May 3, 2013 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch Page 43 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FROM PAGE 42 pruned, cleared, raked and mulched through the morning and their efforts shows. In addition to cleaning up existing beds in both parks, we were also able to create a new rain garden in Stephen Decatur Park to help drain water from the Nature Trail parking lot. Volunteers also worked downtown to spruce up flower beds at the corner of Pitts and Main streets. A really adventurous group even climbed down into the Hudson Branch to pull out all sorts of trash and debris including a mattress and several TV sets. Berlin Area Ministries United once again provided a great lunch for participants hungry after all their hard work. But taking pride in Berlin doesn't end on Clean-Up Day. The week occurs every year around Earth Day and we encourage everyone to use this time to think about what they can do for their town, neighborhoods, and neighbors. Take Pride in Berlin Week is a great opportunity for each of us to think about what living and working in Berlin means to us an individuals and how we can apply that pride to our community. Mary T. Bohlen Berlin (The writer is the deputy town administrator and liaison to the Berlin Parks Commission.) friends. Let them know this is no longer a joke. Use the crosswalk. Set the example for others to follow. I created a Facebook page called OC Crosswalk and encourage you to like it and become an OC Crosswalker to help spread awareness of this issue before the summer season hits. It is time for us OC Crosswalkers to unite in the name of safety. There are far too many other dangerous things going on in the world today. Crossing the street in Ocean City should not be one of them. Jason Long Ocean City Between The Lines By Publisher/Editor Steve Green It’s disturbing to see the Ocean City Mayor and Council agree to appropriate $165,000 toward the design of a new beach patrol headquarters, while advocating for controversial cost-cutting moves, such as expanding paid parking in the resort and significantly reducing skate park hours. This is an inconsistent approach and the council needs to reconsider this poorly timed decision. The idea behind this funding allocation is it will be refunded at a later time through a bond issuance, which is basically debt accumulation. It’s understandable the beach patrol building downtown is a serious blight and even a safety hazard, but there are obvious concerns here over the council’s inconsistent methodology. On one hand, the financial picture is such a concern the city has spent months exploring alternative revenue sources to make up the budget gap between expenditures and revenues, which have taken a pounding due to declining property values. That’s a major issue and I generally support the city’s initiatives to raise new monies through more parking meter spaces and cutting the graveyard shift of the bus system in the offseason. However, to initiate a series of service cuts, including closure of the skate park in January and February and reducing its hours from Labor Day to Memorial Day, and then allocate significant financial resources for a major reconstruction project for a department that will basically utilize it four months of the year is bad policy. There is no question the Ocean City Beach Patrol is one of the town’s crown jewels and deserves better than its present accommodations on Dorchester Street, but I think this is the wrong year to begin the expensive process of acquiring vacant lots from the OCDC and then designing and building the new facility. It’s particularly disheartening that it comes when the Mayor and Council are under significant fire for some other budget balancing moves, which were all made in the name of saving money and boosting revenues. Congratulations to 17-year-old Mike Durkin for getting involved in a cause he feels passionate about. A senior at Worcester Prep facing graduation in three weeks, Durkin launched an online petition after hearing Ocean City officials are planning on basically making the skate park a seasonal operation. With an eye on slashing expenses, the town is planning to significantly reduce offseason hours of the Ocean Bowl Skate Park to just weekends and days when is closed after Labor Day and shutter the facility altogether in January and February. Agree or disagree with his cause, the teenager deserves credit for showing the initiative to get involved at a time in his life when he is juggling a lot and wrapping up his high school career. Perhaps the most honorable thing is he will be attending college in the fall when this proposal is set to go into effect and will not be impacted whatsoever. He was merely stepping up for his friends and colleagues who will be here next fall and look forward to utilizing the skate park during the school year. Former Ocean City Councilman Joe Hall may be out of office, but he has apparently not lost his zeal for politics. In fact, he is giving our most frequent online commentators – folks by the name of Bushman and Supervisor Frank – a running for their money. For those who don’t know, visitors to our website have the opportunity to comment on stories posted. Once they are screened and approved, the comments appear at the bottom of the article. Some of the comments are flattering to the paper, while others are critical and harsh. Some comments are insightful, while others are not germane to the topic at all. Some comments are poignant and some are disconcerting. In the case of Hall’s comments, I rarely know how to describe them. Below is a response to an editorial penned last week questioning why Worcester County chose not to do a national search for its chief administrative officer vacancy and instead promoted from within. The opinion piece contrasted that decision to what Ocean City has recently done with its high-profile job openings, such as the police chief and the city manager posts. In his customary inarticulate and befuddling manner, Hall took exception with the paper’s point of view. “You couldn't be wronger Steve. One you forgot Ocean City hired the City Clerk from within. That's a high profile position. She is doing great. We also tried to give our best inside guy a chance. Hale Adkins for the City Manager's Job. Some of you elite council member's you support wouldn't even give him the respect of a sit down interview walking out on him. While as for the police chiefs job. If you think my phone call was lame brain. What your boys are doning in chief police search over the top,” he wrote. “You should do some of your own homework. Going outside can be worthy cause. Hiring from within gives confidence in your home team. To think outsider's know better than home grown speaks volumes about how you feel about our local talent. Blue ribbon school system can produce good enough management people. Steve your way off. I believe in buy local, and hire local whenever you can.” Kindness Recognized Editor: I recently attended a convention in Ocean City on April 20. While in your resort town I stopped to have a delicious bagel at Bagels and Buns. Unfortunately, I left my appointment book in their place of business and did not remember doing so. I tore apart my car, my house and looked everywhere that I thought I might have left this valuable (only to me) book, which contained my appointments. Imagine my surprise when they called and asked if I needed it and did I want them to mail it to me. With a resounding yes, they mailed it on a Monday and I received it on a Tuesday. It would have taken me several days and many phone calls to duplicate what was in that book. Thank you, Bagels and Buns. Whenever I am in O.C., I will stop by and make a purchase. Dottie Turner Chance Facebook Page On Crosswalks Created Editor: Why did the tourist cross the road? If you answered “to get to the other side,” you are right. No matter how many crosswalks are in town (at last count I had 390), most people just want to get to the other side as quickly as possible. If there is a crosswalk, but it’s 100 feet away, ain’t nobody got time for that. But I’m sure that even Sweet Brown could tell you that the dangers of crossing Coastal Highway are real. Last summer, I think I reached my limit in hearing about people getting hit by cars. It is shameful that we have people losing their lives crossing the street in Ocean City. Most people agree that a change is needed. But this is where things start to get tricky. How do we make crossing the street safer? Will lowering the speed limit help? More crosswalks? More pedestrian traffic lights? More do not cross signs? How much is too much? I think that all of these changes will probably help, but it ultimately will still come down to the individual crossing the street. How badly do they need to get to the other side? I think the best thing that we can do to help is to make sure that person knows about the danger. Just like with an electric fence, once people understand that the danger is real, I think there will be fewer accidents. When your friends come to town, tell them to use the crosswalk and have them tell their High Marks For Deli Editor: As a year-round resident of Ocean City for eight years, one of the things I continue to enjoy is reading about new businesses opening their doors to our community (eating establishments in particular). During the many months while the newly establishment had been under construction, and after reading about the plans for the community to have such a business very near my residence, I was anxious to try it out as soon as it opened. Fortunately, I was able to enter the doors on opening day (Monday) and ordered for take-out (liverwurst on rye) and ate a very good sandwich at a reasonable price. I also did appreciate having the opportunity to read in this past week's edition of The Dispatch about some of the background work that was involved prior to the erecting of Rosenfeld's Deli. It’s interesting indeed to learn that Rosenfeld's Deli stands alone of its kind within a two-hour drive in any direction. I look forward to returning to Rosenfeld's Deli many, many times. Thank you for coming to the neighborhood. Doug Antos Ocean City