Ocean City Mayor and City Council Work Session - September 30, 2025
Ocean City Mayor and City Council Work Session - September 30, 2025
The Ocean City Mayor and City Council held a work session on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, starting at 1:00 PM and adjourning at 2:31 PM. The meeting included a closed session report, public comments, and a series of new business items covering bids, contract awards, policy discussions, and approvals. All votes recorded seven in favor unless otherwise noted.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Susan Jones (representing the Hotel Motel Restaurant Association, 5700 Coastal Highway) expressed full support for the Bike Fest event and event producer Matt Odachowski, stating that the hospitality community is "100% behind this event" and hopes to ensure it remains in town.
- Frankie Boyer (9201 Seahawk Road, Berlin, Maryland) spoke about the need for water for dogs, bike and scooter regulations on sidewalks, and suggested bike rentals during winter months. His comments were rambling and did not pertain to a specific agenda item.
Consent Calendar
- Bid Opening for Convention Center Landscaping Installation: A late bid from Posado Landscape was rejected (motion passed 7-0). Four eligible bids were remanded to staff for further review (motion passed 7-0). The scope includes removing existing landscaping at 41st and 40th streets, replacing with stone, and irrigation repairs.
- Approval of Minutes: Regular Meeting #16 dated September 15, 2025, were approved (motion passed 7-0).
- Acknowledgement of Standing Committee Report: The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee meeting of September 17, 2025, was noted.
Discussion Items
- Bid Award for Airport Taxiway A Relocation (Item B): Airport Manager Jaime Giandomenico and Public Works Deputy Director Scott Wagner presented the award recommendation. The base bid plus alternate one from David A. Bramble Inc. was $8,338,449.50. After discussion, the council awarded the bid (motion passed 7-0).
- Worcester County Request for Increased Sewage Treatment Capacity (Item E): Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young requested to purchase up to 170,000 gallons per day of capacity to serve two existing service areas (Acetic Point and the Landings community). The county will pay $780,386 to cover the one-twelfth cost of the 2000 plant expansion adjusted for inflation. Public Works Director confirmed the request is manageable, noting current peak flows (11.5 MGD on July 5) and remaining capacity. The council voted to direct the city attorney to draft an ordinance amending the sewage treatment facilities transfer agreement, with the increase restricted to those two communities (motion passed 7-0).
- 2025 OC Rock & Ride Bikefest Recap and Future Years (Item F): Event producer Matt Odachowski presented a detailed recap, noting the event had a $50 million economic impact, 500,000 people, and 200,000 motorcycles. He highlighted challenges due to a late contract signing (May 30, 2025) and called for improvements, including later closing times and consistent alcohol marketing guidelines. He also presented Positive Energy, a hemp-based business owned by his wife and daughter. Council members praised the event and the promoter's efforts. The council voted to direct staff to work with the promoter and bring back terms for the 2026 contract (motion passed 7-0).
- Celebration Fireworks Contract Extension (Item G): Tourism Director Tom Perlozzo requested extending the contract through 2027 and consolidating all fireworks shows under one umbrella. An initial motion to extend with a fixed Monday night schedule failed (5 opposed, 2 in favor). A subsequent motion to extend with flexibility for dates passed (7-0). The council also agreed to discuss the Monday night show's timing and potential alternatives at the October 21 Tourism Commission meeting.
- 2026 General Employee Pay Table Recommendations (Item H): HR Director Katie Callan and Budget Director Jennie Knapp requested an additional 3% increase (total 6%) to the pay table minimums and maximums, and moving command staff pay increases from January to July (retroactive to July 1). The total cost for a half-year is $180,000, funded from reserved fund balance and vacant position savings. The motion passed 7-0.
- Request to Transfer Funds from Environmental Deferred Revenue (Item I): Planning Director George Bendler requested $239,000 for projects including an intern, anti-litter campaign, and North Side Park improvements. Councilmember Garrick questioned the anti-litter campaign's effectiveness, but the motion passed 7-0, with a directive to discuss the campaign's language at the November Green Team meeting.
- Lease for Underground Transatlantic Fiber Optic Cables at Airport (Item J): City Manager Terry McGean presented a 25-year lease with Global Links for up to four cables. Compensation totals $800,000: $200,000 per cable paid within 150 days, and $20,000 per year for 20 years with a 3% annual escalator for additional cables. The cable diameter is approximately the size of a pen. The motion to approve lease terms passed 7-0.
Key Outcomes
- Late bid rejected (7-0).
- Airport taxiway bid awarded to David A. Bramble Inc. for $8,338,449.50 (7-0).
- Minutes approved (7-0).
- Sewage capacity increase authorized; city attorney to draft ordinance (7-0).
- Bike Fest 2026 contract terms to be developed by staff with promoter (7-0).
- Fireworks contract extended through 2027 with flexible dates (7-0).
- Pay table increased by 6% with command staff retro pay (7-0).
- Environmental deferred revenue transfer of $239,000 approved (7-0).
- Fiber optic cable lease approved (7-0).
Meeting Transcript
All right, good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to this work session. Today's Tuesday, September 30th, 2025, and we're starting just after 1 p.m. First on the agenda. I have a notice and report on our closed session. Prior to the open session of the mayor and city council being held at 1 p.m. on September 30th, 2025. A closed session was held today beginning at 11.15 a.m. here at City Hall. Topics of discussion were legal personnel and real estate matters. Persons present were Mayor Rick Meehan, City Manager Terry McGean, Deputy City Manager J.R. Harmon, Council President Matt James, Council Secretary Tony DeLuca, Council Members Will Savage, Larry Yates, John Garrick, Jake McTresick, and Carol Proctor, City Clerk Diana Chavis, City Solicitor Heather Stansbury, our Fire Chief Josh Bunting, the Tourism and Business Development Director Tom Perlazzo, and our human resources director, Katie Callan. There was no action taken. I had a motion from Secretary DeLuca, seconded by Councilmember Proctor to close the closed session at 105, and that pass with seven in favor. Next on the agenda, we have comments from the public. Any person who may wish to speak on a matter scheduled for discussion on the work session agenda may be heard during comments from the public for a period of three minutes or such time as may be deemed appropriate by the council president. Anyone wishing to be heard shall state their name, their address, and the agenda item on which he or she wishes to speak. Would anyone like to speak during public comment today? Susan. Good afternoon. Susan Jones here on behalf of the Hotel Motel Restaurant Association, address 5700 Coastal Highway. A long time ago, we came to the mayor and council to talk about this thing called Bike Fest. So I'm here to talk about Bike Fest today. And back in the day when we originally said this was a great event, we really want to have it. There was a lot of trepidation from the city leaders. And I think over the years, we have watched the event change. But what has really changed is the way it was produced this past year. So Matt and his team really stepped up to the plate. And he is clearly a very detail-oriented person because every single thing that could be thought of, they were thinking about it. So we are here in full support of Matt and his team. They, I think, saw a lot of different things this year, and I know you'll be talking about them later, but I just want you to know that the hospitality community is 100% behind this event, and we want to hope to ensure that it remains in our town. Thank you. Anyone else? All right. Hi, my name is Frankie Boyer. Uh I want to say that uh I live at 9201 Seahawk Road, Berlin, Maryland. I want to say that uh get some water out for the dogs. And you discussed about on the boardwalk and discussed about the bikes being taken off the uh sidewalks and the scooters and uh the uh you know what do you call it? Uh uh bikes I I get another two minutes. Uh you should have bikes be in uh what do you call it? Rent it out so during the winter months. You know, you can rent the bikes out, and you can't screw exercise and you know I got a bike to I love the ride and uh as you know the cops, you know, and the they need to, you know, uh you know, monitor you know the highways and stuff about the bikes and traffic as far as people. I don't know, man. I mean you know the bikes. Yeah, as far as the sidewalks and the and you talked about the scooters. Yeah, I I say I guess the scooters gotta be off sidewalks too. I don't know. I sound just rambling a little bit. We got a lot of people here. I mean, let's I mean let's hit the ball and have some fun.
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