OC Today-Dispaatch APRIL 19, 2024
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RALLY FOR EDUCATION FUNDS More than 400 people walked the Boardwalk Sunday to participate in the “Rally For Worcester County Public Schools,” an event organized by the newly formed Worcester United group. Many of the parents, teachers, students and supports carried handmade signs in support of the cause. See page 20 for more pictures from the event.
If Perlozzo could have anything... OC’s resident master of promotion presents his list of blue sky projects, which includes multi-color bridge lighting. — Page 84
County nixes school budget tête á tête Fiori moves to have county staff meet with school board staff to establish understanding, but majority says no Continuing to lurch toward some kind of school budget for next year, the county commissioners on Tuesday rejected a proposal by Commissioner Eric Fiori to have county and school board staff go over the budget together — Page 83
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OC Today-Dispatch
APRIL 19, 2024
APRIL 19, 2024
OC Today-Dispatch
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OC advocates for public comment Council sending letter to county asking for feedback opportunities at meetings By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor (April 19, 2024) The Mayor and Council will send a letter to the county commissioners seeking their reconsideration of public comments. At the end of Monday’s Mayor and Council meeting, during which an Ocean City resident sought the council’s help in contacting the Worcester County Commissioners regarding his tax bill, the elected body agreed to send a letter asking the commissioners to reconsider instituting a public comment period during their meetings. While the commissioners earlier this year voted down a motion to incorporate public comment into their meetings, Mayor Rick Meehan said it should be revisited. “I think we all agree – and I think most people do – that the county commissioners should allow public comment at their meeting,” he said. “They’re the only body that I can think of, really, that doesn’t have any public comment allowed.” Earlier this month, Ocean City resident John Adkins came before the council during a public comment pe-
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riod to share his concerns regarding his tax bill. At that time, the mayor suggested he reach out to the county commissioners. Back before the council this week, Adkins said he had called the county and had heard no response. He said he also took issue with the fact that the commissioners did not offer a public comment period during meetings. “The reason I’m here tonight is I want this council or city manager to write the county and I want to be put on their list of things to talk about because I feel I have the right to tell the county about my tax bill,” he said. Adkins said he wanted to make a comment in a public forum and asked the council’s help in getting on the commissioners’ agenda. For his part, Meehan said he was willing to write a letter to the commissioners seeking the incorporation of a public comment period. “I can put together a letter to the county commissioners and ask them to institute some type of public comment section because I think it is important,” he said. “You know it’s tough enough in the county that the meetings are in Snow Hill, there’s no afternoon meeting option or evening option. You know it is difficult and without public comment, I think it re-
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ally takes the public out of the process and I think that’s what you are stating. So I’ll be happy to do something.” Meehan noted that he had reached out to Commissioner Joe Mitrecic, Ocean City representative, earlier this year requesting that the county implement a public comment item on its meeting agenda. He said that while a motion was introduced to allow some form of public comment, it failed in a 4-3 vote. Commissioners Eric Fiori, Caryn Abbott and Jim Bunting and Commission President Chip Bertino voted against it. “If the council would like me to write a letter to ask that they reconsider that and open up with public comment at their meetings, I certainly will,” he said. “In the meantime, you will have an opportunity to speak about the county budget at the public hearings … I believe they have two public hearings on their budget, one typically in the south end of the county and one in the north end of the county. So you might want to watch for those dates just because that is an opportunity for anybody that wants to stand up and speak about the budget to speak.” The council ultimately agreed to have Meehan write a letter to the county commissioners.
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