OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Ocean City Mayor and City Council Regular Meeting - November 3, 2025

Mayor and City Council & Boards — Monday, November 3, 2025
BodyOcean City, Maryland
SessionMayor and City Council & Boards
DateMonday, November 3, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 32:58

Transcript — Verbatim
0:16

All right, good evening, everyone.

0:18

Welcome to this mayor and city council meeting scheduled for Monday, November third, twenty twenty-five at six PM.

0:24

First on the agenda, we have our prayer and our pledge, and Councilmember Garrett will be leading us in both.

0:33

Good evening.

0:35

Father God, we're grateful that uh we have another day to live, work, and serve in Ocean City, Maryland.

0:41

Grateful for gathering us again tonight.

0:44

We ask for your presence among us.

0:46

We ask that you guide our thoughts, words, and actions, knowing that if we're in perfect service to you, we will be of best service to our community.

0:55

And we pray in Jesus' name.

0:57

Amen.

0:59

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

1:03

And to the Republic for which it stands.

1:16

Thanks, John.

1:18

Next we have a bid opening.

1:20

The bid opening for the Worcester and Caroline Street Comfort Station Renovation.

1:24

Secretary DeLuca.

1:28

Yes.

1:32

Which one do you want to do first?

1:39

Yes, please.

1:41

With a budget's seven, two, two?

1:43

That's correct.

1:45

Get your letter opener.

1:47

What's that?

2:07

You just want A one red?

2:09

Yes, please.

2:14

Okay, color.

2:17

And the bid is five sixty two, six fifty.

3:11

This is from Harvey Construction.

3:14

I do not see a big bond in the last staff to confirm this order thereabout.

3:22

Okay.

3:23

Harvey Construction.

3:25

Five three nine six six six six six six five.

3:52

Gillis Gilkerson.

3:54

Four hundred and ninety thousand.

4:04

That's obviously an error.

4:06

Okay.

4:07

Is that an error?

4:10

Error.

4:10

What was the number?

4:11

Four n four hundred and ninety thousand.

4:31

All the rest were five five hundred and sixty thousand ish.

4:36

Okay, the next one is Henley Construction Company.

4:41

Five hundred and sixty-nine thousand.

4:45

There was a bit bomb.

5:24

There is a bid bond.

5:27

Infinity construction.

5:31

Four hundred and seventy thousand four sixty nine.

5:49

Many people want to do this work.

5:52

It's good to see.

5:53

That's good.

6:18

PBI commercial.

6:20

Five seventy two eight seventy one.

6:25

Sixty-four.

6:35

Thank you.

6:43

This is Caroline Street.

7:13

Four seventy four eight hundred.

8:06

Three hundred and fifty-eight thousand four eighty.

8:19

Both were seven two two.

8:21

That's correct.

8:27

There is a bid bond enclosed.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural██████████████████████████████████████38%
Transportation Safety████████████████████20%
Capital Improvement Projects███████████████████19%
Public Engagement███████████11%
Public Safety█████5%
Housing Occupancy█████5%
Public Transportation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Ocean City Mayor and City Council Regular Meeting - November 3, 2025

The Ocean City Mayor and City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, November 3, 2025, at 6:00 PM. The meeting included a prayer and pledge led by Councilmember Garrett, a bid opening for the Worcester and Caroline Street Comfort Station Renovations, approval of a consent agenda, multiple ordinance readings and resolutions, public comments, and adjournment at 6:32 PM. Councilmembers Savage and Yates were absent for the entire meeting.

Bid Opening

  • Worcester and Caroline Street Comfort Station Renovations: Multiple bids were received ranging from approximately $297,602 (Infinity Construction) to $572,871 (PBI Commercial) against a budget of $722,000 each. The council unanimously (5-0) voted to acknowledge the bids and remand them to staff for further review.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved minutes from Regular Meeting #18 (October 20, 2025) and Work Session (October 28, 2025).
  • Acknowledged standing committee draft agendas: Police Commission (November 10), Tourism Commission (November 3), Recreation and Parks Committee (November 13), Coastal Resources Legislative Committee (November 12); Transportation Committee and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee not meeting in November.
  • Approved private event request for Winterfest of Lights Jingle Bell 5K (December 7, 2025).
  • Approved business license application for US Ghost Adventures, LLC.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • George Stoll, resident of 500 South Philadelphia Avenue, expressed full support for allowing bicycles on the 16-foot-wide sidewalk on South Philadelphia Avenue (from South 1st Street to the bridge). He stated it would be a shame to lose that amenity for pedestrians and bicyclists. Council noted this would be addressed in a future work session.
  • Linda Condon, resident of 158 Winter Harbor Drive, asked for clarification on the moratorium related to residential rentals and why the vote on a ballot item in July did not hold. Council responded that the moratorium is a separate ordinance expiring January 3, 2026 (or 2027?), and a second reading to extend it is tentatively scheduled for November 17.

Discussion Items

  • Ordinance 2025-26 (Second Reading): Amends Chapter 90 (Traffic and Vehicles) regarding bicycles, skateboards, and similar conveyances. Adopted unanimously (5-0). A public comment from George Stoll raised the issue of allowing bicycles on sidewalks in specific areas. Council subsequently voted unanimously (5-0) to schedule a work session to further discuss where bicycles may be allowed on sidewalks.
  • Ordinance 2025-27 (Second Reading): Amends multiple sections of the town code to increase municipal infraction and misdemeanor fines to a maximum of $5,000, with a code rewrite for consistency. Adopted unanimously (5-0).
  • Ordinance 2025-29 (Second Reading): Amends Chapter 110 (Zoning) to remove references to “tourist courts” and “tourist homes,” replacing them with “rooming-house or lodging-house and/or boardinghouse.” Adopted unanimously (5-0).
  • Ordinance 2025-30 (First Reading): Adopts a property tax credit for active members of the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company. Passed on first reading unanimously (5-0). Councilmember questioned eligibility criteria; staff clarified that active member is defined by the volunteer fire company’s bylaws and minimum definition appears in the ordinance and MOU.
  • Resolution 2025-27: Establishes periods and times for operation of certain bicycles, Class I electric bicycles, non-motorized skateboards, roller skates, pushcarts, and EPAMDs on the boardwalk (companion to Ordinance 2025-26). Times do not change. Adopted unanimously (5-0).
  • Resolution 2025-28: Authorizes disposition of surplus personal property. Adopted unanimously (5-0).
  • Charter Amendment Introduction (C-1406): Introduces amendment to Charter Section 1406 (Misdemeanors) to increase maximum monetary penalties to $5,000 and align with state law. Council unanimously voted to schedule a public hearing and formal presentation on December 1, 2025.
  • Continued Designation of State’s Attorney: Council unanimously voted to prepare documentation confirming continued designation of the State’s Attorney as forfeiting authority for civil forfeiture proceedings.

Key Outcomes

  • All actions passed unanimously with five votes (Councilmember Savage and Yates absent).
  • Bids for comfort station renovations were remanded to staff for further review.
  • Ordinance 2025-26 adopted; future work session scheduled to discuss sidewalk bicycle allowances.
  • Ordinance 2025-27 (fine increases) adopted.
  • Ordinance 2025-29 (zoning update) adopted.
  • Ordinance 2025-30 (volunteer fire company tax credit) passed on first reading; second reading to follow.
  • Resolutions 2025-27 and 2025-28 adopted.
  • Charter amendment on misdemeanor penalties introduced; public hearing set for December 1, 2025.
  • State’s Attorney continued as forfeiting authority.
  • Next regular meeting scheduled for November 17, 2025 (no work session due to Veterans Day).

Meeting Transcript

All right, good evening, everyone. Welcome to this mayor and city council meeting scheduled for Monday, November third, twenty twenty-five at six PM. First on the agenda, we have our prayer and our pledge, and Councilmember Garrett will be leading us in both. Good evening. Father God, we're grateful that uh we have another day to live, work, and serve in Ocean City, Maryland. Grateful for gathering us again tonight. We ask for your presence among us. We ask that you guide our thoughts, words, and actions, knowing that if we're in perfect service to you, we will be of best service to our community. And we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. Thanks, John. Next we have a bid opening. The bid opening for the Worcester and Caroline Street Comfort Station Renovation. Secretary DeLuca. Yes. Which one do you want to do first? Yes, please. With a budget's seven, two, two? That's correct. Get your letter opener. What's that? You just want A one red? Yes, please. Okay, color. And the bid is five sixty two, six fifty. This is from Harvey Construction. I do not see a big bond in the last staff to confirm this order thereabout. Okay. Harvey Construction. Five three nine six six six six six six five. Gillis Gilkerson. Four hundred and ninety thousand. That's obviously an error. Okay. Is that an error? Error. What was the number? Four n four hundred and ninety thousand. All the rest were five five hundred and sixty thousand ish. Okay, the next one is Henley Construction Company. Five hundred and sixty-nine thousand. There was a bit bomb. There is a bid bond. Infinity construction. Four hundred and seventy thousand four sixty nine. Many people want to do this work. It's good to see. That's good.

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