OCEAN CITY — With a change in the make-up of the Ocean City Council following the November municipal election, Mayor Rick Meehan this week submitted a list of sub-committee and commission member changes that were ultimately approved.
Meehan and each of the Ocean City Council members serve on various committees and commissions where much of the nitty gritty of municipal government are debated. The sub-committees and commissions meet monthly in most cases to debate issues germane to them and often tweak policy and make recommendations before the larger issues are presented to the full council.
After November’s municipal election, incumbents Dennis Dare, Tony DeLuca and Mary Knight retained their seats, but newcomer John Gehrig replaced incumbent Doug Cymek. As a result, council representation on the various sub-committees, boards and commissions required tweaking and the task fell on Meehan, who presented his recommendations Tuesday.
“As we reorganize the council following the election, I offer these recommendations for the legislative committees and commissions,” he said. “I hope they meet with your approval.”
On the Police Commission, Cymek was formally the chair with Meehan, Council President Lloyd Martin and Dare serving as members. Under Meehan’s recommendation, Knight, Dare and Councilman Wayne Hartman join the commission. On the Tourism Commission, Knight will continue to serve as chair with Meehan, Councilman Matt James and Gehrig, who replaces Dare.
On the Recreation and Parks Commission, Gehrig will replace Dare while Martin and Hartman continuing to serve. On the Transportation Committee, Meehan will continue to serve as chair and will be joined by Dare, Martin and DeLuca. Knight formerly served on the Transportation Committee.
DeLuca will retain his position as chair of the Coastal Resources Legislative Committee. Martin and Dare will serve on the Property Review and Enforcement Strategies for Safe Housing, or PRESS, Committee. Meehan and Knight will continue to serve on the Tri-County Council. Hartman will serve as the Noise Board liaison with James as an alternate. Meehan and Martin will serve on the Pension Committee, DeLuca will serve on the Risk Retention Committee with Dare as an alternate, DeLuca will serve on the Maryland Coastal Bays Program Board of Directors with Dare as an alternate and Dare will serve on the Americans with Disabilities Committee. Meehan, Knight and Dare will serve on the Humane Society Committee.