January 17, 2014
Page 43
The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch
Between The Lines
By Publisher/Editor Steve Green
The expected occurred this week when Ocean City Councilman
Joe Mitrecic confirmed his intention to seek a seat on the Worcester
County Board of Commissioners.
Even before he lost his council seat in the 2010 election, Mitrecic
had been considering the resort's County Commissioner seat for his
political future. That defeat in the 2010 election derailed those ambi-
tions for a bit until he was re-elected to the council in 2012. At an
announcement this week, Mitrecic outlined his ambitions as a com-
missioner if he is elected later this year.
The biggest issue on his radar will be the city's quest for tax dif-
ferential, which would address resort property owners having to pay
twice for certain services through their tax bills. For instance, Ocean
City has its own recreation, tourism, police and Public Works de-
partments. City taxes fund those operations, but Ocean City proper-
ty owners also pay through their county tax bills for those services
for the county at large. The county has never truly considered ad-
dressing this issue because of the huge hole it will leave in its rev-
enue, but Mitrecic wants to tackle it with new gusto.
While it's unrealistic to expect he will get anywhere on the matter,
as it means millions of dollars for the county, it's noteworthy that he
wants to bring a new energy to the conversation. Other issues Mitre-
cic identified this week included opening up commissioner meet-
ings more to the public through videotaping the sessions and re-
starting talks about Ocean City-based 911 calls being routed to
Snow Hill first and then back to Ocean City.
The 911 call issue is an interesting one and was debated heavily
for some time. No matter if they originate across the street from the
Ocean City Public Safety Building or down the road from the Berlin
Police Department, all 911 calls are handled through a dispatch cen-
ter in Snow Hill and then funneled to the appropriate dispatch cen-
ter. For instance, if a condominium owner needed assistance on
70th Street and called 911, the call would be received in Snow Hill
and then transferred to the Ocean City Public Safety Building for
handing, despite the fact the person is within a mile of the Public
Safety Building. It's a matter of seconds for the call to be transfer-
red, but they matter in most emergencies. It was a passionate issue
about 10 years ago, but it quietly faded when there appeared to be
no willingness on the part of the state and county to alter the status
quo.As just one of seven commissioners, Mitrecic will have to build
consensus for all of these matters, and history reminds us change
at the county level is slow coming even on the most minute of is-
sues. History also confirms that Ocean City representatives rarely
get what they want at the county level. Mitrecic knows this and
believes the resort has been treated unfairly over the years by the
county.
Mitrecic is out of the gates early in this race, and that's a smart p-
olitical move. Now it will be interesting to see if his decision impacts
the other names believed to be considering a run at the seat held by
retiring Commissioner Louise Gulyas since 1998. I expect two other
individuals to file in the coming months.
Can Berlin sustain all these restaurants? That's a question I ask
myself routinely, particularly now that there will soon be seven res-
taurants offering lunch or dinner within a mile of each other.
There's currently the Atlantic Hotel, The Globe, Rayne's Reef,
Si'Culi, Tex-Mex and Beyond and the Burley Inn Tavern. Within a few
months, a new face The Blacksmith at the former Carriage House
site will join the scene. That's seven places to grab lunch or din-
ner within a five-minute walk. This is not to mention the other down-
town places offering more casual bites, like the two bakeries, coffee
shop, candy store and deli. Of course, head over to Old Ocean City
Blvd. and even more casual options exist.
If the fact I saw restaurant equipment being moved into the old
Boomer's site at the south end of town last month is any indication
of new life being breathed into that site, there could soon be eight
restaurants operating within a mile.
While I hate to be a skeptic as nobody is more of a homer for
Berlin than me, there is no question the small residential base can-
not support this many restaurants. It's just not possible. I live in
Berlin and that's a fact. Of the ones that are open now, there are vast
differences in popularities and successes. Some are doing well,
while others are not. It's exciting to see the commercial growth of
Berlin, but I fear it's too much too soon. I can't see how this commu-
nity can sustain it. The key will be increasing the amount of visitors
to town.
Competition is a good thing, but when there are so many options
and only so many tourists to snare, all of the proprietors could find
a bit of an adjustment period ahead. They will all prosper on major
event days and nights, such as New Year's Eve, Christmas Parade
and summer special events, but it's the 300 or so other calendar
days that separate the weak from the strong.
I am rooting for all of them and will do my part to support each,
but I just don't see how they can all be successful. I hope I'm dead
wrong on this one.
Quotable Quotes
"I too am disappointed with the dismal start and we're taking our energy and
effort and putting it into getting this right ... There are no excuses and
I apologize for it. It wasn't under my domain, but we're all a part of it
and we need to find a way now to fix it."
STATE SENATOR JIM MATHIAS ON THE HEALTH EXCHANGE IN MARYLAND
"What justification is there for the town of Berlin to be the only community
in Worcester County to not have a store available for someone to buy liquor
to take home? How are we less deserving?"
BERLIN MAYOR GEE WILLIAMS ON HIS SUPPORT FOR A LEGISLATIVE CHANGE
L
ETTERS
T
O
T
HE
E
DITOR
FROM PAGE 42
and other reasons)? The following
are the numbers released by the
government as of December 2013:
(a) 41,467,000 that are 65 and older
and (b) 21,467,000 Disabled, under
65 & other persons.
Next since all of the above pay-
ments are dependent on the health
of our economy I looked at some of
the latest unemployment figures list-
ed by the Dept. of Labor. As of Dec.
21, the total number was 5,693,902.
This number included both season-
al and non-seasonal claims. Of
course, you understand these are
government totals and do not in-
clude the total number of people
who have dropped out of the work
force.The last information I want to
present to you is from the Dept. of
Health and Human Services. I think
you'll find this information disturb-
ing. Did you know that the total
amount of monthly income you can
make and still receive Welfare is
$1,000? Also, did you know there
are 39 states where Welfare pays
more than an $8-per-hour job.
There are six states that pay more
than a $12-per-hour job and eight
states that pay more than the aver-
age pay of a U.S. teacher. Hard to
believe isn't it?
After reading this information, I'm
sure you'll understand my reason
for concern. I believe the next two
election cycles will determine which
direction our country will take into
the future. We'll either continue on
the course we're on now or take the
first steps needed to return our
country to the Republic form of gov-
ernment our founding fathers
designed. Whichever direction the
voters decide to take both will be
painful. I won't be alive to live out
the results of what the voters decide
but my children, grandchildren and
great grandchildren will have to live
with the results. I hope the people,
when voting, stop voting party lines
and start looking at each person
and what that person believes
before voting. Changes need to be
made and it will be up to us. I can
only hope and pray the voters make
the right choice.
Paul St. Andre
Ocean City
Thanks To Community
Editor:
We know that 2014 will be a
great year if the start was any indi-
cation. The Bethany-Fenwick Area
Chamber of Commerce and the
Quiet Resorts Charitable Founda-
tion (QRCF) would like to thank the
community for its support of the Hair
of the Dog race and 18th Annual
Leo Brady Exercise Like the Eski-
mos plunge.
On New Year's Day morning,
nearly 1,000 runners, plungers,
spectators, party-goers and volun-
teers gathered in downtown Beth-
any Beach. Our events were aiming
to raise money for scholarships and
grants, and we were awed by the
outpouring of support. We are thrill-
ed to announce that more than
$6,000 was raised for local students
and local non-profits.
These events represent a part-
nership between those in the busi-
ness community, represented by
the chamber, and those who sup-
port non-profits, represented by the
QRCF. Together, we seek to
improve life in the Quiet Resorts for
residents and visitors alike.
We could not do our work without
generosity from a variety of sourc-
es. We received amazing support
from the Town of Bethany Beach,
Bethany Beach Police, Bethany
Beach Volunteer Fire Company and
EMS, Delaware State Fire Police,
Bethany Beach Public Works, you
and our sponsors.
Presenting Sponsors were Anne
Powell and Jennifer Hughes Team,
Ocean Atlantic/Southeby's Interna-
tional Realty and Mango's; Sup-
porting Sponsors were Coastal
Point, Coastal Tented events, Tide-
pool Toys and Games, and Event
Sponsors were 3rd Wave Brewing
Company, D3Corp., DJ Padraig,
Delaware 105.9 News Talk, Beth-
any Blues, Bethany Beach Books,
The Cottage Café, Evergreene
Homes, Harris Teeter, Carl M. Free-
man Foundation, Jeff Baxter Mort-
gage Team, Tidewater Physical
Therapy, Wilgus Associates, DiFe-
bo's Restaurant, Giant Food, Off the
Hook, Law Offices of Scott & Shu-
man, Pepsi, Pine Mountain Water,
PNC Bank, and Steve Alexander
Realtor. We also received enthusi-
astic support from locals and visi-
tors, spectators, and volunteers.
We would like to extend special
thanks to Hair of the Dog chair, vol-
unteer Brigit Taylor and her commit-
tee. They, and many others, con-
tributed hundreds of hours to make
the events great.
On behalf of our members and
volunteers, thanks again to all for
the past and future support of our
organizations and the work we do.
Kami Banks
Steve Alexander
(Banks is the president of the
Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of
Commerce. Alexander is the presi-
dent of the Quiet Resorts Charitable
Foundation.)