Ocean City News In Brief

OCEAN CITY – This week’s Mayor and City Council agenda was light with the election looming, but a construction manager for the fire headquarters renovation was hired, an employee benefit insurance contract was renewed for 2015 and additional donations were received to purchase more beach toys.

Construction Manager For Headquarters Chosen

Under the consent agenda this week was a request to approve the construction manager for the Fire Department Headquarters Project.

According to City Engineer Terry McGean, three proposals for construction management services were received by the city in response to an advertisement and have been reviewed by the staff.

McGean recommended the approval of the low bidder, Willow Construction, which offered a total price of about $282,300. The Town of Ocean City has worked with Willow Construction in the past, according to McGean.

The council voted unanimously to approve the consent agenda.

The design for renovations to fire headquarters located on 15th Street was approved in July. Becker Morgan was selected as the architect and there have been numerous collaborative meetings with the fire department design team to refine the needs and space requirements of the building.

The project is being funded by the 2012 bond issue. The renovation and addition budget comes to a total of $2 million with $1.5 million originally allocated in the bond, and $500,000 coming from savings from the Boardwalk reconstruction and Fire Station 4 project.

In December 2012, the need for the project was presented to the Mayor and City Council. At that time, Deputy Fire Marshal Cliff Christello reviewed with the council fire headquarters was built in 1960 and is an 18,000-square-foot building that serves as a fire station with bunk rooms, meeting area, dispatch area, and administrative offices for the OCFD.

In 2008, the city’s Fire Marshal, Emergency Medical Services and the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company were combined under a single command structure, and the current headquarters building cannot adequately meet the needs of the occupants.

The project will address leakage by replacing the roof, windows and doors, add offices that were lost during past renovations, an increase in garage space with the addition of a new engine bay, additional bunk space, an exercise facility and improved air quality.

Benefit Insurance Contract Renewed

Human Resources Director Wayne Evans submitted medical, prescription, drug and vision plans required rate action for 2015. Dental, accidental death, dismemberment and long-term disability renewal rates are being recommended unchanged from 2014.

The health plan renewal over Fiscal Year 2015 and Fiscal Year 2016 is an annual cost of $8.6 million with a 3.6-percent rate increase from 2014.

Rosanne Calzetta of CEBS Bolton Partners, Inc. recommended the town renew with CareFirst for the medical/prescription drug and vision plans, continue the self-insured modified retrospective funding arrangement and continue to fund full HDHP deductible for 2015 at an additional annual incremental cost of $6,300. Also, it was recommended to renew with Assurant for the dental and long-term disability, as well with CIGNA for life insurance, dependent life, accidental death, dismemberment and supplemental life.

The council voted unanimously to approve the recommendation.

Beach Toy Donations

During the summer, Tow Boat US owner Greg Hall pledged $1,000 to fund additional beach toys and asked other local businesses to match that number.

Councilman Doug Cymek followed his lead and pledged a $500 donation followed by Councilman Brent Ashley who also made a $500 donation.

This week Ashley announced three other $500 donations have been made by Rob Jager of Rob’s Lawn Care, OC Fisherman’s Marina and Ocean City Taxpayers for Social Justice spokesperson Tony Christ. The total of donations has now reached $3,500.

In April of 2013, the Recreation and Parks Commission agreed to not have the wooden playground structures, referred to as beach toys, return to the beach off the Boardwalk once staff brought to the elected officials’ attention how the structures have become safety hazards as well as a nuisance with late-night shenanigans.

Once that decision was finalized, many residents and visitors voiced concerns over not having the playgrounds on the beach as they had become a tradition along the Boardwalk for young visitors.

This summer the first replacement beach toy of a dinosaur play structure arrived on the beach. The equipment was offered to Ocean City at a discounted rate of $16,480 with free delivery.

“Again, he [Hall] challenges more people to donate, so we can more playground equipment up there for families to enjoy,” Ashley said.