Berlin, Ocean Pines News Worcester County Bayside Gazette
By Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer, and Josh Davis, Associate Editor (April 11, 2019) Purnell Crossing residents on Monday continued to oppose a planned new development they said did not match the project they initially supported. Last month, members of the 27-unit condominium association stormed a Berlin Planning Commission meeting when they learned owner and Town… Read more »
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (April 11, 2019) The first in a reinvigorated series of monthly 2nd Friday strolls will begin in downtown Berlin this week, from 5-8 p.m. Following a well-attended merchant’s meeting last month, many local business owners pledged to recommit to the event, which has seen dwindling participation in recent years. The 2nd… Read more »
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (April 11, 2019) While Ocean Pines Board members agreed last month to explore outsourcing management, the same panel on Saturday tabled a motion to seek an executive search firm to identify individual general manager candidates. John Bailey departed as the association’s general manager in February and, last month, John Viola was… Read more »
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (April 11, 2019) Local builder Marvin Steen on Monday weighed in on what his role would be in advising Ocean Pines on three major upcoming construction projects. The board of directors on Saturday approved spending $3.185 million to expand the police headquarters inside the administration building, rebuild the country club, and… Read more »
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (April 11, 2019) A year ago, all eyes were on the Matt Ortt Companies as they prepared to take over operations of the Ocean Pines yacht and beach clubs, which had just finished losing nearly $800,000 in the preceding 12 months. This fiscal year, under Ortt, the facilities project to break… Read more »
Washington Street structure approved for storage units, second-story apartments By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (April 11, 2019) The Berlin Board of Zoning Appeals on Monday approved a conditional-use exception that will allow three new apartments to be built over storage units on 305 Washington Street. According to a conceptual site plan, the 13,512-square-foot building is zoned… Read more »
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (April 11, 2019) Slobodan Trendic is no Chris Davis, but the Ocean Pines board member has his own kind of cold streak going. Trendic was hammered in November for proposing a motion to lease the association golf course. An extended period of public comment made opposition to the motion apparent, and… Read more »
Midnight ball drop could find support from brewery By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (April 11, 2019) Berlin Economic and Community Development Director Ivy Wells on Monday asked that the midnight New Year’s Eve ball drop be returned to the fiscal 2020 budget. Town officials had ordered 10 percent budget cuts across all departments, and Wells more… Read more »
By Josh Davis, Associate Editor (April 11, 2019) Jeff Knepper, 74, became the newest member of the Ocean Pines Board of Directors on Saturday. He was appointed by a 6-0 vote to replace Ted Moroney, who resigned last month. Association President Doug Parks said the board was obligated by its bylaws to replace Moroney and that… Read more »
Rare would be the business that could say its operations suffered a million-dollar loss against budget the year before, but would reduce that by half in the current year and post a profit in the next. Rarer still would be the organization that foundered in a $1.3 million sea of red ink and 12 months… Read more »