Voices From The Readers

Voices From The Readers
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True Heroes At Work
Editor:

When I was in Ocean City recently, my daughter and I enjoyed a day at the beach at the Clarion hotel where a too-familiar drama played out that reminded me of the many heroic responsibilities of your Surf Rescue Technicians, known to beachgoers for generations as “lifeguards.”

We watched as a little lost girl was found by lifeguard AJ, who coordinated the reunion with her mother with great caring and to loud applause from the beachgoers. I know how relieved and grateful her mother felt, as my own daughter was lost on a nearby Ocean City beach once upon a very scary time ago. She was returned to me on the shoulders of a member of the Ocean City Beach Patrol, who each continue to serve as guardians and heroes.

This memory prompted me to acknowledge the importance and skill level of the members of the Ocean City Beach Patrol. Every lifeguard is a powerful athlete and must pass a vigorous testing process to be able to guard the shoreline. They inform us about any dangerous surf and beach conditions and patrol our beaches for emergencies.

Each day they are subject to the hazards of open water and often work outside in extreme weather conditions. They must know how to perform lifesaving rescues, CPR, first aid, and other medical responses.

And, of course, lifeguards need to have good judgment and the ability to make effective decisions under pressure. That’s just what A.J. did as he saw to the care of the little lost girl until her mother arrived. He performed just one of the many rescues that he and the other members of the Ocean City Beach Patrol can be counted on to do to protect us vacationers.

I would like to personally thank the Surf Rescue Technicians of the Ocean City Beach Patrol for their invaluable service to the community. Please don’t take them for granted.

Marilou Regan
Springfield, Pa.

Get Entire Story
Editor:

I see by your comments that you have filed a Freedom of Information Request to obtain figures related to the hiring of a new city manager. May I suggest that you file a similar request to obtain the transcript of the ethics hearing held last April regarding a phone call made by council member Joe Hall. If you’re going to get the facts, please get them all.

By the way, it is my understanding that it cost Joe Hall $2,000 out of his own pocket for legal representation, to defend himself against these charges. Thank you.

Brent Ashley
Ocean City

Independent Minds Needed
Editor:
As the town’s election approaches, I would like to offer some thoughts.

I suppose that it is inevitable in today’s society that we create division and partisanship. Ironically, we curse it as we watch news out of Washington while we create and nurture it in the small town in which we live.

Hot issues drive the formation of groups of people who come together, based on common threads, in order to sway the election in one direction or another. Perhaps no issue is stirring more emotion than the forced departure of City Manager Dennis Dare.

As expected, people are already choosing sides on this and other issues and we will likely soon see candidates running as “package deals”, trying to leverage each other and appeal to the hottest issues on voters’ minds.

I am going to file for council myself. My hope is that the residents that truly care about this town will vote for individual candidates that can think and act independently. Instead of “packages”, we should try to have seven independent thinkers who will focus on the good of the town and rise above the partisanship, understanding that spirited debate and disagreements are a natural and healthy part of making decisions as a group. I hope the residents will temper their emotions and vote accordingly, regardless of their choice.

I will not be with anyone or against anyone, rather for the Town of Ocean City. And, should I be elected, I would look forward to working with the other elected council members and mayor to improve Ocean City as a premier destination for vacationers, as well as a making it a desired location for living year round.

Bob Baker
Ocean City

Spread Watch Group Word
Editor:

In a "bitter sweet" way, I am pleased to read about the neighborhood watches that have been started and continue at various parts of Ocean City. Bitter sweet referring to the sad fact that it is needed and sweet referring to the individuals who remain strong and care for their property, their community, and their neighbors in such a way to help make a difference. Thank you for doing what you do.

I live ocean block in a small building in the mid-town area. There are only a select few of us here year-round and of course there are many more owners/renters around during the summer time. Because many of us have taken the time to know our neighbors, we watch out for each other’s property and a few years ago developed what we call a "phone tree". It has given much more peace of mind and a good sense of trusting on much of our street. We tell each other when something happens at the building or even with inhabitants who may be staying at an adjacent building.  Even when the hurricane threatened Ocean City last August, there were a few of us who were able to immediately contact many owners and year round renters to tell them the good news that our building was Safe and Sound.

If we all continue to do our part in helping keep our community safe, we are doing well. Additionally, I encourage the local news publications to keep publicizing the fact that there are in fact neighborhood watches and we are watching to help make a difference.

Doug Antos
Ocean City
Casino Motive Questioned
Editor:

We have to ask ourselves why is the governor so determined to get this new casino that he is willing to do away with the current process in order to enable the casino to pass in a special session by taking the tax giveaway off the shoulders of the general assembly and onto a special commission.

The members of the house ,much to their credit, refused to be bullied into accepting the proposal to give the RICH casino operators a 25% tax break realizing how bad that looks when they just voted at the governor’s request to raise taxes on the so-called rich Marylanders in the past session. Let’s hope they stand by their convictions and continue to delay the process.

Now the special session will deal with creating a commission to set the tax rate the casino will pay. What about the other three casino’s already operating here? What will happen with them? Will they also receive a tax break?. Just how much is the Governor willing to give away in order to get the new casino approved?

The other question is why do we need a 6th casino when the fourth and fifth have not even been built.

What is the big deal here? What is the rush? Why not wait till they are completed before going forth with another?

Why do they need to have a special session again wasting thousands of our tax dollars? Why can’t they wait until January and the regular session?

We all need to pick up the phones and call our senators and delegates telling them we do not want tax breaks for the rich while we are raked over the coals with taxes. We need to send emails with the same messages. We need to protest in Annapolis if the governor calls the special session.

I say no to tax breaks for the new casino while we are still paying and paying and paying.
Len Bender
Ocean City