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Berlin, Ocean Pines News Worcester County Bayside Gazette Logo Berlin, Ocean Pines News Worcester County Bayside Gazette

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Roles change in Berlin for staff, shopkeepers

Double congratulations are merited this week in two separate circumstances that nevertheless reflect the constant evolution of the Berlin community.

In one instance, Debbie and Steve Frene, owners of Victorian Charm on Main Street, have decided to move on after more than two decades as a mainstay of the town’s commercial revival. Opened in 1996, the store has been a constant presence during the reinvigoration of the town shopping experience that took place around it.

They expect to settle with new owners next week, whose intentions are to maintain the same style and ap- proach as practiced by the Frenes. The couple, mean- while, will do … whatever their new freedom allows.

Not maintaining the same style and approach as his predecessor, however, will be Jeff Fleetwood, who saw the “acting” prefix dropped from his town administra- tor title.

Although no one doubted that the job would become his, after he stepped in to fill the void created by the de- parture of Laura Allen, it still must be gratifying for him to win the vote of confidence the Town Council awarded him by making his appointment official.

Because of his solid work for the town, first as the human resources director and then as sort of a second- in-command as managing director, Fleetwood’s quali- fications were never in doubt.

He will do the job the mayor and council have wanted done for some time with quiet efficiency.

Still, he, like the Frenes and Victorian Charm’s new owners, Melissa Stover and Chris Yuengling, of Salis- bury, could always benefit from some good luck.

In that regard, we wish them all good sailing.