Meehan Secures 3rd Term As Resort Mayor

OCEAN CITY – Mayor Rick Meehan was re-elected on Tuesday.
For the third term in a row, Meehan will be unopposed when voters head to the polls next month.

“I certainly hope they have confidence in my leadership and that’s why I am un-opposed this time,” he said. “I plan to do everything I can do to live up to their expectations and continue to serve the town. … “I was prepared for the election. I’m still going to be committed to the election and serving Ocean City. I guess it relieves a little bit of the pressure but its not going to change very much and the way I approach the election or my candidacy.”

Meehan said Wednesday he is eager to serve another term for the town of Ocean City.

“I’m excited for the next couple years,” he said. “Times change and every term is different. There are always new issues and challenges. I look forward to addressing them. We live where so many people want to be. We are very lucky to live where we are and we need to continue to make sure that Ocean City is the place that it is today. A little bit better every year.”

With the filing deadline passing on Tuesday, Meehan said he would be supportive of the incumbents in their re-election bid. Brent Ashley and Sean Rox, who both ran unsuccessfully in 2008, and residents Warren Disbrow and Charles Borchini are challenging incumbents Lloyd Martin, Joe Mitrecic and Margaret Pillas.

“I think they have done a great job,” he said. “We’ve had some good debates and I think out of those debates and discussions we’ve been able to formulate good policy. This council has done a good job in this difficult time. They’re prepared to continue in doing that.”

The mayor continues to focus on the town’s budget as one of the council’s top priorities.

“In regards to our economy, I think the town has fared very well under this difficult situation,” he said. “We have been able to hold our taxes below the constant yield by revising our government. “We’ve made sustainable changes that will help us move forward. I think that is very important. The budget is our number one responsibility and I think our council responded very well during this difficult time.”

When asked if there was anything he would change about his last term, Meehan said, “I don’t think so. I’m happy with the last couple years. I think we’ve been able to accomplish a number of things.”

Meehan is aware he has a few challenges in his upcoming term. For instance, he mentioned the ongoing study of employee compensation.

“We are going to continue to re-evaluate our salary structure and our benefit programs,” he said. “We are a service community and are employees are very important. We need to make sure they are paid properly in line with other jurisdictions in the surrounding areas.”

In looking ahead, Meehan said he was concerned over the town’s transportation,

“I think we need to work to improve our transportation systems,” he said. “Every year we need to get a little bit better in how we move people around Ocean City.”

Also in the future, the installation of renewable energy in Ocean City will be discussed.

“I support an offshore wind farm, as long as we can make sure it is far enough offshore that it wont negatively impact Ocean City,” he said. “I think that’s going to be the big advance we’re going to make towards clean energy in the next few years.”