JUNE 25, 2026
BERLIN • NORTH WORCESTER COUNTY• OCEAN PINES
FREE
Bertino out? Green, Taylor win districts
STEVE GREEN/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
MUMMERS HIT MAIN STREET Members of the Joseph A. Ferko String Band are pictured on Main Street during the Maryland State Firefighters Association parade, which was held in Berlin for the first time ever last Saturday. See more photos on page 16.
Police recruiting incentives OK’d Town to use salary savings to issue retention bonuses as temporary measure By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (June 25, 2026) The Berlin Town Council this week authorized the use of up to $118,000 in police department salary savings to fund retention bonuses for current officers and recruitment incentives for new hires to remain competitive with neighboring
law enforcement agencies. The funding comes from a projected surplus in the Berlin Police Department’s fiscal year 2026 salary account, created by four vacant officer positions. Police Chief Howard Drewer told council members Monday night that the proposal would not require any additional town funding. The project is intended as a temporary measure while officials work toward a long-term compensation strategy. “We request to reinvest a portion
of the existing salary savings back into the workforce,” Drewer said. “This is a Band-Aid; this is not a fix.” According to a staff report recommending the program, approximately $118,000 remains in the salary account after all projected payroll obligations through the end of the fiscal year have been satisfied. Drewer initially proposed using $100,000 of that amount for retention bonuses and $10,000 for recruitment incentives. See BERLIN Page 3
WE BUY GOLD & SILVER Kozma Jewelry & Coins
(June 25, 2026) Worcester County voters dethroned three incumbents, reelected two others and added a former school superintendent to the board in Tuesday’s primary elections for county commissioner. Leading the charge to create a propublic education majority on the seven-member board of commissioners was Lou Taylor, who defeated Sherri Clifford 601 votes to 267 in the District 6 Republican primary. Taylor, who retired as the county’s school superintendent last year, has no opposition in the fall’s general election. The only Republican winner Tuesday who will have a challenger in November could be Joseph Schanno, who appears to have dislodged Commissioner Chip Bertino 396-331. Absentee votes have yet to be counted, but the winner will face Vicky Wallace (D) in the general election. In District 4, Steve Green knocked off incumbent Ted Elder 409 votes to 241. Placing third in that Republican race was former commissioner Virgil Shockley with 165 votes. Incumbent Eric Fiori withstood a challenge from Tim VanVonno, collecting 498 votes to VanVonno’s 368, in District 3 while in District 2, Democrats went for Roxie Dennis over incumbent Diana Purnell, 314 votes to 194. In District 1, Republican voters gave incumbent Caryn Abbott 473 votes to 283 for Laura Morrison and 105 for Shaun Shockley. Voter turnout in some districts was down as compared to the ballot count in the 2022 primary. Ocean Pines saw a 27% drop in Republican primary voting totals as compared to 2022.
We Pay the Highest Prices for Gold & Silver Coins Gold Jewelry • Silver Jewelry • Silverware D.A. KOZMA JEWELERS RT 50 & 611 in the FOOD LION SHOPPING CENTER WOC 410-213-7505 • DAKOZMAJEWELERS.COM