By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Since the community’s September meeting, the Ocean Pines Police Department has handled 138 traffic violations, and it is making progress toward furthering the cell phone tower initiative.

Tim Robinson, the Ocean Pines police chief, attended the neighborhood’s Saturday, Nov. 23, board of directors meeting. The officer updated the association members on recent traffic violations since September, reporting that the law enforcement department has handled 138 incidents. Of those incidents, 50 were speeding-related, two were unlicensed drivers, one was an uninsured driver, which Robinson said is “always very concerning,” and a few were occasions of improper passing.

The chief also said there were four motor vehicle collisions, four stop sign violations, two cases of an individual leaving the scene of an accident, and one child safety incident. Additionally, there were two driving under the influence cases, one of which was related to heroin possession and occurred in the middle of the day, around noon.

Aside from the traffic incidents, Robinson added that this month, the department handled two cases of vandalism, one domestic assault arrest, and two thefts by fraud. The chief said that the two thefts by fraud are a “growing crime in our society.”

During his update, Robinson touched on the cell phone tower initiative. The potential project would be to construct a cell phone tower in Ocean Pines to alleviate poor reception, which is particularly felt during congested days and holiday weekends.

Robinson said Ocean Pines has been in communications with a potential partner and contractor, Milestone Towers, who, if a contract is signed, would put up a tower at their expense and ensure all necessary permits are obtained. The department chief added that some potential sites have been picked out in Ocean Pines for the tower and that representatives from the company will scope them out and determine their viability. The locations were not disclosed.

“If it is all good, once we sign the contract, [Milestone Towers] will pay a one-time fee prior to building the tower, plus it will be a monthly 40% revenue share for Ocean Pines,” Robinson said.

Robinson said that Milestone Towers has built three sites at three high schools in Wicomico County. As such, he has communicated with the facilities’ administrations “to look at what deals they got, look at their contracts, and to make sure what we’re being offered is commensurate with what [the schools] are getting.”

The cellphone tower project is in the preliminary phase; no contract has been signed or negotiated. The association and the police department will share updates as necessary.