree in nursing graduates recently participated in an awards and recognition ceremony. The ceremony was held at James M. Bennett High School, and featured a keynote address by Sam Driscoll, a 2020 Wor-Wic nursing graduate who is now a registered nurse at University of Maryland Shock Trauma.

Special awards were presented by Dr. Brenda J. Mister, department head and professor of nursing. Victoria Marshall, president of the Nursing Student Organization, was the student speaker.

The graduates are pictured at right.

Above, Alivia Spagnola pins a nursing cap on fellow student Jurgita Blake at the 2022 awards and recognition ceremony for Wor-Wic Community College nursing graduates. Below, Chelsea Milligan, instructor of nursing at Wor-Wic Community College, bestows a nursing pin on graduate Holly Adrion.

Submitted Photos

Page 39

Notice of Public Hearing Worcester County Solid Waste Enterprise Fund FY 2022/2023 Requested Operating Budget The Worcester County Commissioners will conduct a public hearing to receive comments on the proposed FY 2022/2023 Solid Waste Enterprise Fund Operating Budget as requested by the Worcester County Department of Public Works, Solid Waste Division on: Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at 10:45 a.m. in the County Commissioners’ Meeting Room Room 1101 Government Center, One West Market Street Snow Hill, Maryland 21863 The Proposed Budget maintains the current solid waste tipping fee of $75 per ton for municipal waste and $80 per ton for construction and demolition debris. Copies of the detailed budget are available for public inspection at the County Commissioners’ Office in Room 1103 of the County Government Center in Snow Hill or online at www.co.worcester.md.us.

WORCESTER COUNTY 2022/2023 REQUESTED OPERATING BUDGET SOLID WASTE ENTERPRISE FUND Personnel Services………………………………….................$1,451,172 Supplies & Materials……………………………………..……....$34,295 Maintenance & Services……………………………………....$1,402,225 Other Charges…………………………………………..…….....$758,037 Debt Service…………………………………………...…….......$444,154 Interfund Charges……..……………………………..………...$(198,957) Capital Equipment………………………………...………..…...$920,000 TOTAL REQUESTED EXPENSES

$4,810,926

Tipping Fees………………………………………...………...$4,165,900 Permits……………………………………………...............……...$4,500 Interest and Penalties……………………………………….....…...$5,046 Other Revenue……………………………………….……..…...$330,000 Transfer from Reserves……………………………...…………..$305,480 TOTAL ESTIMATED REVENUES

$4,810,926

For additional information, contact the Worcester County Treasurer’s Office at 410-632-9309.

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New Sponsor For OC Galleria Space

Page 40

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

OCEAN CITY – The Art League of Ocean City announced this week John Sisson, president of the board of directors, has stepped forward to sponsor the balcony exhibit space at the Ocean City Center for the Arts. The Art League has renamed the area The John Carroll Sisson Galleria and installed signage in honor of his donation.

Sisson has served as the Art League’s president for four years and made this donation to the Arts Center in honor of his grandfather and nephew. All three are named John Carroll Sisson.

John Carroll Sisson I was a master carpenter who worked on the construction of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. John Carroll Sisson III was a seaman on the Dwight D. Eisenhower and one of the first American servicemen to come under fire during the first Iraq war.

Board president John Carroll Sisson II was inspired by a fellow board member to make the contribution.

“I wanted to make a sizeable contribution to the Art League, but I had originally not decided to go quite this far,” Sisson said. “Fifty grand is a pretty big bite for a retired schoolteacher. But I was talking with Laura Jenkins one day, and I was thanking her for her endowment of the

Orem & Harriet Robinson Fellowship for Contemporary Art and Community Involvement. This program is a great leap for the Art League, and I told her how impressed I was with her generosity. She looked right into me and said, ‘John, I just consider myself fortunate to be in a position to do something like this.’”

Sisson added, “Those words stuck with me, and I thought over time, if there’s something I believe in, a cause I want to get behind, a mission that makes a difference, a way to give back to a community that has nurtured and inspired me, then I have to go the distance. And I found a way to make it happen.”

Sisson joins other members of the community who have sponsored spaces at the Arts Center and have their donations honored.

“I’m happy and proud to have my name on these walls, along with the Thalers, the Leiners, the Stansells, the Schwabs, the Felbers, the Albrights, the Widdowsons, PNC Bank, Katherine Ellen Brown, Marian Bickerstaff, Toni Howard, Junis Adkins, the family and friends of Shirley Hall, and Calvin B. Taylor Bank, along with the Art League’s amazing donors, corporate partners, and legacy partners listed on our Wall of Honor. You make it happen. You

May 20, 2022

John Carroll Sisson is pictured at the Ocean City Center for the Arts.

Submitted Photo

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mitment brings unity and self-respect, honor and prestige, to our town, to our region, and really, to the entire Lower Shore.”

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 41

The Worcester Preparatory School Surf Club and Volunteer Club recently presented Surfers Healing of Ocean City with a donation raised by “Wear Blue Worcester Wednesday.”

On Wednesday, April 27, Worcester Prep held a “Wear Blue Worcester Wednesday” in support of Autism Awareness Day. In addition to wearing blue, the Upper School Surf Club collected donations to support the Surfers Healing foundation, which works to enrich lives of people living with autism by exposing them to the unique experience of surfing. Just over $850 was raised.

Surfers Healing is the original surf camp for children with autism. Serving communities since 1996, volunteers with the nonprofit travel across the country – from San Diego to Rhode Island – to catch the waves with camp participants.

Locally, a camp is held in Ocean City, Md., each summer providing nearly 200 children with autism, and their families the opportunity to go surfing.

Pictured, from left, are Surfers Healing organizer Dave Leiderman, Surf Club members Drew McCormick, President Dillon Scopp and Brock Brushmiller and WPS Volunteer Club President Bennett Tinkler and members Anders Taylor, Vanesska Hall, Elaina Elrick and Assistant Head of School/Head of Upper School Mike Grosso.

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Page 42

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022

COMMUNITY News In Photos

SoDel Cares, the philanthropic arm of SoDel Concepts, recently donated $2,500 to the Read Aloud Delaware. Scott Kammerer, president of SoDel Concepts and founder of SoDel Cares, presents a $2,500 check to Stacy Penaranda, the Sussex County coordinator of the program, and James Spadola, the executive director.

The Ocean City Jeep Club hosted a food and supply drive for Town Cats in Berlin on May 14. Despite the rain, dozens attended to drop off donations for the nonprofit, which aims to help free roaming, feral or abandoned cats in the Ocean City area.

Submitted Photos

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City supports student leadership programs in local schools and has several members who serve as club advisors at area schools. Pictured from left to right are advisors Sarah Walker, Doreen O’Connor, Candy Foreman, Roy Foreman and Bob Wolfing.

Margo Ayers recently spoke to the Ocean City Lions about the Worcester County Public School services for blind and visually impaired students. The program serves Worcester County youth from birth through 21 years. Pictured from left to right are Past District Governor Norm Cathell, Ayers, and Past Lion President Mike Hooper.

The Ocean City Lions Club recently inducted two new members to the service club.

Pictured from left to right are OC Lion Director Ken Robertson, Past President Mike Hooper, inductee Dave Hammond, Past President John Topfer, inductee Chuck Becker and Past District Governor Norm Cathell.

BJ’s Wholesale Club, in partnership with the Ocean Pines Association, donated $920 to the Worcester County Veterans Memorial at Ocean Pines as a part of its 2021 spring and fall membership offers. Ocean Pines Marketing Coordinator Julie Malinowski (left) presented a check to Worcester County Veterans Memorial President Marie Gilmore on May 6.

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Hospital Accreditation BERLIN – Atlantic General Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Hospital Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.

Atlantic General Hospital underwent a rigorous, unannounced four-day onsite review, starting February 8. During the visit, a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with hospital standards spanning several areas including environment of care, emergency management, infection prevention and control, performance improvement and medication management.

The Joint Commission’s standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. They are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help health care organizations measure, assess and improve performance. The surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

“As a private accreditor, The Joint Commission surveys health care organizations to protect the public by identifying deficiencies in care and working with those organizations to correct them as quickly and sustainably as possible,” says Mark Pelletier, RN, MS, chief operating officer of accreditation and certification operations, and chief nursing executive of The Joint Commission. “We commend Atlantic General Hospital for its continuous quality improvement efforts in patient safety and quality of care.”

“We can’t thank our medical staff and associates enough for their continued support, dedication and commitment to high quality patient care,” said Ann Bergey, vice president of quality and medical staff services. “The four surveyors scrutinized over 250 Joint Commission Standards, which contain 1,514 elements of performance, including 11 National Patient Safety Goals. In addition, there were 35 tracers conducted during the survey. Despite the strain and worry of the pandemic, we achieved a 99% compliance rate.”

Business Expansion SUSSEX COUNTY – Tonney Insley, senior advisor, and Christina Rice, advisor, with SVN Miller Commercial Real Estate have earned their Delaware real estate license. Insley and Rice have teamed

BUSINESS And Real Estate News up to cover the Delaware real estate market in western Sussex County. Insley is now licensed in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Rice is licensed in Maryland and Delaware.

Rice began her career with SVN Miller in 2007 as an executive assistant to Brent Miller. Over the last 15 years she has provided administrative and business support services to select SVN advisors. In 2021, she transitioned to an advisor position working alongside Insley. Prior to joining SVN Miller Commercial Real Estate, Rice served as a contract specialist for Hill International, Inc. in Washington, D.C. “I worked alongside the late Tom Knopp for the past 12-plus years at SVN Miller,” said Rice. “He was my mentor.

Since Tom's market was Delaware, specifically Sussex County, I hope to honor Tom and continue working in Delaware with Sussex County being my primary focus. I intend to focus on commercial land as well as office and warehouse.”

Rice’s career highlights include a letter of commendation received from the director of utilities and power of the architect of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., for her active role in assisting with the procurement of a multi-million-dollar project.

Insley joined SVN Miller in 2014 as an advisor. His primary focus has been throughout Wicomico and Worcester counties. “I am always looking for ways to better serve my clients and having a greater geographical reach is just a nobrainer,” said Insley.

As chief executive officer, Day leads the Perdue Farms senior leadership team, including Perdue Foods, Perdue Agribusiness, and Perdue Farms corporate functions. Day was named CEO in March of 2017, and is the fourth CEO in the company’s 102-year history. He is also a member of the board of directors.

He has worked at Perdue since 1980. He currently serves as the secretary and treasurer of the National Chicken Council and is a member of the board of directors and executive committee. Day served on the RANDY DAY board of directors of the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, on the executive committee of the National Turkey Federation and on the technical and regulatory committee of the National Chicken Council.

In his community, he served on the board of the MidAtlantic YMCA, chaired the secondary education advisory committee for the Wicomico County Board of Education and participated in the Wicomico County Mentoring Project. He is a member of the Greater Salisbury Committee and Council At Large of the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce.

The Del-Mar-Va Council is honored to present Randy Day with this well-deserved award Aug. 18, 2022 at Salisbury University’s Perdue School of Business.

CEO To Be Honored

SALISBURY – TidalHealth Peninsula Regional is pleased to announce its Physician and Advanced Practice Provider (APP) of the Year: Matthew Stensland, DO, and Jeremiah Campbell, CRNP, ENP-C, FNP-C, both of Emergency Services Associates at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional’s Emergency Department (ED).

Stensland is known for his excellent bedside manner and the care that he provides to patients. During this challenging

SALISBURY – The Del-Mar-Va Council, BSA is pleased to announce that Randy Day, chief executive officer of Perdue Farms, is the 2022 recipient of the Lower Shore Distinguished Citizen Award. Recipients of the Lower Shore Distinguished Citizen Award are chosen for their outstanding service as evidenced by their leadership to many organizations, as well as the respect and esteem in which they are held by their colleagues.

Physician, Provider Recognized

Page 43 time, he has been stepping in to do anything he can to alleviate the burden on the ED team. He has been known to jump in and draw blood for lab tests and start IVs when nursing team members are attending to other tasks or higher priorities.

He has also been seen MATTHEW transporting patients for STENSLAND medical scanning within the department.

These may seem like little things, but they are greatly appreciated.

Campbell helps TidalHealth Peninsula Regional’s Emergency Department team run efficiently and stay ahead of the tasks at hand. Even during this difficult time, Campbell treats all patients and ED team members with the utmost respect, patience and with a smile. He is pleasant and works with JEREMIAH nursing team members CAMPBELL to help however he can.

The physicians and team members of TidalHealth Peninsula Regional congratulate Stensland and Campbell on their selection as Physician and APP of the Year.

Promotion Announced SALISBURY – CFS, Inc. (Comprehensive Financial Solutions) provides personalized solutions to its clients across Delmarva and throughout the United States, including financial planning, small business retirement plans, tax, insurance, and wealth management.

NATALIE The growth CFS has SANCHEZ experienced over the past year finally warranted the firm to hire a full-time receptionist.

Beginning in November 2021, Natalie Sanchez joined the team offering vital support to associates and advisors. CFS is pleased to announce that within a year of joining the team, Sanchez has been promoted to Client Service Associate I. Sanchez brings with her certifications in “World Class Customer Service” and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and a long history of customer service jobs. Working as a camp counselor, daycare teacher, and an assortment of front desk reception positions across the United States, Natalie shows exquisite care for clients and prospects.

Page 44

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022

People in Society Susan Mohler, Barbara Wasiakowski and Elisabeth Scott represented Town Cats at a food drive hosted by the Ocean City Jeep Club.

by Charlene Sharpe Featuring Those Helping Causes In The Resort Area

Chellc Clayton and Qua and Gabi Willis helped children make seed starter kits at Bay Day.

Riley Gannon, Autumn Drew, Kendall Rayfield and Skylar Freistat volunteered Sunday at Bay Day in Ocean Pines.

Karen Lockard, Cally Carson Mack and Heidi Cox volunteered at Bay Day in Ocean Pines.

Archer Larned and Sharon Peterson of Maryland Coastal Bays Program welcomed visitors to Bay Day in Ocean Pines.

Author Bunk Mann, accompanied by his wife Shari, was on hand to sign copies of his book during an after-hours event at the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum.

Assateague Coastkeeper Gabby Ross and Assateague Coastal Trust Executive Director Brenda Davis are pictured at Bay Day in Ocean Pines.

Stephen Battistone and Lynn Killian of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary shared boating safety information with kids at Bay Day.

Town Cats volunteers Pat Chance, Nancy Carter and Chris Aument are pictured at a food drive hosted by the Ocean City Jeep Club.

Christine Okerblom and Cara Downey welcomed guests to the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum for an evening of wine and music May 12.

Short Film Documents Inlet’s Creation Through Dance

May 20, 2022

OCEAN CITY — The date was Aug. 22, 1933, a day that would change the history of Ocean City forever. On that date Hurricane 6 — popularly known as the Storm of 1933 — devastated the Eastern Shore, with the Atlantic Ocean engulfing businesses, homes, and entire landscapes. But the storm also had a massive economic impact, cutting a much-needed Inlet between the ocean and the back bay.

A new film, Hurricane 6, produced and directed by Fiona O’Brien of Bishopville and starring the cast of the Saltare in Elementis Dance Collective (SIEDC), unpacks the dynamic created by the Inlet through dance. The 15-minute short film premieres on Saturday, May 21 at 7 p.m. at the Ocean City Center for the Arts, 502 94th St. bayside. Admission is $5 and supports the Ocean City Film Festival.

The film was made possible in part by a grant from the Ocean City Film Festival with support from the Worcester County Arts Council.

Director and SIEDC co-founder O’Brien, an Ocean City native, said her inspiration for the film came from her desire to reconcile the natural beauty of the Eastern Shore with the industrious identity of Ocean City.

“Ocean City and Assateague are vastly different landscapes,” she said. “As a kid, I would go surf fishing on Assateague with my dad … As I grew older, I began working in Ocean City and got caught in the fast-paced swing of summer … When filming on Assateague for Hurricane 6, I found myself circling back to the character in the story, longing for the past and connecting with nature again.”

While the dynamic between these two lands is a key theme to O’Brien, she also wanted the film to broadly focus on the relationship between woman and nature.

Hurricane 6 concentrates on women’s historic role in Ocean City’s economic boom.

The main character in the film, danced by Daria Gilbert, represents both the land and the generations of working class women who helped build Ocean City.

Zoe Couloumbis, rehearsal director and co-founder of SIEDC, states that the relationship between woman, work, and water is central to the film.

“Hurricane 6's narrative, production, and execution were all solely created, facilitated, and performed by women,” she said. “This storm both brought in and wiped out life around the Eastern Shore, and that is not mere coincidence. Hurricane 6 personifies the event, giving a tangible character to the earth's elements. This way, as the audience, we can physically see the relationship between woman and water.”

The film’s production fostered inter-art collaboration. Will Rothermel of Ocean City, resident composer at SIEDC, worked with O’Brien to create the score which guides the film, and he looked towards the natural and social landscape for inspiration.

“Stirring Tides featured ocean waves sampled straight from Assateague,” Rothermel said. “Ocean Commotion just screams commercialism and a lighthearted attitude. I sampled a few sounds from

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

the Town of Ocean City including the bumper car bell used at Trimper’s Rides.

Taking inspiration from timeless surf rock classics, I tried to recreate that sunny, warm feeling.”

For William Strang, director of photography, who is also the creative director of the Ocean City Film Festival, Hurricane 6 is a work that protects, preserves, and promotes Ocean City’s history, identity, and artwork.

“I do consider this film to have a heavy documentary influence,” he said. “We were fortunate to use primary source material and place images of the town's past alongside images of the town's present.

Projects like Hurricane 6 are perfect demonstrations of how easy it is to make a fairly impressive film in our town.”

Page 45

Members of the Saltare in Elementis Dance Collective are pictured during taping in Ocean City.

Submitted Photo

Page 46

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022

Chris Parypa’s Photo Of The Week: Each week staff photographer Chris Parypa is tasked with submitting a photo from his vast library to be fea-

tured in this space. The Boardwalk is pictured above on Sunday, one of many foggy days of late in Ocean City. To purchase any of Parypa’s photos, click over to www.chrisparypa.com.

50/50 Raffle!

Cash Or Check Only

21

May 20, 2022

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THE DISPATCH Crossword Puzzle

ANSWERS ON PAGE 70

HOROSCOPES ARIES (March 21 to April 19): You be done, and avoid frittering away your might have to turn your Arian charm up energies on less-important pursuits. a few degrees if you hope to persuade There'll be time later for fun and games.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21): Althat persistent pessimist to see the possibilities in your project. Whatever though the conflicts seem to be letting up, you still need to be wary of being you do, don't give up.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): drawn into workplace intrigues. Plan a A "tip" about a co-worker's "betrayal" special weekend event for family and/or might well raise the Bovine's rage lev- friends.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21): els. But before charging into a confrontation, let an unbiased colleague do Your quick wit helps you work through an already difficult situation without some fact-checking.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Al- creating more problems. Creative asthough a relationship still seems to be pects begin to dominate by the week's moving too slowly to suit your expec- end.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19): tations, it's best not to push it. Let it develop at its own pace. You'll soon get Be patient. You'll soon receive news news about a workplace change. about a project that means so much to CANCER (June 21 to July 22): you. Meanwhile, you might want to reA continually changing personal situa- consider a suggestion you previously tion makes you feel as if you're riding turned down. an emotional roller coaster. But hold on AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18): tight; stability starts to set in early next There are still some aspects about that week. new job offer you need to resolve. In the LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22): Believe meantime, another possibility seems it or not, someone might dare to say promising. Be sure to check that out as "No!" to the Regal One's suggestion. well.

But instead of being miffed, use this PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20): Orebuff to recheck the proposition and, pening up your emotional floodgates perhaps, make some changes. could leave you vulnerable to being hurt VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22): You later on. Watch what you say, in order might find it difficult to make a decision to avoid having your words come back about a family matter. But delay can to haunt you. only lead to more problems. Seek out BORN THIS WEEK: You're usually trusted counsel and then make that im- the life of the party, which gets you on portant decision. everyone's invitation list. You also have LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22): Con- a flair for politics. (c) 2022 King Features Syndicate, Inc. centrate your focus on what needs to ON PAGE ANSWERS 46

Page 47

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 48

Things I Like...

By Steve Green

The Berlin Farmers Market Rainy day board games A one-hour fog delay

Steak and asparagus on the grill

This spring’s temperature extremes The south’s different takes on shrimp and grits

A day off from the computer

Steamed crabs and corn on the cob Friday lunches with my wife Freshly laundered shirts

A kid giggling in his sleep

OCEAN CITY vanishing

May 20, 2022

WITH BUNK MANN

One of Ocean City's most popular attractions was built by Odie Hartley on 65th Street and Coastal Highway in 1972. Originally known as the "Sea Side Slides," three concrete slides (painted blue) cascaded down a 38-foot man-made hill where kids would ride rubber mats to splash into landing pools about 2 ½ feet deep.

Odie, along with his wife Dee, operated the business until selling it to his stepson Mike Wicklein in 1991. Wicklein re-named it the "65th Street Slide and Ride" and added other attractions such as mini-golf, a moon bounce, and kiddie bumper boats. He named the flumes the Kiddie Slide, the Katie Slide (after his daughter), and the Sui-slide for young dare devils willing to risk skinned knees and elbows in the shallow landing pools.

Wicklein operated the popular attraction through the summer of 2008 and finally closed it to move on to other endeavors. Although the 65th Street Slide and Ride is now part of history, memories of it will last forever.

To purchase one of Bunk Mann's books, click over to www.vanishingoc.com.

Photo courtesy Mike Wicklein

County Postpones Pay Plan Adoption

May 20, 2022

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SALISBURY – Citing the need for amendments, county officials this week agreed to postpone the adoption of a new classification and pay plan for Wicomico employees.

On Tuesday, the Wicomico County Council held a public hearing on the adoption of a new county classification and pay plan, which will provide certain changes to pay grades and titles for county employees. But despite overall support for the plan, county officials agreed to postpone its adoption until certain amendments could be added to the legislative bill.

“I think it’s important that the actual pay ranges be presented in this bill …,” said Andrew Mitchell, county attorney.

“With the actual pay ranges, it doesn’t have much meaning at all.”

In an effort to attract and retain a strong workforce, the county employed Bolton USA last year to complete a salary study of Wicomico’s positions.

And in February, company representatives came before the council to present its findings, unveiling a current pay structure in which 77% of employee salaries fell below the desired market range.

The study not only included recommendations, but a plan for implementing and funding those recommendations in the coming months.

“For the current positions that are filled, we’re almost $1.8 million short on salaries for all positions,” Finance Director Pam Oland said at the time. “If we add in the concept of vacant positions at corrections and throughout the county, that comes up to almost $2.25 million.”

Following recommendations from Bolton, the council in April voted to introduce the new classification and pay plan. And during a public hearing this week, residents came before the legislative body in support of the new plan.

“Many of these employees are doing work that’s putting them on a lower pay scale,” said resident Monica Brooks. “I think it’s great, and it will put these employees on a pay scale they deserve.”

Mitchell told county leaders this week

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

both he and the county attorney had reviewed the new classification and pay plan and had recommended two amendments. In addition to adding pay ranges to the legislative bill, Mitchell recommended the council add language that the plan could be amended by either a new budget bill or a resolution.

“That way if there’s a change in title or a pay raise … you don’t have to go back, pass a bill and wait 60 days for its adoption,” he said.

When asked if those amendments could be made that day, Mitchell said he recommended the legislative bill be amended and voted on at the next council meeting.

“There’s going to be a need to set those ranges, and then the budget has to fall within those ranges …,” he explained. “Allow the finance director to show in the budget that it does sync up and vote on it in the next meeting.”

Oland, however, disagreed. She said passing the legislative bill would essentially start the 60-day window for adoption, allowing the new classification and pay plan to take effect at the start of the next fiscal year.

“My recommendation is to pass it, to start that 60-day window, and then amend it at the June 7 meeting via resolution,” she said.

Council Administrator Laura Hurley, however, asserted the council couldn’t amend a bill that hadn’t yet been adopted.

“The bill wouldn’t be in effect at that date,” she said.

Oland said postponing the vote could cause problems for county departments.

She noted, for example, that the state’s attorney’s office was looking to create an evidence technician position. But if the council were to adopt the plan at its next meeting, the legislative bill wouldn’t go into effect until August.

“That means an evidence tech could not be hired until August,” she said. “Any changes we are making to this thing can’t take place until our 60 days have run out.”

Ultimately, the county council agreed to wait until its June 7 meeting to adopt a new classification and pay plan, with the proposed amendments.

Page 49

Page 50

Who’s Where When 45TH ST. TAPHOUSE 443-664-2201 45th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, May 20: Colossal Fossil Sauce Saturday, May 21: Josh Pryor Sunday, May 22: Keith White Duo

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Best Beats

COINS PUB 410-289-3100 28th St. Plaza On Coastal Hwy. Friday, May 20: Walk Of Shame Saturday, May 21: Jim Long, Wes Davis Wednesdays: DJ Wax CORK BAR Saturday, May 21: Lennon LaRicci & The Leftovers Sunday, May 22: Tres Amigos

BEATS BY WAX Pickles Pub: Tuesdays & Thursdays Coins Pub: Wednesdays

DJ WOOD Pickles Pub: Mondays Karaoke w/Wood

GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY Fager’s island: Saturday, May 21

FAGER’S ISLAND 410-524-5500 60th St. In The Bay Friday, May 20: DJ RobCee, Foreplay, Everwatt Saturday, May 21: Great Train Robbery, DJ Hook, The Rockets Monday, May 23: DJ Hector, Animal House, Shake The Room Tuesday, May 24: Bryan Clark, DJ Hector

DARIN ENGH Coconuts Beach Bar: Friday, May 20

JIM LONG BAND Coin’s Pub: Saturdays

BEATS BY STYLER Pickles Pub: Fridays, Sundays, Wednesdays Crawl St. Tavern: Tuesdays

DJ BILLY T Harborside: Friday, Sunday &Thursday

SCRAPPLE Crawl Street Tavern: Friday, May 20

DJ PAPI ROISTEROUS Lookout Lounge: Sundays Purple Moose: Wednesdays

CRABCAKE FACTORY BAYSIDE 302-988-5000 37314 Lighthouse Rd., Rte. 54 Selbyville, DE Friday, May 20: Rivers & Rhodes Sunday, May 22: Scattered Tuesday, May 24: Smooth & Remy Wednesday, May 25: Monkee Paw CRAWL STREET TAVERN 443-373-2756 Wicomico St. Downtown O.C. Friday, May 20: Scrapple Saturday, May 21: Red Bullette Sundays: Karaoke W/DJ Rut Tuesdays: DJ Styler Thursdays: DJ DeoGee

DJ ROBCEE Fager’s Island: Friday, May 20

On The Beach

BUXY’S SALTY DOG 410-289-0973 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, May 20: Dust N Bones COCONUTS BEACH BAR & GRILL OCEANFRONT CASTLE IN THE SAND 37TH & 38TH ST. 410-289-6846 Friday, May 20: Darin Engh, The Dunehounds Saturday, May 21: Darren O’Neill, Lime Green Band Sunday, May 22: Acoustic Campfire, Rick & Regina Monday, May 23: Sean Loomis, Smooth Rhythm Tuesday, May 24: Shortcut Sunny Wednesday, May 25: Chasing Autumn Thursday, May 26: Kevin Poole, Beach Bandits

May 20, 2022

DJ DEOGEE Crawl St. Tavern: Thursdays

SURREAL Purple Moose: Friday & Saturday, May 20 & 21

KAROAKE W/JEREMY Harborside: Saturdays Greene Turtle West: Sundays

DJ BK Greene Turtle West: Friday, May 20

BRYAN CLARK Fager’s Island: Tuesday, May 24

DUST N BONES Dry Dock 28: Friday, May 20 Pickles Pub: Saturday, May 21

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 51

Who’s Where When GREENE TURTLE WEST 410-213-1500 Rt. 611, West O.C. Friday, May 20: DJ BK Sundays: Karaoke w/ DJ Jeremy

SCATTERED Crabcake Factory Bayside: Sunday, May 22

COLOSSAL FOSSIL SAUCE 45th St. Taphouse: Friday, May 20

HARBORSIDE 410-213-1846 South Harbor Rd., West O.C. Fridays: DJ Billy T Saturday, May 21: Rogue Citizens, DJ Jeremy Sunday, May 22: Opposite Directions, DJ Billy T Thursdays: DJ Billy T OCEAN CLUB 410-524-3535 10100 Coastal Hwy. In The OC Friday & Saturday, May 20 & 21: TBA

EVERWATT Fager’s Island: Friday, May 20

WALK OF SHAME Coins Pub: Friday, May 20

GO GO GADJET Seacrets: Thursday, May 26

SMOOTH & REMY Coconuts Beach Bar: Monday, May 23 Crabcake Factory Bayside: Tuesday, May 24

THE DUNEHOUNDS Coconuts Beach Bar: Friday, May 20

I&I RIDDIM REGGAE Seacrets: Tuesday-Thursday, May 24-26

ROGUE CITIZENS Harborside: Saturday, May 21

LENNON LARICCI & THE LEFTOVERS Cork Bar: Saturday, May 21

OCEAN PINES YACHT CLUB 410-641-7501 1 Mumford’s Landing Road, Ocean Pines Friday, May 20: Scorpion Rose Saturday, May 21: Opposite Directions PICKLES PUB 410-289-4891 8th St. & Philadelphia Ave. Fridays: Beats By Styler Saturday, May 21: Dust N Bones Sundays: Beats By Styler Mondays: Karaoke with Wood Tuesdays: Beats By Wax Wednesdays: Beats By Styler Thursdays: Beats By Wax PURPLE MOOSE SALOON Between Talbot & Caroline Streets On The Boardwalk 410-289-6953 Friday & Saturday, May 20 & 21: Surreal Saturdays: DJ Adam Dutch Wednesdays: DJ Papi Roisterous SEACRETS 410-524-4900 49th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, May 20: DJ Bobby O, DJ Tuff, DJ Davie, M80, S.T.O.R.M., Lima Bean Riot Saturday, May 21: DJ Cruz, DJ Bobby O, DJ Tuff M80, S.T.O.R.M., Steal The Sky Sunday, May 22: John McNutt Band, The Burnsiders, DJ Davie Monday, May 23: The Burnsiders, DJ Davie Tuesday, May 24: I&I Riddim Reggae, DJ Davie Wednesday, May 25: I&I Riddim & Reggae, DJ Davie Thursday, May 26: DJ Bobby O, DJ Cruz, I&I Riddim Reggae, GoGo Gadjet

Page 52

Worcester Boys Rout Gunston, Claim ESIAC Title

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

SPORTS

May 20, 2022

In The News

Decatur Softball Beats Arundel, Advances

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

BERLIN – Stephen Decatur’s varsity softball team blanked visiting Arundel, 10-0, on Tuesday in the 3ASouth Region II semifinals to advance in the state tournament.

The Seahawks closed out the regular season with eight straight wins and last week beat Queen Anne’s in a tight one, 4-3, to win the Bayside Conference championship.

Decatur earned the number-two seed in the state 3A-South Region II when the brackets were released last week, and a first-round bye.

On Monday, the Seahawks were set to face Arundel in the 3A-South Region II semifinals. However, the threat of severe thunderstorms on Monday postponed the game until Tuesday at Decatur.

On Tuesday, the Seahawks got off to a good start and cruised to the 10-0 win over Arundel to advance to the 3A-South Region II championship.

The Seahawks season record now stands at 17-2, their only losses coming to Kent Island back on April 8, and Queen Anne’s on April 20.

Decatur will face Crofton in the 3ASouth Region II title game.

Worcester Prep seniors celebrate their win in the ESIAC championship game over Gunston last Friday. Pictured from left are Taylor Anderssen, Brice Richins, Tristan Weinstein, Head Coach Drew Haugh, Bennett Tinkler, Michael Wehberg, and Jarrett Sofronski.

Submitted photo

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

vincingly to claim the conference title.

Worcester finished the season strong with three straight wins including a 17-2 rout of Salisbury School in the regular season finale. The regular season included a six-game winning streak at one point, and the Worcester boys finished with a 10-3 overall record.

Decatur Girls Bow Out In Playoff Opener, 10-9 Worcester Girls Fall In ESIAC Championship

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

BERLIN – Stephen Decatur’s girls’ varsity lacrosse team fell to North Caroline in a close one, 10-9, in the opening round of the state 2A-East sectional last weekend.

The Seahawks won the Bayside South, but fell to Queen Anne’s, 17-5, in the conference championship last week. Decatur earned a number-three seed in the 2A-East sectional and a first-round date with second-seeded

North Caroline on the road last Friday.

In a close one, the Seahawks fell to North Caroline, 10-9, to close out the season. The Seahawks had fallen to North Caroline in the regular season, 9-7, back on April 13.

It was an up-and-down season for the Seahawks, who had a threegame losing streak to tough Bayside North teams in the middle. The Decatur girls finished the regular season strong with four straight wins to claim the Bayside South championship.

Seahawks Fall To Easton In Region Title Game

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

BERLIN – Stephen Decatur’s boys’ varsity lacrosse team fell to Easton, 10-2, at home on Tuesday in the state 2A-East Region II title game to close out what was otherwise a remarkable season.

The Seahawks went 9-3 in the regular season and won a couple of one-goal games over Parkside and Bennett in the final week of the regular season to win the Bayside South. Decatur ran into old nemesis Kent Island in the Bayside Conference championship and fell 160.

Decatur garnered the top seed in the state 2A-East Region II when the brackets were released last week and a first-round matchup with Bayside South rival Parkside. The Sea-

hawks beat Parkside, 10-8, last Friday at home to advance to the region championship.

The Seahawks were scheduled to face third-seeded Easton at home on Monday, but the game was forced to Tuesday because of the threat of inclement weather. On Tuesday, Decatur faced a tough Easton team, which had beaten the Seahawks, 12-11, back on April 6. On Tuesday, the Seahawks fell behind early and ran into a tough Easton goalkeeper and could not recover, falling to the Warriors, 10-2.

Despite the loss, the Seahawks finished the 2022 campaign with an overall 10-5 record. At one point, Decatur had a six-game winning streak through the middle of the season.

Their only losses came to Queen Anne’s, Kent Island twice and Easton twice.

BERLIN - Worcester Prep’s boys’ varsity lacrosse team rolled past Gunston, 21-10, last Friday to claim the Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) championship.

The Mallards beat the Herons con-

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

BERLIN - Worcester Prep girls’ varsity lacrosse team’s up-and-down season concluded last Friday with a 20-3 loss to old rival Saints Peter and Paul in the Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) championship game.

The Mallards stumbled out of the gate a little, losing their first four games to start the season. After that, the Worcester girls played .500 lacrosse for the

most part and finished with an overall record of 6-10.

The Mallards earned a trip to the ESIAC championship game against Saints Peter and Paul, but the Sabres were just too potent for Worcester this year. Saints Peter and Paul led 13-1 at the half and never looked back. Worcester’s Nazli Unal scored in the first half and added another goal in the second half to account for Worcester’s scoring.

With the championship win, the Sabres finished the season with a perfect 14-0 record.

Worcester Prep’s Baylor Hoen defends against a Salisbury School attackman during the Mallards’ 17-2 rout in the regular season finale last week.

Photo by Chris Hoen

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 53

The Dispatch Classifieds $15/Week for Minimum of Five Lines • $2 Thereafter Per Line Display Classified Ads: $20/Week Per Column Inch (Contract Discounts Available) Deadline for Insertions, Cancellations & Payment is 3pm Tuesday Pre-Payment is Required. We Accept Visa & MasterCard

HELP WANTED GATE ATTENDANT: Assateague Pointe Community, Route 611.

Fridays 5pm-1am, Call 410-6411671.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– BUILDING ATTENDANT. PT/FT SUMMER SEASON. Monitor pool and parking lot. Report to property manager. Good Pay. Send resume to fred@paradiseoc.com or call 410-250-1111.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– LANDSCAPE WORKERS NEEDED: Must have reliable transportation to work. Call 410641-2177. The Moore Companies, Berlin, MD. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– CLEANERS WANTED FOR OC: If you are a conscientious individual or team looking for great pay & minimal hours on summer Saturdays in OC, then we are the cleaning company for you. Exp. preferred. Cell phone and vehicle required. (443)880-0525. ___________________________ FULL MOON SALOON: Hiring Year-Round Server, DW & kitchen Help. Starting $15 per hr. Great family atmosphere. Apply within.

12702 Old Bridge Road, West OC. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––

NOW HIRING ALL POSITIONS Retail and Manufacturing $15 and Up! Apply Online at Dolles.com

C L E A N E R S / VAC AT I O N RENTALS: Needed for Ocean City and Ocean Pines. Experience preferred but not necessary. Text or call 443-397-1189.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– COOKS, KITCHEN HELP, FOOD RUNNERS: Flexible schedule.

Clean kitchen. New equipment.

Weekly pay checks. Friendly work environment. American Legion Post #166, Ocean City. Contact Sam Wiley at 443-235-0876.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– YEAR ROUND POSITIONS: Small Engine Mechanic, Maintenance Man, Certified Pool Operator.

Competitive Wages.

443-754-1047.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

EXPERIENCED HOUSEKEEPER

CONTACT INFORMATION Phone: 410-641-4563 • Fax: 410-641-0966 Email: classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com Mail: P.O. Box 467, Berlin MD 21811

BUSY MARINE DEALERSHIP NOW HIRING BOAT BOTTOM PAINTER/GENERAL YARD HELP – Must be dependable & able to lift 50lbs MARINE TECHNICIAN – Must be knowledgeable in Outboards, will train someone with mechanical exprience in other fields.

Great hours, some benefits, and excellent pay to the right candidates. We are a Drug/Smoke free Company Apply in person: Tuesday-Saturday 8AM–4PM or Email Resume to: midlanticmarinecenter@gmail.com We are located at 36624 DuPont Blvd. Selbyville, DE 19975 or call for more information: (302) 436-2628

FT/PT Work in Motel.

Must Have Experience

•GREAT PAY! •MONTHLY BONUSES!

Interested candidates should mail or email resume with cover letter to: Linda Watson, Director of Human Resources, 508 South Main Street, Berlin, MD 21811 or lwatson@worcesterprep.org

Clubhouse Attendants Part Time Seasonal through Mid-September Must be able to work days, nights, weekends and holidays as needed. Approximately 20-26 hrs a week.

Excellent people skills a must! Microsoft skills preferred.

Competitive salary & bonus availability at end of the season.

Send resume to: Susan.Brewer@casinc.biz EOE

NOW HIRING FULL TIME •COOK •DRIVER Call Pam at 410-726-7061 Or Apply Within at 56th Street HANDYMAN

Worcester Preparatory School is located in beautiful Berlin, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The school is an independent, coeducational college preparatory day school serving over 500 students in grades PK -12. We are seeking an experienced and motivated Upper School English Teacher for the 2022-2023 school year.

This vibrant individual will have a strong education background and be capable of teaching the highest levels of high school English. Bachelor's degree from an accredited college with a major in English, successful classroom experience, and the ability to participate in other areas of school life are requirements forth is position. Advanced Placement experience and advanced degree would be desirable.

NOW HIRING Ocean View, DE

Call 410-289-9205

Small 10 unit OC property looking for Year Round “on call” person for minor work in plumbing, elec., carpentry, drywall, painting & property. maintenance as needed. Please call: 301-228-9510, Ext. 301

ENGLISH TEACHER

RUM POINTE GOLF COURSE PT/SEASONAL GROUNDS MAINTENANCE POSITIONS. Enjoy a very flexible schedule, great work environment, and complimentary golf at five local courses. Duties to include mowing, trimming, raking, and other general maintenance tasks. Perfect for retiree who enjoys golf and working outside.

Call (443)783-4614 for more info

SEASONAL OC HOTEL NOW HIRING FOR:

Seasonal

Maintenance Employee

6 Days/Week 3pm-10pm Experienced Only Need Apply.

Must have valid Driv. Lic.

Call Seahawk Motel

410-250-3191

Page 54

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch Classifieds CONTACT INFORMATION Phone: 410-641-4563 • Fax: 410-641-0966 Email: classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com Mail: P.O. Box 467, Berlin MD 21811

$15/Week for Minimum of Five Lines • $2 Thereafter Per Line Display Classified Ads: $20/Week Per Column Inch Deadline for Insertions, Cancellations & Payment is 3pm Tuesday Pre-Payment is Required. We Accept Visa & MasterCard

HELP WANTED

CONSERVATION TECHNICIAN/ MARINA TRAVEL LIFT OPERATOR

Position will be responsible for the daily operation and maintenance of the travel lift and forklifts. Duties will include the operation and maintenance of the marine travel lift, proper boat docking and large forklift operation plus daily supervision of the boatyard staff.

Apply online at delawarestatejobs.com

For further assistance, you may contact us by phone at 302.739.5458 or email at jobs@delaware.gov

NOW HIRING!

PAYING TOP DOLLAR! •LINE COOKS •FOOD RUNNER •SERVERS •BARBACK Please apply in person.

Greene Turtle West Rt. 611, West OC 410-213-1500

WEST OC’S MOST FUN PLACE TO WORK AND MAKE $$$$

Sunset Island, Ocean City, MD

Come Join Our Team in a Friendly, TeamOriented Environment at the Beach, in a Beautiful Bayside Community, with Stunning Water Views, in Ocean City, MD. Now Hiring - Clubhouse / Pool Attendants Part-Time up to 15-40 hours. Seasonal Employment. Excellent people skills are a must, and you must be able to work mornings, nights, and weekends. 5 and 8 hour shifts available. Start dates in May and the position runs through October 1st.

Send resume to Olivia.Smith@casinc.biz or fax 410-520-0398.

CUSTODIAL STAFF We are currently looking for Part Time custodial employees.

Hours are 3:30pm-6:30pm. Monday through Friday.

Apply to Linda Watson at lwatson@worcesterprep.org or mail application to Linda Watson 508 S Main St Berlin, MD 21811.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

For Beautiful Award Winning Master Planned Community in Ocean View, DE Administrative Assistant/Front Desk Help Needed.

Year-Round, Full Time Employment. Excellent people skills and Microsoft Office a must! Experience taking meeting minutes and website knowledge a plus.

Holidays, vacation, and personal time offered along with a competitive salary.

Please send resume with salary history to: Susan.Brewer@casinc.biz

INDIAN RIVER MARINA IS NOW HIRING! •FUEL DOCK •DOCK HANDS •RAMP ATTENDANTS •BOATYARD •NIGHTWATCH •MAINTENANCE •SHIP STORE CLERK •GENERAL CLERICAL (SEASONAL YEAR ROUND)

Apply Online at delawarestatejobs.com For additional information, please contact the Marina office at 302.227.3071 AA/EOE

EOE

Carpenter | Laborer | Painters Stucco & EIFS Mechanics Concrete Work Currently Hiring Manpower For:

o Experience preferred. o Tools, transportation & valid driver’s license are a plus. o Excellent pay and a competitive benefits package available.

Please Apply Online:

https://www.allstatesconst.com/delmarva-renovations-careers

Or Contact Our Office at 410-352-9800

AUTOMOTIVE GREAT-GREAT-GREAT OPPORTUNITIES!!!!

We are part of a large automotive group with parts stores, service centers and a used car dealership.Fast paced, energetic atmosphere with advancement opportunities!

We are now taking applications for:

Technicians- Call Matt – 302-344-9846 Used Car Salesman- Call David – 302-339-6910 Exc. Pay & Benefits !!

Locations in Long Neck, Ocean View & Ocean Pines SUMMER BEACH CONDOS #3 35TH STREET, OCMD Is Looking For-

Line Cooks Prep Cooks Host/Hostess

Now Hiring For:

Call Matt at 302-593-4141 or email thesterlingtavern@gmail.com

PART TIME CUSTODIAL & LIGHT MAINTENANCE PERSONS •Day Shift 7am-2pm 4-5 Days/Week Weekends A Must $12/Hour •Night Shift 4pm-12am Weekends A Must $12/Hour **Must Be Able To Move Heavy Objects** If interested please contact Diana Whittington at 410-603-5627 to set up an interview.

EDEN ROC MOTEL NOW HIRING DAY-TIME FRONT DESK CLERK

**** TOP PAY **** 410-603-1731

Beautiful Community in Ocean View, DE is seeking part-time seasonal staff to work in our clubhouse and pool areas, May through Mid-September.

Availability to include days, nights, weekends & holidays.

Excellent people skills a must! Some computer skills preferred. Competitive salary offered.

Perfect position for individuals looking for extra income.

Send resume to: Susan.Brewer@casinc.biz

CARPENTERS & CARPENTERS HELPERS Must have:

Tools, Transportation, Driver’s License Exp. Required!

PATTERSON & SONS BUILDERS

Call 410-641-9530

THUNDERBIRD BEACH MOTEL NOW HIRING

ALL POSITIONS! APPLY IN PERSON

Monday-Friday 9am-3pm Thunderbird Beach Motel 32nd Street, Ocean City

EOE

THE SPINNAKER NOW HIRING FULL-TIME: ALL SHIFTS MAINTENANCE/ HOUSEMAN DAYTIME HOUSEKEEPING STAFF APPLY IN PERSON

1800 Baltimore Avenue

Monday-Friday 10am-3pm LOOKING EVERWHERE?

Check here first!

The Dispatch Classified Pages Can Point You in the Right Direction!

The Dispatch Is On Facebook, Instagram & Twitter!

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch Classifieds

COMMERCIAL WEST O.C. OFFICE/RETAIL SPACES AVAILABLE: 2 Office/Retail Spaces for Lease.

Plenty of Parking. 443-497-4200.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

YARD SALE CONTACT INFORMATION Phone: 410-641-4563 • Fax: 410-641-0966 Email: classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com Mail: P.O. Box 467, Berlin MD 21811

RENTALS

ROOMMATE

WEEKLY RENTALS

ROOM(S) FOR RENT: Seeking Roommate(s). YR or Seasonal.

Non smoking, pets welcome. Single Family Home, 94th St. area.

Call/text for more info. 410-7265200.(Job inhibits phone calls, text if can’t reach by calls).

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Rooms-SuitesApartments Utilities & Internet Included

Burgundy Inn 1210 Philadelphia Ave.

Are You Getting Your Daily Buzz?

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Whisper love to me, Hot & soft like lonely tears trickling my cheek.

410-289-8581

COMMUNITY YARD SALE : Berlin, Decatur Farm, Off route 113 across from Stephen Decatur Park – Rescheduled to Saturday, May 21st, 8am to noon.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– FLEA MARKET: Sat. 5/28, 8am.

Front lawn. Assateague Pointe Community. Route 611.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Community Yard Sale: Sat, 6/4, 7am-12 pm. The Point at Ocean Pines. Rain date will be Sun., 6/5.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Got Yard Sale?

THE DISPATCH is the best way to get the word out!

Print & Online

Page 55

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SIGN UP AT WWW.MDCOASTDISPATCH.COM AND JOIN THE 15,000-PLUS WHO RECEIVE THE NEWS BEFORE IT’S PRINTED

The Dispatch Legal Notices LEGAL RATES Legal advertising rate is $7 per column inch.

The deadline for all legal advertising is Tuesday at noon.

For more information call 410-641-4563 or fax 410-641-0966.

Third Insertion NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18224 To all persons interested in the estate of DONALD DENNIS, ESTATE NO. 18224. Notice is given that JO ANN GEIER, 540 RIVIERA DRIVE, APT. A, JOPPA, MD 21085, was on APRIL 28, 2022, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of DONALD DENNIS, who died on OCTOBER 16, 2019, with a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 28TH day of OCTOBER, 2022.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy

to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claims within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. A claim not presented or filed on or before that date, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter. Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 06, 2022 JO ANN GEIER Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x 05-06, 05-13, 05-20

Third Insertion RONALD G. RAYNE, ESQ. 212 EAST MAIN STREET PO BOX 949 SALISBURY, MD 218030949 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 19210 To all persons interested in the estate of DOROTHY GRACE HASTINGS, ESTATE NO. 19210. Notice is given that KATHIE HERRMANN, 31742 OLD OCEAN CITY ROAD, SALISBURY, MD 21804, was on APRIL 29, 2022, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of DOROTHY GRACE HASTINGS, who died on AUGUST 13, 2021, without a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or be-

CONTACT INFORMATION Phone: 410-641-4563 • Fax: 410-641-0966 Email: classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com Mail: P.O. Box 467, Berlin MD 21811 fore the 29TH day of OCTOBER, 2022.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claims within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. A claim not presented or filed on or before that date, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter. Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 06, 2022 KATHIE HERRMANN

Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x 05-06, 05-13, 05-20

Third Insertion B. RANDALL COATES, ESQ. COATES, COATES & COATES 204 WEST GREEN ST PO BOX 293 SNOW HILL, MD 21863 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 19213 To all persons interested in the estate of ANTHONY D. BUTLER, ESTATE NO. 19213. Notice is given that CHARLENE R. LIPSCOMB, 1618 GUIDFORD LANE, YORK, PA 17404, was on APRIL 29, 2022, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of ANTHONY D. BUTLER, who died on APRIL 03, 2022, without a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 29TH day of OCTOBER, 2022.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claims within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. A claim not presented or filed on or before that date, or any extension provided by law, is unen-

Page 56

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch Legal Notices LEGAL RATES Legal advertising rate is $7 per column inch.

The deadline for all legal advertising is Tuesday at noon.

For more information call 410-641-4563 or fax 410-641-0966. forceable thereafter. Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 06, 2022 CHARLENE R. LIPSCOMB Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x 05-06, 05-13, 05-20

Second Insertion NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 19219 To all persons interested in the estate of ROBIN LYNN PEOPLES, ESTATE NO. 19219. Notice is given that KIMBERLY ANN WOOTTEN, 65 ROBIN HOOD TRAIL, BERLIN, MD 21811, was on MAY 06, 2022, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of ROBIN LYNN PEOPLES, who died on APRIL 26, 2022, with a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 6TH day of NOVEMBER, 2022.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claims within two months from the mailing or other delivery of

the notice. A claim not presented or filed on or before that date, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter. Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 13, 2022 KIMBERLY ANN WOOTTEN Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x 05-13, 05-20, 05-27

Second Insertion IN THE ORPHANS’ COURT FOR (OR) BEFORE THE REGISTER OF WILLS FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND IN THE ESTATE OF: G. JEFFREY KNEPPER, ESTATE NO. 19189 NOTICE OF JUDICIAL PROBATE To all persons interested in the above estate: You are hereby notified that a petition has been filed by ALYSSA SZYMCZYK, 1602 VILLAGE MARKET BLVD, STE 310, LEESBURG, VA 20175, for judicial probate for the appointment of a personal representative. A hearing will be held at WORCESTER COUNTY COURTHOUSE COURTROOM 4, ONE W. MARKET ST. SNOW HILL, MD. 21863 on 06/07/2022 at 10:00 A.M. This hearing may be transferred or postponed to a subsequent time. Further information may be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills.

Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 13, 2022 TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 2x 05-13, 05-20

Second Insertion RYAN T. WEST, ESQ. WEST AND WEST, PA 12 WILLIAM STREET SUITE 300 BERLIN, MD 21811 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 19217 To all persons interested in the estate of GARRY D. WARD, ESTATE NO. 19217. Notice is given that JENNIFER JAMES, 115 AUSTIN CIRCLE, BERLIN, MD 21811, was on MAY 06, 2022, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of GARRY D. WARD, who died on NOVEMBER 07, 2021, without a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 6TH day of NOVEMBER, 2022.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claims within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. A claim not presented or filed on or before that date, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter. Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 13, 2022

CONTACT INFORMATION Phone: 410-641-4563 • Fax: 410-641-0966 Email: classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com Mail: P.O. Box 467, Berlin MD 21811 JENNIFER JAMES Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x 05-13, 05-20, 05-27

Second Insertion LAW OFFICES OF CIPRIANI & WERNER, P.C. 6411 IVY LANE, SUITE 600 GREENBELT, MARYLAND 20770 SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEES’ SALE OF VALUABLE REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND, GENERALLY KNOWN AS 2 DORCHESTER STREET, CONDO UNIT 711 BELMONT TOWERS, OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND 21842 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in that certain Indemnity Deed of Trust, dated November 24, 2014, executed and delivered by Todd E. Spahr and Tessa M. Spahr (collectively, the “Grantors”) to the trustee named therein and recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland, in 6472, folio 114 (the “Deed of Trust”), the holder of the indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust (the “Noteholder”) having subsequently appointed Jason W. Hardman and Paul J. Cohen as Substitute Trustees under the Deed of Trust, by Deed of Appointment of Substitute Trustees, dated May 5, 2021, and recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland in Liber 8221, folio 283, default having occurred under the terms of said Deed of Trust and at the request of the party secured thereby, the undersigned Substitute Trustees (collectively, the “Trustees”) will offer for sale to the highest qualified bidder at a public auction to be held AT THE COURT HOUSE ENTRANCE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, AT THE COURT HOUSE STEPS, LOCATED AT ONE WEST MARKET STREET, SNOW HILL, MARYLAND 21863, ON: Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.

ALL that property lying and being situate in Worcester County, Maryland, and any improvements thereon, and being more particularly described as follows (the “Property”): ALL that property situate, lying and being in the Town of Ocean City, in the Tenth Election District of Worcester County, Maryland, described as Condominium Unit No. 711 in Phase Two in the “Belmont Towers Residential Condominium”, together with an undivided percentage interest in the common elements thereof, as established pursuant to a Condominium Declaration (including By-Laws) dated May 24, 2007, and recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland, in Liber S.V.H. No. 4933, folio 287, et. seq., as amended; and pursuant to the several plats described in said Declaration and recorded as aforesaid in Plat Book S.V.H. No. 218, folio 7, et seq., as amended.

BEING the same and all the land conveyed by and described in a Deed dated October 17, 2012 from John E. Billheimer and Patricia C. Billheimer to Todd E. Spahr and Tessa M. Spahr and recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland, in Liber No. 06000, folio 00474.

The Property is believed to be a 1,474 +/- square foot condominium unit located on the seventh floor of the Belmont Towers Residential Condominium building (the “Building”) in Ocean City, Maryland. The Property is believed to contain 3 bedrooms, 2.1 bathrooms, a living room, a kitchen, central air conditioning, an outdoor balcony, and views of the Atlantic Ocean and Assateague Island.

The Property is also believed to have access to certain common elements of the Building, including an elevator, pool, and fitness room. The Property is also believed to be served by, or to have access to, adequate parking and public water, sewer, telephone and electric. According to public tax records, the Property has been assigned the following address and tax identification number: 2 Dorchester Street, Condo Unit 711, Ocean City, Maryland 21842 (Tax Account Number 10758017).

TERMS OF SALE: A deposit in the amount of Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00), payable in cash, certified check (made payable to “Cipriani & Werner, P.C.”) or other form acceptable to the Trustees, will be required from the successful bidder (the “Purchaser”) at the time and place of sale. The Purchaser shall be required to increase the amount of the deposit to ten percent (10%) of the successful bid amount within seven (7) calendar days of the date of the sale by delivering to the Trustees certified funds in the amount necessary to increase the deposit amount as required above, unless said period is extended by the Trustees for good cause shown. The Trustees will require all potential bidders to qualify prior to the commencement of bidding by showing evidence of their ability to deliver the required deposit at the time of the sale. The balance of the purchase price, together with interest on the unpaid balance of the purchase price from the date of sale to and including the date of settlement, shall be due at settlement in cash or by cashier’s check. Interest shall accrue on the unpaid balance of the purchase price at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum from the date of sale to and including the date of settlement.

If settlement is delayed for any reason, there will be no abatement of interest. In the event the Noteholder, or an affiliate or subsidiary of the Noteholder, is the successful bidder at the sale, such party will not be required to tender a deposit to the Trustees or to pay interest on the unpaid purchase money. Taxes, water and all other municipal charges and liens owed against the Property that are not otherwise extinguished as a matter of law as a result of the foreclosure sale shall be the responsibility of the Purchaser and shall be paid by the Purchaser at settlement. The Trustees reserve the right to reject any and all bids, to extend the time for settlement, and to withdraw the Property from the sale for any reason and at their sole discretion.

The Property will be sold in an “AS IS” condition and without any warranties or representations, either express or implied, as to the

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 57

The Dispatch Legal Notices LEGAL RATES Legal advertising rate is $7 per column inch.

The deadline for all legal advertising is Tuesday at noon.

For more information call 410-641-4563 or fax 410-641-0966. nature, condition or description of the improvements thereon. In addition, the Property will be sold subject to all existing housing, building and zoning code violations which may exist on or with respect to the Property, subject to all conditions or hazards which may exist on or with respect to the Property, subject to all critical area and wetland violations which may exist on or with respect to the Property, subject to all environmental problems or violations which may exist on or with respect to the Property, and subject to all matters, recorded documents and restrictions of record affecting the Property to the extent such matters, recorded documents or restrictions of record are senior to the Deed of Trust.

The Property will be sold subject to all senior liens and encumbrances that are not extinguished by operation of law or by the foreclosure sale of the Property and subject to all easements, conditions, restrictions, rights of redemption, covenants, agreements, such state of facts that an accurate survey or physical inspection of the Property might disclose, and all other agreements and documents of record affecting the Property, but only to the extent that such agreements or documents are senior to the Deed of Trust. The Property will not be sold subject to any written or oral lease or rental agreements that may exist in favor of any tenants or occupants of the Property.

The Purchaser shall assume the risk of loss for the Property immediately after the sale takes place. It shall be the responsibility of the Purchaser to obtain possession of the Property following final ratification of the sale by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland and conveyance of the Property by the Trustees to the Purchaser.

The Purchaser shall pay, at settlement, all state and local transfer taxes, documentary stamps, recordation taxes and fees, title examination costs, attorneys’ fees, conveyance fees, real estate taxes, water charges, other municipal liens and charges, and all other settlement costs and other costs associated with conveying the Property to the Purchaser. The Purchaser shall settle and com-

ply with all sale terms contained herein within twenty (20) days following final ratification of the sale by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland, unless said period is extended by the Trustees for good cause shown.

Time is of the essence. Settlement shall be held at the offices of Cipriani & Werner, P.C., 6411 Ivy Lane, Suite 600, Greenbelt, Maryland 20770, or such other place as may be agreed to by the Trustees.

In the event the Purchaser fails to go to settlement as required herein, in addition to any other legal or equitable remedies available to the Trustees, the Trustees may, without further order of the court: (i) declare the aforementioned deposit forfeited, (ii) resell the Property at the Purchaser’s sole risk and expense, and (iii) retain and apply the aforementioned deposit to any deficiency in the purchase price sustained by the Trustees and/or the Noteholder, all costs and expenses of both sales, reasonable attorneys’ fees, and any other damages sustained by the Trustees and/or the Noteholder as a result of the Purchaser’s default, including, without limitation, all incidental damages.

In the event a resale of the Property results in a purchase price in excess of the amount originally bid by the defaulting Purchaser, the defaulting Purchaser shall not be entitled to receive payment of any such excess amount and shall not be entitled to any distribution whatsoever from the resale proceeds.

If the Trustees are unable to convey any of the Property as described above, the Purchaser’s sole remedy at law or in equity shall be limited to the refund of the Purchaser’s deposit without any interest thereon. Upon refund of the deposit to the Purchaser as aforesaid, the sale of the Property shall be void and of no force or effect, and the Purchaser shall have no claims against the Trustees, the Noteholder or the Auctioneer. The parties’ respective rights and obligations regarding the terms of sale and the conduct of the sale shall be governed by and interpreted according to the laws of the State of Maryland.

The information contained herein was obtained from sources deemed to be reli-

able, but is offered for informational purposes only.

The Trustees, the Noteholder and the Auctioneer do not make any representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy of this information.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 13, 2022 Jason W. Hardman and Paul J. Cohen, Substitute Trustees For further information, contact: Marshall Auction Company P.O. Box 3682 Salisbury, Maryland 21802 Tel: (443) 614-4340 www.amauctions.com Email: doug@marshallauctions.com 3x 05-13, 05-20, 05-27

First Insertion NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE ESTATE NO. 19226 NOTICE IS GIVEN that the REGISTER OF WILLS of DELAWARE, PA, appointed TRACY CHRISTINE ADAMIEC, 14300 NORTH COUNTY ROAD, WELLINGTON, CO 80549, as the PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE of the Estate of JEAN K. ADAMIEC, AKA: JEAN M. ADAMIEC, who died on NOVEMBER 21, 2021, domiciled in PENNSYLVANIA, AMERICA. The Maryland resident agent for service of process is ASIM HUMAYUN, ESQ., whose address is 200 A. MONROE STREET, SUITE 215, ROCKVILLE, MD 20850.

At the time of death, the decedent owned real or leasehold property in the following MARYLAND counties: WORCESTER COUNTY. All persons having claims against the decedent must file their claims with the Register of Wills for WORCESTER COUNTY with a copy to the foreign personal representative on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the foreign personal representative mails or delivers to the creditor a copy of this pub-

CONTACT INFORMATION Phone: 410-641-4563 • Fax: 410-641-0966 Email: classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com Mail: P.O. Box 467, Berlin MD 21811 lished notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claim within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Claims filed after that date or after a date extended by law will be barred.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 20, 2022 TRACY CHRISTINE ADAMIEC Foreign Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x 05-20, 05-27, 06-03

First Insertion NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN AMENDMENT TO A RESIDENTIAL PLANNED COMMUNITY (RPC) SEA OAKS VILLAGE RPC WESTERLY SIDE OF MD ROUTE 611 NORTH OF SINEPUXENT ROAD TENTH TAX DISTRICT WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND Pursuant to Sections 1-114 and 1-315 of the Worcester County Zoning Ordinance, application has been filed with the Worcester County Commissioners by Sea Oaks Village, LLC to amend a Residential Planned Community (RPC) on property located on the west side of MD Route 611 (Stephen Decatur Highway), north of Sinepuxent Road. Located in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland, the property is designated on Tax Map 26 as Parcel 274, Lot 3A and Parcel 473. The Planning Commission reviewed the amended RPC application at its meeting on April 7, 2022 and has given a favorable recommendation.

Pursuant to Sections 1-114 and 1-315 of the Worcester County Zoning Ordinance, the County Commissioners will hold a PUBLIC HEARING ON TUESDAY, JUNE 7th, 2022

AT 10:30 AM COUNTY COMMISSIONERS’ OFFICE ROOM 1101 GOVERNMENT CENTER ONE WEST MARKET STREET SNOW HILL, MARYLAND 21863 At the public hearing, the County Commissioners will consider the amended RPC and the recommendation of the Planning Commission, any proposed restrictions, conditions or limitations as may be deemed by them to be appropriate to preserve, improve, or protect the general character and design of the lands and improvements being developed and the advisability of reserving the power and authority to approve or disapprove the design of building, construction, landscaping or other improvements, alterations and changes made or to be made on the subject land or lands to assure conformity with the intent and purpose of applicable State laws and regulations and the County Zoning Ordinance. All applicable materials will be entered into record at the public hearing and are available for inspection at the Department of Development, Review and Permitting, Government Center Room 1201, One West Market Street, Snow Hill, Maryland 21863 between the hours of 8:00A.M. and 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday (except holidays). Interested parties may also call (410) 632-1200.

THE WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 20, 2022 2x 05-20, 05-27

First Insertion NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGE IN ZONING SOUTHWEST OF PATEY WOODS ROAD AND NORTHWEST OF NEWARK ROAD NORTHWEST OF NEWARK FOURTH TAX DISTRICT WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND Pursuant to Section 1-113 of the Worcester County Zoning Ordinance, Rezoning Case No. 435 has been filed

by Hugh Cropper, IV on behalf of Henry Robinson, property owner, for an amendment to the Official Zoning Maps to change an approximate 0.5 acre of land located southwest of, but not binding on, Patey Woods Road, approximately 1,600 feet northwest of Newark Road, northwest of Newark in the Fourth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland, from V-1 Village District to A-1 Agricultural District. The Planning Commission has given a favorable recommendation to the rezoning application.

Pursuant to Sections 1-113 and 1-114 of the Worcester County Zoning Ordinance, the County Commissioners will hold a PUBLIC HEARING on TUESDAY, JUNE 7th, 2022 AT 10:35 AM COUNTY COMMISSIONERS’ MEETING ROOM WORCESTER COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER ROOM 1101 ONE WEST MARKET STREET SNOW HILL, MARYLAND 21863

NOTICE TO MERCHANTS Have you forgotten to renew your State of Maryland business license? In order to avoid paying the mandatory penalty, please renew your license by May 31, 2022 .

Note: The office will be closed on Monday, May 30, 2022, in observance of Memorial Day under State Law. Susan R. Braniecki Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, Maryland 2x 5-20, 5-27

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022 True Test Copy

The Dispatch Legal Notices LEGAL RATES Legal advertising rate is $7 per column inch.

The deadline for all legal advertising is Tuesday at noon.

For more information call 410-641-4563 or fax 410-641-0966.

At said public hearing the County Commissioners will consider the rezoning application, the staff file on Rezoning Case No. 435 and the recommendation of the Planning Commission, any proposed restrictions on the rezoning, other appropriate restrictions, conditions or limitations as may be deemed by them to be appropriate to preserve, improve, or protect the general character and design of the lands and improvements being zoned or rezoned or of the surrounding or adjacent lands and improvements, and the advisability of reserving the power and authority to approve or disapprove the design of buildings, construction, landscaping or other improvements, alterations and changes made or to be made on the subject land or lands to assure conformity with the intent and purpose of applicable State laws and regulations and the County Zoning Ordinance.

Maps of the petitioned area, the staff file on Rezoning Case No. 435 and the Planning Commission’s recommendation, which will be entered into record at the public hearing, are on file and available to view electronically by contacting the Department of Development, Review and Permitting, Worcester County Government Center, One West Market Street, Room 1201, Snow Hill, Maryland 21863 Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. (except holidays), at (410) 632-1200 as well as at www.co.worcester.md.us.

THE WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 20, 2022 2x 05-20, 05-27

First Insertion NOTICE OF INTRODUCTION OF BILL 22-9 ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT FOR ANTENNAS AND TOWERS WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Take Notice that Bill 22-9 (Zoning – Separation Distance Between Antennas, Towers and Telecommunication Uses and Residential Structures) was introduced

by Commissioners Church, Elder, Nordstrom, and Purnell on April 19th, 2022.

A fair summary of the bill is as follows: § ZS 1-343(b)(2)B1(iii). (Adds a new subsection to allow the separation distance between an antenna, tower or telecommunication use and an existing or permitted residential structure on an adjacent parcel to be reduced from 1,000 feet to no less than 500 feet provided a special exception is obtained from the Board of Zoning Appeals. The reduction would only apply in the A-1 and A-2 Agricultural Districts and must be based on the protection of prime agricultural soils; land actively utilized for a bona fide agricultural purpose; existing mature tree growth; steep slopes, wetlands; stream corridors; habitats of threatened or endangered species; or other similar features as determined by the Board of Zoning Appeals.)

SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION PUBLIC HEARING on Tuesday, June 7th, 2022 at 10:30 A.M. in the County Commissioners Meeting Room Room 1101 Government Center One West Market Street Snow Hill, Maryland 21863 This is only a fair summary of the bill. A full copy of the bill is posted for public inspection on the Legislative Bulletin Board in the main hall of the Worcester County Government Center outside Room 1103. Additionally, a full copy of the bill is posted on the County Website at www.co.worcester.md.us THE WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 20, 2022 2x 05-20, 05-27

First Insertion Notice of Public Hearing for Worcester County Water and Sewerage Plan Amendment and Expansion of the Mystic Harbour

CONTACT INFORMATION Phone: 410-641-4563 • Fax: 410-641-0966 Email: classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com Mail: P.O. Box 467, Berlin MD 21811

Sanitary Service Area The Worcester County Commissioners will hold a concurrent public hearing to consider applications filed

by Hugh Cropper, IV, on behalf of KCK7, LLC c/o Cole Taustin , for a proposed amendment to the Worcester County Water and Sewerage Plan and an expansion of the Mystic Harbour Sanitary Service Area. The application for the amendment to the Water and Sewerage Plan seeks to expand the Mystic Harbour sewer planning area to include a single property located at 12325 Old Bridge Road in West Ocean City Maryland. The proposed amendment would allow the owner to connect to, and receive service from, the Mystic Harbour sanitary service area.

The Worcester County Planning Commission reviewed the proposed Water and Sewerage Plan amendment at its meeting of April 7, 2022 and found it to be consistent with the Worcester County Comprehensive Plan. The County Commissioners will also evaluate the proposed expansion of the sanitary service area in accordance with the provisions of Section PW 5-305 of the Public Works Article of the Code of Public Local Laws of Worcester County, Maryland and the staff report. The County Commissioners will hold a PUBLIC HEARING ON TUESDAY, JUNE 7th, 2022 AT 10:40AM In the County Commissioners’ Meeting Room Room 1101 Government Center One West Market Street Snow Hill, Maryland 21863 For additional information, please contact the County Administration at (410) 6321220 x 1601 or visit the County website at: online at www.co.worcester.md.us.

THE WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 20, 2022 2x 05-20, 05-27

First Insertion SMALL ESTATE NOTICE OF

APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 14119 To all persons interested in the estate of HAROLD THOMAS SHOCKLEY, ESTATE NO. 14119. Notice is given that LOIS LYSTER SHOCKLEY, 5522 ADAMSTOWN COMMONS DRIVE, ADAMSTOWN, MD 21710, was on FEBRUARY 08, 2011, appointed Personal Representative of the SMALL ESTATE of HAROLD THOMAS SHOCKLEY, who died on JANUARY 17, 2011 with a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within 30 days after the date of publication of this Notice.

All persons having any objection to the probate of the will shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within six months after the date of publication of this Notice.

All persons having claims against the decedent must serve their claims on the undersigned personal representative or file them with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Thirty days after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claims will be barred unless the creditor presents the claim within thirty days from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Any claim not served or filed within that time, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter.

TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 1x 05-20

Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 1x 05-20

First Insertion

First Insertion

LINDSEY A. WEST ESQ. WEST AND WEST, P.A. 12 WILLIAM STREET BERLIN, MD 21811

SMALL ESTATE NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 19220

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 19158

To all persons interested in ELWOOD JAMES TAYLOR, ESTATE NO. 19220. Notice is given that JUNE ANN ROBERTS, was on FEBRUARY 09, 2022, appointed Personal Representative of the SMALL ESTATE of ELWOOD JAMES TAYLOR, who died on JULY 06, 2020 without a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within 30 days after the date of publication of this Notice.

All persons having any objection to the probate of the will shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within six months after the date of publication of this Notice.

All persons having claims against the decedent must serve their claims on the undersigned personal representative or file them with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Thirty days after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claims will be barred unless the creditor presents the claim within thirty days from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Any claim not served or filed within that time, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 20, 2022

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 20, 2022

JUNE ANN ROBERTS Personal Representative True Test Copy

LOIS LYSTER SHOCKLEY Personal Representative

TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for

To all persons interested in the estate of DONALD CARL PACE SR., ESTATE NO. 19158. Notice is given that NANCY L. BROWN, 3405 PLEASANT PLAINS DRIVE, REISTERSTOWN, MD 21136, was on MAY 17, 2022, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of DONALD CARL PACE SR., who died on DECEMBER 08, 2021, with a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 17TH day of NOVEMBER, 2022.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claims within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. A claim not presented or filed on or before that date, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter. Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication MAY 20, 2022 NANCY L. BROWN Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x 05-20, 05-27, 06-03

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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2021 Town Of Berlin Annual Drinking Water Quality Report

IS MY WATER SAFE?

We are pleased to present this year's Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This report is designed to provide details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies.

This report is a snapshot of last year's water quality. We are committed to providing you with information because informed customers are our best allies.

DO I NEED TO TAKE SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS?

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Water Drinking Hotline (800426-4791).

WHERE DOES MY WATER COME FROM?

The Town of Berlin pumps your drinking water from three separate wells in town, the source of this water is the Pocomoke aquifer, which is ground water drawn from about 125 feet below the earth's surface. An aquifer is somewhat like an underground sponge composed of rocks, sand and of course water. The area between the surface and the water helps to filter and purify the water before it actually reaches the aquifer and pumped into our system.

SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT AND ITS AVAILABILITY

The Town of Berlin has completed its well head protection report and passed an ordinance establishing protection areas and criteria. A copy of the well head protection program and ordinance is available at town hall.

WHY ARE THERE CONTAMINANTS IN MY DRINKING WATER?

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).

The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals

PWSID # 0230001

and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity: microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife; inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial, or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming; pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses; organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems; and radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

We want our valued customers to be informed about their water utility. If you want to learn more, please feel free to contact Marvin Smith, Superintendent of Water at 410-641-2414 or email him at msmith@berlinmd.gov.

SOURCE WATER PROTECTION TIPS

Protection of drinking water is everyone’s responsibility.

You can help protect your community’s drinking water source in several ways: •Eliminate excess use of lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides - they contain hazardous chemicals that can reach your drinking water source.

•Pick up after your pets.

•If you have your own septic system, properly maintain your system to reduce leaching to water sources or consider connecting to a public water system.

•Dispose of chemicals properly; take used motor oil to a recycling center.

•Volunteer in your community. Find a watershed or wellhead protection organization in your community and volunteer to help. If there are no active groups, consider starting one. Use EPA’s Adopt Your Watershed to locate groups in your community, or visit the Watershed Information Network’s How to Start a Watershed Team.

•Organize a storm drain stenciling project with your local government or water supplier. Stencil a message next to the street drain reminding people “Dump No Waste-Drains To River”or “Protect Your Water.” Produce and distribute a flyer

for households to remind residents that storm drains dump directly into your local water body.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR LEAD

If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children.

Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. Town of Berlin is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR NITRATE

Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant, you should ask for advice from your health care provider.

WATER QUALITY DATA TABLE

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of contaminants in water provided by public water systems. The table below lists all of the drinking water contaminants that we detected during the calendar year of this report. Although many more contaminants were tested, only those substances listed below were found in your water. All sources of drinking water contain some naturally occurring contaminants. At low levels, these substances are generally not harmful in our drinking water. Removing all contaminants would be extremely expensive, and in most cases, would not provide increased protection of public health. A few naturally occurring minerals may actually improve the taste of drinking water and have nutritional value at low levels. Unless otherwise noted, the data presented in this table is from testing done in the calendar year of the report. The EPA or the State requires us to monitor for certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not vary significantly from year to year, or the system is not considered vulnerable to this type of contamination. As such, some of our data, though representative, may be more than one year old. In this table you will find terms and abbreviations that might not be familiar to you. To help you better understand these terms, we have provided the definitions next to the table.

For More Information, Please Contact:

Contact Name: James Latchum • Address: 10 William Street, Berlin, MD 21811 Phone: 410-641-3845 • Fax: 410-641-3576 • E-Mail: jlatchum@berlinmd.gov

A copy of report can be obtained at Berlin Town Hall, Berlin Library and at www.berlinmd.gov.

LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022

Things To Do Every Monday: TOPS Meeting 5-6:30 p.m. Atlantic General Hospital, Berlin. Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a support group promoting weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Call Rose 443-880-8444.

Every Tuesday: Dancing The Delmarva Hand Dance Club holds dancing at the Selbyville Elks Lodge 2173 from 5:30-9 p.m. delmarvahanddancing.com.

Every Wednesday: Bingo Elks Lodge 2645, corner of Sinepuxent Avenue and 138th Street in Ocean City.

Has bingo all year. Doors open 4:30 p.m. with first game sharply at 6:30 p.m.

Kitchen open for light fare. 410-2502645.

Every Thursday: Beach Singles Join the club, 55 plus, at Harpoon Hanna’s in Fenwick Island, 4-6 p.m. 302436-9577 or BeachSingles.org.

Every Friday: Bingo Knights of Columbus will host with doors open at 5 p.m. and bingo beginning promptly at 6:30 p.m. Held at the Columbus Hall at 9901 Coastal Highway, behind St. Luke's Church. Play every game for just $24. Light refreshments available. Call 410-524-7994 with any questions.

May 21: Church Rummage Sale Ocean City Presbyterian Church on 13th Street will hold from 7 a.m.-1 p.m.

May 21: Museum Benefit To celebrate the Delmarva Discovery Museum's growth with programs, like STEM for our children's education, the public is asked to support and attend a full Hawaiian dinner, with dancing, and a silent auction. The dinner, dance and party will be held at 6 p.m. at the newly renovated Ocean City Golf Club on Country Club Drive in South Point, near Berlin. The live band will be performing with Dawn Jones and Rewind. Admission to attend the event is $75 per person and can be purchased online at delmarvadiscoverycenter.org or by calling

Christy Gordon at the Museum, at 410957-9933, for tickets.

May 25: Public Forum The Ocean Pines Chamber of Commerce will host a Worcester County District 5 & 6 Commissioner Public Forum with all four candidates from 6-8 p.m. at the Ocean Pines branch of the Worcester County Library. The public is invited to attend and will have the opportunity to ask questions of all candidates.

May 25: Monthly Meeting The First State Detachment of the Marine Corps League meets the fourth Wednesday each month at the Ocean City American Legion Post 166 on 23rd Street at noon. Any Marines and Navy Corpsman who have served in the Corps, living in Worcester and Sussex counties, are welcome to attend. 410430-7181 or websergeant@firsstatemarines.org.

May 26: General Meeting The Republican Women of Worcester County will hold their general meeting and luncheon at the Restaurant at Lighthouse Sound in Bishopville. Maryland Gubernatorial candidates have been invited to speak. Doors open at 10:30 a.m.

Members and their guests are welcome.

Register at www.gopwomenofworcester.org.

May 28: Breakfast Buffet AUCE breakfast buffet at the Whaleyville United Methodist Church located at 11716 Sheppards Crossing Road. $8/adult and $4/child from 7-10 a.m.

May 28: Annual Car Show The Kiwanis Club of Ocean City/Ocean Pines will hold its 2nd Annual Car Show at the Veterans Memorial Park in Ocean Pines. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Event is from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Judged classes with trophies and awards. Proceeds used to support club youth and scholarship programs. Open to all. Rain date June 4.

June 4: Youth Fishing Derby Wicomico County Recreation & Parks’

Youth Fishing Derby, a longtime community tradition, is happening at Salisbury City Park. Children ages 15 and under must preregister to participate in this free event. Check-in is at 8 a.m., fishing will be from 9-11 a.m. with awards and snacks for the youth participants to follow. Registration is open now through June 3 and is available online at www.WicomicoRecandParks.org or at the Wicomico Civic Center box office (MondayFriday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.).

June 11: MAC Walk Registration is under way for MAC’s Soles for Seniors, a one-mile walk stepping off from the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. Registration and check-in starts at 8 a.m., the walk begins at 9 a.m., and awards and food are planned for 10 a.m. Registration is $10 and includes a visor, breakfast and the awards ceremony. Donate a total of $50 (which includes registration) and also get an event T-shirt. All ages are welcome. Children under age 5 walk for free and don’t need to register. Proceeds will benefit MAC’s Life Bridges Dementia Dare Day Program and Connections senior center activities. To register, visit www.macinc.org.

June 8-10: Basic Boating Course The US Coast Guard Auxiliary is offering the Maryland Basic Boating Safety Course at the Ocean Pines Library, 11107 Cathell Rd., Berlin Md. 21811.

Classes will be from 6-9 p.m. Cost is $20 for all three evenings. Register or get more information by calling Barry Cohen at 410-935-4807, or email CGAUXOC@Gmail.com.

June 12: Day Of Recognition Worcester County NAACP will host a day of recognition of the history of the Negro Baseball League and Players on Delmarva at the Delmarva Shorebirds game at 2:05 p.m. This event will be held at Shorebirds stadium, and will recognize William “Judy” Johnson, a Snow Hill native and former Negro League player who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. in 1975. There will be a special ap-

pearance by former Negro Baseball League player Pedro Sierra and Negro League Baseball Ambassador Rayner Banks. Donations are being requested to help defray the expenses that the Worcester County Branch NAACP will bear for the event promotion. Email Worcester NAACP President Ivory Smith at ivos4@aol.com.

June 18: Juneteenth Celebration Join the Sturgis One Room School Museum in Pocomoke for a Juneteenth celebration block party with food, fun, and fellowship from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at 209 Willow Street in Pocomoke. Everyone is invited to this free event featuring free tours of the Sturgis Museum, a bounce house for kids, music by DJ Rob Little, and great food like fried fish and fries by Unionville Lodge #45. Vendors are still accepted and registration is open at sturgisschoolmuseum.com/events.

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May 20, 2022

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Seagull Assault Arrest OCEAN CITY – A Willards man was arrested last weekend after allegedly knocking a seagull from the sky with a large pole, snapping its neck and discarding it in a dumpster.

Around 9 a.m. on Sunday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a reported animal complaint near a north-end hotel at 100th Street. Witnesses reported they had seen a man strike a seagull out of the air with a 10-foot pole before snapping the injured bird’s neck and discarding it in a dumpster, according to police reports. Officers arrived and observed one large dumpster and two smaller ones on the north side of the building.

An OCPD officer climbed to get a look into a larger dumpster, but did not see a seagull. After checking the second dumpster to no avail, officers were able to locate the injured seagull in the third one. According to police reports, the seagull had blood coming from it.

An animal control officer arrived and was able to remove the injured gull from the dumpster using a net. The animal control officer evaluated the seagull and consulted with a bird rehabilitation facility to determine if the bird needed to be euthanized. It was later determined the bird needed to be euthanized.

While officers were interviewing witnesses, the suspect, later identified as Richard Bortz, Jr., 67, of Willards, approached them from the direction of the building. A witness positively identified Bortz as the suspect, according to police reports. When asked if he knew anything about seagull, Bortz reportedly told police he doesn’t know anything

COPS & COURTS about that bird, but he does know seagulls fly into dumpsters.

Witnesses reportedly told officers Bortz walked out of the building with a large PVC pipe and knocked the seagull out of the air. He then went back inside the building with a pipe, but returned a short time later and appeared to try to snap the bird’s neck before discarding it in the dumpster, according to witnesses.

Officers watched hotel video surveillance footage from the dumpster area, which confirmed the witnesses’ accounts of the incident, according to police reports. OCPD officers consulted with the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office to determine the appropriate charges. Bortz was charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal, animal cruelty and animal cruelty-cause.

According to police reports, when Bortz was placed under arrest, he did not ask why he was being arrested, nor did he make any argument about the arrest, according to police reports.

Boardwalk Wallet Theft OCEAN CITY – A Reisterstown, Md., woman was arrested on theft charges last week after allegedly swiping an-

other woman’s wallet inside a Boardwalk attraction.

Around 1:25 a.m. last Tuesday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to Ripley’s Believe or Not amusement facility on the Boardwalk for a reported theft that had already occurred. The officer met with a female victim who reported her wallet was stolen from a table inside the establishment. The total estimated value of the cash, cards and the value of the wallet itself was roughly $300.

The officer reviewed surveillance video from the establishment and observed a woman later identified as Judy Gerst, 44, of Reisterstown, Md., walk by the unattended wallet and cover it with her jacket, according to police reports. Gerst walked around the room multiple times, returned to the jacket and eventually picked it up. When Gerst picked up the jacket, the wallet was missing, according to police reports.

Gerst then reportedly walked to another area of the exhibit and immediately looked through it, according to police reports. Gerst then returned to the table where she put down her jacket and picks it up again, but the wallet still

May 20, 2022 wasn’t there. She then left the exhibit.

OCPD officers located Gerst on the Boardwalk a short time later. Gerst claimed she saw the wallet on the table and took it to turn it in. When asked why she didn’t turn it in and entered another exhibit, Gerst reportedly said she just wanted to look at the other attractions.

Gerst then told police she went into the bathroom and put the wallet on the counter, and when she came out of the stall, the wallet was gone. Based on the video surveillance and the inconsistencies in Gerst’s story, she was arrested and charged with theft.

Assault, Resisting Arrest OCEAN CITY – A New Jersey man was arrested last weekend after refusing to leave a hotel, resisting arrest and assaulting an officer.

Just after midnight last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to a hotel at 4th Street to assist staff with multiple evictions. The officer met with the hotel’s night manager, who reported getting multiple complaints concerning numerous rooms on the third floor about noise and smoking. The manager also told police the fire alarm had been activated in one of the suspect rooms and the alarm could be heard throughout the entire hotel for about three hours.

While speaking with the occupants of the rooms, OCPD officers were approached by a suspect later identified as Parker Curnew, 20, of Cherry Hill, N.J., who appeared to be intoxicated, according to police reports. The night SEE NEXT PAGE

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

... COPS & COURTS manager told Curnew and the other occupants they were being evicted and needed to start the process of gathering their belongings and leaving the hotel, according to police reports.

However, Curnew refused to start that process, even after being told at least five times. OCPD officers told Curnew he needed to collect his belongings and leave multiple times, but he refused to do so and continued to yell and scream, according to police reports.

He was ultimately arrested for trespassing.

OCPD officers attempted to place handcuffs on Curnew, but he attempted to flee into his hotel room to avoid being arrested. Officers were reportedly able to get Curnew out of the room and leaned him against a wall to prevent his attempt to flee again.

According to police reports, Curnew continued his rude and vulgar behavior during a search incident to his arrest, shouting expletives at the arresting officers. Curnew also said during the arrest process, “I’m going to shoot all three of you cops,” and that his “dad is worth $3 million” and they “better watch out,” according to police reports.

While OCPD officers were searching him, Curnew reportedly shoved the left side of his body into the right side of one of the officer’s body. The force of the collision caused the officer to have to re-balance his feet after it occurred.

The officer determined Curnew had in-

tentionally assaulted him by shoving him with his body, and then laughed about it, according to police reports.

All in all, Curnew had allegedly ignored numerous attempts to get him to leave the hotel, continued a pattern of yelling and screaming in the hotel, resisted arrest, and deliberately shoved an officer. He was charged with trespassing, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and second-degree assault on an officer.

Jail For Traffic Drug Bust OCEAN CITY – A Salisbury man, arrested in February for drug possession charges following a traffic stop in the downtown area, pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Around 11:50 p.m. on February 9, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer patrolling in the downtown area observed a vehicle traveling through an apartment complex parking lot and enter Philadelphia Avenue without coming to a complete stop. As the officer observed, the vehicle traveled north on Philadelphia and made a U-turn at 15th Street before slowly traveling onto the sidewalk in front of the fire department headquarters, according to police reports.

Prior to initiating a traffic stop, the officer positively identified the front seat passenger using multiple law enforcement databases and determined she was wanted on a potential warrant, according to police reports. After the traffic stop, the warrant for the passenger was confirmed and she was taken into cus-

tody.

Officers identified the driver as James King III, 30, of Salisbury, who did not have a driver’s license in his possession and advised the vehicle belonged to his grandmother. A background check revealed King had been issued an identification card that had expired in 2015, or nearly six years earlier.

The background check revealed King had never possessed a valid driver’s license. According to police reports, King told officers he had to gather the requisite information to take to the Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain a driver’s license, but had not yet done so. King was also arrested at that point.

Because both occupants had been arrested, officers requested a tow for

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the vehicle, which was still parked on the sidewalk, blocking the entrance to the firehouse, according to police reports. During an inventory of the vehicle’s contents prior to the tow, officers located two clear glass pipes with burn marks and white residue consistent with crack cocaine. Officers also located a ball of copper wire in the pipes commonly used to smoke crack cocaine.

Because the pipes were located in a cigarette pack in the center console within easy reach of the driver’s seat, King was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine and possession of paraphernalia, along with traffic violations. Last week, he pleaded guilty to possession and was sentenced to 30 days.

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022

STUDENTS In The News

Worcester Preparatory School students in Grades 6-8 presented last Friday an incredible performance of the novel “A Little Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett in the Athletic and Performing Arts Center. Directed by Upper School Dance/Drama Director Paulette DeRosa-Matrona, the show was performed in front of parents, friends and fellow Lower/Middle School students. Cast members included, above front from left, Ellie Phillips, Sydney Parker, Bella Fernley, Lily Lenhard, Isha Garg, Keerat Brar, Emily Ferguson and DeRosa-Matrona; and, back from left, Darren Lockhard, Joe Palmisano, Lena Parker, Rani Yonker, Anna Mumford, Mia Jaoude, Haven Harrison and Linnea Poulsen. Below, Anna Mumford played the role of head mistress Miss. Minchin alongside of Lena Parker, who portrayed Becky.

Students in Leona Lavin's first grade class at Ocean City Elementary School celebrated Earth Day by picking up trash around the school grounds. Throughout the day, students learned how to respect their environment by discussing ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. Pictured are Kennedy Riley, Blake Riley, Rachel Wall, Austin Starkey and Penelope Buta.

Submitted Photos

Above, Sarah Crewe played by WPS middle schooler Lily Lenhard celebrated her birthday with other boarding school students, from left, played by Sydney Parker, Emily Ferguson, Ellie Phillips, Keerat Brar, Isha Garg and Bella Fernley before Sarah learns of her father’s tragic death. Below, Mr. Carrisford, played by Darren Lockhard, searches for Capt. Crewe’s daughter following his death with the help of Ram Dass played by Linnea Poulsen, Mr. Carmichael played by Joe Palmisano, Mrs. Carmichael played by Haven Harrison and Mrs. Barrow played

by Mia Jaoude.

After reading “Ranger in Time: Rescue on the Oregon Trail” for the One School, One Book program, students from Buckingham Elementary School visited Shad Landing and enjoyed a day of hiking, fishing and exploring nature. Above left, Dylan Rounds is pictured fishing. Above right, BES Principal Chris Welch is pictured with Tosca and Noah Serpico.

pollinator Garden tour returns to Worcester

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 65

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SNOW HILL – The second annual Pollinator Garden Tour will return to Worcester County next month.

Hosted by the Lower Shore Land Trust (LSLT), the 2022 Pollinator Garden Tour will return to Worcester County June 2425. Following the success of the first annual garden tour, organizers say they are eager to make this year’s event bigger and better.

“We had a really good turnout last year, and the people that were there really enjoyed it,” said Suzy Taylor, LSLT board member and treasurer. “After they visited they said they couldn’t wait for next year’s event.”

Last year, the nonprofit organization opted to forgo its Delmarva Pollinator Festival in exchange for a new event – a Pollinator Garden Tour. Officials noted the goal of the event is to educate the public on the benefits of native plants and pollinator gardens, and the habitats they provide to birds and insects.

“It’s a great, inspiring event,” Taylor said. “I’ve personally converted a huge section of my lawn to pollinator plants after last year’s tour. The Lower Shore Land Trust is also a great organization to support, not only for its conservation work but for its work on pollinators and native landscaping.”

Taylor said this year’s festival will feature a self-guided tour covering eight pollinator-friendly gardens across Worcester County.

She noted that each property will vary in size, giving attendees a better idea of what can be accomplished in any space.

“We have a mix of larger properties, as well as in-town gardens. We actually have two in Berlin to show people you don’t need acres of property …,” she said. “One of the gardens will also have containers, to show what you can do if you don’t have a lot of space.”

Officials say attendees will have an opportunity to visit gardens landscaped with native plants, watch artists painting ‘en plein air,’ and gain inspiration for their own gardening projects.

“You can visit a few gardens each day, or you can visit them all in one day …,” she explained. “You can start at any property, check in at any property and visit in any order. Because it’s self-guided, you can go at your own pace.”

Taylor added that the tour will also feature speakers.

“We will have some scheduled speakers at some of the gardens to talk about birds and pollinators and native plants,” she said.

Officials say tickets for the Pollinator Garden Tour can be purchased online for $25, or in-person the day of the event for $30.

This year’s event will also feature a preview party, hosted by Charles and Laura Jenkins at Newport Farms in Berlin. Tickets for the June 23 reception – now on sale for $125 – will offer attendees access to the historic home and farm property and one of LSLT’s premier certified pollinator gardens.

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Following a successful first season, the 2022 Pollinator Garden Tour will return to Worcester County June 24-25. Above, participants are pictured in a pollinator garden at the 2021 event.

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“The event will have a reception with cocktails, food and exclusive access to Newport Farms’ gardens,” Taylor said.

For more information on the 2022 Pollinator Garden Tour, or to purchase tickets, visit lowershorelandtrust.org. Taylor noted that while this year’s event will feature pollinator gardens in Worcester

County, next year’s event will feature those in Wicomico and Sussex counties.

“This event supports efforts to increase pollinator habitat, promote the use of native landscaping and raise awareness for the benefits of pollinators through the LSLT Pollinator Certification Program,” a statement reads.

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

May 20, 2022

OBITUARIES Dee Eggert

New Boards: The Boardwalk’s new surface in Ocean City is pictured as

pedestrians walk south on the promenade. The first phase over the winter involved 27th to 15th streets and Wicomico Street to the Inlet. Photo by Chris Parypa

BERLIN – Dee Eggert (locally known as Mimu), age 94, passed away at home, surrounded by family on Wednesday, May 11, 2022.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pa., Dee attended Immaculata College and graduated with a degree in chemistry. She worked at Dupont Chemical before marrying her husband of 63 years, L.F. “Gus” Eggert. Together, they raised seven children while traipsing back DEE EGGERT and forth across the country and around the world during 32 years with the U.S. Navy. Dee packed and unpacked the household, and registered kids with new schools, sports teams, music teachers and scout troops during 25 moves in 35 years.

Dee loved the beach, books, travel and rare moments of much deserved peace and quiet.

She is survived by her seven children, 11 grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Ocean City on Wednesday, May 18. Members of the rosary guild will pray the rosary for the repose of Dee’s soul a half an hour before the Mass. An internment service will be held at the United States Naval Academy cemetery on Wednesday, June 1 at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family will be accepting Natural Lite and pizza to enjoy with family and friends while sharing happy memories of mom.

Mary Ellen Cropper NEWARK – Mary Ellen Cropper, age 96, died Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl Wells and Grace Ellen Rayne Wells. She was also preceded in death by her husband, William G. Cropper, in 2009, and her brother-inlaw, Andy Hayes, and is survived by her daughter, Deborah Lynn Cropper Hayes of Charlottesville, Va. and her son, MARY ELLEN William Carlton Cropper CROPPER of Newark, and two grandchildren, Ryan Hayes and Robin Hayes Verrier and her husband Jack.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, May 22, 2022, at 1 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 8355 Newark Road, Newark, Md. 21841. Inurnment will be in Trinity Garden of Memory Churchyard after the service.

Charles H. Webb OCEAN CITY – Charles H. Webb, age 69, passed away at his home in Ocean City on Saturday, April 16, 2022.

Born in Cambridge, Maryland, he was the son of the late Bryan Webb and Elizabeth Chandler Smith.

He is survived by his three sisters, Pamela Harman (Taylor), Yvonne B. Moore (James), and Suzanne Kelly (Tim); a loving stepmother, Peggy Webb; and a brother, Bryan Webb, Jr. There are also several nieces and nephews.

Flowers were thrown CHARLES H. WEBB overboard at Fish Tales in Ocean City in his memory. A celebration of life was planned by his family and his Seacrets family. If you knew Chuck, you loved Chuck. He was a friend to all and always made you laugh. He was loved by many and surely will be missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Atlantic General Hospital, 9733 Healthway Drive, Berlin, Md. 21811.

Letters of condolences can be sent to the family via www.burbagefuneralhome.com. Arrangements are in the care of The Burbage Funeral Home.

… Three-Day Effort Underway In Resort

May 20, 2022

FROM PAGE 6 and Council were fairly consistent in their rankings and pointed out what they believed were some of the town’s strong suits. The average score among the elected officials was eight, which was consistent with the ranking Sumek collected from the staff a day earlier.

Among strong suits mentioned by the Mayor and Council were financial stability, strong revenues, record visitor numbers last year and solid visitor numbers through the pandemic. Others includes starting to address the seasonal housing issue, the core values of maintaining a clean and safe resort town, moving forward with significant projects and the great staff and leadership in the departments.

Inevitably, the discussion came around to rebranding Ocean City as a youth sports destination, with a potential sports complex in the north end of the county in the early planning stages.

Sumek related a story from a town he worked with in Texas called Round Rock.

He said state legislature there recently named Round Rock as the amateur sports capital in Texas.

“They have an amazing complex there and it’s thriving,” he said. “They’re getting ready to build another one, and they’ve been told don’t undersize it.”

When asked if that success could be duplicated in Ocean City and the surrounding area, the consultant gave a firm yes.

“From what I’ve seen, damn yes,” he said. “They can be wildly successful if they are done right. Round Rock in Texas has its own separate sports tourism department. It’s huge.”

Sumek said there were pitfalls to avoid with developing youth sports facilities.

“The ones that haven’t been successful didn’t do market analysis and made decisions based on emotions,” he said.

“Do the homework, but you have to move quickly because it’s an exploding market and it’s very competitive.”

Sumek said it appears the Ocean City area is positioned well to be a competitor in the market.

“Having family-friendly, multi-generational activities is the key because you have families with parents, other siblings, grandparents coming for these events,” he said. “You have all of that. The ones that have struggled don’t have that.

You have so many built-in amenities and the hospitality facilities. In some communities, the families are saying what are we going to do with these other kids and where are we going to take everybody to eat. You have that built in already.”

Mayor Rick Meehan said the town’s greatest amenity is the beach, and pointed to the ongoing beach replenishment project as a catalyst for that.

“There is nothing more important than beach replenishment,” he said. “Maintaining that beach and protecting that property is the key to everything we do.

That is our lifeline.”

Council Approves Proposed Escape Room’s Permit The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – Continuing a recent trend, resort officials this week signed off on a proposed captive escape room at a midtown location formerly home to Hall’s Restaurant.

The Mayor and Council had before them on Monday a request for a conditional use permit for the planned escape room in the town’s LC-1, or local commercial zoning district. The city’s planning commission approved the request last month and sent a favorable recommendation to the Mayor and Council.

Captive escape room principals Marina Stepanova and Shawn Bauer sought the conditional use permit to create an interior escape room amusement within the existing commercial center at 59th Street.

Captive escape rooms established their

first escape room amusement in 2017 in the downtown area in the B-1 Boardwalk commercial zoning district, which did not require a conditional use permit.

Captive escape rooms have steadily increased in popularity in recent years, and the proposal for the 59th Street location would be a family-friendly activity, or an activity geared toward groups or corporate team-building events.

The applicants operate an existing escape room downtown and the proposed 59th Street location would complement the existing business with a different twist.

The activity requires groups of individuals solving a series of clues to advance to the next room in the multi-room game.

The existing downtown captive escape room is called Dracula’s Castle and, as the name implies, requires participants to solve clues to expose the famous vampire once and for all. The proposed new

Page 67

captive escape room at 59th Street would be called Pieces of Eight and would require teams of participants to solve clues and move on to the next room in order to escape the ship of the famous pirate Blackbeard, according to the company’s website.

During the requisite public hearing at the planning commission level, Bauer further explained the concept.

“It’s an interactive game, almost a human video game,” he said. “The rooms are living, breathing puzzles that people have to work their way through. It’s for a lot of families and a lot of corporates.

Nothing is ever locked behind you and you’re never locked in a room. It’s well-lit and there is nothing dangerous or threatening in any way.”

With no discussion, the council voted unanimously to approve the requested conditional use permit.

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

The Dispatch Forever In Memory Of Our Founder, Dick Lohmeyer (May 25, 1927-May 5, 2005) The Dispatch, Serving Greater Ocean City Since 1984, Is Published By Maryland Coast Dispatch Inc. Weekly On Friday Mornings MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 467, Berlin, Md. 21811 PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd.

Berlin, Md. 21811 PHONE: 410-641-4561 FAX: 410-641-0966 ONLINE WEBSITES: mdcoastdispatch.com facebook.com/thedispatchoc twitter.com/thedispatchocmd instagram.com/thedispatchocmd J. STEVEN GREEN Publisher/Editor editor@mdcoastdispatch.com

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The Maryland Coast Dispatch (USPS #015125) is an official and legal newspaper for Worcester County. Periodical postage paid at Berlin, Maryland, and additional mailing offices. The Maryland Coast Dispatch, 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd., Berlin, Md. 21811, is published weekly on Friday mornings, 52 weeks a year. Subscription rates are $260 per year.

POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Maryland Coast Dispatch, P.O. Box 467, Berlin, Maryland 21811. Maryland Coast Dispatch offices are located at Route 346 and Graham Avenue, Berlin, Maryland.

May 20, 2022

ARPA Funds Best Used On Large Capital Projects How We See It

Governments across the country are being provided a bounty of funds from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The first round of disbursements was doled out last July with the other half coming by the end of the current calendar year.

The options are broad for the funding and include public health expenditures; addressing negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency; replacing lost public sector revenue; providing premium pay for essential workers; and investing in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure.

Most governments are using these unbudgeted funds – which must be used by 2024 – to pay for large-scale capital projects that would otherwise need to be financed or delayed indefinitely until they surge on the priority list.

Berlin will receive $4.79 million in

funding and has already decided to allocate about $1 million toward smart meters for the town, $350,000 for a well replacement project and a $110,000 on a drainage project, among other things.

Discussions are ongoing on how to spend the remainder of the funding, but indications are a bulk of the dollars will go toward major sewer and water projects totaling about $2.3 million. Also, being discussed is a refund of business license fees, which we think should be reconsidered and directed toward more pressing town projects like stormwater issues in problem areas.

Worcester County is expected to receive about $10 million and used nearly half of it on costly broadband service projects and meeting increased fire company support requests.

Ocean City will receive a total of $6.8 with $3.4 million in this year’s budget

and allocated for street paving and canal dredging, ongoing maintenance projects the town evaluates each year for offseason work.

The best tact to take with this is tackling significant capital projects or public safety initiatives that may otherwise be difficult to fund or result in the town going to the bond market, resulting in debt service. It would be wrong to call these dollars “free money” but the federal government rarely disburses these types of funds in large amounts. Federal and state governments typically pass legislation requiring local governments to take certain action costing more money.

These sorts of decisions are called “unfunded mandates.” In the case of ARPA, it’s certainly bonus funds and local governments need to take full advantage of them because it’s not going to happen again anytime soon.

Letters To The Editor Berlin Deserves Better Editor: When I was growing up and home sick from school, there were two constants: Chicken noodle soup and The Price is Right. It was a bonus day if the game Plinko was played. Who doesn’t like Plinko?

Decades later, this sports center complex discussion has turned into a round of Plinko. Let me explain.

I’ll begin by emphasizing that I love the idea of a sports complex. Love it. I think it could be a great addition to our area, an economic driver and provide some employment opportunities.

I do not love the Town of Berlin being in the dark and uninformed, not involved or invited to any communications, meetings or discussions — no matter how trivial these events may appear. Aside from Wednesday’s town planning meeting, there has been no information regarding location adaptation, use, development, traffic, environmental, or a professional courtesy given to the Town. I’d venture to even say it’s not quite “neighborly.”

Don’t feel the need to rehash every concern; but I will say that I’m confident many fellow Berliners are equally disappointed and frustrated with this backward, exclusive, and rather narrow focused attempt to impose a facility upon the citizenry without, what I would consider, true due diligence.

This complex now is the Plinko disc being bounced around among different entities and people with different ideas and motives and now it’s finally come to rest, with what appears to be extraordinary expediency, in the Town of Berlin area slot at the bottom of the game board.

No Plan. Lots of promises.

I’m a Berlin Town Councilmember and I’m speaking from the viewpoint of what I will assume is an eventual annexation request should this complex continue on

its current path. My job, responsibility and passion is first and foremost the health and safety of Berliners.

This complex is currently not safe in terms of current levels of public safety personnel, apparatus and funding as well as traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian.

This complex is currently not healthy in terms of fiscal responsibility to Berliners. Why should Berlin bear the burden on infrastructure and quality of life without even the courtesy of inviting us to a party we would be hosting or a seat at the planning table.

No plan. Little communication.

I was extremely happy to see county representation at Wednesday’s planning meeting; I want to talk. I want to be included in these discussions and I hope that the county will accept the Berlin Mayor & Council’s invitation to schedule a meeting to do so.

Jack Orris Berlin (The writer is a Berlin councilman representing District 2.)

Video Exposes Inequity Editor: I recently viewed the police body cam footage from the Liberty County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office where the Delaware State Woman’s Lacrosse team’s bus was pulled over on I-95 for a traffic violation. The 22minute video should be watched by all who care about justice and respect and equality. I am not ashamed to admit that tears came to my eyes upon viewing it.

The driver of the bus entered the left lane which was clearly a traffic violation.

It was made a tad worse by his statements of not knowing his bus had to follow the rules of the road that applied to trucks. This was pure hogwash or a much-uninformed driver. The men and women who possess a Commercial Driver’s License work hard to obtain their

credentials. Our system of professional drivers helps keep our roads safe for all of us. His mistake was unacceptable, but what ensued is the real issue.

The driver’s passengers were the women who attend Delaware State and play on the university’s Lacrosse team.

These ladies were traveling back to Delaware after attending a tournament in Jacksonville, Fla. As most people know, obtaining a spot on a university’s athletic team is an amazing accomplishment.

These kids are the best of the best. They study, they practice and they play. And they should be admired. An added wrinkle here is these ladies play for Delaware State which is a notable HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities). We will never know the true intent of the deputies involved in this stop but we cannot dismiss racism. It reeks of blatant racism.

These young ladies were forced to sit on their bus, while numerous members of law enforcement from several squad cars took part in the search. A drug dog made his rounds and countless pieces of luggage were rummaged through by the deputies. One player on the team was called forward when the deputy called her name. She was asked to account for the contents of a package that a family gave her as a gift. Because she had not opened it yet, she honestly answered that she did not know. Her gift was then opened and expected by the law enforcement team. The gift was a simple and harmless item that many households possess. All of these bags were inspected because the driver of the bus made a traffic violation. This is sad and unacceptable.

As an ardent supporter of law enforcement, I ask everyone to please view this 22-minute video with an open mind.

While I maintain that the insurrection on January 6, 2021 was one of the darkest SEE NEXT PAGE

May 20, 2022

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Letters To The Editor days in our nation’s history, I know many acquaintances that make excuses for the actions of these so-called “Patriots”.

In all seriousness, I ask that each of these “Patriots” watch this video. Hypothetically speaking, do any of these “Patriots” think if the passengers on this bus would have been a bunch of white boys on a sports team who attended the University of Maryland or Delaware would be subjected to the same treatment as the ladies from Delaware State? If you answered yes, this is exactly the reason why Black Lives Matter exists. This may make you feel uncomfortable but it is true. You cannot continue to back the blue at all costs and assume that persons of color are wrong whenever accused. Again, this 22-minute video would not even exist had the passengers been a bunch of white boys because the bus would never have been search for this period of time. Let’s just please admit that an inequity exists in this world. Once we do that, we can take a leap forward towards dignity, justice and respect for all.

M. Scott Chismar Ocean City

An Upside Down World Editor: Nothing makes sense anymore. Our values, morals, and civility are under attack. People are dying of a Chinese virus, but it's racist to refer to it as the Wuhan China virus even though it began in China.

We are clearly living in an upside-down world where right is wrong and wrong is right; where moral is immoral and immoral is moral, where good is evil and evil is good, where killing murderers is wrong but killing unborn babies, very often painfully, is legal and your right. I will give you examples unlike what the left does. The left just level accusations on their enemies and never back them up with examples supporting their pejoratives. *If a guy pretends to be a woman, you are required to pretend with him. *Somehow it’s un-American for the census to count how many Americans are in America. *Russians influencing our elections are bad, but illegals voting in our elections, by the millions, are good. *It was cool for Joe Biden to "blackmail" the President of Ukraine. *Twenty is too young to drink a beer, but eighteen is old enough to vote and go to war. *People who have never owned slaves should pay “slavery reparations” to people who have never been slaves. *People who have never been to college should pay the debts of college students who took out huge loans for their degrees. *Illegal aliens with tuberculosis, polio, and the Wuhan China virus are welcome, but you’d better be able to prove your dog is vaccinated. *Irish doctors and German engineers who want to immigrate to the US must go through a rigorous vetting process, but any illiterate gang member or terrorist who comes across our border is welcome.

*$5 billion for border security is too expensive, but $1.5 trillion for “free” health care is not. (1 trillion seconds is 31,709 years). *If you cheat to get into college you go to prison. But if you cheat to get into this country you go to college for free. *If you cheat in an election nothing happens to you. But if you point out the mathematical errors of that election and how many people took part, you are a conspiracy theorist & disdained. *People who say there is no such thing as gender are demanding a female president. *We have witnessed other countries abandon capitalism, go socialist, collapse and be miserable. But it seems like a great plan for us. *Some people are held responsible for things that happened before they were born. Other people are not held responsible for what they are doing right now.

Consider the 633 riots, burnings, murders, and destruction of private property in 2020. *Criminals are caught-and-released to hurt more people but stopping them is bad because it's a violation of their rights.

In many left governing cities, it is illegal to protect yourself with a gun. *We have Biden's Department of Homeland Security calling half the population possible domestic terrorists for having an opinion that differs from their own. They are called “MAGA” extremists. How are the people that believe in “MAGA”, make America great again, extremists?? *Parents complaining at school board meetings are labeled “domestic terrorists” but not ANTIFA, BLM, and thugs hitting, shooting, and killing people on the streets of our cities. *It is ok to cut clean domestic oil production and buy dirty Russian oil thereby bank rolling an illegal invasion of another country. *Pointing out all this hypocrisy of the left somehow makes us racists!

Wake up America, there are Marxist/ communists drilling holes in the hull of the good ship “Titanic America”. It's taking on water and is sinking. We need to demand election integrity so we can still speak up and vote for the party whose foundation, for the most part, is set in the Constitution. This document, written by our founders who had to be inspired by God to write it with an uncanny realization of what law makers might try to get away with in the future, our time. Our founders wrote the Constitution to curb the rights and freedoms of our law makers, not the freedoms of America’s citizens. They foresaw the need for article 5, a Convention of States, to allow the states to amend it, not just Congress which may have become corrupted. God had to help them.

Always remember the immortal words of Edmund Burke, British statesman, parliamentary orator, and political thinker prominent in public life from 1765 to about 1795 and important in the history of political theory, “all that is necessary for evil to flourish is that good men do nothing.”

Dennis Evans Berlin

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Between The Lines

by Publisher/Editor Steve Green Time will tell whether Snow Hill is making the right move investing $193,000 into repairs for the Black-Eyed Susan riverboat to make it a stationary restaurant this summer on the Pocomoke River. Approximately $600,000 in repairs to the hull, hydraulics system and paddlewheel frame were estimated as the original cost to get the boat back running in the water.

The boat was acquired back in 2020 when the Worcester County Commissioners provided Snow Hill with a $400,000 no-interest, 15-year loan. Though Snow Hill owns the boat, the county oversees expenditures of the funding.

The town hopes to utilize grants to fund these unexpected repairs.

It seems the town does not want to simply abandon the boat. Simply selling it outright was deemed not a smart financial option. This new approach to spend money for the repairs to get it back to Snow Hill is about buying some time to figure out what to do in the future. Getting back on the water functioning will mean Snow Hill will have about a million dollars into this venture through the acquisition and surprise repairs. The fact the town is even embarking on this journey speaks to the desperation Snow Hill has for needing and wanting to become a destination. The words of local business owner Shae Von Marsh seems to sum up the town’s optimistic approach. She said, “Seeing this vessel docked in our little town evokes momentous emotion and provides hope that Snow Hill will continue to prosper. As a unique attraction, the Black-Eyed Susan increases visitors to our area on the Eastern Shore and we believe that as it grows in popularity and recognition, it will continue to help introduce new people to the charm that Snow Hill has to offer.”

A subject on the minds of many these days is the soaring gas prices.

It seems only a matter of time before unleaded gallon prices shockingly exceed $5. As it stands now, Maryland is setting new gas price records every day. Before this month, the previous high on record in Maryland was $4.04 in June 2008.

According to AAA-Mid Atlantic, the national average cost of a gallon of unleaded gasoline as of Thursday was $4.58 with Maryland’s average at $4.61. For comparison’s sake, one month ago the average was $4.03 and one year ago it was $3.05. As far as Worcester County goes, the average cost Thursday was $4.61, slightly above Wicomico ($4.60) and Somerset ($4.63).

Nobody knows the answer to the question, “when will gas prices go down?” However, none of the experts seem to think it will be anytime soon. A press release from a fuel provider this week read, "It depends on how quickly we're able to ramp up the production of gas and oil in other places and in other parts of the world, but that's going to take a lot a long time. I think we have to accept that the gas prices are probably going to be high for a long time."

This latest surge in COVID-19 cases is puzzling. In Worcester County, as of May 18, the daily positivity rate was 15.15 (statewide average of 8.12%). This is the highest the positive rate has been since January and the number of infected individuals has tripled over the last month. Hospitalizations are rising but the general trend seems to be the cases are not as severe as previous spikes.

These rising rates have led to renewed calls from some for students to be masking again in public schools. While the data surge is a bit puzzling considering the time of year, as the cases typically subsided during the warm weather months in 2020 and 2021, there is an opportunity for public policy makers to set a good example. There must be a push forward. The virus is here to stay for good. Infections will continue, and guidance is evolving to not require quarantining for positive individuals without symptoms who are at least double vaccinated. It’s wise for everyone to follow the metrics and use their own discretion on safety measures, but sweeping public policy decisions like mandatory masking in schools should remain off the table. We must continue forward, and the good news for Worcester County is Superintendent Lou Taylor and the school board seem to agree.

It was nice to see Worcester County Board of Education members speak out this week in defense of their approach to the recent bus contractor agreements. During this week’s meeting, a review of the bus contractor changes in the new budget was held, and Board Vice President Todd Ferrante made a statement letting bus drivers know they are appreciated, while also outlining for the public his belief they are treated well in Worcester County. “When you look at the fact that we’re the best paying school system on the Eastern Shore and we’re third in the state I think that says a lot about how we feel about our bus contractors,” he said. “This board has done everything possible to make sure that we’ve given our bus contractors a fair and extremely just package.”

Ferrante believes most bus contractors are pleased with the adjustments made to their pay and that a vocal minority led the request for the Worcester County Commissioners to go beyond what the school system approved. Reminding attendees at the board meeting the school system paid bus drivers when schools were shuttered during the pandemic, Ferrante said the new fiscal year budget increases drivers’ hourly rates from $22.50 to $25, their administration fee, their per vehicle allotment and their mileage rate, which will go from $1.60 to $1.62.

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Puzzle Answers

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May 20, 2022

The Adventures of Fatherhood

by Steve Green

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ports really do provide special moments.

Beckett’s middle school lacrosse team traveled to Easton last week for a game and got crushed. There was a wonderful silver lining though. With the game well in hand, the opposing coach called time out with five seconds left. What could he possibly need to do in the last five seconds with the score 9-2? It turned out he had cooked up something special.

A boy in a wheelchair rolled out to the midfield line surrounded by his teammates and my son and his fellow players. Opposing team players cheered him down the field toward the goal. He surprised us all, making his way behind the goal. With our defenders flopping out of his way, he came back to the face of the goal and shot to score his first goal.

Players on both teams celebrated with the youngsters as well as the parents on the sidelines.

Later I learned our team was unaware of the plan until it happened.

There were no orchestrated efforts to work together to make this a memorable moment for the handicapped kid, who was a stranger to our team’s players. It was a beautiful moment of sincere spontaneity, a result of good hearts and pure instincts within these young student-athletes.

This situation happened to unfold on Beckett’s 14th birthday. It was a lasting memory to mark the occasion.

Fourteen – it’s hard to believe I have a kid this age. I suppose this will be said for the rest of my life as he and his little brother continue to grow up.

I’m constantly struck at how different our days are now with our 14- and 12year-old boys, respectively. They sure are complicated beings with their own individual views on things and some tricky moods as well.

Parenting our 14-year-old boy often feels like walking in a minefield. When I strolled into his room after work one

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night this week, I found a flurry of papers all over his room. He had fallen behind on a few assignments and needed to catch up. His mom helped him get a plan in place. He didn’t like the plan because it involved a lot of work. As I walked into his room, he unloaded on me about several topics. I just let him vent. He was not looking for advice.

Some suggestions on why his agitation and irk over his current affairs were the last thing he wanted. I just told him I can see you’re upset, keep plugging away and dinner in 30 minutes. He yelled downstairs, “can we get pizza?” When I said, “not tonight, but soon,” he muttered a few things I didn’t felt needed a response.

Birthdays provide these “take stock” moments. Through all the ups and downs, I am incredibly proud of our kid.

He has a good heart, but battles many things every day. Most of his challenges are typical teen issues, while others are unique to him. He’s learning the best way for him to be successful in and out of the classroom. He recently said to me out of the blue, “I know I need to be more consistent with things, but it’s hard.” It was introspective and a good self-critique.

Parenting For Brain founder Pamela Li shared some of her own thoughts on navigating the teen journey.

Be a calm, consistent presence: In the teenage years, the brain is more flexible and less regulated to prepare it for the transition into adulthood. The unfortunate downside is that their mood swings can be intense and upsetting to parents.

The goal of these changes is not about attacking you or being defiant. So take a deep breath and try not to take typical teenage mood swings personally.

Even if your teen seems disrespectful to you, stay calm and do not lose your cool. Be the most reliable calming force in the storm while holding clear boundaries for teenage behavior.

In other words, you can address poor behavior calmly and kindly.

Emotions are contagious. You already see that their anger can trigger your anger. Stay calm and do not let your anger feed back to them and escalate everyone’s emotions.

Be supportive, not punitive: Having to deal with this awful mood is unpleasant, but it can be even worse for your teen.

Imagine getting enraged over the tiniest things and not being able to control your own mood. …

Parents’ handling of their adolescent’s emotions has a profound effect on their teenager’s behavior and emotional wellbeing.

Teenagers with emotionally supportive parents tend to be more well-adjusted. Those whose parents punish or dismiss their emotional responses are more likely to develop behavioral problems and depressive episodes or symptoms.

Be autonomy-supportive: Controlling parenting is found to predict oppositional behavior and conduct disorder in adolescents. Instead of controlling your child, allow them more freedom to develop their independence. Parents’ autonomy-support is associated with more intrinsic motivation to study and better academic performance.

Listen to your moody teenager: There is nothing more aggravating than being scolded, ignored, and not listened to.

Teenagers often feel dismissed and disrespected when parents lecture them instead of listening to them. Listen to what they say and try to see things from their perspective.

Attune to your teen’s emotions: When you are attuned to your teen’s emotional state, they can clearly see that you understand them.

(The writer is the publisher and editor of The Dispatch. He and his wife, Pamela, are proud parents of two boys. This weekly column examines their transition into parenthood and all that goes along with it. E-mail any thoughts to editor@mdcoastdispatch.com.)

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