Council Approves Beach Photo Bids

OCEAN CITY – The Mayor and City Council decided to accept the only bid made this year for the two beach photo franchises of Ocean City.

United Beach Photo owner Patrick McLaughlin possesses the current beach photo franchise in town. Last month, McLaughlin was the only bidder on the two franchises once again. The annual bids given were $220,000 and $175,000, bringing the total for the four-year contract of the franchises to $880,000 and $700,000.

Besides owning the beach photo franchise, McLaughlin also owns about half of Ocean City’s beach equipment rental stands.

The morning after McLaughlin presented his bids for the beach photo franchise to the Mayor and City Council Internal Revenue Service agents raided his business.

The Dispatch has attempted to contact McLaughlin in efforts to clear up the situation, but attempts have been unsuccessful.

The Mayor and City Council chose look over McLaughlin’s circumstances during this week’s meeting and voted unanimously to accept McLaughlin’s bid, with no discussion.