By Greg Ellison
Staff Writer
(Sept. 26, 2019) The first order of business for the OPA Communications Committee, which wants to upgrade community signs with electronic message boards, is to determine if Worcester County will allow the change to be made.
During the committee meeting on Friday, the group agreed that installing electronic variable message signs over the next few years would address the goal of reducing staff workload.
“It’s very expensive,” Chairwoman Jenny Cropper Rines said. “It was somewhere between $35,000 and $45,000 per sign [so] we were thinking we could knock it down to three and try to do one per year.”
Following the initial research into potential costs, Director of Marketing and Public Relations Josh Davis said Worcester County codes regarding roadside signs could mean a variance would be required.
“I asked them could we get a variance,” he said. “They said, ‘absolutely not, this is the code.’”
Davis said the responsibility to update the manual signs on Ocean Parkway, and several more scattered throughout the community, are divided between the public works, recreation and parks and marketing departments.
Despite the proposal’s high cost, Rines said the committee had previously supported moving ahead with the proposal.
Committee member Cheryl Jacobs said the cost is relative.
“We spend millions in this community to make things better and I don’t think $35,000 to $45,000 is a big deal,” she said.
While noting the price tag for a trio of variable message signs would be in the $120,000 neighborhood, Rines said the expense would be recouped over time through reduced labor costs.
“Every time there’s an event … they go Chip Bertino
Prior to moving ahead with a proposed purchase of electronic message signs the OPA Communications Committee said on Friday determining if Worcester Country regulations are at play needs to be determined.
out and change them,” she said. “Also emergency messaging can be handled remotely.”
Davis said he would contact Worcester County Commissioner Chip Bertino to inform him the committee would like to discuss the code issue.
Committee member Elaine Brady [Bayside Gazette publisher] said obtaining a variance, if feasible, from the county would avoid possible pitfalls.
“It could backfire like it has at White Horse Park,” she said. “They’ll come in and say, ‘You’re allowed one sign in the community take the other 15 down.’”
Communications Committee Board of Directors liaison Dr. Colette Horn said the potential expenditure for upgraded signs could be broached during budget discussions.
“Are they on the reserve list?” she said. “If it’s $5,000 or less, it’s not reserves, it comes out of operations.”
Horn suggested further details should be gathered.
“The board will need some kind of a proposal,” she said.
Rines said contacting Worcester County officials should be the next step.
“I don’t think we need to spend anyone’s’ time until we deal with the commissioners,” she said. “It seems like the sand has been pounded.”
Horn said the board should be provided a primer on the objectives and benefits of the proposed sign purchase before supporting the variance request through the county.
“It doesn’t have to be an in-depth proposal but something that the board can wrap their minds around,” she said.
Brady volunteered to gather the information.
Considering possible sign locations, Rines said electronic signs could be placed at both the north and south gates and the Yacht Club.
Brady said the latter might be problematic.
“The Yacht Club might be problem,” she said. “You do have two houses that are right there.”
Brady proposed limiting the proposal to signs at both entrance gates, while also asking if county approval is required.
“Ocean Pines is pretty unique in the fact that we own our roadways,” she said. “Once you get off of Manklin Creek and onto Ocean Parkway that doesn’t belong to the county.”
Horn suggested OPA Attorney Jeremy Tucker should be consulted to confirm if Worcester County code is in play.
“Does it even apply?” she said. “Do we even have to ask for permission?”