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FEBRUARY 8, 2019
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
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Stephen Decatur girls’ swim team wins inaugural conference championship – Page 57
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Nathans case could see 3rd time in court City asks state’s high court to consider its arguments By Morgan Pilz Staff Writer (Feb. 8, 2019) After receiving a prompt dismissal from the Court of Special Appeals to reconsider its decision on the Nathans Associates versus the Town of Ocean City, the City Council has decided to seek a hearing before the highest court of the state, the Maryland Court of Appeals. The Court of Special Appeals responded rapidly to the city’s request for another review, denying the motion on Tuesday, Jan. 29. This has not deterred the council, however, which hopes the high court will consider whether Nathans Associates and its lessee Dumser’s, lie See CITY Page 5 RACHEL RAVINA/OCEAN CITY TODAY
HIGHWIRE ACT Power company crews perform a routine task, last Tuesday morning near 85th Street, taking advantage of the low traffic during the offseason.
Industry fears mid-season tax hike With reservations already booked, room tax increase in July said to be awkward By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (Feb. 8, 2019) The proposed halfcent increase to Ocean City’s room tax rate, which could be implemented for fiscal year 2020, which begins July 1, has hotel and property managers anxious over the prospect of having to tell clients who have already booked and paid for reservations they will need to pay a little more. It’s either that for the lodging indus-
try, or owners and operators will have to pay the half-cent tax increase themselves. The Ocean City Council discussed the room tax issue at length during its meeting last Tuesday, after the Tourism Commission voted Jan. 3 to recommend bumping the room tax rate for hotels, motels and rentals from 4.5 to 5 percent. The minutes of the meeting also showed that commission members preferred implementing the increase in 2020, rather than in July this year. That six-month difference means a great deal to both parties: municipal government and the lodging industry,
During the council meeting last week, Budget Manager Jennie Knapp said the rate increase would yield an additional $1.3 million in general fund revenues for the upcoming budget if it’s enacted in July for all of fiscal 2020. Cutting the year in half and making the tax increase effective in January 2020, however, wouldn’t cut the revenue in half, but would reduce it by more than 60 percent — to $492,000, according to Knapp — because it would miss the prime vacation months. Susan Jones, Ocean City HotelMotel-Restaurant Association execuSee LODGING Page 6
County approves federal, state deal for inlet dredging Partnership seeks channel 16 feet deep, 14 in harbor By Rachel Ravina Staff Writer (Feb. 8, 2019) The Worcester County Commissioners unanimously voted in favor of a joint partnership for the Ocean City Harbor and Inlet project at their meeting Tuesday in Snow Hill. The partnership agreement between the Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Department of Natural Resources and county commissioners aims to deepen the inlet’s channel to 16 feet, and the harbor’s channel to 14 feet, according to the agreement proposal. See COUNTY Page 10