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MARCH 27, 2015
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TOP TEACHER A run-down of the candidates for Worcester’s Teacher of the Year award, to be named tonight at the Clarion – Page 43
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County, city still far apart on tax grants Officials seek cooperation despite number difference
ZACK HOOPES/OCEAN CITY TODAY
WANT FRIES WITH THAT? It is, in fact, far too late to add a frozen beverage at the window of the 33rd Street Burger King. The building was torn down this week to make way for a re-vamped BK facility, approved by the city last year, that is slated to include pretzel and gelato stands as well as the usual fare.
By Brian Gilliland Staff Writer (March 27, 2015) The effort has gotten more traction than it has in recent years, and a meeting between resort officials and the county commissioners to discuss options is all but inevitable. Still, the goalposts have moved on what both parties think an acceptable end to Ocean City’s tax differential request would look like. “I think what we want to try to do is establish what we would consider to fall under the tax differential. There’s a little bit of disagreement and we’re working to resolve a difference of opinion,” Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan said this week. During the annual budget request session between the municipalities and commissioners earlier this month, Ocean City passed on the standard presentation of specific requests for departments and threw all its weight behind a two-pronged approach. Either grant the resort a differential for $17 million in dupliSee COUNTY page 3
Task force endorses registration for Bdwk. performers Report suggests system of assigned spaces for buskers below Ninth St.
By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (March 27, 2015) Ocean City’s Boardwalk Task Force is recommending, amongst a number of regulatory changes, the re-introduction of a permitting and registration system for street performers on the Boardwalk.
The Task Force met Wednesday to mulating a new ordinance to better review the final version of its report, control the proliferation of street performers and artists opgenerated from information gathered at erating on the boards. two public hearings We’re tasked, I believe, “Basically, we are last month, and to with providing the best suggesting a registravote on any changes tion process per the means for people to findings in this report,” or clarifications. freely express The report and recTask Force Chair Greg themselves ommendations will Shockley said. “Exactly now be presented, at how or if those are im– Bob Rothermel some time in the near plemented is up to the mayor and council.” future, to the mayor This past fall, the city retained and City Council, with the aim of for-
12741 Ocean Gateway Ocea an City, MD 21842 410-2 213-1733
noted constitutional law firm Venable LLP as a consultant to analyze and address the city’s ability — from a First Amendment standpoint — to regulate Boardwalk buskers. The citizen-led task force’s study and recommendations are backed by extensive legal research from Venable. Still, Wednesday’s recommendation is a potentially bold move for the city, given that the long-standing permit system for street performers was struck down in a 2011 freedom of See LOGISTICAL page 5
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