The Ocean City Mayor and City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, March 2, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Hall. The meeting included a closed session from 5:15-6:00 PM to discuss legal matters, a proclamation recognizing March as Sportsmanship Month, a public hearing on an alley conveyance, approval of several ordinances and resolutions, public comments, and appointments to city commissions. All actions were taken with six members present.
Harrison Hall Sign Replacement (Baltimore Avenue Unimproved Right-of-Way): George Bendler, Planning and Community Development Director, presented a request to replace a pylon sign that fell during a winter storm. The sign was originally placed in the city right-of-way in the 1980s but is now non-conforming. Staff cannot approve it administratively; council approval is needed. The Harrison Group wants to place the sign in approximately the same location. Councilmember Gehrig moved to allow replacement, subject to an agreement that the sign will be removed at the owner's expense if the city ever needs to improve the right-of-way. The motion carried 6-0. Council President James suggested adding a work session to amend the code so future similar approvals can be handled by staff.
Second Reading – Ordinance 2026-05 (Hotel Rental Tax for Sports Complex): Adopted 6-0 without discussion.
Second Reading – Ordinance 2026-06 (Vehicles for Hire – Denial, Suspension, Drug Testing, etc.): Adopted 6-0 without discussion.
First Reading – Ordinance 2026-01 (2025 Comprehensive Plan – 10-year update): Adopted 6-0 on first reading. Secretary Savage noted minor changes.
First Reading – Ordinance 2026-07 (Alley Closure Authorization): Adopted 6-0 on first reading, following the public hearing.
First Reading – Ordinance 2026-08 (Zoning Amendments – Setbacks in LC-1 and SC-1 Districts): Adopted 5-1 on first reading. Councilmember Gehrig opposed, stating the amendment is inconsistent because not all commercial properties have front parking lots, and the issue of porches and stairs extending to sidewalks remains unresolved.
Resolution 2026-06 (MTA Grant Application for Annual Transportation Plan): Adopted 6-0.
Resolution 2026-07 (Disposition of Surplus Personal Property): Adopted 6-0.
All right, good evening, everyone. Welcome to this regular mayor and city council meeting scheduled for Monday, March 2nd, 2026 at 6 p.m. First, we uh have our prayer and pledge, and Councilmember Yates will lead us in both. Good evening, everyone. Um let us pray, please. Lord, we thank you for another opportunity to come together to do your work, the work of the people of our beautiful city, and your creation. Let us be polite, thoughtful, and respectful of each other, and then there are options. Guide us if we make the right decisions for the right reasons. Lord, let us rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be constant in prayer. Amen. Thank you. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Thank you, Larry. Next on the agenda, we have our closed session notice and report. Prior to the open session of the mayor and city council being held today. Uh at 5 15 here at City Hall, we had a closed session. Topics of discussion were legal matters. Persons present were Deputy City Manager J.R. Harmon, Mayor Rick Meehan, Council President Matt James, Council Secretary Will Savage, Council Members John Gehrig, Larry Yates, Jake Metressic, and Carol Proctor, City Solicitor Heather Stansbury, our Chief of Police, Ray Austin, Director of Tourism and Business Development, Tom Perlazzo, City Clerk Diana Chavis. There was no action taken. I had a motion from Secretary Savage, seconded by Councilmember Proctor to close the closed session. That passed with six in favor at 6 p.m. Next, I'm going to turn the meeting over to Councilmember Gehrig. We have a proclamation recognizing March as Sportsmanship Month in Ocean City. Okay, well, I'm thank you, Mr. Mayor, for asking me to do this. I'm uh the chair, I guess, of the recreation and parks committee, so I'm honored to to uh present this to Kate. Kate, come on up. Kate Gaddis, our director of recreation parks. I get to read all the whereas statements. All right. What Kate does before I read this, and I'll always go off script here. But it's just incredible what um the service Kate and her team provides to our team. Oh my god, oh yeah. Come on out. All of you come up. I don't want to take that for really fun thank you. So what this entire crew does here is developing the programs, and we think about the youth, but it's really all ages. So when you go up there, it's I play up there, my kids play up there, my father plays up there, it really is all generations for all of our residents. Facilities are amazing, the team is amazing. Uh still go back to what we did during COVID and just keeping our community active. Um, and that just persists each and every day, what you do what you guys do is full of passion and love, and we appreciate that very much. Thank you. So now I'll get back to this. Then I'll let you speak. Whereas Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department continues to encourage area youth to be positive and display the characteristics of sportsmanship through our sportsmanship counts program, and whereas showing respect by treating others the way you wish to be treated by being considerate of the feelings of others, and whereas showing fairness by playing by the rules, taking turns and sharing, being open-minded, and whereas showing integrity by playing with honor, being truthful, trustworthy, having the courage to do the right thing, and whereas taking responsibility by doing what you're supposed to do, thinking before you act, accepting the rules of the game, and whereas showing perseverance by always doing your best, by continuing to try, by being persistent and never giving up. And whereas the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department recognizes the value of good sportsmanship brings to our youth and our community. Now therefore, I, John Garrett, going to be here on behalf of Mayor Rigmian and the entire city council, the town of Ocean City, uh, do hereby proclaim the month of March to be sportsmanship month in Ocean City.