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DECEMBER 22, 2023
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
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Sportsplex sites list cut to five Task force hopes to raise room tax to help pay for major athletic facility
CINDY HOFFMAN/OCEAN CITY TODAY
HAPPY HOLIDAYS Holiday oranments adorn a bridge overlooking a canal on Ocean Parkway in Ocean Pines. The community stepped up its decorations throughout the neighborhood as part of an enhanced beautification effort.
Schools stick with book policy Board of ed agrees to leave things as they are, following hours of public testimony By Hunter Hine Staff Writer (Dec. 22, 2023) Members of the Worcester County Board of Education will stick with the school system’s current opt-out policy for restricting books in school libraries instead of switching to a proposed opt-in policy. The board’s decision followed a
marathon meeting Tuesday, when parents and other members of the public spoke for hours on what kinds of reading content ought to be available to students or banned from school libraries. As has been the case for decades, parents of Worcester County students will continue to be able to restrict their own children from certain library books by asking librarians. Board members shot down an idea to curate “older teen” sections in middle and upper schools that all parents would have to give permission for
their child to access. Board member Katie Addis from the Bishopville district forwarded the plan as a motion and was the only one to vote in its favor. Board member John Andes had proposed the opt-in book section at the board’s previous meeting following calls from some county residents to remove books with “sexually explicit content” and concerning drug use. The motion would have compelled Superintendent Lou Taylor and See SCHOOL Page 4
By Taylor Sloan Contributing Writer (Dec. 22, 2023) The Ocean City Sports Complex Task Force has narrowed possible sites for a facility to five locations, while also acknowledging that funding for the project is dependent upon a one percent room tax increase. Currently, the ‘The state is five percent room tax generlooking for a ates $25 million project that is a year. The inrevenue-neutral. crease from five Typically, the to six percent will generate an state will not estimated $31.1 fund land million in revacquisition.’ enue. City Manager The one percent increase Terry McGean would allow the city to continue its 2.2 percent contribution to destination marketing, 3.4 percent to the city treasury and the remaining .4 percent to funding the project. “We have narrowed it down to five properties,” Mayor Rick Meehan said at the task force meeting last Thursday. “The goal is for two recommendations to be made to the mayor and City Council.” Meehan opened the session with a review of the previous meeting’s agreed upon items: to have an indoor and outdoor sports complex with an emphasis on lacrosse; that it needs to acquire a property large enough to allow room for expansion, and that the Town of Ocean City and task force See TASK Page 3
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DECEMBER 22, 2023
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Wicomico County sports complex upgraded Complex similar to project Ocean City task force wants in Worcester County (Dec. 23, 2023) As Ocean City and other surrounding officials brainstorm ways to bring a state-of-the-art sports complex to Worcester County, a project similar to what they desire in Wicomico is getting some major upgrades. According to a news release, the construction team at Gillis Gilkerson recently completed extensive renovations at Crown Sports Center in Fruitland. The complex features 120,000 square-feet of temperature-controlled environment that includes six indoor turf fields, hard-surface courts, batting cages and family entertainment areas, as well as 10.5 acres of outdoor Bermuda grass sports fields. The release said Gillis Gilkerson’s development team bought Crown Sports Center in April 2021, and have been working to transform the athletic and entertainment facility with a variety of enhancements and additions. Recent improvements made to the rec complex include new turf fields, batting cages, pickleball courts, basketball courts, refreshed interiors and
SUBMITTED PHOTO/OCEAN CITY TODAY
New turf was recently installed at an indoor soccer field at the Crown Sports Center in Fruitland.
a Clip ‘N Climb indoor rock climbing feature that combines shapes, colors and safety technology for users ages 4 and up. The exterior of the complex received a fresh coat of paint and a mural completed by local artist duo, We Are Limitless Studios. “Since we purchased the business
Task force seeks room tax hike Continued from Page 1 will continue to work with the Maryland Stadium Authority. First on the agenda during the open session of the task force was a breakdown of funding needed for the project. An overview of estimated development costs came down to$3-7 million for land acquisition, $76-88 million for indoor complex construction, $56 million for outdoor complex construction, for a total price tag of $160-$176.5 million. “The state is looking for a project that is revenue-neutral,” Ocean City Manager Terry McGean said. “Typically, the state will not fund land acquisition.” Both Meehan and McGean stressed that the Maryland General Assembly must be on board with the idea. Legislation that would enable the city to pursuit the complex was introduced but never made it to the floor for a vote last year. Meehan also said four other Eastern Shore counties must agree with Ocean City’s request because legislation that would empower this county to raise its room tax would allow them to do the same. Those counties are all on board, Meehan said. Secondly, once Ocean City receives the authority from the legislature for the tax increase, the Worcester County Commissioners must unani-
mously vote in favor of the increase for it to take effect. Another key piece of the project is to have an operator to manage the facility, the task force agreed. To that end, City Councilman John Gehrig moved to permit the task force to continue looking for an operator. His motion was seconded by several members, including Bob Ciprietti of Touch of Italy and Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall, and passed by the rest of the members in attendance. Also proposed was that instead of waiting for the new fiscal year to begin in July, when state legislation would go into effect, the Ocean City Council could be asked to pass an ordinance allowing the city to expend $500,000 on the project now to be reimbursed from a future bond issue. The task force approved a motion in that regard made by Jack Burbage of Blue Water Development and seconded by City Council President Matt James. Berlin’s Tyndall said he would also write a letter from the Town of Berlin to support that recommendation. The concluding point before the group went into closed session was that it will be the visitors and the county that will pay for the sports complex project, which is why the one percent tax increase is instrumental to the project.
back in 2021, our team has been dedicated to breathing new life into the center. From the very start, we have been planning physical renovations, in addition to programming updates.” Brad Gillis, a principal of Gillis Gilkerson, said in the release. “We wanted to reimagine the space. We now have so many more amenities for the community to enjoy. The Clip-n-Climb feature is exceptional, I think everyone should try it out.” The GGI team has introduced futsal, pickleball, wiffleball and kickball tournaments, and expanded the complex’s youth and adult sports leagues, social leagues and drop-in offerings. The release said the Crown Care before- and after-school programs have been redeveloped, along with
summer camps and education classes and the in-house eatery, Striker’s Café, has been overhauled with a new look and menu. The construction team also brought in Salisbury’s first Major Arena Soccer League 3 (MASL3) semi-pro arena soccer franchise – The Salisbury Steaks. “These new physical improvements are the icing on the cake,” Joey Gilkerson, another principal of Gillis Gilkerson, said. “We are thrilled with the job our Gillis Gilkerson construction team did to make these transformations come to life. The Crown Sports team has done such a great job working with us to modernize and strengthen Crown’s service to the community.”
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Calendar ..........................32 Classifieds ........................33 Commentary ....................46 Crossword Puzzle ..............26 Entertainment ..................29 Obituaries ........................50 Public Notices ..................36 Service Directory ..............34 Sports ..............................52 Editor: sdobson@oceancitytoday.net News: editor@oceancitytoday.net Sales: sales@oceancitytoday.net Classifieds: classifieds@oceancitytoday.net Phone: 410-723-6397 www.oceancitytoday.com and at Facebook/Ocean City Today Published Fridays by FLAG Publications, Inc. 11934 Ocean Gateway, Suite 6, Ocean City, Md. 21842 Available by subscription at $150 a year.
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DECEMBER 22, 2023
Board of ed votes to keep book policy as is Continued from Page 1 board Attorney Heather Stansbury to lay the groundwork for the mature section based on a model of the system currently used in Cecil County, Addis said. Addis also moved to change the language of the school code that governs procedures for filing complaints about books in school libraries. Addis wanted to make it so any taxpayer could challenge a book and not just parents of students. Addis had proposed the idea at the last board meeting. The motion was struck down after a 6-1 vote, with Addis in the minority. The votes came after over two hours of public comment on whether to keep or remove certain books from public school libraries. This segment was followed by lengthy presentation from library and media administrators and more deliberations among the board members themselves. Jennifer Sills, coordinator of instruction at WCPS, and Brittany Tignor, school library media specialist at Stephen Decatur High School, spent roughly an hour explaining the code and practices used in library content selection. Worcester County school’s library procedure manual has been in place for at least 40 years, but receives updates about every five years, Tignor said. Sills said that in the 2022-2023 school year, WCPS updated its library school procedure, making revisions to meet state standards and improving accountability for librarians. Part of those revisions included changes to the procedure for reviewing a library book following a formal complaint, a process that is split into three main levels of review. First is the school level, where complainants meet with a districtlevel coordinator and school person-
nel to try to reach a solution. If nothing is resolved, the complainant can appeal to the district level. There, a Library Materials Review Committee convenes and makes a recommendation about the book in question to the superintendent. After the superintendent’s decision, there is another chance to appeal the decision to the school board, which makes the final decision. The superintendent or board-level decisions on a book stand for five years, according to the presentation. In spring 2022, the Library Materials Review Committee convened for the first time ever to make a recommendation on the book “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” by George M. Johnson, Sills said. It has generated numerous calls for its removal because portions of it address the author’s same-sex encounters as a youth. The committee and Taylor decided to keep the book. Sills noted that at the school level, many requests for review are resolved by blocking the book from the complaining parent’s student individually. Books also must pass a multi-step approval process even before librarians add them to the WCPS library collection, Tignor said. To begin, books need at least two positive reviews from a list of professional sources, then librarians must make sure a book meets general selection criteria and aligns with guidelines in the WCPS procedure manual, Tignor said. Next they review schoolspecific selection criteria before also writing a justification for the book being in the library. Finally, the school principal reviews it and grants approval. Parents and students can also use the schools’ Destiny Discovery search tool, which is available on the WCPS
HUNTER HINE/OCEAN CITY TODAY
Members of the Worcester County Board of Education voted not to change their current book review policies following hours of public comments and presentations on the subject. Pictured is the WCPS administration building in Newark.
website, to search any book in any one of the school system’s libraries and find summaries, reviews and recommended grade levels for books, Tignor said. The staff recommended against allowing any resident in the county to challenge books out of fear that a surge of requests could overwhelm personnel, as well as cost extra time and money, Sills said. If residents without children in schools filed review requests, it would go straight to the district level and a committee would have to form for every challenged book. Sills also worried that it would give disproportionate power to a minority that may not reflect the sentiments of students and parents. “Right now, we have procedures in place. These are procedures that have been in place for decades. They are procedures that are working. We have not had any reason to think that
our procedures are not working,” Sills said. Labeling books into a special older-teen section would also not jibe with librarians’ best practices, Sills said. Labeling a book as controversial or mature would be considered a value judgment, she said. Past court rulings have also discussed the right to read without prejudicial labels as stemming from the first amendment, Sills said. Sills said no high school parents have questioned, requested review or requested discussion about a book this year. Board member Bill Buchanan said that parents can use the Destiny search tool to identify the books they don’t want their kids to read and submit those books to a librarian. He tested the method himself, he said. “It was a very, very simplistic way for me to flex my parental demands See CURRENT Page 7
DECEMBER 22, 2023
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Ocean City Today
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121 81ST STREET UNIT 706 • OCEAN CITY $815,000 Stunning three-bedroom 3.5 bath condo at the Rivendell hits the market! This beautiful condo is being sold furnished and it's ready for your immediate enjoyment. You’ll be mesmerized by the waterfront views. You can actually watch both the sunrise and the sunset without ever leaving this condo. The kitchen is sure to delight the chef in your family with its granite countertops, custom cabinets and plenty of workspace. Off the kitchen is the family room and dining area where you will enjoy family meals and make memories that last a lifetime. The family room is great for entertaining and has a gas fireplace for chilly times in fall and winter. There’s also a wet bar for relaxing and having cocktails with friends. You can see the Ocean and Bay from the primary bedroom suite and the primary bath is luxurious with a tile Jacuzzi tub, shower and double vanities. The other two bedrooms are spacious as well and each have their own en suite bathroom. There is also a half bath off the family room. There’s a separate laundry room with washer and dryer and plenty of storage. Privacy is ensured with good separation between the primary bedroom and the other two bedrooms. There are large balconies where you can enjoy your morning coffee and a cold drink in the evening. The Rivendell has an indoor pool, outdoor pool and a fitness center, and the Hobbit restaurant is located in the building as well. This condo is located in Midtown on 81st St. and there is a traffic light at the intersection so crossing the street is very easy. There are plenty of stores, restaurants and shops in the area. There is a parking garage and secure access to the building. Come take a look today and make this beautiful property yours. This is a non-rental building so you will make friends and know your neighbors. MLS MDWO2017698
Luxury 5BR/6BA/2HBA Bayfront home with pool hits the market! This luxury home has 145 feet of water frontage with direct bay views and offers southern exposure. As you walk in the front door of this lovely home you will immediately fall in love with the attention to details and upgrades throughout. An elegant foyer with marble flooring greets you as you enter with your eyes drawn to the beautiful Bayfront views and the swimming pool in the courtyard. On the first level you will find a kitchen designed for access in and out to the pool area with plenty of seating and room for entertaining family and friends. Also on the first floor, you will find a Bay front office or playroom for the kids. This home is complete with a home elevator so either take the spiraling stairs to the second level or take the elevator up to the second level. You will be mesmerized by the amazing Bayfront views and endless sunsets this home offers. There are 6 decks off the home for privacy. On the second level you will find a professional chef’s kitchen complete with large center island, high end appliances and plenty of cabinet space adjoining a beautiful, spacious dining room overlooking the bay. The family room is also complete with a gas fireplace for chilly winter nights, making this the perfect home for year-round living or a vacation home. Also, on this floor, you will find a second office, home theater room, or game room. On the third level you will enjoy waking up to the endless water views from your primary bedroom. The primary bath has custom finishes throughout with extensive tile work. The primary bedroom also has a fireplace for romantic evenings and relaxing. Also on this floor are three additional bedrooms, which are spacious and separated nicely from the primary bedroom. This home is over 6000 ft.² and is one of the few Bayfront homes available on the market. So, if you’re looking for a home at the beach, also offering all the thrill of the day with attention to detail look no further. Come take a look at 733 Bradley Rd. today before it’s sold! MDWO2014714
HERON HARBOUR ISLE HOME WITH BOAT SLIP
OCEAN MID-TOWN CONDO
OCEAN 2 BR/2BA CONDO
This single-family 4BR/4.5BA home with deeded boat slip is located in the sought after community of Heron Harbour Isle. This beautiful home has an open floor plan with a spacious family room with a 2-story stone fireplace. The family room flows into the kitchen which has plenty of cabinet space, a center island, breakfast bar and additional storage. Off the kitchen is the dining area where you will love having meals with your family and friends. Off the family room and dining area there is a screened-in porch, perfect for relaxing and enjoying morning coffee. Off the screened304 S. HERON GULL COURT in porch is a deck with a barbecue grill for crab OCEAN CITY • $1,499,900 feasts and grilling your favorites. Also on the first level of this home is the spacious primary bedroom with walk-in closets and a large bathroom with shower and soaking tub. There’s also a study on the first floor making remote work possible in a nice quiet area. The first level also has another full bath, laundry room and a half bath. On the second level there are three additional bedrooms and two more full baths. This home has lots of room for everyone to visit and there’s also a bonus room over the garage which could be used as a fifth bedroom or game room. The home also has a wrap-around porch, two-car garage and a deeded boat slip. The seller belongs to the Heron Harbour recreation association, which has tennis courts, indoor heated pool, fitness center, sauna, Olympic size outdoor pool, and a kiddie pool. The home is located very close to restaurants, shopping, and the beach. Come take a look today. This home is being offered partially furnished and is ready for your immediate enjoyment. MDW02015676
Professional photos to follow: Come take a look at this spacious 1BR/1BA Ocean Block beauty! This one-bedroom unit is over 700 sq. ft. and is on the ocean block side of coastal highway. This is an elevated building so there's a very nice view from the large deck off the family room. This is your chance to own a slice of Ocean City 7704 COASTAL HWY #102 and make memories that will last a OCEAN CITY • $310,000 lifetime. As you walk in the front door, you’ll be welcomed by the beautiful dining area and kitchen. The family room flows off the kitchen and provides plenty of room for entertaining. There is a large balcony off the family room with access by a glass slider. The bedroom is very large and can accommodate two queen beds. There is one full bath as well. This condo located midtown Ocean City, close to plenty of restaurants, shops, and attractions. Come take a look today and own your slice of Ocean City. This building is professionally managed and has low condo fees. The condo is being sold fully furnished and is ready for your immediate enjoyment. MDWO2015968
Stunning 2BR/2BA condo one back from the beach hits the market! This condo is located on 66th street in an ocean block building. The sellers have made many recent upgrades, installing luxury vinyl plank flooring throughout, new microwave, new refrigerator, new stove, new dishwasher, new exterior HVAC unit, toilets and kitchen faucet within the last three years. The decks also were tiled in 2019 and the glass sliders leading to the deck were also replaced within the last five years. This would make a great second home or investment property and is being sold fully 1 66TH ST UNIT 101 furnished and ready for your immediate enjoyment. This OCEAN CITY • $499,900 is one of the best values at the beach - fully furnished and only one back from the ocean. As you walk through the front door, you will see an inviting living room for entertaining family and friends. There is a dining area off the kitchen with glass sliders leading to a huge covered deck with recently tiled floor. You can hear the waves break from the deck. This is a first floor unit but it's an elevated building so the height off the street is equivalent to a second floor unit. This condo has two large bedrooms and two full baths so there's plenty of room for family and friends. The condo is in walking distance to many restaurants, stores, shops and a supermarket, so once you're here you don’t have to move your car, but the condo is conveniently located to the route 90 bridge, making coming and going a joy. Come take a look today before this amazing property is sold. This condo association is well managed by Mann Properties. MLS MDWO2016172
RESIDENTIAL LOT
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WATERSIDE DRIVE BERLIN • $475,000 Are you looking to build your dream home? Look no further than this beautiful residential lot in the community of South Point Farms. This beautiful building lot is in a prime location on the corner with beautiful bay views. The lot is approximately 2.76 acres and it’s located off 611 in Berlin Maryland. At the entrance of South Point Farms is a public boat ramp and public pier with water access for boating fishing, crabbing, paddle boarding, and kayaking. If you are looking for a peaceful, tranquil location with unbelievable Bay views this is the prime spot. There are multiple world-class golf courses close by and Assateague National and State Park as well for days on the beach. No builder tie in required. Come take a look today and enjoy the good life on South Point Farms! MDWO2014122
34862 WEST LINE RD SELBYVILLE, DE • $2,500,000 Commercial Site in Prime Location hits the Market! 2.36 acres on the corner of RT 54 and W. Line Rd in Selbyville DE. This location is directly across from Yellowfins Restaurant and shopping center on heavily traveled Rt 54. The location is approximately 3-4 miles to the beaches of Ocean City & Fenwick Island. It has water and 8' sewer main that will supply a hotel, shopping center, office complex, medical center, professional center, etc. Lot is cleared. Buy it Now Before It's SOLD!!! Owner Financing is available. MLS DESU184528
32474 LIGHTHOUSE RD SELBYVILLE, DE • $4,500,000 Prime commercial location in Selbyville of 10.09 acres. This is a rare commercial development opportunity on the busy intersection of Lighthouse Sound Rd. (Route 54) and Hudson Rd. There are already many existing new homes surrounding this property and more than 3,200 additional homes are coming soon. This is the perfect location for a shopping center, multiple smaller retail businesses, and/or medical or other professional offices to serve these homes and the entire Selbyville, Bayside, Fenwick, Ocean City area. The Seller will finance up to 70% of the purchase price at 1 percent below the current prime lending rate for up to 5 years. The property is located 8 miles from the beach! DESU2044978
SINGLE FAMILY HOME
THIS HOME IS A SHOW-STOPPER!
4111 FIESTA ROAD • OCEAN CITY • $739,900
10615 POINT LOOKOUT ROAD • OCEAN CITY • $5,599,900 JUST REDUCED! $4,899,900
Stunning 4BR/3BA coastal home with garage in North Ocean City has just been listed! This home is located six blocks from the beach and across the street from Fiesta Park, which has walking trails and a pavilion. After walking through a gracious covered front porch, you are welcomed into this fabulous home. The first level of this beautiful home has two spacious bedrooms, one full bath and a den/study area perfect for working remotely from home. Beautiful hardwood floors lead to the second level where you will find a gourmet kitchen with granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. There is a bright and airy dining room directly off the kitchen where you will enjoy making family meals and memories that last a lifetime. Adjoining the kitchen and dining room is a spacious family room with impressive cathedral ceilings. The second level also has the primary bedroom and the primary bath with shower and soaking tub. The second level also has a 12x16 composite deck with vinyl railings. On the third level you’ll find the fourth bedroom and another full bath. The fenced back and side yards have lots of grass for the dogs and kids to play. There is also a patio and grilling area. The home is being sold furnished and ready for your immediate enjoyment. The home also has a garage and multiple additional parking spaces and street parking. Come take a look at this very rare find before it’s sold! MDW02016242
Custom 6BR/6BA/3HBA/ new construction west facing bayfront estate designed and built by David Bradley of Bradley Construction w/ views of both Assawoman Bay and skyline from the property’s L-shaped pool and swim-up bar. Features exceptional craftsmanship w/astute attention to detail, custom finishes/woodwork, and architectural details. A welcoming orange crush bar made w/Port Rush quartz and 1st-floor Den/bedroom ensuite complete w/Murphy bed. Expansive family room has a wall of windows and glass sliders overlooking the bay. Gourmet chef's kitchen just off family room includes plenty of bar seating w/endless bay views. Kitchen boasts GE monogram ss appliances including 6-burner gas range, expansive center island, custom farm sink, w/vegetable sink, hone marble and quartz countertops. White custom Fabuwood cabinets w/undercounter lighting, appliance garages and custom pull outs for easy storage. Floating shelves in kitchen made w/reclaimed wood, and a designer tile backsplash. An expansive butler’s pantry, mud room w/custom shelving, laundry room, half bath on the main floor. White oak stairs, and custom-made glass elevator. 2nd floor spacious ensuite Bayfront bedrooms, each w/its own private balcony. A 4th ensuite bedroom which has been designed as a bunk room w/custom bunk and trundle bed complete w/a port hole. A coffee bar, refrigerator, and full-size laundry on 2nd floor. 3rd floor primary bedroom ensuite w/bay views, cathedral ceilings, turret cupola, coffee bar, fireplace, exquisite tile work, two enormous closets w/wood detailing and shiplap, and expansive covered porch. Primary bath has insulated tub w/jets and faces the bay w/a 6’x6’ circular Anderson window. Bonus room w/soaring ceilings and cupola; separate refrigerator, bar seating, a private deck, half bath, and laundry. A saltwater pool and spa, cabana area complete w/2 outdoor TVs, 2 refrigerators, custom cabinetry/countertops, fire pit area, permits for three lifts and a transient boat, a 50ft pier, dock and ramp. Parking for 6 cars. MLS MDWO2012190
THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING? LET'S CONNECT TO BEGIN THE PROCESS TODAY! The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate 2023 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company. ©2015 a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker logo, Coldwell Banker Previews International and the Previews logo are registered and unregistered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. 10771BALT_07/15
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FILE PHOTO/OCEAN CITY TODAY
Participants in 2018 St. Paddy’s Day 5K run down the Boardwalk in festive costumes. This year’s event is set for March 16 downtown.
Ocean City Council approves events set for public property By Mallory Panuska Managing Editor (Dec. 22, 2023) From church services to a holiday 5K, Ocean City Council members approved several upcoming events on resort property this week. Christmas Eve service The Ocean City Baptist Church will host a Christmas Eve service from 6-7 p.m., Sunday, on the Boardwalk at North Division Street. According to a city staff report, the service will be led by the church band and participants will celebrate the holiday with a worship service complete with carol singing and free hot chocolate. Beach Patrol officials endorsed the annual event, stating in the report that it is “a positive representation of what Ocean City values.”
The report said public works staff will open the Caroline Street compost station during the event and risk management officials said it is self sustaining. The organizer will pay the resort $62.50 in private event fees to host the service. Blessing of the Waters St. George Greek Orthodox Church of Ocean City is tentatively set to host its Blessing of the Waters Ceremony from 11:30 a.m. to 12;30 p.m., Jan. 6, on the beach at 90th Street. According to a staff report, church members will congregate at the church at 8805 Coastal Hwy. and proceed together to the beach at 90th Street, using the crossing at the light. Members of the congregation will then assemble at the water’s edge for the See PRIVATE Page 8
Current book policy will remain Continued from Page 4 on that,” Buchanan said. Buchanan said that there are 129,430 books in WCPS, with 27,389 of them in high school libraries. To review all these books for curation in a special section would likely require an entire new, permanent administrative employee to review all the schools’ books. Buchanan also questioned who chooses which books are adult, what criteria makes them adult and how staff could make those determinations. Buchanan and others cited a statistic that 70 percent of parents oppose restricting books in schools, and he said it’s better for the majority of people to leave it as an opt-out system. Addis defended her motions and arguments saying that, despite numerous accusations, her efforts were never meant to challenge books depicting LGBTQIA+ characters, but were only meant to challenge books
with “sexually explicit” content. She said the issue isn’t about censorship, but what is age-appropriate, and hoped that the opt-in system would better facilitate dialogue in families about what children are reading. Addis said that aside from Cecil County, Carroll County has also implemented a similar restricted-mature section. The lengthy public comment section featured a mixture of views on the book restrictions, including some residents who return to school board meetings regularly to speak in favor of removing certain books from schools. A greater number of people in support of keeping books in schools and continuing with current book policies came to speak at this meeting compared to other past board meetings, many of whom were current students, former students and parents of current students.
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