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FEBRUARY 11, 2022
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
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CONVENTION CENTER
Seaside Boat Show to be first event to use new space at 40th Street compound– Page 9
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Tourism dept. funding plan challenged Veteran petitioner Gisriel wants public to vote on it
GREG WEHNER/OCEAN CITY TODAY
BOARD ROOM
Delmarva Veteran Builder workers continued to replace the planks of the Ocean City Boardwalk on the south end on Wednesday. The company will finish the south end of the iconic landmark by April before breaking until October to complete the rest of the work.
OC seeks control of storm response Bill would allow rebuilding in beach erosion districts established by state law By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (Feb. 11, 2022) If a storm blew in and destroyed the south end of the Boardwalk tomorrow, Ocean City officials technically could not replace any of the structures. For that reason, and to bring buildings like the Ocean City LifeSaving Station Museum up to code
with the American Disabilities Act (ADA), City Council members agreed Monday to endorse a proposed state law modification that would give them more control of state- and town-owned structures along the Boardwalk. “As administrations change and people change we really need to get this mutual understanding and try to actually get it accomplished, get the law changed,” City Manager Terry McGean said during Monday’s council meeting. “Right now if the inlet parking lot was destroyed in a storm
we couldn’t rebuild it.” Senate Bill 64 would exempt the repair, renovation, reconstruction, or expansion of certain existing structures owned by the state of Maryland or the Town of Ocean City in the state-issued Beach Erosion Control District that runs south of 33rd Street along the Boardwalk to Assateague Island. Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R38) and Del. Wayne Hartman (R38C) have promoted the bill, which is moving through the ranks of the Maryland General Assembly this sesSee BILL Page 8
By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (Feb. 11, 2022) An Ocean City resident with a knack for stirring up controversy when it comes to government spending is on his way to stopping City Council’s motion to raise the amount of room tax collected that goes toward advertising. Vince Gisriel petitioned 807 signatures to put a referendum on the ballot that allows Ocean City voters to determine whether to allow the tourism department’s budget to increase by 0.2 percent between 2023 and 2025, a measure that was unanimously approved by City Council on Dec. 20. Earlier that month, Tourism Director Tom Perlozzo presented three options that would fund his division, though he favored one that takes a percentage of the gross room tax revenue collected from all rentals across the resort. See GISRIEL Page 4
Room tax hike probably won’t pass this year By Jack Chavez Staff Writer (Feb. 11, 2022) Worcester County’s pursuit of state legislation that would allow Ocean City to raise its room tax from 5 to 6 percent will have to make a couple of stops along the Eastern Shore before arriving in Annapolis, and it could push the See TAX Page 6