Two or three decades ago, local volunteer fire departments were flourishing in terms of membership and finances. People wanted to join them not just for the sake of the community, but also for the prestige associated with what was then one of every town’s most powerful organizations. They were politically powerful, socially connected and, because… Read more »
Opinion
Gazette Cartoon
Cartoon by Jim Adcock
Planners face tough problem with growth
As the Town of Berlin begins to reassess the direction of its 10-year comprehensive plan, the question officials, their advisers and residents will have to answer is how large can a small town become before it turns into something else. Exactly what that something else might be is subject to debate, since the definition of… Read more »
Gazette Cartoon
Cartoon by Jim Adcock
Towns, OP and county play annual tax game
When Worcester County Commissioner Chip Bertino said one of the budget requests from the Town of Berlin on Tuesday shouldn’t fall on the shoulders of county taxpayers, he overlooked a significant point — Berlin taxpayers are county taxpayers too. All taxpayers in Worcester’s municipalities are also county taxpayers, and they contribute a huge portion of… Read more »
Letter to the Editor
Speed camera spot suggestion Editor, Since the Town of Berlin is exploring locations for speed control cameras, I believe Old Ocean City Boulevard between Route 113 and Route 50 should be added to the list. The road is less than half a mile from Stephen Decatur high and middle schools. Also on the street are… Read more »
Gazette Cartoon
Cartoon by Jim Adcock
Back luxury model for Rt. 90 project
The State Highway Administration’s Route 90 corridor planning and environmental study released last week makes for interesting reading … for people who also get a kick out of reading food labels. As writing goes, the content of the SHA’s report is drier than a box of cereal, even though it does offer some insight into… Read more »
Gazette Cartoon
Cartoon by Jim Adcock
As corporations, HOAs must vote differently
Voting in a homeowners association election is more complicated and tougher to manage than it is in a government contest because of the weighted ballot system HOAs must follow. Unlike the government standard of one person, one vote, HOAs must observe the rule of one vote per ownership unit. This is because HOAs aren’t governments,… Read more »