By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

The Ocean Pines Association continues to seek support from community members in its fight against a proposed county wastewater/water budget presented last month.

In an attempt to dissuade the Worcester County Commissioners from adopting a budget that would require ratepayers in the Ocean Pines water/wastewater service area to incur additional, “unfair” costs, the Ocean Pines Board of Directors has asked residents to do their part by voicing concerns with the potential spending plan.

A press release issued by OPA this week asks Ocean Pines citizens to get involved by emailing commissioners@co.worcester.md.us to ask the commissioners to maintain equitable practices, attend a town hall to be hosted by commissioners Chip Bertino and Jim Bunting on Wednesday, April 23 at 6 p.m. at the Ocean Pines Library, and participate in the commissioners’ public hearing at the Worcester County Government Center in Snow Hill on May 6 at 6 p.m. Neighborhood officials also encourage Ocean Pines ratepayers to send letters to the commissioners at 1 West Market Street, Room 1103, Snow Hill, Md. 21863.

The advocacy efforts come after a March 18 Worcester County Commissioners meeting when the fiscal year 2026 Water/Wastewater Enterprise Funds budget was presented. If implemented, the proposed plan to make up a $2.1 million deficit for fiscal year 2026 could require Ocean Pines ratepayers and those in 10 other service areas to pay an increase of around $32 in their quarterly bills.

Bertino, who adamantly opposes the budget, maintained at a special meeting with the OPA board last month that the community is responsible for only $116,699 of the shortfall.

The OPA press release from this week maintains that the $2.1 million deficit is “the result of increased operational costs, and the county did not adjust the payer rates to adequately fund the service.” The announcement continues, noting that 95% of the shortfall should be the responsibility of Riddle Farm, Mystic Harbor, The Landings, and the Assateague Point sanitary service areas. However, the proposed plan has all 11 service areas paying into the debt equally.

“A majority of the Commissioners (except for Bertino and Bunting) want all sanitary service areas to pay this deficit, regardless of deficit contribution,” the release reads. “Ocean Pines represents 55.6% of the ratepayers in the 11 sanitary service areas.”

Officials argue that the budget violates the county code. Currently, guidelines state that each enterprise fund, or the sanitary service areas, are to operate independently. The debt accumulated by each area is to be the sole responsibility of that individual service area.

If the budget passes, the same model, with all 11 enterprise funds equally paying back the $2.1 million shortfall for fiscal year 2026, is likely to be used to address a looming $6 million deficit, despite Ocean Pines, as well as other service areas, having a minimal impact on the losses.

Officials claim that financial mismanagement has led to the monetary challenges.

According to Bertino, in February 2024, the county budget office and deputy chief administrative officer were implementing new procedures when they discovered “financial inconsistencies within the Enterprise Fund operations.” It was later learned that the finance department neglected to bring attention to inappropriate transfers that would see the enterprise funds running out of money in the near future. To offset the crisis, the commissioners approved a $9 million transfer from the general fund to the enterprise funds that needs to be paid back over 10 years beginning in 2027.

Of the $9 million, $2.7 million was designated as a grant to the Riddle Farm Service area, while the remaining $6.3 million was designated a loan with an interest rate of about 5%.

 “This debt is the result of a loan made by the Worcester County Commissioners to fund years for inappropriate transfers to Riddle Farms = $3,339,010, Mystic Harbor = $1,730,000, the Landings = $790,000, Edgewater Acres = $242,000 and Newark = $200,000 sanitary service areas,” the OPA-issued press release states. “The Ocean Pines sanitary service area has funded its own expenses and received 0 dollars of this loan debt.”

The announcement adds that the Worcester County Commissioners, “excluding Bertino and Bunting,” want to financially combine the 11 sanitary service areas despite the consideration receiving zero public debate.

“The County Commissioners want to flatten future operational expenses over all the county ratepayers,” said the release. “The county will only be flattening the Ocean Pines rate payer pocketbooks and wallets. Since Ocean Pines ratepayers are a county majority, Ocean Pines will pay more than its fair share forever.”

The community asks that residents stay informed. The officials’ priority has been spreading and accumulating information, which includes consulting with legal counsel, providing press releases, writing a position letter to county commissioners, and designing a community email campaign.

OPA staff ask homeowners to do their part by contacting the local government decision-makers with their concerns.