Worcester County Commissioners have denied a request from representatives of the Alyosha bay sailing business to reconsider a lease at the West Ocean City Harbor.
A sunset scene is pictured from the Alyosha catamaran while sailing.
Photo courtesy Sail Alyosha
Bethany Hooper, Associate Editor
County officials have denied a request from the connections of the Alyosha to reconsider a lease at the West Ocean City Harbor.
During an Aug, 20 meeting, the Worcester County Commissioners voted 6-1, with Commissioner Joe Mitrecic opposed, to deny a request from the owner of the Alyosha catamaran business to revisit a lease agreement at the West Ocean City commercial harbor. While the owner had offered to pay the county more money for a five-year lease, a majority of the commissioners opposed the proposal.
“I don’t think it’s the proper use of the area,” said Commissioner Jim Bunting, “and I move that we deny this request.”
In 2019, the commissioners approved a five-year lease, which allowed the connections of the Alyosha to dock in a 64-foot space that runs along the bulkhead at the county boat ramp. The lease provided the county $8,500 a year and gave it exclusive rights to sell advertising and corporate sponsorships on the catamaran.
In early 2023, however, a majority of the commissioners opted to terminate the agreement with the Alyosha, arguing that the area was better used by residents unloading their boats at the county ramp. Back on the agenda for discussion this week, Recreation and Parks Director Kelly Rados said the owner had approached the county once again to negotiate another five-year lease at a higher rate.
“The owner of the Alyosha had reached back out to us recently and is asking us to reconsider the lease that they had at the West Ocean City harbor,” she said. “He is requesting a long-term lease. He suggested five years. He mentioned that he is willing to pay significantly more than what his lease was in the past. In addition to docking, he would also need to allow his patrons to load and unload and park there at the parking lot.”
When asked if the boat would be docked at the same location, Rados said her department had suggested publicly bidding out the governor’s dock. She said the boat could be better suited for that location.
“So that led us down that road as to what the governor’s dock rules are,” she said. “It is our understanding that the state had put up money originally for the harbor for that to be built. And either the state or the governor at that time had a yacht that they would use to dock there. I don’t know how old that agreement is. Since then, we have redone the West Ocean City Harbor using our own county funds. We’ve been trying to research a little bit to find documentation that outlines that agreement, and I have not been able to find one as of yet.”
Bunting, however, continued to share his opposition to the boat’s use of the harbor. His motion to deny the request passed in a 6-1 vote.