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OC Today/Dispaatch FEBRUARY 2, 2024
STUBBORNLY LOCAL, EQUALLY INDEPENDENT
Sign up now for new daily newsletter to debut in April. — Page 63
PRICELESS
New EDUs for WOC by 2027? County pursuing grant to expand Mystic Harbour
PHOTO COURTESY JANET HOUGH
WOLF MOON The color ring around the Jan. 25 full moon was the result of light reflecting off the moon and then being broken apart by ice crystals in the clouds, the same way sunlight and raindrops create rainbows. The full moon in January is known as the Wolf Moon for reasons that remain unclear.
Worcester County goes after a $6.5 million grant to help pay for a major expansion of the Mystic Harbour district plant. If successful, that would solve Diakonia’s service needs ... three years from now. — PAGE 7
Livable wage law
YOUR COMMUNITY
Restaurants feeling heat
Pending retirement:
Possibility of tipped wage legislation passing worries resort restaurants Legislature’s livable wage measure would push base pay for waitstaff up to $15 an hour and eliminate the tip credit for employers. That, local restaurateurs
say, could lead to higher menu prices, slower service and possibly service charges. Associate Editor Bethany Hooper takes a look. — PAGE 4
Calvin B. Taylor Bank President and Chief Executive Officer Raymond M. Thompson will retire at the end of this year. — 52
Habitat relocating: The Habitat for Humanity of Worcester County’s ReStore is relocating to Ocean Pines’ Manklin Station. — 35
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OC Today/Dispatch
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Between the Lines By Steve Green During the recent book ban discussions at the Worcester County Board of Education meeting as well as across the state and country, it seemed inevitable there may be some legislation introduced on the topic. A review of newly introduced legislation in the Maryland General Assembly this week shows at least one bill being weighed on the topic in favor of not restricting access to books of a perceived sensitive nature in school libraries. Del. Dana Jones of Anne Arundel County said this week she worked with Senate Majority Leader Nancy King and House Speaker Adrienne Jones on the legislation marketed as the “Freedom to Read Act,” officially filed as House Bill 785 and Senate Bill 738. It appears the legislation has been worked on privately for months prior to introduction, including input from teachers across the state. The 19-page legislation essentially seeks to empower the State Library Board to appoint a State Librarian and “exercise general direction and control of library development in this State.” The legislation reads, “It is the goal of the state that each library is operated in a manner that recognizes the following standards: (1) library materials, services, and resources exist and should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all persons the library serves; (2) a library should not exclude material from its catalogue because of the origin, background, or views of a person who created the material; and (3) a library should not prohibit or remove material from its catalogue because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.” The legislation had its first reading in the Ways and Means Committee on Jan. 31. Oftentimes, first-year legislative efforts are unsuccessful, such as last year’s push for the mechanism to increase the room tax rate for lower shore counties and the previous attempt to get a special event zone passed for the former H20i event, but this appears to have a good shot as it has Democratic leadership support from both the House and Senate. §§§ For many of us, it’s a shock to know many people in Worcester County do not have access to internet in their homes. It’s not just the rural areas of the county either, but often houses within just a couple miles of municipalities that struggle daily with high-speed connections. For those folks, streaming shows or even checking emails on computers are basically impossible. It was big news to learn this week a majority of the 6,400 homes without high-speed access in the county three years ago will soon be served with broadband, thanks to county and private partnerships. The full story in this week’s issue has more information. The need for high-speed internet has long been a goal of county officials with several commissioners over the last 20 years, including long-time Commissioner Virgil Shockley, frequently advocating for their districts. Current Commissioners Jim Bunting, Ted Elder and Diana Purnell have broached the subject often in recent years. Purnell said this week, “Worcester County is coming into modern times.” Commission President Chip Bertino added, “I don’t want it to be lost when we started this project, this government expected we’d be spending in excess of $50 million to do this and we committed that we would do this because we felt it was so important. Because of your efforts and efforts of these contractors and our partners in this as well as our staff… we got it down to $96,000 and we’re almost done. That is absolutely fantastic.” §§§ The fall special events calendar in Ocean City has been overhauled in recent years. The first Oceans Calling Festival last September resulted in some events being moved, most notably Sunfest being pushed to later in October. Though change is tough, Sunfest being an October event has been accepted. After seeing the magnitude of the inaugural Oceans Calling Festival last year, it was obvious a late October Sunfest was a practical and logistical necessity. This week, the Ocean City Mayor and Council reviewed a term sheet for the first-ever Monsters of Metal Beach Brawl for Oct. 18-20. The event will join a solid stretch of activities for September and October. After Labor Day weekend will come Wine on the Beach, Sept. 6-7; OC Bike Fest, Sept. 11-15; no huge events the next weekend; C3 Presents’ Oceans Calling Music Festival, Sept. 2729; a second music fest will potentially be sponsored by C3 Presents and has been said unofficially to have a country focus, Oct. 4-6; Cruisin weekend, Oct. 10-13; smaller events, Oct. 18-19; Sunfest, Oct. 24-27; and the second RV and lifestyle show, Oct. 31-Nov. 3. It’s a busy stretch of events. During this week’s discussion of the new monster truck event, the council voted to pursue a partnership with the promoter to fill an open weekend on the October calendar. It’s predicted about 3,500 people will attend each of the three days. Though the event was discussed broadly late last year, some specifics were released this week. The event will be hosted on a portion of the inlet parking lot with a pit area, arena and grandstands north of the Wicomico Street Pier. Participants are expected to come from professional race teams, and the promoter is responsible for racecourse layout and overall operations.
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OC Today/Dispatch
Tip credit measure has restaurants feeling high heat Operators say they could be forced to raise prices to cover increase, while service might also suffer Bethany Hooper Associate Editor ndustry leaders are following a bill that will affect not only tipped workers in the local hospitality sector, but their employers as well. In January, Maryland legislators introduced a bill that will, among other things, increase the minimum wage for tipped workers to $15 and eliminate the state’s tip credit model. While proponents believe the legislation will improve working conditions in the service sector, those in opposition argue it could lead to higher menu prices, layoffs and reduced working hours, among other things. “Elimination of the tipped credit would have a devastating effect on our industry,” said Susan Jones, executive director of the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association. “It would lead to terrible service, as there is no incentive to be nice or extra helpful, and there would be more fast-casual service restaurants pop up with laptop ordering and only a food-runner.” Last year, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed into law the Fair Wage
I
Act of 2023, increasing the minimum hourly wage to $15. However, the legislation excludes tipped employees, who currently hold an hourly minimum wage of $3.63. To that end, at the start of this year’s session of
t h e Maryland General Assembly, lawmakers introduced the One Fair Wage Act of 2024, a bill to increase the minimum hourly wage of tipped workers to $15. In addition to the wage increase, the legislation also proposes an elimination of Maryland’s tip credit provision, which applies an employee’s gratuities into the minimum wage requirement. The bill has the backing of several lawmakers, as well as service workers, labor unions, justice organizations and small business owners. One Fair Wage, a national organization to end subminimum wages in the United States, reports the current minimum wage for tipped employees
affects m o r e t h a n 100,000 Maryland workers, particularly women and people of color. “With the pandemic, tens of thousands of these workers are refusing to work for subminimum wages, and hundreds of Maryland restaurants are raising wages to recruit staff, but many Maryland restaurateurs are finding that these workers will not return without policy guaranteeing a full minimum wage with tips on top,” a statement from the One Fair Wage website reads. “With industry-wide wage increases, there is national momentum for change.” The organization noted that other states and Washington, D.C., have
raised the minimum wage for tipped workers, creating an even greater staffing crisis for Maryland restaurants. “Advancing policy to support these restaurant workers and owners by ending the subminimum wage for tipped workers would positively impact an overall restaurant industry of over 185,000 workers in Maryland,” the statement reads. At the local level, however, industry leaders and business owners are sharing concerns over the One Fair Wage Act. For her part, Jones said it would have an adverse impact on Ocean City’s hospitality sector. “At no point is a tipped employee making less than the $15/hr. minimum wage,” she said. “The law already states that the employer must make up the difference if tips from their shift do not bring the employee to the minimum wage threshold. Nationally, tipped positions generate much more than minimum wage, and locally, for some it is even higher than the national average.” Amy Thompson, executive director of the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, agreed. She noted the hourly range of a tipped employee in the Ocean City area is between $17 and $50. “The existing tip credit model in Ocean City has allowed single parents to earn a living wage and has enabled women and minority bartenders, servers, and other tipped workers to have incomes three times higher than our county average,” she said. “Enacting this bill would set these families back.” Chad Olenchick, part owner and operator of Cabanas Beach Bar & Grille, said he and his business partners are in favor of saving the tip credit. He said the increase in the minimum wage for tipped workers would lead to higher menu pricing and added services charges. “Tipping is at the discretion of the consumer, period,” he said. “Taking the humanistic approach, the restaurant industry is unique. It offers up many part time positions where single parent homes or struggling families can work minimal hours and See RESTAURANT Page 8
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OVER $46.6 MILLION IN SETTLED REAL ESTATE IN 2023 12207 Coastal Hwy. Suite D • Ocean City, MD 21842 • 410-524-1203
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301 14TH STREET #302 OCEAN CITY • $695,000 Stunning 3-bedroom 3.5 bath luxury condo in Laguna Vista hits the market! As you walk in the front door, you will immediately fall in love with the large open floor plan and coastal decor. The gourmet kitchen features an abundance of cabinets, beautiful tile backsplash, granite countertops and center island with stainless steel appliances. Off the kitchen is a beautiful dining area where you will enjoy meals with family and friends. The dining room flows nicely into the large family area for relaxing and entertaining, and there is a gas fireplace for winter nights. The family room has a glass slider to a covered deck with southern exposure. The famous White Marlin tournament is right next-door, and you have a great view from your balcony. The primary bedroom ensuite is spacious and faces the water as well. There's also a slider off the primary bedroom to the balcony. The other two bedrooms are private as well. There's also a separate entrance to those two bedrooms off the foyer so one of them could serve as a second primary bedroom. The HVAC was just replaced. This condo is well taken care of, and the amenities in the condo building include an indoor heated pool and an open yearround exercise room. The condo is just three blocks to the beach and boardwalk. This well-maintained condo is being sold fully furnished and shows pride of ownership. Come take a look today before it's sold. MDWO2018458
733 BRADLEY ROAD • OCEAN CITY • $3,200,000 Luxury 5BR/6BA/2HBA Bayfront home with pool hits the market! This luxury home has 145 feet of water frontage with direct bay views and offers southern exposure. As you walk in the front door of this lovely home you will immediately fall in love with the attention to details and upgrades throughout. An elegant foyer with marble flooring greets you as you enter with your eyes drawn to the beautiful Bayfront views and the swimming pool in the courtyard. On the first level you will find a kitchen designed for access in and out to the pool area with plenty of seating and room for entertaining family and friends. Also on the first floor, you will find a Bay front office or playroom for the kids. This home is complete with a home elevator so either take the spiraling stairs to the second level or take the elevator up to the second level.You will be mesmerized by the amazing Bayfront views and endless sunsets this home offers. There are 6 decks off the home for privacy. On the second level you will find a professional chef’s kitchen complete with large center island, high end appliances and plenty of cabinet space adjoining a beautiful, spacious dining room overlooking the bay. The family room is also complete with a gas fireplace for chilly winter nights, making this the perfect home for year-round living or a vacation home. Also, on this floor, you will find a second office, home theater room, or game room. On the third level you will enjoy waking up to the endless water views from your primary bedroom. The primary bath has custom finishes throughout with extensive tile work. The primary bedroom also has a fireplace for romantic evenings and relaxing. Also on this floor are three additional bedrooms, which are spacious and separated nicely from the primary bedroom. This home is over 6000 ft.² and is one of the few Bayfront homes available on the market. So, if you’re looking for a home at the beach, also offering all the thrill of the day with attention to detail look no further. Come take a look at 733 Bradley Rd. today before it’s sold! MDWO2014714
NORTH OC CONDO with DEEDED BOAT SLIP
WATERFRONT HOME AT REFUGE DERRICKSON CREEK OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY 12:30-2:30PM
204 N HERON DR #2048C OCEAN CITY • $425,000
36939 CREEKHAVEN DR • SELBYVILLE, DE 19975 • $835,000
This beautiful 2BR/2BA condo with deeded boat slip #23 is in Seascape in the fabulous community of Heron Harbour. This larger corner model is rarely available for sale. It has two primary bedrooms each with its own full bath. This condo comes furnished ready for your immediate enjoyment. When you walk in you will fall in love with the floor plan with a townhouse feel. There is an updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, subway tile backsplash, and white kitchen cabinets. The dining room is directly off the kitchen that flows into a spacious living area. The family room has vaulted ceilings and is a great place for family time and entertaining with friends. This condo has an oversized primary bedroom. The second bedroom is on the next level and has a full bath and oversized closet. There is a full deck off the family room, perfect to enjoy an outdoor meal. There is also an outdoor storage closet off the deck. You will love the deeded boat slip that conveys with the property. Offered with a oneyear AHS warranty. Heron Harbour is amenity rich with two outdoor pools, an indoor pool, a kiddie pool, fitness center, social room, sauna, locker room, two Har-Tru tennis courts, sidewalks, and piers. Enjoy your boat, fishing, crabbing, kayaking, and paddle boarding all directly out your back door. You are very close to shopping, restaurants, and the beach. Come take a look before it's SOLD! MDWO2018196
Stunning 4BR/4.5 bath home in the Refuge at Derickson Creek hits the market! This meticulously maintained home backs up to the pond, has peek of the Bay and is located approximately three miles from Fenwick Island beach. As you walk through the front door you will immediately see the attention to detail. There is an upgraded kitchen with breakfast bar, Quartz countertops, beautiful tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and plenty of cabinet space. The kitchen opens into the dining area. Friends and family will enjoy meals there together and will make memories that last a lifetime. The spacious family room, with a beautiful gas fireplace, is off the dining area and is a perfect gathering place for entertaining family and friends. There’s a wonderful, enclosed sunroom with a glass slider to the paver patio deck and beautiful back yard. There’s also a flex room on the first floor that could be used as an office. The primary bedroom suite is located on the first floor and is oversized and has a beautiful full en suite bath. You will enjoy the water views from your primary bedroom. The laundry room is also on the first floor. You will love the first-floor hardwood floors, tile, woodworking, upgraded lighting and upgraded carpet throughout. The hardwood floors continue to the second level. There is a spacious second family room on this level and there are three additional bedrooms all with en suite baths. This is the perfect home for everyone to enjoy. There is a two-car garage, covered front porch, and outside shower. Every room in this house has a view of the pond and a peek of the Bay. The Refuge is an amenity rich community with a large inviting outdoor pool w/separate wading pool for kids, a clubhouse with an exercise/workout room, tennis courts, basketball court, volleyball court and playground. In the Refuge you get to enjoy the scenic views and native wildfowl of Derickson Creek and the Delaware Inland bays. Come take a look today before it's SOLD! DESU2052970
OCEAN 2 BR/2BA CONDO OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY 10AM-NOON
MID-TOWN 3BR/3.5 BA RIVENDELL CONDOMINIUM with WATER VIEWS! OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY 12:30-2:30PM
1 66TH ST UNIT 101 • OCEAN CITY • $499,900
121 81ST ST UNIT 706 • OCEAN CITY • $815,000
Stunning 2BR/2BA condo one back from the beach hits the market! This condo is located on 66th street in an ocean block building. The sellers have made many recent upgrades, installing luxury vinyl plank flooring throughout, new microwave, new refrigerator, new stove, new dishwasher, new exterior HVAC unit, toilets and kitchen faucet within the last three years. The decks also were tiled in 2019 and the glass sliders leading to the deck were also replaced within the last five years. This would make a great second home or investment property and is being sold fully furnished and ready for your immediate enjoyment. This is one of the best values at the beach - fully furnished and only one back from the ocean. As you walk through the front door, you will see an inviting living room for entertaining family and friends. There is a dining area off the kitchen with glass sliders leading to a huge covered deck with recently tiled floor. You can hear the waves break from the deck. This is a first floor unit but it's an elevated building so the height off the street is equivalent to a second floor unit. This condo has two large bedrooms and two full baths so there's plenty of room for family and friends. The condo is in walking distance to many restaurants, stores, shops and a supermarket, so once you're here you don’t have to move your car, but the condo is conveniently located to the route 90 bridge, making coming and going a joy. Come take a look today before this amazing property is sold. This condo association is well managed by Mann Properties. MLS MDWO2016172
RESIDENTIAL LOT
WATERSIDE DRIVE BERLIN • $475,000 Are you looking to build your dream home? Look no further than this beautiful residential lot in the community of South Point Farms. This beautiful building lot is in a prime location on the corner with beautiful bay views. The lot is approximately 2.76 acres and it’s located off 611 in Berlin Maryland. At the entrance of South Point Farms is a public boat ramp and public pier with water access for boating fishing, crabbing, paddle boarding, and kayaking. If you are looking for a peaceful, tranquil location with unbelievable Bay views this is the prime spot. There are multiple world-class golf courses close by and Assateague National and State Park as well for days on the beach. No builder tie in required. Come take a look today and enjoy the good life on South Point Farms! MDWO2014122
Stunning three-bedroom 3.5 bath condo at the Rivendell hits the market! This beautiful condo is being sold furnished and it's ready for your immediate enjoyment. You’ll be mesmerized by the waterfront views. You can actually watch both the sunrise and the sunset without ever leaving this condo. The kitchen is sure to delight the chef in your family with its granite countertops, custom cabinets and plenty of workspace. Off the kitchen is the family room and dining area where you will enjoy family meals and make memories that last a lifetime. The family room is great for entertaining and has a gas fireplace for chilly times in fall and winter. There’s also a wet bar for relaxing and having cocktails with friends. You can see the Ocean and Bay from the primary bedroom suite and the primary bath is luxurious with a tile Jacuzzi tub, shower and double vanities. The other two bedrooms are spacious as well and each have their own en suite bathroom. There is also a half bath off the family room. There’s a separate laundry room with washer and dryer and plenty of storage. Privacy is ensured with good separation between the primary bedroom and the other two bedrooms. There are large balconies where you can enjoy your morning coffee and a cold drink in the evening. The Rivendell has an indoor pool, outdoor pool and a fitness center, and the Hobbit restaurant is located in the building as well. This condo is located in Midtown on 81st St. and there is a traffic light at the intersection so crossing the street is very easy. There are plenty of stores, restaurants and shops in the area. There is a parking garage and secure access to the building. Come take a look today and make this beautiful property yours. This is a non-rental building so you will make friends and know your neighbors. MLS MDWO2017698
COMMERCIAL
34862 WEST LINE RD SELBYVILLE, DE • $3,900,000 Commercial Site in Prime Location hits the Market! 2.36 acres on the corner of RT 54 and W. Line Rd in Selbyville DE. This location is directly across from Yellowfins Restaurant and shopping center on heavily traveled Rt 54. The location is approximately 3-4 miles to the beaches of Ocean City & Fenwick Island. It has water and 8' sewer main that will supply a hotel, shopping center, office complex, medical center, professional center, etc. Lot is cleared. Buy it Now Before It's SOLD!!! Owner Financing is available. MLS DESU184528
COMMERCIAL
32474 LIGHTHOUSE RD SELBYVILLE, DE • $7,900,000 Prime commercial location in Selbyville of 10.09 acres. This is a rare commercial development opportunity on the busy intersection of Lighthouse Sound Rd. (Route 54) and Hudson Rd. There are already many existing new homes surrounding this property and more than 3,200 additional homes are coming soon. This is the perfect location for a shopping center, multiple smaller retail businesses, and/or medical or other professional offices to serve these homes and the entire Selbyville, Bayside, Fenwick, Ocean City area. The Seller will finance up to 70% of the purchase price at 1 percent below the current prime lending rate for up to 5 years. The property is located 8 miles from the beach! DESU2044978
THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING? LET'S CONNECT TO BEGIN THE PROCESS TODAY! The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate 2024 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company. ©2015 a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker logo, Coldwell Banker Previews International and the Previews logo are registered and unregistered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. 10771BALT_07/15
PAGE 6
FEBRUARY 2, 2024
OC Today/Dispatch
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FEBRUARY 2, 2024
OC Today/Dispatch
County seeks $6.5M grant for sewer in Mystic Harbour Charlene Sharpe Associate Editor (Feb. 2, 2-24) Worcester County is seeking a $6.5 million grant to expand a wastewater treatment plant in West Ocean City. Though county officials are planning to ask the Town of Ocean City for sewer capacity, in the meantime staff have submitted a grant application for $6.5 million to expand the Mystic Harbour Wastewater Treatment Plant. There’s currently a list of property owners in the service area waiting to develop, unable to do so because there is no sewer capacity. County staff say they’re trying to improve the situation but there are complex issues involved. “The challenge is striking a balance between addressing the issues quickly and addressing them in such a way as to minimize the impact to rate payers,” said Dallas Baker, the county’s director of public works. In January, the Worcester County Commissioners voted not to approve Diakonia’s plan to acquire sewer capacity from the Town of Ocean City. The nonprofit, which has provided emergency housing, food assistance and other resources to those in need in the Ocean City area since the 1970s, has to have the
capacity in order to expand services with a new facility on Route 611. The commissioners did agree to have county staff start discussions with Ocean City officials regarding the possibility of the town granting the county sewer capacity, since there is none available in the Mystic Harbour service area. According to Bob Mitchell, the county’s director of environmental programs, there are currently five properties, including Diakonia, waiting for capacity. Local attorney Hugh Cropper represents some of those property owners. He said they’re understandably frustrated by the situation. “They’re in limbo,” he said. One of the properties that hasn’t been able to get EDUs is on Route 611 next to the Shrimp Boat. There, a developer wants to build a brewery. “He has site plan approval,” Cropper said. “What a great repurposing and revitalization of what used to be an industrial property.” While Cropper maintains the county could make some changes to free up some EDUs at Mystic Harbour, Mitchell said any EDUs remaining at the plant have been committed. He said staff advises deSee APPLICATION Page 9
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FEBRUARY 2, 2024
Restaurant association opposes legislation Continued from Page 4 make ends meet. I cannot speak for all restaurant/bar owners but if you don’t feel a sense of pride when your tipped employees do well you’ve lost connection.” While he acknowledged the elimination of the tip credit could benefit some restaurant models, The Hobbit Restaurant owner Garvey Heiderman said it would hurt most businesses. He argued the legislation, if passed, would impact not only employees’ wages, but the customer experience. “You have to make up for it somewhere, and that cost gets passed on to the customer,” he said. “Given inflation, people don’t want to see menu prices go up anymore.” Heiderman said decisions on employee wages should rest with the
businesses. “It should be the restaurant’s decision,” he said. “Legislators shouldn’t be meddling in our business and making decisions for us. They already do enough of that.” The concerns of local industry leaders and business owners have also been shared by the Restaurant Association of Maryland, which issued a letter to the General Assembly on the proposed elimination of the tip credit. The advocacy group argued a restaurant worker’s earnings would decrease without the tip credit. “The Restaurant Association of Maryland strongly opposes legislation that would eliminate or reduce the tip credit because of the negative consequences it would have on tipped employee earnings, restaurant operators, and customers,” the letter
reads. “State and local policymakers in Maryland have consistently preserved the tip credit. Over the years, the General Assembly has considered legislation that would have phased out the tip credit statewide, but it failed to pass because of strong opposition from tipped employees and restaurant operators. Servers and bartenders have repeatedly urged lawmakers to reject such proposals because they earn significantly more money under the current tipping system.” In a statement last week, Sen. Mary Beth Carozza said she had heard from several business owners and restaurant employees in the Ocean City area prior to the start of this year’s General Assembly session. She said she was working with industry representatives in opposing the
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legislation. “As a consistent and vocal opponent on repeated legislative efforts to change current tipped wages for employees, I constantly hear from local restaurant operators, servers, bartenders, and other restaurant employees on their strong and repeated opposition to this legislation,” she said. “At the end of December before the start of session, I made the rounds to several restaurants recognizing their milestone anniversaries – 60 years for Happy Jack Pancake House; 50 years for the Bonfire; and 40 years for Fish Tales. At these stops, both employees and employers brought up their continued and strong opposition to this legislation, and some are more than willing to come to Annapolis to testify in strong opposition as many local restaurant operators and employees have done in the past. “I will continue to work with Susan Jones and her Ocean City Hotel/Motel/Restaurant Association on coordinating efforts to defeat this legislation again this session. I grew up in the restaurant business in Ocean City as a server, and my tips were essential to helping pay my college tuition, and I am hearing from many current employees who want to keep the current tip wages in place and want this legislation defeated.” A General Assembly hearing on the proposed One Fair Wage Act of 2024 will be held Feb. 14.
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FEBRUARY 2, 2024
Application issued last week to MDE for project funding Continued from Page 7 velopers when they come in with projects that there’s not currently any available capacity at the Mystic Harbour plant. He said there wasn’t a surplus of land remaining to be developed in that area anyway. “The corridor has limited development potential,” he said. In an effort to begin addressing the lack of capacity in Mystic Harbour, last week, the county submitted an application to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for a $6.5 million grant for design and construction funds to expand the plant’s effluent disposal capacity. MDE is expected to announce grant awards in late summer. If the county does get the grant, it will still be years before EDUs are available. Baker said design would likely take a year because of all the surveying required, while permitting would take another six months and construction could take up to a year. “So mid-2027 is a rough estimate,” Baker said. He pointed out the project was not to expand the plant’s ability to treat wastewater but rather to expand its ability to dispose of treated wastewater, as that is the limiting factor at Mystic Harbour. “The plant’s primary method of disposing of treated effluent has always been injection wells,” Baker said. “The wells dispose of treated water by injecting it into the ground in the space between the top of the groundwater table and the bottom of the ground surface. That space varies depending on the season and the amount of rainfall received.” The injection wells have proven to be problematic, however, and the county in recent years has moved toward spray irrigation. “After upgrading Mystic Harbour, in 2006, the county expanded the effluent disposal capacity by adding spray irrigation at the Eagles Landing Golf Course,” Baker said. “Even with that addition, the plant has always been able to treat more than it can dispose of. The project we’re discussing will increase the disposal capacity further.” Essentially, staff are hoping that if the county gets the MDE grant, it would be able to design and install more than 3 miles of piping to pump treated effluent from Mystic Harbour to an existing storage lagoon at the Riddle Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant. Baker said the plant has a currently underused 33-million-gallon lagoon that holds effluent before it is sprayed on the Glen Riddle golf courses. www.oceancitytoday.com
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