OCEAN CITY – This week’s Mayor and City Council’s legislative agenda held a number of action items followed by praise of the new Performing Art’s Center grand opening event.
This week in the briefs the town’s Vehicle Vending Franchise is cut short, FY 15 Budget Amendment #1 passes first reading and a new Boardwalk Task Force is formed.
Grand Opening A Hit
On Saturday night the Roland E. Powell Convention Center’s new Performing Arts Center (PAC) grand opening was held.
The PAC will host concerts, musicals and theatrical productions as well as seminars with its state-of-the-art equipment, two-tiered seating with a total of 1,200 seats, dressing rooms, concession areas and a box office.
The celebration included a ribbon cutting ceremony and performances by the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO), conducted by Julien Benichou and featuring Israel Lozano, and the OC Stars chorus.
“I think we would all agree that it was a great evening for Ocean City, and it was a long time coming,” Mayor Rick Meehan said on Tuesday evening. “This is certainly something that will benefit Ocean City from a cultural and arts perspective but also from a business perspective. It will be a benefit to our current users, and provide entertainment end economic development for our community.”
Many residents and visitors turned out for the event. The Mayor and City Council cut the ribbon prior to the performance, joined by community leaders, City Engineer Terry McGean, Convention Center Director Larry Noccolino and his staff, project partner Maryland Stadium Authority, architect Becker Morgan, contractor Whiting-Turner, Maryland State Comptroller Peter Franchot, Senator Jim Mathias, Delegate Mary Beth Carozza, and Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger.
“The stars of the show were the OC Stars. What a great way to open our PAC, and have our grand opening to have the students from Ocean City Elementary there to sing. When they sang you could have heard a pin drop, and when they finished everybody applauded,” the mayor said. “It was an Ocean City opening, and that is what we really wanted.”
The OC Stars performance was followed by the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra.
“They did a great job,” the mayor said. “It was a great evening, and the first of many events you’re going to see as we move forward. Congratulations to all who were involved.”
Vendor Cuts Short
Vending Agreement
According to City Clerk Kelly Allmond, on Dec. 10 Ron Bright of Popsy Pop, Inc. advised that he will not fulfill the four-year term of his Vehicle Vending Agreement, or the ice cream concession franchise, that expires in December 2016. Over the phone, he explained that he has no one to operate in this area.
Since Bright’s notice, he has defaulted on his Jan. 1, 2015 payment. According to the contract, $71,200 is paid annually and with two remaining years left on the contract the total revenue loss comes to $142,400.
Allmond requested permission to revoke the current franchise agreement and re-bid the franchise for another four-year term.
The Code states, “there is only one Vehicle Vending Franchise to operate in Ocean City by one operator. Such Franchise is limited to six vehicles. The franchise operator is permitted to vend prepared food items at all times from all public ways from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., but cannot vend from Coastal Hwy., Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia Ave., Atlantic Ave., which is the beach and boardwalk, or east of Baltimore Ave. from 27th St. south to the Inlet, at the convention center and Northside Park.”
The council voted 6-0 with Councilman Dennis Dare out of the room to approve staff soliciting bids for a new Vehicle Vending Franchise for the term of four years.
FY 15 Budget Amendment #1
Budget Manager Jennie Knapp presented Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Amendment #1 in first reading.
According to Knapp, the budget amendment appropriates an additional $855,680 from fund balance to cover council approved expenditures for street paving, Beach Patrol headquarters, the town’s local match for repaving of runway 14/32 and the transfer of beautification donations to fund a water feature at the convention center.
An additional $682,076 of appropriated fund balance is included to cover prior year purchase orders and items approved in the FY14 budget but not purchased.
Items included are advertising and Tourism Advisory Board funds, painting and carpet at City Hall and Northside Park patio resurfacing.
Knapp added $350,000 of the savings in retiree health insurance has been used to reduce revenue estimates for Emergency Medical Service billing, parking revenue and parking fines. She added $90,419 of savings in retiree health insurance has been transferred to Vehicle Trust to fully fund vehicle purchases for FY15.
The amount taken from fund balance increases $1,537,756 from $931,828 in the FY 15 Adopted Budget to $2,469,584. The fund balance will remain at or above the 15 percent of annual expenditures policy target.
The council voted unanimously to approve FY15 Budget Amendment #1 in first reading.
Boardwalk Task Force Formed
As discussed during last week’s Mayor and City Council work session, the town’s legal counsel regarding street performers on the Boardwalk, Venable LLP, scope of services includes the formation of a task force to study current Boardwalk regulations and make recommendations, as appropriate, in connection with the impact of recent court rulings addressing regulation of the Boardwalk, steps that the town has taken to satisfy those court rulings, issues that have arisen as a result of the town’s implementation of those court rulings, the current state of applicable law, and any revisions to the town code to address issues relating to the regulation of the Boardwalk.
The Resolution before the Mayor and City Council on Tuesday evening states, “Ocean City’s Boardwalk is a popular attraction, it is necessary to regulate Boardwalk behavior in order to ensure equal access, public safety and maintenance of a family friendly atmosphere. The laws regulating commerce, performances and noise on the Boardwalk have been the subject of challenges on First Amendment grounds that have resulted in revision of those laws and those revisions in turn have resulted in many issues.”
The Resolution furthers, “the Mayor and City Council are working towards enacting laws regulating conduct on the Boardwalk that will not offend the First Amendment but take into account needs of various constituencies, including the street performers.”
The council voted unanimously to approve the Resolution approving the formation of a Boardwalk Task Force to study Boardwalk regulations.
Mayor Rick Meehan recommended five members to serve on the task force starting with Chair Greg Shockley, a boardwalk business owner and Ocean City Development Corporation board member; Frank Knight, representing the Boardwalk Development Committee; Lee Gerachis, owner of Malibu’s Surf Shop on the Boardwalk; Bob Rothermel, representing the Downtown Association; and street performer Mark Chase. The mayor also recommended the staff liaisons be City Manager David Recor and OCPD Lt. Mark Pacini.
The council voted unanimously to approve the members of the Boardwalk Task Force recommended by Meehan.