OCEAN CITY — Ocean City this week renewed its agreement with OC BikeFest including the addition of a dedicated police officer directing traffic near the event’s headquarters at Convention Center Drive at the cost of the promoter.
The Mayor and Council on Monday had before it a request to renew the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with OC BikeFest for its four-day event in September including a request to add liquor for the events at the Inlet lot, which was denied, and a request to dedicate an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer to direct traffic at the intersection of Coastal Highway and Convention Center Drive, which was ultimately approved after a lengthy discussion.
As part of the MOU between the town and OC BikeFest promoters, the town provides in-kind services for the annual event each September including use of the Springfest site. In addition, OC Bikefest pays the town for all costs incurred including private event fees, tent rental, loss of Inlet lot revenue, Public Works assets and support fees and police and transportation services. Last year, OC Bikefest promoters paid the town over $89,000 in various support fees incurred to offset Ocean City’s in-kind services.
When it came time to renew the MOU for this fall’s event, set for Sept. 14-17, OC BikeFest promoters asked the town to dedicate a sworn OCPD officer to direct and monitor traffic at the intersection of Coastal Highway and Convention Center Drive.
The intersection often jams up with event participants riding in and out of the convention center parking lots mingling with regular traffic in the area. The MOU calls for restricting access to Convention Center Drive for motorcycles only with the exception of residents of neighboring properties including Thunder Island, for example, along with deliveries for the convention center, vendors for the event and those trying to access the town’s visitor’s center, for example. The MOU on the table on Monday asked the town to dedicate an OCPD officer to monitor the traffic at a cost of around $20,000, which would be folded into the payment from promoters to the town for in-kind services.
The request was approved, but not before a debate about dedicating an officer from an already-stressed OCPD during the event to essentially be a crossing guard. Councilman Dennis Dare pointed out Ocean City already relies on allied law enforcement agencies in the region to provide extra support for the OCPD during OC BikeFest and taking a sworn police officer off the streets was short-sighted.
“I think this needs to be done privately,” he said. “We’re bringing in law enforcement from all over the state in order to make sure this is a safe weekend. We need our trained police officers doing their job and not being security guards for this private event. You’re asking for an Ocean City Police Department officer to regulate traffic at that intersection, but we need our officers out on the road.”
Mayor Rick Meehan understood the concerns, but suggested adding a dedicated OCPD officer to the troublesome intersection had merit. He also suggested the problem could be eased with better signage directing participants and non-participants.
“I think your intentions are good,” he said. “I can see there is a need to keep traffic moving and avoid backups around that intersection. I can see where a sign might be applicable and we want it to work. We don’t want cars not associated with the event to get in there and then can’t get out because there would be a frustration in that.”
Councilman John Gehrig said having an OCPD officer at the intersection could be more effective than having a private-sector crossing guard.
“It might be in our best interest during peak times to have one of our officers there instead of a hired security guard or traffic monitor,” he said. “I can see it both ways.”
Council Secretary Mark Knight suggested the task could be assigned to an auxiliary OCPD officer such as a Public Safety Aide (PSA), rather than dedicating a sworn officer to direct traffic for four days. Knight reiterated the OCPD is often stressed during OC BikeFest and other off-season special events, precipitating the need to bring in extra help from allied agencies.
“Could a PSA do the same job?” she said. “We already have to pay allied law enforcement to come in, so we don’t have a plethora of extra officers.”
Dare remained adamant about his opposition to dedicating an OCPD officer to the task, despite the fact the estimated $20,000 cost would be on the promoter’s dime.
“I’ve spent a couple of days each Bike Week in that parking lot and I’ve never seen a problem,” he said. “To dedicate a resource like this is unnecessary.”
Councilman Wayne Hartman said the town could gain the added benefit of having a stronger police presence at the event trouble spot.
“For me, to have our officer there with the exposure we gain has value,” he said. “There’s a benefit to it. We’re not losing an officer. We’re gaining an officer that someone else is paying for.”
The council voted 5-2, with Dare and Knight opposed, to provide an officer at the intersection at the expense of the promoter.
