OC Today WWW.OCEANCITYTODAY.COM
JANUARY 20, 2023
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
UPDATE
PLANS SLOWED
A proposed Margaritaville hotel is still advancing at 13th and 14th streets downtown – Page 13
FREE
‘Historical’ talks lead to agreement between city, IAFF New deal good through June 2027 comes with cost-of-living increases
PHOTO COURTESY RYAN WHITTINGTON
Ocean City International Association of Firefighters Local 4269 President Ryan Whittington, left, and City Manager Terry McGean, right, sign a new labor agreement between the union and the Town of Ocean City Tuesday in City Hall.
By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (Jan. 20, 2023) After an informal and reportedly amicable bargaining process, members of the International Association of Firefighters Local 4269 and Ocean City government have inked a new agreement that features higher pay and larger pension contributions. “It was a focus on cooperation,” IAFF President Ryan Whittington told City Council members Tuesday after they approved the signing of a new labor agreement through June 30, 2027. “It was a focus on us having a shared purpose and it was out of the traditional collective that we [have seen] in years past,” he continued. “Because of that we had a lot of deep conversations. I think that it was educational for our members as well as the city manager and myself.” Members of the union requested meetings last year with city officials to go over some details of their contract, which was set to expire in 2024. City Manager Terry McGean said the negotiations, which were held with union members, his staff and See ALL Page 4
County clears way for room tax increase Commissioners start formal process of allowing resort to go to six cents on dollar By Jack Chavez Staff Writer (Jan. 20, 2023) Worcester County is wasting no time this year in pursuing a higher room tax option for Ocean City. On Tuesday, the County Commissioners unanimously approved a letter to be sent to the other code counties on the Eastern Shore — Caroline, Kent and Queen Anne’s — formally asking
for their support as the Worcester delegation pursues the legislation at the state level. “This is a continuation of our efforts to request the (Maryland) General Assembly pass enabling legislation that would allow us to raise the room tax cap from 5 percent to 6 percent,” Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young said at the meeting. Last year, the Town of Ocean City sent a letter to the county asking to raise the cap, but the steps along the way proved to be too much to complete by the end of the 2022 legislative session.
From the beginning, Del. Wayne Hartman and State Sen. Mary Beth Carozza were making up ground. Due to how late the directive was given to the delegation, they missed the deadline to introduce legislation. Then came the realization that the other code counties would be needed. A code county is a “home rule” county in which the county commissioners have more latitude in enacting or repealing local laws. State law, however, stipulates that tax laws are beyond the jurisdiction of code counties, and since taxes are See ROOM Page 4