October 25, 2013 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch Page 43 The Dispatch Forever In Memory Of Our Founder, Dick Lohmeyer (May 25, 1927-May 5, 2005) The Dispatch, Serving Greater Ocean City Since 1984, Is Published By Maryland Coast Dispatch Inc. Weekly On Friday Mornings MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 467 Berlin, Md. 21811 PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd. Berlin, Md. 21811 PHONE: 410-641-4561 FAX: 410-641-0966 WEBSITES: www.mdcoastdispatch.com www.facebook.com/thedispatchoc J. STEVEN GREEN Publisher/Editor editor@mdcoastdispatch.com HOW WE SEE IT Say No To Petition Registered voters in Ocean City should not sign the current petition seeking to stall a $12 million bond ordinance that features several significant capital improvement projects. While we support just about any citizen-initiated protest measure, such as petition drives to place a government matter before city voters at an election, we find this effort to be misdirected and poorly timed. Included in the bond ordinance under inspection are five significant improvement projects – the performing arts auditorium addition to the convention center, $8.3 million; a new headquarters for the beach patrol, $2 million; an effluent disinfection system, $1.3 million; a new public safety building roof, $630,000; and a new roof for the service center building, $240,000. The projects with the most public appeal are the performing arts center addition at the convention center and the new beach patrol headquarters downtown. These are two necessary projects, and if successful the petition will delay them until voters get a chance to weigh in, most likely in next November’s election or at the earliest during the June primary. Petition organizers maintain the performing arts building is the reason for the petition and reported no issues with the other projects. However, since the petition proposed singling out just the arts center was rejected, the entire bond ordinance has been chosen as the subject of the petition. They say larger users of the convention center are unhappy with the auditorium’s small size and its impact on existing exhibit space and that property taxes will have to be raised if food tax money does not meet the city’s expectation of repaying the debt from the center. Leaving the merit of these claims aside, and there is plenty to debate, these are issues that needed to be addressed over the five-year planning period for this new addition to Ocean City. Dozens of meetings have been held on this project and the state has partnered with the town to make it happen. Petition opponents are correct when they maintain it will cost city taxpayers money if these projects are shelved indefinitely. It will jeopardize the state’s commitment to the initiative and questions regarding continued financing will result in more expenses along the way. Our biggest beef with the petition is the timing. No less than 20 stories have been published on this project in this paper. This project has been a long time coming. It’s ironic and ridiculous that the petition drive began the same week as construction commenced. This particular petition does not deserve support. We feel this project has tremendous potential for Ocean City and its economy. It will help boost midweek business in the summer seasons through event booking as well as result in new and diverse events in the off-season months that can’t be held in Ocean City currently. Between The Lines By Publisher/Editor Steve Green Former Ocean City Councilman Vince Gisriel said yesterday he does not plan on being involved in the ground effort to secure signatures to place funding the performing arts building before voters. The petition effort is being led by Ocean City Taxpayers For Social Justice spokesman Tony Christ. “I am still not a part of that group at all … I am not out carrying the petition. I’m not circulating it, but I was asked to help draw a petition up on the performing arts center that might pass muster,” Gisriel said. “I made it clear from the outset that I didn’t have the time to be as involved in this one as I did last summer’s parking meter petition. That was very labor intensive. I spent every day of the 40 days out on the streets, and I enjoyed it and it needed to be done. I would like to be more involved in this one, but I just can’t devote that much time again to that kind of a drive.” Once concerns were raised petitioners might struggle to score signatures against the entire bond, which includes $2 million for a largely favored beach patrol project, Gisriel furthered that on Wednesday he asked to draft a revised petition to carve out the performing arts center from the $12 million bond ordinance. He said Solicitor Guy Ayres approved that petition and that will be the issue petitioners will likely be trying to get before voters. However, he admitted he was not entirely clear on which petition – the one for the entire bond ordinance or the one just on the performing arts building – will be addressed before voters. “Guy approved both – the petition on the whole ordinance and the petition on just part of the ordinance, the performing arts. That’s the only one I was involved in – the one that addressed the performing arts center. To my knowledge, that’s the one that will be taken door to door, but that’s for the group to decide,” Gisriel said. “I have the energy but I just don’t have the time to devote to do it even though I support the initiative.” To get on the ballot, petitioners have until Nov. 20 to secure a little more than 1,200 signatures. Without Gisriel, who has been involved in “a half dozen” successful petition drives, I don’t think that number will be reached. The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office recently announced the retirement of K-9 Dino and the addition of K-9 Karma. It was interesting to review the career K-9 Dino had with the department. Dino has reportedly developed a condition that limits his breathing and affects his ability to serve and protect. Whether it’s a person or an animal, it’s always sad to hear passion is being curtailed by the body. Hopefully, Dino will get some time to rest and relax with lots of treats in the future. In the announcement, the Sheriff’s Office reported Dino seized nearly 2,000 grams of pot (70 ounces), 780 grams of cocaine (24 ounces), 244 Ecstasy pills, three guns, 26 grams of heroin and more than $600,000 in currency. That’s a job well done and Karma has some big paws to fill. NEWS DEPARTMENT SHAWN J. SOPER News Editor Sports Editor ssoper@mdcoastdispatch.com JOANNE SHRINER Staff Writer joanne@mdcoastdispatch.com TRAVIS BROWN Staff Writer travis@mdcoastdispatch.com CHRIS PARYPA Photographer SALES DEPARTMENT TERRI FRENCH Account Executive Entertainment Editor terri@mdcoastdispatch.com JEANETTE DESKIEWICZ Account Executive jeanette@mdcoastdispatch.com MANETTE CRAMER Account Executive manette@mdcoastdispatch.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Petition Off Base Editor: I would like to warn the residents of Ocean City about a selfish and destructive Anti-Ocean City petition that you will be asked to sign. Do not sign it. The petition was created by a gentleman who does not live in Ocean City. In fact, he’s a resident of Virginia. I’m sorry for this misguided individual who I’m sure has good intentions but certainly doesn’t realize that his petition to stop construction of Phase II of the Convention Center will cost taxpayers millions of dollars. The Phase II renovation was carefully designed to be financed with state funds and through an existing Convention Center Maintenance fund (.5 percent food and beverage tax) so that the project would not cost local taxpayers a dime. If Tony Christ gets enough signatures on his petition, to stop construction, he will jeopardize the state funding that is in place and taxpayers will go from paying no tax for this project, to paying millions more after a delay. If you don’t want higher taxes, do not sign the petition. I have lived in Ocean City for over 35 years. My husband and I have experienced a wonderful quality of life raising our three daughters here in town. We have had the good fortune of running several successful businesses in Ocean City. Our first business was a sailboat rental operation on the bay in 1979. We grew our businesses to the point that in some years we were employing 50-100 seasonal workers at a time. As we designed and built our businesses, we gained a multitude of experience working with the Town of Ocean City through the building and permit process. Our latest project is the TownCenter Midtown Boardwalk on 67th Street. Through all of those years in development, we have realized how lucky we are to live in a town where the people we elect and the town staff sincerely cares about Ocean City. And for that, we are grateful. We have watched the landscape of Ocean City evolve over the years and we have been part of that evolution. As we built our businesses, others were doing the same and slowly what used to be sandy lots along the bay have become condos or restaurants, homes or shops. Older, dilapidated buildings have SEE PAGE 44 ART DEPARTMENT CINDY WARD Art Director art@mdcoastdispatch.com JENNIFER T. O’BRIEN Graphic Artist COLE GIBSON Graphic Artist Webmaster BUSINESS OFFICE PAMELA GREEN Bookkeeper Classifieds Manager classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com The Maryland Coast Dispatch (USPS #015125) is an official and legal newspaper for Worcester County. Periodical postage paid at Berlin, Maryland, and additional mailing offices.. The Maryland Coast Dispatch, 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd., Berlin, Md. 21811, is published weekly on Friday mornings, 52 weeks a year. Subscription rates are $75 per year, $55 for six months. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Maryland Coast Dispatch, P.O. Box 467, Berlin, Maryland 21811. Maryland Coast Dispatch offices are located at Route 346 and Graham Avenue, Berlin, Maryland.