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FINDING HOPE Local woman discovers determination to stay clear of heroin during her incarceration–Page 93
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MAY 2, 2014
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City Council oks plan to eliminate one-cent tax hike Town would cut anticipated non-union pay raise in half
OCEAN CITY TODAY/CLARA VAUGHN
KICKING OFF SPRINGFEST The Stephen Decatur High School Navy ROTC waits to launch the Springfest opening ceremony Thursday morning at the festival grounds at the inlet. Mayor Rick Meehan, Sen. Jim Mathias and other dignitaries attended the launch of the four-day festival.
Robotics team in top 25 percent at St. Louis Worlds
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF TEAM TITANIUM-WRECKS
Team Titanium-Wrecks mentor Paul Suplee trains teammates on the CNC router, a computer controlled cutting machine, during the FIRST Robotics Championship Competition in St. Louis last week. Team T-Wrecks was among about 400 teams from across the globe to compete in the contest.
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By Clara Vaughn Staff Writer (May 2, 2014) Before celebrating it’s one-year anniversary, Worcester County’s newest high school robotics team took home awards ranging from “Rookie All Star” and “Rookie Inspiration” to “Regional Finalist” from robotics competitions. Now, the team can add “top 25 percent at a global match” to that list. It wasn’t without bumps along the way, but Team Titanium-Wrecks, a group of 14 public, private and home school students, made a great showing in the FIRST Robotics Championship See T-WRECKS Page 4
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By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (May 2, 2014) City council approved a plan this week to eliminate next year’s proposed one-cent tax hike by stretching revenue estimates, delaying some new initiatives, and most importantly cutting in half the anticipated pay increase for nonunion employees. The city will save $206,274 in pay and associated social security by pushing back the 2.89 percent nonunion payroll increase from the beginning of the fiscal year – July 1 – to Jan. 1, thus giving non-union employees their pay raise for half the 2014-2015 fiscal year instead of the whole. The city’s chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters will be receiving an across-the-board increase at the beginning of the fiscal year, but the Fraternal Order of Police will get theirs halfway through, as the general employees now will. “I think it’s fair to give the general employees a raise at the same time as the police department,” said Councilman Joe Mitrecic. However, it is important to note that – although not across-the-board - the majority of FOP membership will, in fact, be receiving a raise at the start of the fiscal year. The union’s contract calls for the pay step lost due to recession cuts in 2011 to be restored at the beginning of the coming fiscal year for any employee who was eligible at the time. A number of savings will also come from reconciling long-term changes made after the 2014-2015 budget draft was started. These include the refunding of 2004 bonds at a lower rate and funds from OCDC for the mortgage on recently-purchased downtown properties. Savings realized recently in the current 2013-3014 budget can also be See TAXES Page 6
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