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HAPPY EASTER Plenty of Easter services and celebrations in Ocean City, Ocean Pines and Berlin – Page 26
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APRIL 15, 2022
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Public tirade puts Paddack on spot again City Councilman to address profane exchange with son
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Ocean City Fire Department and Berlin Fire Company crews work to extinguish a house fire on Old Bridge Road in West Ocean City shortly after 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. The building was ablaze and unoccupied when firefighters arrived. No injuries were reported in the fire, which the Worcester County Fire Marshal’s office attributed to an electrical problem.
Ad plan targets affluent crowd Campaign preview shows major shift in mediums used, focus on market By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (April 15, 2022) The Ocean City Tourism Commission got a sneak preview of the city’s new advertising campaign on Monday, which breathes life into old assets and uses a mix of media streams new to the resort. BVK, the Wisconsin-based firm Ocean City government hired after the beginning of the year, developed the campaign, which targets female See AGENCY Page 6
GREG WEHNER/OCEAN CITY TODAY
The Ocean City Tourism Commission listens to BVK’s plans to market the resort to places like Washington, D.C., Baltimore and several cities in Pennsylvania.
By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (April 15, 2022) Reports involving a fender bender with a parked car followed by a domestic disturbance at a north Ocean City restaurant last week has thrown a previously censured City Council member back into the public spotlight. And much like the last time, council members are not pleased, and mem- Mark Paddack bers of the public are expected to share concerns at the next opportunity. The incident began around 6 p.m. on April 8. According to a news release from the Ocean City Police, officers responded to reports that someone – later identified as Councilman Mark Paddack — struck a parked vehicle in a restaurant parking lot. See PADDACK Page 12
Sports complex hearing Tuesday By Jack Chavez Staff Writer (April 15, 2022) Worcester County residents will have their chance to sound off on the proposed purchasing of land next to Stephen Decatur High School for an athletic complex on Tuesday, occurring at the school itself. The hearing will begin at 6 p.m. in the Decatur auditorium and will be the first wide-open public discussion of the county’s plans to buy the 95.6-acre parcel of land to the west of DeSee SPORTS Page 8
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Resort advertising internally for new deputy city manager By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (April 15, 2022) The city manager of Ocean City is officially looking for a second in command, and it’s likely the new hire is already on the city’s payroll. Following up on a discussion from a budget meeting last month, City Manager Terry McGean presented plans to council members at a work session Tuesday to begin looking for a deputy to help carry some of the heavy load he took on when he stepped into his role at the beginning of the year. “I think there’s been sort of a realization for a while now that the city manager has too many direct reports,” McGean said. Under the current makeup, McGean as city manager directly oversees all 16 of the city’s department heads and one assistant, a total that is well above the recommended subordinate makeup in most every circuit. He pointed out that the military recommends higher-ups should comfortably have six to seven direct reports, while the corporate world calls for up to 11. In the realm of city managers, McGean said it’s typical to have between eight and 12 employees under the top position. The new proposed plan would put five departments — recreation, risk, grants and special projects, IT, and community development — under the purview of the deputy city manager. McGean said he carefully chose those departments, as he wants to keep public safety, human resources, finance, public works and tourism
under his own wing. When asked by Councilman John Gehrig how much the new person would really be in tasked with, McGean said the deputy will have plenty to keep him or her busy with significant planning projects, recs and park developments, and more. And not only will the new person oversee all of the listed departments, but they will serve as the person in charge overall in McGean’s absence. “If for whatever reason I’m not there, or God forbid take a vacation, who’s in charge?,” he said. “I think right now that has … been a source of confusion. Both for the mundane reasons and also if something were to happen to me that there be a clear point of succession. It’s important.” McGean added that the deputy could feasibly step into his role when he leaves it one day, as the person will know the town and understand the ins and outs of upper management. As it stands, McGean wants to tap the city’s own employee roster for the new hire. “I believe that we have some great resources within the Town of Ocean City and I would like initially to look internally for the position,” he said. Council members ultimately voted to allow McGean to advertise the position to existing employees and agreed on the restructuring of the hierarchy. The deputy city manager would be hired as a grade 130, which McGean said previously is the same as a department head. In fiscal 2023, a little more than $151,000 is budgeted for the new employee’s salary and benefits.
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