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JANUARY 7, 2022
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DIPPING FOR DOLLARS
Nearly 900 “penguins” take a dip in the 48-degree ocean on mild, but rainy New Year’s Day during the 28th annual Atlantic General Hospital Penguin Swim, held on 91st Street. See more photos on page 8.
Penguin Swim bounces back in full AGH fundraiser draws twice as many chilly dippers as covid-crippled 2021 event By Jack Chavez Staff Writer (Jan. 7, 2022) Though rain threatened to compromise the unseasonably mild Jan. 1 weather for the 28th annual New Year’s Day Penguin Swim, the elements held off just long enough for nearly 900 “penguins” to take to the chilly ocean waves off 91st Street. The event, which benefits Atlantic General Hospital, saw 870 participants pre-register to go along with the other contests and Bull on the
Beach parade from the 94th Street restaurant to the water that have each become staples of the annual swim. A couple of weeks of mild and sometimes downright warm weather helped keep the water temperature relatively high at 48 degrees on Saturday. Air temperatures hovered around the low 50s. The turnout more than doubled the 2021 swim, likely due to last year’s event occurring during the worst of the pandemic, but organizers said that participation could have been even greater with a sunny day. “Overall, it went pretty well,” said Kam LaBrunda, the AGH Foundation development coordinator who over-
sees special events. “We would have had more participation if it was sunny. (But at least) the rain held off until right after the swim.” The foundation set a fundraising goal to net $80,000 for AGH. As of Wednesday, the foundation was still calculating expenses from a gross total of about $102,000. Over its 28 years, the Penguin Swim has generated nearly $1.7 million for the Berlin hospital, LaBrunda said. Last year’s swim had to abide by numerous covid-19 protocols and eliminated almost every indoor aspect of the fundraiser at the Princess Royale. Organizers even spread the See CROWD Page 7
By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (Jan. 7, 2022) With the number of positive covid cases surging past the highest records since the start of the pandemic, the possibility of moving to virtual learning looms heavy over school districts across the country. But at Worcester County Public Schools, officials are continuing to do everything ‘WCPS has they can to avoid proven that we shutdowns and safely keep stu- can safely have dents in the students in classrooms. person for daily “WCPS has instruction.’ proven that we Annette can safely have students in perWallace son for daily instruction,” said Annette Wallace, the district’s chief operating and academic officer for grades nine through 12, in an email this week. “Our staff and faculty have done an amazing job following our protocols to keep everyone safe.” When the pandemic came on the scene in early 2020, Worcester’s schools followed suit with most other districts and closed for several months to give way to a full virtual learning program. It did not take long to determine that the all-virtual method had more issues than benefits, though, and officials did everything they could to gradually bring students back to the classrooms. The effort began with a hybrid option, and moved to returning all students to in-person learning with mask mandates, and social distancing and testing protocols in place. Students who wished to stay with the See PUBLIC Page 6
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Mayor Meehan reflects on 2021 and future By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (Jan. 7, 2022) On the heels of 2020, people were not quite sure whether the summer season in 2021 would return to normal, especially in Ocean City. The covid-19 pandemic was entering its second year and although vaccines were being administered across the county, they were limited, at first, to certain age groups. But as they rolled out, the collars were loosened, and things began to return to normal. Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan took time to reflect on the 2021 season while also giving a preview into what 2022 may have in store. “I think that 2021 probably went even better than we anticipated,” Meehan said, noting that local businesses were just coming off what had been for many of them a disastrous year. Many businesses faced the same struggles as the city, especially in terms of hiring. For example, Ocean City’s transportation department had problems finding bus and tram drivers, and at one point offered more than the starting pay to attract drivers. Meehan acknowledged that businesses had to make sacrifices, too, as international students did not come to the resort in numbers seen in the past. “All of our businesses became acclimated with what they needed to do to continue to operate and be successful,” the mayor said. “I think they did a terrific job acclimating to that … I really, really think that was a tremendous accomplishment.” Part of getting back to normal meant bringing back events such as Springfest and Sunfest, but also the
traditional planting of the first umbrella with Gov. Larry Hogan. “I really think that set the tone for where we were going this summer,” Meehan said, adding that city officials frequently looked at 2019 instead of 2020 to gauge how things were going. “We compared a lot of what happened in 2021 to 2019 because we realize 2020 was an anomaly. [Instead,] we compared to 2019, which was a tremendous year for Ocean City.” Meehan said 2021 exceeded 2019 in many ways. The revenues were higher, which is a sign that more visitors came to the resort area than two years ago. “When you look back over 2021, it was one of the best years we’ve ever had in Ocean City,” he said. Part of the successful year can be attributed to mask mandates and travel restrictions being lifted. People were comfortable traveling again and going back to the things they had done before the pandemic. While the city was having one of its most successful years of all time, Meehan and City Council hired Tom Perlozzo to serve as the director of tourism and business development for the resort area. Council members had discussed the position for years and it was filled once the roles were defined. “Tom Perlozzo, I think everyone agreed, was the right person for this job,” said Meehan, who explained that the new director served as the director of recreation and parks for Ocean City in the 1980s and early 1990s before going on to do marketing and research for several companies. Perlozzo then helped rebrand Worcester County. “Tom was the right guy.” Since taking the reins, Perlozzo
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convinced City Council members to realign several departments under his portfolio, including special events, the convention center, and public relations. The moves, Meehan said, gets everyone working in the same direction for the right goals of moving Ocean City toward attracting more tourists and becoming a year-round resort. The city also hired BVK out of Wisconsin to take over the advertising duties. “I think BVK, the new advertising agency, really fit the bill,” Meehan said. “I think they checked off all the boxes. I think that this is a fresh start…everything will be new.” By everything, Meehan said there is new leadership, new in-house personnel, and new responsibilities in house to do some of the tasks like social media strategizing, that the former advertising agency, MGH, did for the city. “Everybody is enthusiastic and on board, not just at City Hall, but in the hospitality industry, too,” Meehan said. The goal of these initiatives, Meehan added, is to expand the season. He reminisced of the days when the season was from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and now it goes through December.
GREG WEHNER/OCEAN CITY TODAY
After coming off of one of Ocean City’s most successful years, Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan is optimistic about the future and plans to continue his push to turn the resort area into a year-round destination.
“They tell you the old story that at 5 o’clock on Monday of Labor Day, you could shoot a cannon down the Boardwalk and not hit anybody, and honest to God, it’s true,” Meehan said. ‘I was here, it’s true. Today, that’s unimaginable.” The city’s marketing efforts, which include expanding the convention center, finding a solution for sports marketing, hosting indoor sports at the convention center, and down the road, at a sports complex, all will help See EXTENDING Page 4
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Extending season remains focus of agenda Continued from Page 3 in expanding the season even more, according to Meehan. And on top of that, many of the larger hotels in the resort offer year-round amenities. Combined, he said, those things have all pointed Ocean City in the right direction. But there will be some challenges, which the mayor acknowledged. Hiring, as previously mentioned, has been a problem this past year and will continue to be a problem if housing is not available for seasonal employees. Some businesses provide housing for their seasonal workforce, yet it is not enough. Looking for solutions, the city is working with the Ocean City Development Corporation to develop the “model block,” a series of properties comprising of 3,500 square feet of
developable space, located between Somerset and Dorchester streets downtown. The development calls for seasonal housing and shops that can attract businesses to the area. Another thing Meehan acknowledged from 2021 was the return of several events, which are set to return in 2022. Events like Springfest, Sunfest, and Winterfest all returned in 2021, as did privately run events like Spring and Fall Crusin’, BikeFest, and the Air Show. All those attractions plan to return in 2022, along with the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which did not take place in 2020 or 2021. “Hopefully, this year, we haven’t for the last two years, we’ll kick the year off with the St. Patrick’s Day pa-
rade, which is a major starter for the season here in Ocean City,” Meehan said. Many people turn these events into annual traditions, he said, so it is important to add new events and update those that are traditional. As for additions, Meehan said the city is working to bring several new events to the resort, including a major concert on the beach similar to the Lollapalooza festival held in Chicago. “I think we really try to offer something for everyone of all ages,” the mayor said, pointing out that Ocean City hosts festivals dedicated to beer, wine, kites and bikes. Part of attracting people to the area also involves keeping the resort aesthetically pleasing. Meehan pointed to two issues Ocean City faced in 2021 and will con-
tinue to face this year. One issue is the continuing eruption of 5G cell towers across the city. Crown Castle, a company that installs cell towers, has a lawsuit filed against Ocean City after city officials denied its application to install five cell towers in Montego Bay. The reasoning for the denial was the towers did not conform to the zoning code and were not aesthetically pleasing for the development. Meehan said the city has worked with Crown in the past, especially as it involves planting cell towers along the Boardwalk and installing cameras on them. “We are drawing a line in the sand at this moment to protect the neighborhoods,” he said. Montego Bay has approximately 1,560 lots with utilities underground and height restrictions in place. And that’s what makes the “ambiance” of the neighborhood, according to Meehan. “We support those efforts and we’re going to continue to support those efforts,” he said. “If it means going to court, the city is ready. [We] will continue to support what we believe is the right thing to do. “We disagree right now, and they believe they have the authority to do certain things. We believe we have the authority to stop them, or make sure that whatever’s done meets the test of what we want it to be,” he added. The mayor also continues to oppose the installation of wind turbines within 15 miles of the coast. While he says he favors green energy, he doesn’t want these structures, which are more than 800 feet tall, within the sightline from the beach. “We’re like David vs. Goliath,” Meehan said. “We’ve asked that these turbines be further offshore to reduce what we know is critical damage to the horizon and view-shed off of Ocean City, and we have not been successful in our request.” He said burying the lines under the shipping channel to the east of the lease areas established by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management can be done, and the most concerning part of all of this is that the current lease areas were established for smaller turbines. While the turbines became taller, the distance from the shore did not, he said. Looking to 2022, Meehan is excited about several projects including the redecking of the Boardwalk, which should come to a pause in the spring and resume in the fall. One project that will begin soon is the burial of utilities along Baltimore Avenue, between North Division and 15th streets. “All you have to do is drive down Baltimore Avenue and see the difference beyond 16th Street,” he said. “This will be a significant improvement to the downtown area.”
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‘I think we really try to offer something for everyone of all ages.’ Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan The cost of the project, which includes widening the sidewalks, is expected to cost the city more than $20 million. As for hiring for 2022, the city raised the salaries to 2025 levels to attract more employees. The move, Meehan said, should help draw bus and tram drivers, as well as part-time seasonal police officers and public safety aides. The mayor also looks forward to one day getting a sports complex in the area, though it more than likely will not be located on the island. “I think sports tourism and sports
marketing is one of the fastest growing industries in the resort business,” Meehan said. Many of these regional and national competitions are family events, Meehan said, so they don’t just attract the participant – it’s the participant’s family, too. “It’s a tremendous business to have in Ocean City,” he said. Meehan has been meeting with county officials, which is looking for a site of approximately 100 acres. The city will cover the indoor facility, Meehan said, so year-round events can
come to the area. Funding, on the other hand, must be determined. A room tax of 5 percent is collected on all room rentals across the resort and is intended to cover such expenses. Meehan said he does not want the funding to come from property taxes. Instead, he wants the city to have the authority to raise the 5 percent room tax to at least 6 percent. To do so, he is working with county officials, requesting they go to the state legislature for the measure to be
approved. Whether the council votes to increase it to the full 6 percent, if granted, is yet to be determined, but Meehan would like them to have the ability to raise the tax if needed. Like the rest of his initiatives, an increase in a room tax and the development of a sports complex are part of Meehan’s plan to create a yearround resort out of Ocean City. Meehan is up for election this year, though he has not announced whether he will seek another two-year term.
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