OCEAN CITY –After several hours of discussion last night, the Mayor and City Council and the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company (OCFVC) agreed to come together and at least begin to hash out the problems that have caused the current rift and move towards a solution that all parties can feel comfortable with.
Tensions remained high at a meeting of the Mayor and City Council last night as OCVFC Chief Chris Larmore and President Jay Jester came to the table once again in an attempt to have their voice heard.
“Mayor and City Council, this controversy has gone on long enough,” said Jester, urging the Mayor and Council to consider the OCVFC’s recent conceptual plan that would split the fire and EMS services within the town, placing the volunteers in charge of fires and the career fire/EMS personnel in charge of all medical calls.
Mayor Rick Meehan maintained that a strategic planning session was the best course of action. “I think we’ll all agree on a lot more things than what we’ll disagree on,” Meehan said, urging all parties to agree to a meeting.
Council member Jim Hall made a motion to accept the plan presented by the OCVFC, but later withdrew his motion after the council, Larmore and Jester agreed to come together at a meeting and work out the issues.
“Let us make this right with you all, and with the Town of Ocean City,” said Council President Joe Mitrecic.
Chief Larmore and Mayor Meehan agreed to work together to schedule a meeting to be held within the next two weeks.