NOVEMBER 27, 2025
FREE
BERLIN • NORTH WORCESTER COUNTY• OCEAN PINES
Boat slips at golf club questioned Not everyone thinks adding this convenience will work or cover its $14K cost
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WORCESTER GOLD
Donation The Worcester County Bar Association recently provided Worcester County GOLD with 295 turkeys with sides to provide to local families in need of assistance during the holiday. The distribution takes place annually through a partnership with local organizations spearheaded by the bar association.
County to explain new utility rates Commissioners will answer questions about huge hikes at Tuesday, Dec. 2 session By Brian Shane Staff Writer (Nov. 27, 2025) Worcester County residents on public water and sewer will have a chance to ask the county commissioners about recent rate increases and the state of the county’s sewerage infrastructure at the commissioners’ next meeting on Tuesday.
Commissioners President Ted Elder (District 4, Western) said county officials have been getting many emails from residents asking why their third-quarter water and sewer bills have increased so dramatically. Because of that, they decided to hold a public hearing on Dec. 2 at the commissioners meeting in Snow Hill to let the public air their grievances, and to include department heads who could answer residents’ questions. “We feel the quickest way to get
their answers is to have a public hearing and be completely transparent,” Elder said. County officials last year realized that several of the 11 water/wastewater districts serving the county were financially upside-down, with expenses far outweighing the revenue being generated by user fees. The districts were intended to be self-funded by user rates, but they were underfunded for years. Their solution was to raise rates See COUNTY Page 10
By Tara Fischer Staff Writer (Nov. 27, 2025) A proposal in Ocean Pines to create two boat slips near the Clubhouse Bar and Grille on Clubhouse Drive has been met with resident opposition, with some citing safety concerns and arguing the project will fail to generate significant revenue. Earlier this month, the Ocean Pines Association leadership announced its intention to look into the installation of two boat slips with enough room to accommodate two boats each, for a total of four possible vessels. These docks would be situated near the 10th tee of the Ocean Pines Golf Course and allow access to the property’s Clubhouse Bar and Grille. The total cost of the endeavor is estimated at around $14,000. The slips would be for transient boats only and allow boat owners to travel by boat to the restaurant for a meal or an afternoon on the golf course. OPA General Manager John Viola said a trail would be installed to steer boaters who park at these slips away from the links and nearby houses. “We would have a stone pathway that would lead from the slips to the side of the patio at the Clubhouse,” he said. “It’ll be along the fence inside the golf course. It will not be utilizing the cart paths that are there.” The general manager added that, as at West Ocean City’s Harborside See BOAT Page 8
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