Berlin, Ocean Pines News Worcester County Bayside Gazette
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Feb. 28, 2019) The Ocean Pines Board of Directors finalized a $12.8 million fiscal year 2020 budget on Saturday, and set the basic annual assessment at $986 per homeowner. Assessments fluctuated wildly throughout the budget process, from a low of $951 with the proposed budget released on Jan. 4, to a… Read more »
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Feb. 28, 2019) The Ocean Pines Board of Directors on Feb. 16 sharply reduced interest rates on unpaid assessments, citing the presumption of increasing collections. Legal reasons may have contributed to the reduction as well. Association President Doug Parks said governing documents require establishing the annual interest rate by February of… Read more »
By Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer (Feb. 28, 2019) Former Berlin Police Department officer David Lockwood Sr., 70, walked into the new station on Decatur Street last Wednesday to share some history. Much to the surprise of members of the department, including Chief Arnold Downing, Lockwood had found an old newspaper article tucked behind his high school… Read more »
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Feb. 28, 2019) Berlin Falls Park Committee members last Thursday discussed subcommittee reports on a park development map and how the grounds could find a permanent name. Roger Fitzgerald, in leading the physical park subcommittee, presented a plan that included small improvements like park benches and a viewing blind for… Read more »
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Feb. 28, 2019) Town of Berlin budget work sessions for fiscal 2020 began last Thursday with rate increase recommendations for utility fees and property taxes, with the latter possibly going up by a third or more. Stormwater fees are recommended to double for residents – from $50 annually to $100 –… Read more »
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Feb. 28, 2019) Five years ago, this week, former Anne Arundel County firefighter Mike Wiley went to his volunteer post at the corner of Route 50 and Main Street with a special purpose: to announce that Berlin had been named “America’s Coolest Small Town.” Wiley, a Berlin resident, has been in… Read more »
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Feb. 21, 2019) “Your vote counts” is the theme of a new publicity campaign of the Ocean Pines Elections Committee aimed at increasing voter turnout and reducing voter error in the next board of directors election. Last year, 80 votes were not counted, including 66 received after the voting deadline. Ocean… Read more »
GM Bailey departure follows rocky 2019 budget process By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Feb. 21, 2019) Ocean Pines General Manager John Bailey has departed that post, following a tumultuous six-month budget process that had yet to conclude as of the middle of the week. According to a statement released Tuesday by the association, “The Board… Read more »
Pines committee on Friday considers role in advising those running for office By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Feb. 21, 2019) No candidates have yet filed for the 2019 Ocean Pines Board election, but the committee that oversees the voting is already well into discussing its role in the process. Elections Committee Chairman Steve Habeger, last… Read more »
Daly to GM: ‘the system doesn’t work that way’ By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (Feb. 21, 2019) The Ocean Pines Board approved four of five capital purchase requests Saturday, with one in particular catching the attention of several directors. Two golf maintenance items, a reel grinder and bedknife grinder, passed 6-0 with Director Slobodan Trendic… Read more »