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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Ocean City Mayor and City Council Regular Meeting - July 6, 2026

Mayor and City Council & Boards — Monday, July 6, 2026

BodyOcean City, Maryland

SessionMayor and City Council & Boards

DateMonday, July 6, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:17:35

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:25

All right, good evening everyone.

0:26

Welcome to this regular meeting of the Mayor and City Council being held Monday, July 6, 2026 at 6 p.m.

0:32

First on the agenda, I'll turn it over to Councilmember Garrick for the prayer and the pledge.

0:40

Good evening.

0:42

Father God, we're grateful that uh you've given us another day today that you've allowed us to live and work and serve in Ocean City, Maryland.

0:50

Thank you for bringing us together again tonight as a community, and we ask that you uh guide us in our thoughts and words and actions and uh help us to always have a mind to do your will and to serve you, and in doing so we'll serve our community.

1:06

As we go our separate ways, may we keep you top of mind, always seeking to serve others and live in Jesus' name.

1:13

Amen.

1:14

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America for which it's one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice.

1:36

Next I'll turn it over to the mayor.

1:38

We have uh item A is an award check presentation for the 2026 first white marlin catch and release.

1:51

Well, thank you, Mr.

1:52

President.

1:52

Good evening, everybody.

1:54

This is one of those annual awards that's uh fun to go ahead and present.

1:58

And each year the town of Ocean City uh does reward the angler that catches the first white marlin of the year with a check of five thousand dollars.

2:07

And the fishing industry, both the commercial and the recreational industries play an important role in Ocean City.

2:14

And the White Marlin Open is the largest billfish tournament in the world.

2:18

And we're the White Marlin capital of the world.

2:21

So I think it's appropriate, and it's something I don't even remember when we started doing this, but it's always an honor to be able to present that check.

2:29

And this year, the angler who is with us this evening, we'd ask ask him to please come on up, is Lucas Pardo.

2:36

Lucas, come on up.

2:44

Congratulations.

2:45

Thank you.

2:45

Lucas, why don't you tell us uh a little bit about uh when you went out, when you caught the fish, and uh what it was like catching that first white marlin?

2:53

Yeah, so uh about two weeks ago, uh two weeks ago now we went offshore and we were just fishing for bluefin, you know, white marlin haven't really been around, and we were just trolling, and all of a sudden we saw white marlin on the surface, and we trolled over it, it hit.

3:09

Um never would I thought that my first white marlin would also be the first of Ocean City.

3:14

That's pretty cool.

3:15

Um yeah, it was a fun time and cool fish to catch.

3:20

Were you even aware that there was an award or for the first catch of the first white marlin?

3:25

Uh not at the time, but after I landed the fish, you know, I was just excited that it was my first white Marlin, and then I found out that you also get five thousand dollars from the city.

3:36

So that's pretty cool.

3:37

A little bonus on top.

3:39

Well, tell you what, we do have a uh check to present to you.

3:42

We've got one for a photo.

3:44

Why don't we go over and stand in front of the mayor and council and somebody takes a photo and get it in everybody in it?

4:09

Got it.

4:09

Thank you.

4:11

Congratulations.

4:20

That's pretty cool.

4:23

Next we have a proclamation recognizing local historian Bunk Mann.

4:28

Bunk, would you please come up?

4:42

A lot of stuff here.

4:46

Well, Bunk, it's an honor to have you here with us.

4:49

And uh congratulations on what you've done and to become really a local historian of Ocean City at the moment.

5:00

And uh I know we've talked about this quite a few times, and you really started doing this back in about 2004.

5:04

Yes, some yeah, sometime.

5:06

And Bunk was telling me that he started taking pictures and talked to another local uh Ocean City Historic historian back back then, uh George Hurley.

5:16

And of course, George uh served on a city council, and his wife was the curator of the Ocean City uh life saving museum, and uh he was taking pictures, and George was the one who suggested you add some uh some interviews to the pictures if you were going to move forward.

5:32

He changed the whole focus of the operation of the outside.

5:37

Yeah, so it it really grew from there, and I don't know, I think uh how many interviews you've done and what you've done to put together now uh the number of books that you have here at Ocean City, and they really do document uh a lot of the older buildings that are no longer here are part of that book.

5:55

A lot of the history of Ocean City, you know, from the very beginning is in this book, as well as contemporary history, which at some day, some point in time will be long ago history, and it's been documented by Bunkman.

6:08

And I know it wasn't something that was easy, I know it was something you did because you loved doing what you were doing, and uh I think it's very important, and it helps us preserve what I think is extremely important, and that is the history of Ocean City.

6:20

And if you read the books, there's so many captions and pictures of buildings that are no longer here, but we know where they were and when they were built, what happened to them because of Bunk.

6:31

And there's interviews in there from a lot of people that are also no longer here.

6:35

And get their perspective on the history of Ocean City from those that lived during those certain time periods, I think is extremely important.

6:43

And you were able to do it.

6:45

We want to thank you for doing it, and we want to present this honor to you tonight.

6:49

And I'm gonna read a proclamation, then I'm gonna let you say a few words if you don't mind.

6:54

Uh you don't have to read the book.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Public Engagement█████████████████████████████████33%

Public Safety████████████████████20%

Procedural██████████████████18%

Historic Preservation██████████████14%

Parks and Recreation█████████9%

Tourism Development███3%

Transportation Safety██2%

Water And Wastewater Management█1%

Summary of Proceedings

Ocean City Mayor and City Council Regular Meeting - July 6, 2026

The Mayor and City Council of Ocean City, Maryland, held a regular meeting on July 6, 2026, at 6:00 PM at City Hall. The meeting featured award presentations, proclamations, adoption of three resolutions (including a charter amendment on domicile requirements), a public hearing, and multiple public comments on public safety, traffic, and community concerns. The city manager reported a successful Fourth of July weekend with no violent crimes.

Consent Calendar

Minutes: Approved the work session minutes from June 30, 2026.
Committee Agendas: Acknowledged draft agendas for upcoming meetings of the Police Commission (July 13), Tourism Commission (July 13), Transportation Committee (July 14), Recreation and Parks Committee (August 20), Green Team (July 8), and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (July 15).
Private Event: Approved the 911 Parade of Brothers Boardwalk Ride event scheduled for September 11, 2026.

Public Hearing & Testimony

Charter Amendment Section C-401 (Domicile Requirements):
- John Atkins (8802 Caribbean Drive) expressed full support, stating that candidates must live in Ocean City and praising the amendment.
- Doug Smith (107 Convention Center Drive #1454D) opposed the amendment, arguing existing laws already work. He expressed concern that a two-year residency requirement and rental license prohibition are unreasonable, citing his own practice of renting his condo 60 days a year while still maintaining Ocean City as his primary residence. He requested more objective evidence requirements and an easier removal process.
- Leslie Smith (154D Convention Center Drive) opposed the one-to-two-year residency requirement, stating she meets all current residency criteria (taxes, voting, driver’s license, mail) and would surrender her rental license if elected. She argued it is unfair to penalize property owners who rent their units short-term.

General Public Comments

Rick Lyler (500 block) discussed dangerous left-turn and U-turn movements on Coastal Highway, describing a recent severe crash at 45th Street. He proposed alternating left-turn prohibitions at consecutive intersections to improve safety.
John Atkins (8802 Caribbean Drive) explained how traffic signal sensors at intersections work and urged better public education. He also criticized low voter turnout and the Worcester County Commissioners’ daytime meeting schedule.
A resident (name not given) expressed concern about large groups of teens ("pop-up mobs") gathering late at night, citing an incident near King Cone where her granddaughter felt unsafe. She called for stronger police enforcement and arrests rather than mere dispersal.
Rita Miller (752 94th Street) requested that residents aged 65 and over be allowed to ride low-speed electric scooters (max 9 mph) on the Boardwalk from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, noting that e-bikes are already permitted. She said the tram removal has limited transportation options for seniors.
Scott Chismar (2 Ton Worcester Street) praised the police and beach patrol for their Fourth of July weekend performance, specifically commending beach patrol officer Adam for helping a lost non-verbal child. He criticized the lack of communication from the Chima condominium project regarding an unexpected sidewalk closure and urged the council to ensure timely notifications to downtown businesses. He also noted parallels to offshore wind project changes (moving closer, increasing turbine count).

Proclamations & Awards

First White Marlin Catch and Release Award: Mayor Meehan presented a $5,000 check to angler Lucas Pardo for catching and releasing the first white marlin of the 2026 season. Pardo described the catch and expressed surprise at the prize.
Proclamation Recognizing Local Historian Bunk Mann: The council honored Bunk Mann for his decades of work documenting Ocean City history, including publication of four books ("Vanishing Ocean City" 2001, "Ghost in the Surf" 2019, "Ocean City Chronicles" 2023, and the forthcoming "Ocean City Forever"), over 450 interviews, and service on the Ocean City Museum Society board. Mann was presented with a key to the city. He thanked Christine Okerblom, Kara Downey, Steve Green, his publisher, his family, and the Ocean City community.
Proclamation Recognizing July as Parks and Recreation Month: Councilmember Garrett read the proclamation, acknowledging the Recreation and Parks Department and its volunteers. Director Kate Gaddis accepted and highlighted the $114,000 donation from the Recreation and Parks Boosters, which supports community programs. The entire team posed for photos with the council.

Discussion Items

Charter Amendment Resolution 2026-01 (Domicile Requirements): City Solicitor introduced the resolution, which adds intent language to Section C-401 clarifying that mere technical compliance with domicile rules without actual residency is inconsistent with the charter. It requires considering all relevant facts and circumstances. After the public hearing, the council voted 7-0 to adopt. Councilmember Proctor briefly questioned whether the two-year residency requirement could be discussed, but the Solicitor noted such a change would require a new publication and process.
Resolution 2026-17 (Business License Fees): Consolidated existing fee schedules into a single document without changing any fees. Adopted unanimously (7-0).
Resolution 2026-18 (Reimbursement Intent for Debt Proceeds): Declared the city’s intent to reimburse expenditures from future debt proceeds not to exceed $3,655,000 for transfer station renovation design and water plant improvement construction. Adopted unanimously (7-0).
City Manager Comments: City Manager Terry reported on the July 4th weekend: no violent crimes; police calls for service at a four-year low; 226 fire/EMS responses (including 11 brush fires); beach patrol reunited 57 lost individuals and performed 8 rescues; public works collected three times the normal trash. He credited the combined efforts of multiple departments and allied agencies (State Police, Natural Resources Police, Sheriff’s Office, Juvenile Services). He previewed the next work session agenda including a closed session, bid awards, beach code enforcement, state-mandated accessory housing legislation, and potential updates on downtown parking lot purchases.
Mayor and Council Comments: Multiple members expressed gratitude to city staff and allied agencies for the successful holiday weekend. Councilmember Garrett thanked Bunk Mann and the Recreation and Parks Boosters. Councilmember Jake (first name not stated) addressed the teen "pop-up mob" issue, acknowledging the council hears the concern and expects a police chief briefing with a plan. Mayor Meehan mourned the passing of Tommy Vach, a beloved surf club leader, and announced a paddle-out ceremony on August 11. He urged parents to know their children’s activities. Several council members also noted the Chima sidewalk issue and promised follow-up.

Key Outcomes

Consent calendar adopted unanimously.
Public hearing for Charter Amendment closed.
Charter Amendment Resolution 2026-01 adopted 7-0.
Resolution 2026-17 (Business License Fees) adopted 7-0.
Resolution 2026-18 (Debt Reimbursement Intent) adopted 7-0.
The teen gathering issue was referred to the Police Chief for a future report.
The meeting adjourned at 7:24 PM.

Meeting Transcript

All right, good evening everyone. Welcome to this regular meeting of the Mayor and City Council being held Monday, July 6, 2026 at 6 p.m. First on the agenda, I'll turn it over to Councilmember Garrick for the prayer and the pledge. Good evening. Father God, we're grateful that uh you've given us another day today that you've allowed us to live and work and serve in Ocean City, Maryland. Thank you for bringing us together again tonight as a community, and we ask that you uh guide us in our thoughts and words and actions and uh help us to always have a mind to do your will and to serve you, and in doing so we'll serve our community. As we go our separate ways, may we keep you top of mind, always seeking to serve others and live in Jesus' name. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America for which it's one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice. Next I'll turn it over to the mayor. We have uh item A is an award check presentation for the 2026 first white marlin catch and release. Well, thank you, Mr. President. Good evening, everybody. This is one of those annual awards that's uh fun to go ahead and present. And each year the town of Ocean City uh does reward the angler that catches the first white marlin of the year with a check of five thousand dollars. And the fishing industry, both the commercial and the recreational industries play an important role in Ocean City. And the White Marlin Open is the largest billfish tournament in the world. And we're the White Marlin capital of the world. So I think it's appropriate, and it's something I don't even remember when we started doing this, but it's always an honor to be able to present that check. And this year, the angler who is with us this evening, we'd ask ask him to please come on up, is Lucas Pardo. Lucas, come on up. Congratulations. Thank you. Lucas, why don't you tell us uh a little bit about uh when you went out, when you caught the fish, and uh what it was like catching that first white marlin? Yeah, so uh about two weeks ago, uh two weeks ago now we went offshore and we were just fishing for bluefin, you know, white marlin haven't really been around, and we were just trolling, and all of a sudden we saw white marlin on the surface, and we trolled over it, it hit. Um never would I thought that my first white marlin would also be the first of Ocean City. That's pretty cool. Um yeah, it was a fun time and cool fish to catch. Were you even aware that there was an award or for the first catch of the first white marlin? Uh not at the time, but after I landed the fish, you know, I was just excited that it was my first white Marlin, and then I found out that you also get five thousand dollars from the city. So that's pretty cool. A little bonus on top. Well, tell you what, we do have a uh check to present to you. We've got one for a photo. Why don't we go over and stand in front of the mayor and council and somebody takes a photo and get it in everybody in it? Got it. Thank you. Congratulations. That's pretty cool. Next we have a proclamation recognizing local historian Bunk Mann. Bunk, would you please come up? A lot of stuff here. Well, Bunk, it's an honor to have you here with us. And uh congratulations on what you've done and to become really a local historian of Ocean City at the moment. And uh I know we've talked about this quite a few times, and you really started doing this back in about 2004. Yes, some yeah, sometime. And Bunk was telling me that he started taking pictures and talked to another local uh Ocean City Historic historian back back then, uh George Hurley. And of course, George uh served on a city council, and his wife was the curator of the Ocean City uh life saving museum, and uh he was taking pictures, and George was the one who suggested you add some uh some interviews to the pictures if you were going to move forward. He changed the whole focus of the operation of the outside.

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