Timing is a big part of life, and I think it helps to explain the vehement opposition from many about Berlin’s intention to impose a fee for bulk trash collection. With property owners still smarting over the unprecedented tax increases from the summer, talk of charging for a valued service hits hard.At least twice a… Read more »
Though they have been already for some time, short-term rentals will be big news in the weeks and months ahead in Worcester County.According to the most recent data released by Airbnb, the company brought in $1.5 million in host income from Worcester County based on 10,800 visitors. This data, which will surely be higher in… Read more »
When the Maryland General Assembly last year reversed the governor’s executive order requiring public school systems start after Labor Day, it was assumed most local decision makers would return to a pre-holiday start day. I actually predicted in this space Worcester would be the only school system in the state starting after Labor Day in… Read more »
This time of year is when businesses and commercial properties are often sold. Even when the deals never materials, it’s in the fall months when rumors begin circulating about certain businesses about to change hands. In Berlin, that’s certainly been the case. A prime example would be in Berlin when one of the area’s more… Read more »
The public’s persistent requests in Ocean City for information on how the Mayor and Council is going to respond to last month’s H20i weekend disaster are understandable. It’s rooted in distrust of the decision makers to a degree. They’ve lived through these horrible weekends for too long with empty, albeit well-intentioned, promises to do something… Read more »
The Ocean Pines community will clearly be the most impacted by the county’s new rental regulations. Though well intended, as is the case with most new laws, enforcement is going to be the challenge.At this week’s public hearing on a bill, which would limit occupancy (one occupant per 50 square feet of bedroom floor space),… Read more »
Worcester County has shown an incredible lack of compassion toward the residents of White Horse Park. It came to surface this week why that might be the case.After last month’s decision to reject a text amendment to give some of the residents the ability to live there year-round despite the current law prohibiting it, the… Read more »
Worcester County Commissioners Chip Bertino and Jim Bunting had to get some things off their chest this week. They wanted to make it clear there was no “deal” made among the commissioners over the summer to obtain Commissioner Josh Nordstrom’s support for a room tax increase.For a period of a few weeks this summer, it… Read more »
It’s been about a month since I spent a week on the Boardwalk in Ocean City with my family and another family from South Carolina. The “staycation” was a great opportunity for some field research on Ocean City. Some of my takeaways included: We stayed on the Boardwalk at 4th Street in an Airbnb the… Read more »
Though Maryland’s next legislative session is still four months away, the groundwork has begun to keep school systems from opening before Labor Day weekend.Within a matter of hours yesterday, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan sent an email seeking funding help to fight the legislature on the matter and the results of a survey on the economic… Read more »
