OCEAN CITY — The following represents comments made by Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan at Monday night’s Mayor and Council meeting, reopening the beach and Boardwalk this Saturday. The announced was made through emergency declaration.
“I did have the opportunity to speak with Gov. Hogan last Friday. I spoke with the governor for about 35 minutes, and that’s a long time considering everything he’s involved with, not only at the state level but at the federal level. We talked about a number of different things. He did tell me and this might answer one question that he was looking to try and coordinate the opening of Maryland with the openings in Delaware and Virginia. I related to him I was on a Zoom meeting with all the mayors of the Delaware beaches as well. Their determination is they are not going to be opening up their beaches until after Memorial Day or the June 1 date.
“I spoke with the governor and said that doesn’t really work for us. We really do need to have a phased approach to opening. I’d like to very much coincide that with the governor’s plan. I think there’s certain components of his plan and our plan that we can coordinate, but I think we need a phased-in opening in Ocean City and we need to do it sooner rather than later. I explained that to him.
I have watched the people in Ocean City and those who have been here and how things have changed over the last 60 days as [Councilman] John [Gehrig] mentioned. Sixty days ago, nobody even knew what social distancing was or they never talked about it. Now it’s referred to as physical distancing, it’s the same thing. People never considered wearing masks in public or it being a requirement in retail stores or public transportation. People never thought about keeping the size of groups that congregate under 10 people. But what I’ve seen happen is people adhere to these sorts of things that we never thought about before. If you go to the grocery store, people are wearing masks. If you go to the Boardwalk, and I’m up there every weekend, what you see is people social distancing. You see them doing it. They’re cognizant of it. They walk the other way or move a little bit away. Some of them are wearing masks because it’s their choice and they think that’s the right thing to do. I really think we’ve come a long way.
[Councilman] Mark [Paddack] mentioned our non-resident property owners. Actually we have 26,000 non-resident property units in total or close to it. Our non-resident property owners for the majority have adhered to our request. They have not come to Ocean City. Sure there are some who have started to come. That will continue. This is their second home, but most have listened and tried to be a part of the solution.
I think what we have done in Ocean City, with your help and support, is we have put on a full court press. We did that to support the governor, to support his initiatives, to flatten the curve of the virus, to get people educated so they are in a better place today than they were 60 days ago on how to address this virus. A lot of us are going to have to make personal decisions and that was referred to by some of the council members. Moving forward, we are going to have to see who is at high risk and who isn’t and what decisions personally each and every one of us need to make. We have to look at what’s best for us and what’s best for our families. If restaurants open tomorrow, not everyone is going to go to a restaurant, but that’s an individual decision.
As I went on with the conversation with the governor, we talked about his phase one to recovery. Of course, he had certain benchmarks we had to meet before he could move to that stage. One of the things involved in stage one is lifting the stay at home order. I asked him if he would consider doing that sooner rather than later. I really think that’s the trigger for us in a lot of ways. It really takes us to that next step. We did talk about some of the things I hope he’s going to talk about this week. I don’t want to speak for the governor. They reference some of the things you all have talked about this evening, like opening golf courses, allowing more outdoor activities, looking at small shops and businesses and see what he can do in that regard. I really think you are going to see him, I hope, take some of those steps this week.
From an Ocean City point of view, I really think what we need to do is take one step that’s certainly our decision. It’s a good way to progress further down the road. It’s really phase one. I think the important thing for us to do and right thing for us to do at this point in time is to go ahead and reopen the beach and Boardwalk. It’s been about 60 days and I’ve seen some changes out there. I think we are ready to do it.
The governor asked me ‘do you think you will have any problems?’ I said ‘yes.’ Because with anything that you do there will be some challenges. I believe most people will adhere to social distancing and go out of their way to separate. Will there be that 2% like you have in any scenario that probably don’t? Probably, but you know what we are all going to have to work around them a bit if we have to. This is what is best for the majority. It’s best for all of us and our residents and everybody to allow this transition to begin to take place, so we can see if there’s any problems we need to address before we go to that next phase in totally reopening Ocean City.
We need to take those steps now.
… what this declaration does is it reopens effective Saturday, May 9 the beach and Boardwalk in Ocean City. It says, ‘whereas as part of the town’s gradual reopening process the April 28 declaration will be amended as set forth below although those wishing to travel to Ocean City should remember that as of this date the governor’s stay at home order remains in effect.’ It’s really up to everybody personally how they want to address or handle that. ‘Whereas although this declaration allows for the reopening of certain closures the social distance requirements of the April 28 declaration which are not amended remain in effect and include maintaining physical distance … this means social gatherings, which shall include community, spiritual, religious, recreational, leisure and sports gatherings and events of more than 10 people are prohibited in all locations and venues at this time until such has changed by the governor by declaration.’ …
This is step one, it’s the first step and allows us some time to transition to the next step. Hopefully it allows us some time to sync with the governor’s plans as well. I really believe we are at the point where it’s necessary. … We are going to be in this throughout the summer season probably. We are going to have to take measures to address everyone’s safety. The bottom line has always been and the top priority of this Mayor and Council has been public safety of our residents, non-resident property owners and our visitors.
I think this was mentioned by Council Secretary Knight but I also believe our business partners have put together plans to begin to implement a phased reopening. I mentioned that to the governor as well that I thought some of the plans that have been put together by our business community would probably exceed some of the plans as far as restrictions and innovations on safety … some of those implemented by the state.
… Individual decisions will be an important part of this. We are going to see somebody who isn’t doing it right. Let’s concentrate on those who are doing it right, let’s follow that lead. If we all do that, I believe we can begin that transition. … this declaration takes place this weekend. The next declaration is the removing of the restrictions on lodging that is set by declaration to be removed May 22. Let’s see where the governor knows in regard to his stay at home order, but that is still in place to be repealed on May 22 at this time.”
