By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) Berlin Mayor and Council members are still not comfortable with traffic patterns coming out of the new Ocean’s East apartment complex onto Seahawk Road and near Stephen Decatur High School. Town officials complained of unsafe conditions during the last several months and asked Planning Director Dave Engelhart to… Read more »
News
Thousands brave cold for annual Christmas parade
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) Below-freezing temperatures did little to deter the crowd of several thousand spectators who lined up to watch Berlin’s annual Christmas parade, last Thursday. Eighty-two groups participated in the parade, sponsored the Town of Berlin and Berlin Main Street, and paid for from donations by Berlin-area businesses. “It went… Read more »
Pines signs point to Northstar; special meeting Friday
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) A decision on new financial software narrowed on Friday, as the Ocean Pines Board of Directors appeared to rule out outsourcing through Legum & Norman, a regional subsidiary of the Associa corporation that manages 8,000 communities in the U.S. Following that apparent decision at a board work session,… Read more »
Utility deficits eroding general fund, audit shows
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) A Town of Berlin fiscal 2018 audit report on Monday night came with several notes of caution, as representatives from Ocean City firm PKS & Company said negative fund balances were rapidly eating away at the general fund. Auditing Partner Michael Kleger began by presenting an unmodified, or… Read more »
General manager asked to explore OPA organization
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) A special Ocean Pines Board meeting on Friday was short-lived, as the directors said they had already discussed the lone agenda topic, board priorities, at length. The top priority that emerged was an exploration of the organizational layout of the association, with directors tasking General Manager John Bailey… Read more »
Disbelief following cell tower lease rejection
By Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer (Dec. 13, 2018) Calvert Crosslands partner Barb Pivec said she was blindsided by the Worcester County Commissioners’ decision last week to reject a lease agreement for a cell tower site at the Ocean Pines Wastewater Treatment Plant. Pivec said she entered the meeting with the belief the lease would be approved…. Read more »
County found not in compliance
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) Based on an Oct. 9 complaint filed with the state’s Open Meeting Compliance Board by this paper, the Worcester County Commissioners were cleared of violating the open meeting act in one instance, but found not in compliance in another. In a letter dated Dec. 10 from Jonathan A…. Read more »
Students abuzz over Berlin project
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) Salisbury University students worked on several fronts this year to help make the Town of Berlin a better Bee City USA. The designation, adopted by the Town Council in May, is overseen by The Xerces Society, an international nonprofit organization that “endorses a set of commitments … for… Read more »
If renovation costs soar, BOD could consider new building
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) Addressing poor conditions at the Ocean Pines Golf and Country Club has become a top priority for the association board of directors, although a decision on what to do next has now dragged on for well over a year. Originally thought to cost around $500,000, renovation estimates for… Read more »
Berlin HDC prefers classic Taylor Bank signs
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Dec. 13, 2018) Members of the Berlin Historic District Commission last Wednesday appeared to hold their noses as they approved new, more modern signs for Calvin B. Taylor Bank. Both before and after the 3-2 vote, commission members said they preferred the current signs as more in keeping with the historic… Read more »