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OC Today-Dispatch MARCH 6, 2026
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More money, please Ocean City asks county to base its annual grant to resort on percentage of property tax resort’s property owners pay DJ HONORED The audience was brought to its feet after Robert Chandler, also known as DJ Wax, completed his acceptance speech for being named Citizen of the Year by the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce. Chandler has recently had back surgery after suffering a spinal stroke. See page 32 for more Worcester. — PAGE 6 SUBMITTED PHOTO/OC TODAY-DISPATCH
photos from the awards banquet.
Atlantic General now TidalHealth Atlantic Patients of both medical care providers will find online portals merged into one as AGH gets a new name and two institutions take final step in joining forces. — PAGE 13
Oceans Calling reveals lineup Fall seems a long time from now but it’s not too soon to announce full lineup booked for OC’s annual beach music festival. — PAGE 12
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OC Today-Dispatch
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MARCH 6, 2026
MARCH 6, 2026
OC Today-Dispatch
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Audit of school system finds ‘questionable’ fiscal activity By Brian Shane Staff Writer (March 6, 2026) Worcester County Public Schools’ first state audit in nine years uncovered “questionable” purchasing activity by a management employee that was referred to prosecutors, flagged lapses in employee background checks, and found potential overpayments to bus contractors totaling more than $1 million. The 36-page report, released Feb. 26 by the state’s Office of Legislative Audits, also found that the district failed to adequately monitor its health insurance administrator, and noted that a vendor data breach exposed sensitive student and staff data, including medical information and Social Security numbers. Auditors referred “questionable procurement activity involving a management employee” to the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor. That agency investigates cases involving public corruption and official misconduct, as well as election law and campaign finance violations. The employee was not mentioned by name. The audit also found that WCPS did not always perform required screenings when hiring for positions that involve direct contact with minors. A 2019 state law requires that applicants disclose in writing whether they were the subject of a child sexual abuse or sexual misconduct investigation by any employer that resulted in a finding. When auditors randomly sampled 10 employees out of the 317 people hired since that law took effect, they found that WCPS had not performed the screening for six of those employees, some of whom had been on the job more than a year. “Without a proper screening,” auditors reported, “WCPS lacks assurance regarding the conduct of the individuals it hired.” In its audit response, WCPS wrote, “effective immediately, WCPS has taken corrective action to ensure full compliance with state law requirements.” The response stated, “WCPS has reinforced Human Resources hiring procedures to require completion and documentation of the mandated screening for all applicants being considered for positions involving direct contact with minors, including care, supervision, guidance, control, or routine interaction.” The response continued, “No applicant may be fully cleared for assignment to a school or student program without verification that the required screening has been completed or is actively in progress in accordance with State guidance. “To further strengthen compliance, WCPS will provide additional training and guidance to Human Resources staff to ensure consistent understanding of statutory requirements and documentation expectations.” Auditors also reported on a Dec. 28,
2024, cybersecurity incident involving a breach of personal information belonging to current and former students and staff, which also affected other Maryland school districts. WCPS alerted students and educators about the security breach on Jan. 10, 2025. Information about the cybersecurity breach was redacted from the public version of the audit. Auditors said they provided an unredacted version to government officials responsible for acting on their recommendations. The audit also found that WCPS could not support how it calculated about $1.8 million in bus maintenance payments to its 69 bus contractors in fiscal year 2024. Bus maintenance reimbursements are set at $1.072 per mile, but WCPS did not compile or analyze cost data to determine appropriate reimbursement rates, auditors noted. WCPS also reimbursed bus contractors for fuel taxes they didn’t actually have to pay, the audit found. Reimbursements included the cost of fuel tax, but bus contractors are exempt from those taxes and can claim refunds on them. Auditors estimated that mistake cost about $1 million over four years. Auditors explicitly stated that this same bus payment problem was flagged in the previous audit, and WCPS didn’t correct it. In the “agency response form,” WCPS said before July it would “work to obtain from Contractors actual maintenance costs as a basis for establishing contractor rates for per mile maintenance costs or otherwise develop supportable cost estimates as the basis for per mile maintenance costs.” Further, the response stated, “WCPS will examine the procedure of excluding fuel excise taxes from Bus Contractor payments. Contractor rates are approved annually by our Board as part of the budget process. Any change including the exclusion of fuel taxes would be subject to Board approval.” Auditors also found the school system wasn’t closely monitoring its health insurance Third Party Administrator (TPA) and wasn’t double-checking what it was being charged or verifying the contractor’s performance. WCPS healthcare spending totaled approximately $20.3 million for fiscal year 2024, the audit noted. The agency response stated, “WCPS concurs with the finding and recommendations. As referenced in background information, the TPA’s contractual relationship is with Worcester County Government. WCPS will work with our county government to strengthen oversight and ensure compliance.” As far as the auditor’s disclosure of “questionable” purchases by a central office employee, this report provided no See WCPS Page 4
G OOD N EWS . . . WOR K HAS B EG U N ! NO OP E N I N G DA AT T E BU T W E ’ LL K E E P YOU O POST ED D.. WE CANNOT SA AY Y THAN K YOU ENOUG H FOR F THE OVE RWHE LM ING SU P PORT TH I S C OMMUN ITY HA H S SH OWN US !
NOT I C E OF T E M POR A RY C LOSU R E DUE TO A RECENT INCIDENT, T, OUR EST ES ST TA ABLISHMENT A IS CLOSED UNTIL FUR RT THER NOTICE. WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTL LY Y TO REOPEN AN ND REGRET ANY DISRUPTION TO YOUR PLA ANS. TH HA ANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDER RS ST TA ANDING. A WE WILL PROVIDE UPDA DA AT TE ES S AS SOON AS POSSIBLE REG GA ARDING OUR REO OPENING. The Mushrush family would like to thank you for all the calls , messages & kind d wor rd ds.