OC Today WWW.OCEANCITYTODAY.NET
OCTOBER 21, 2016
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
LIFESTYLE
MAKING STRIDES Annual 5K walk and run to take place this Saturday on the Ocean City Boardwalk – Page 41
FREE
Gold Coast liquor store spirits sold After broad support, deal goes through with bare majority
PHOTO COURTESY ED SEREMBUS
Good shot Because of the rocket explosion at Wallops Island two years ago, it was no wonder the inlet parking lot in Ocean City saw a much larger turnout for Monday’s launch of an Antares rocket by Obital ATK at the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The ship is carrying cargo to the International Space Station and is on track to dock with the station Sunday. The facility is a little more than 30 air miles from Ocean City Municipal Airport.
City puts stamp on P.O. purchase But mail will still go through for next five years, according to Postal Service’s new lease
By Katie Tabeling Staff Writer (Oct. 21, 2016) In a final move that locks down the sale of the U.S. Post Office property on Philadelphia Avenue, the Ocean City Council on Monday evening passed an ordinance that authorizes a $1.35 million bond sale to cover the entire purchase price of the lot. The property that the Post Office sits
on could be used to create 60 metered parking spots. Although the council agreed to buy the land, the Post Office had recently renewed its five-year lease, which will expire in February 2022. The resort will use the Postal Service’s rent payments to help pay for the debt service on the bond, which is financed over a 10-year period. Before the council voted, resident Ellie Diegelmann reiterated several of her concerns that she voiced at the Sept. 19 session. “On different occasions, staff and elected officials have said that the rental
income would pay for the entire purchase. But later on, I read that it pays for the first five years per annum,” she said. “There’s nothing to ascertain that the future parking revenue will offset the deferred costs.” She also said that in the session’s agenda, the city determined that some of the debt purchase would be paid in first lease proceeds and would be covered by general fund revenues in June 2017. “Is this proposed revenue budgeted, and what are we going to sacrifice in lieu See MEEHAN Page 4
By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (Oct. 21, 2016) Even though the voting margin shrank, county approval for the sale of all the spirits in its Gold Coast Mall liquor store to a private operator went through on Tuesday. By a 4-3 vote, the Worcester County Commissioners agreed to a contract for the previously authorized sale of the entire stock at the 115th liquor store. Voting against the sale’s final approval were Commissioners Joe Mitrecic, Bud Church and Merrill Lockfaw. During the Oct. 4 meeting, the commissioners voted 5-1, with Mitrecic opposed, to accept the offer from neighboring tenant Mohamad Ramadan, owner of Gold Coast Beer & Wine, to purchase approximately $150,000 of existing inventory. As part of the arrangement Ramadan has offered to extend that figure to $300,000 at 10 percent over the county’s cost. The bulk purchase is contingent on Ramadan’s business receiving approval for a Class A beer/wine/liquor license, which the commissioners have acknowledged it supports. The county Board of License Commissioners advised County Attorney Maureen Howarth that they could not accept an application for a Class A license at the county’s Gold Coast Mall retail liquor location without the commisSee DISSENTING Page 5
MUNICIPAL ELECTION PROFILES BEGIN THIS WEEK — PAGE 7