November 8, 2013 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch Page 43 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FROM PAGE 42 City (whoever they are) trying, through lies and distortion to scare the voting public (who are mostly on their side to begin with) into not signing the petition claiming it will cost taxpayers millions. The total result of all this shows how little regard our local government has regarding the debt our nation is facing at the present time. This is not a time for small cities, which have an enormous amount of tax funds, that are unrepresented due to the fact that many of the homes in the city are second homes that have no voice in how the city spends their money. Over the years, concerned citizens have tried twice to have their taxation without representation corrected through referenda. And twice the city controllers and lawyers have found ways of not allowing these owners the right to vote on local spending issues. The reason for stopping their referenda should be obvious to the voting public. So, Mr. Christ, although you're right in your effort to require a vote on these expenditures the net result of which would be, as it was with the recent election, a vote of agreement by the friends of the present controllers in our local government. This is how it will remain until the voting public finally wakes up to this misrepresentation. We can only hope that they will wake up before all the money is spent and we have nothing to fall back on through the difficult times that lay ahead. Paul St. Andre Ocean City Davies Saluted Editor: If you have never seen the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” stop reading and go watch this movie immediately. It is an absolute classic and it will crystallize the thoughts in this letter. We are fortunate enough to have one of the few, real life “George Bailys” right here in Ocean City. As you may have heard, after 37 years of running the local no-kill animal shelter, Kenille Davies, will no longer be a part of the storied history that she created and nurtured – The Worcester County Humane Society. Like George, Kenille has dedicated her life to helping others, never pausing to reflect on how many lives she has touched. Wow. What a caring, giving and selfless person. What a wonderful life. Not only has Kenille saved an incredible number of animals over the years, she certainly has made their lives better and the lives of the many people who were fortunate enough to be adopted by one or more of them. Moreover, the many volunteers who have worked at the shelter also have had their lives enriched by being part of it. For 37 years, she fought for the shelter, knowing all too well the odds against a true, no-kill shelter surviving. She worked tirelessly and selflessly for the good of the animals. Yet, she never hesitated to offer help to others in need. It is truly amazing that she did this for 37 years and could probably do it for another 37 years. It is a very difficult job. As if worrying about the basics isn’t enough – finding volunteers, getting financial resources to feed and get medical care for the animals, maintaining the facility, etc., many difficult decisions have to be made. The toughest by far are deciding when to let a sick animal “go” and approving adoptions. It is easy to second guess these decisions or completely disagree with some of them. However, the truth is that few of us want the responsibility of deciding when it is better for a very sick / suffering animal to be put down. It is also difficult to decide when a would-be adopter be given the chance to take an animal home. The fact is that Kenille felt these animals were part of her own family. Many of us who spent time there grew to share those feelings as well. She wholeheartedly believes that being awarded a dog is privilege. Although she could often be “conservative” about approving adoptions, hindsight tells us that her judgment was mostly right and far better than any of us could offer. She will surely be missed. Thank you, Kenille, for the sacrifices you have made, the tireless work you have done and for making all of our lives better. Just like George Baily, you have impacted more lives than you know and have made the world a better place. We look forward to following you on your next endeavor. What a wonderful life. What a caring, giving and selfless person. Wow. Friends of Kenille Davies and Worcester County Humane Society Between The Lines By Publisher/Editor Steve Green It’s been a pet peeve of mine for years to see police officers talking on their cell phones in uniform in their vehicles. I see it just about every day and I find it aggravating. It’s just wrong to be sitting at a stop light next to a cop, watching him talk on his Blackberry or iPhone about what is obviously not police business. It’s one of those “do as I say, not as I do” instances that gives the men and women in blue a bad reputation. However, it appears the Ocean City Police Department is not going to be one of the law enforcement agencies executing an option to be excluded from Maryland’s hands-free law. Apparently, most agencies across the state keep the exception in their General Orders. “We as an agency felt that we didn’t want to go down that road. We wanted to be more restrictive. Our restriction is in cases of an emergency an officer can use a cell phone without a hands free device but once that immediate emergency is over they either go to a hands free device or some other type of form of communication,” Guiton said. That’s a good thing. The same story regarding major transportation projects in Worcester County has been written for about the last five years. The focus remains on Route 113 and continuing to reach the goal of dualizing the entire road that extends from the Delaware line south to the intersection of Routes 113 and 13 in Pocomoke. What that essentially means is Worcester County should not expect any other major projects to be coming down the pipe until Route 113 is completed. That could be a number of years and the problem is it’s unknown exactly how long it will take to complete as a result of ongoing funding uncertainties. That leaves Route 589 in particular in the lurch. That is a road that needs a major overhaul at some point, as commercial development continues to sprout along it and Ocean Pines becomes more and more of a year-round community. To me, Route 589 is actually much more important from a prioritizing perspective than the Route 50 bridge so long as the span’s structure can be maintained to a safe degree. The Route 50 bridge traffic problem is an issue six weekends out of the year, at best, while Route 589 is a challenge throughout the year. The revenue numbers from the Casino at Ocean Downs amaze me every month. I haven’t actually been in the casino since the day it opened, but from what I hear, it’s busy almost every night and particularly on the weekends. However, it’s still startling to see that it generated more than $4.2 million in October. That’s 20-percent more than last October’s figures. Even more amazing is the gross gaming revenue per machine per day data. For October, it came in at $170.89. The new House of Delegates District 38C seat is going to feature a crowded field and the primary in June will be key in sorting through the contenders. This week’s news that local resident and community volunteer Judy Davis has entered the field brings the total to three official candidates, but word is there could be as many as four more residents joining the mix, including Ocean City businessman Michael James, who almost became the lower shore’s senator in 2010, and Charlene Elliott-Carr, who is the chief financial officer for the Purple Moose Saloon on the Boardwalk and has been a liquor industry lobbyist in Annapolis for years. While Davis officially announced her intent this week, James and ElliottCarr are privately discussing it, according to sources. Elliott-Carr announced her run on her Facebook page last month, but has not officially filed. James, who lost to Senator Jim Mathias in a tight race in 2010 and previously barely missed a seat in 2006 on the House of Delegates, appears to be privately deciding his course, but insiders expect him to be a candidate. Stay tuned as this race will be most interesting because there is no incumbent to stake an early advantage. Concern Receives Swift Response Editor: I recently moved back to Berlin after nearly 40 years living in large cities in Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, China, California and Missouri. I noticed many changes in Berlin, but one thing hasn't changed: speeding cars on Broad Street. I'm not sure if they're late for a tee time or afraid they're missing the excitement in Libertytown, but these speeders are certainly in a hurry to leave town. Another change is the addition of senior housing on Broad Street. This, plus cyclists, pedestrians (especially with pets and children) creates a potentially dangerous situation, particularly in the area west of Ann Drive without a sidewalk. I asked Berlin Police Chief Downing if something could be done. To my pleasant surprise, within a week an additional 30 mph speed limit sign had been placed and the street restriped as a no-passing zone. Thanks to Chief Downing and Lt. Fisher of the Berlin Police Department and Ken Cimino and Mike Mariner of the Maryland State Highway Administration for their quick action. Their responsiveness and positive attitude reminded me once again how nice it is to live in a small town. I sincerely hope the changes help to remind the drivers that this is a residential neighborhood and not the best place to channel their inner Jeff Gordon. Dan Fields Berlin Quotable Quotes “He does have a lot going on. The man is busy everyday but he is the city manager and when the council makes a policy decision that is supposed to be followed through on.” OCEAN CITY COUNCILMAN BRENT ASHLEY ASKING THIS WEEK WHY THE COUNCIL’S REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR HORSEBACK RIDING ON THE BEACH NEVER RETURNED TO THE COUNCIL “At this point, I couldn’t give you a time frame because there is no funding identified. At this point, your priority notice says 113,” MDOT HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATOR IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT ROUTE 589 WORK “There are facts to be read, and misinformation is not right to be disseminated out by petitioners who do not understand the facts.” OCEAN CITY CULTURAL ARTS ADVISORY BOARD CO-CHAIR PATTI MILLER ON HER OPPOSITION TO THE PETITION SEEKING TO STOP THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER BOND “After reading all of the controversy around this ... the divisiveness over this has just sickened me … no matter what happens we will lose.” PETITIONER ELLIE DIEGELMANN ON THE PETITION EFFORT “Since you assume nobody is telling you the correct information, it becomes more difficult.” OCEAN CITY MAYOR RICK MEEHAN TO DIEGELMANN