Four commissioners sign on to paid parking code change

By Jack Chavez Staff Writer

(May 4, 2023) Four Worcester County Commissioners sponsored legislation on Tuesday that paves the way for a pilot program that would create a parking charge for out-ofstate people using the Shell Mill boat ramp in Bishopville.

With the signatures of Commissioners Chip Bertino, Jim Bunting, Eric Fiori and Caryn Abbott, the new majority in county leadership can now determine the feasibility of one of its ideas to drum up additional revenue.

The pilot program was approved in March, but a minor amendment was needed to implement it. Specifically, the code now adds “paid” to the parking zone designations.

The pilot program will charge outof-state boat ramp users $10 to use the north-county boat ramp. If the program is determined a success, similar charges will likely come to the rest of the county’s 14 other public boat ramps, which include the boat ramp on 64th Street in Ocean City and the ramp on Golf Course Road in West Ocean City.

Back in March, Commissioner Joe Mitrecic said this move might just dissuade out-of-state boaters from using that specific ramp.

“We’re going to push these boat ramp users to other boat ramps,” Mitrecic said then. “If we’re going to do it, we need to do it with all boat ramps in the county.”

Fiori disagreed, saying that parking is so bad at other ramps that the public will need to weigh its limited options.

“By 9 a.m. on a Saturday, these lots are already filled,” Fiori said. “You’re not going to take your family and boat to another ramp because of a $10 fee.”

Commissioner Jim Bunting said

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