Consultant vows ambitious city manager search

OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City's mayor and council members met on Tuesday with the head search consultant for the firm that will help the town find a new city manager.

John Anzivino, vice president of Springsted Inc., met individually with them and town department heads to evaluate what traits are desired for Dennis Dare's replacement. Council was also given the opportunity to choose as many as 10 community leaders whose ears Anzivino could bend, as well, as he and his colleagues attempt to form a community and position profile for the candidate recruitment process.

At the council's Jan. 3 or Jan. 10 meeting, Anzivino hopes to have the profiles assembled. After that, his Richmond, Va.-based firm will embark on its "ambitious recruiting schedule" that will span the nation, he told council at its most recent meeting.

In January and February, candidates will be recruited and screened. Then, semifinalists will be identified, and the list will be narrowed down to about 10 finalists. After that, four-to-six of these candidates will be chosen as finalists to be interviewed with council present. The interviews are expected to take place in March, and a council majority will have to approve the man or woman who will fill the position that has been held by Mayor Rick Meehan in an interim status since September.

Anzivino and his team of two other consultants will update council and Human Resources Director Wayne Evans often on its progress, he said.

His consultant team's goal is to take care of all the semantics, so council will be able to focus solely on the individuals who make it through the application gauntlet. The firm will get word out on the job opening in many venues, and it will vet promising candidates by way of background checks and other fact-finding measures.

They will find the "cleanest folks possible," without pending litigation or any serious driving infractions, Anzivino said, to name a few of the traits that may be a dealbreaker for candidates.

"Finding the right person ... is really a difficult task," said Anzivino. "Finding that right fit and identifying the skills you need for that person, their personality traits and all of the other factors that go into being a perfect city manager for Ocean City are very important and often difficult for a government body to pull together."

Anzivino attempted to alleviate Councilwoman Mary Knight's concern about balancing the potentially varied expectations of council members -- the vote to ask for Dare's resignation was 4-3 -- by saying his company works to blend together the desires of all involved in the selection process.

"It's about the expectations of the city, not the individual council members," Anzivino said. "We need somebody who technically has the experience, but who also has the personality to work with everyone."

Anzivino said the blending together of the desirable facets is "an art" his firm has expansive experience with.

Councilman Joe Hall told Anzivino he believes the town has enough talent internally to find someone to fill the position, and Anzivino assured him the application process would be an open one, and that everyone would be considered.

"If (someone internally) is the best for the community, that's fine with us, but we have to get there and we do have to have an open process," said Anzivino.

smuska@dmg.gannett.com
410-213-9442, ext. 14

Former OC K-9 officer declines payment for dog's surgery

OCEAN CITY -- Former Ocean City policeman Earl Campbell has declined an offer from the town to pay for a surgery Charlie, his longtime K-9 partner, had on Dec. 5, the day both left the force.
Campbell said he sent the mayor and Town Council an email thanking them, but declining, an offer the council had voted to make at a recent meeting.

"I am standing firm that I do not want any money; I just want to make sure this never happens again," Campbell said.

In his email to council members, Campbell told them he was very thankful for their kindness, but that OCPD Chief Bernadette DiPino's statement that he had never asked the department for money was accurate.

"I don't want to take money from the town that rightfully doesn't belong to me," Campbell said.
Campbell ended his relationship with the Ocean City Police Department by way of resignation Dec. 5. Campbell was upset with the way police leaders responded to his urging Charlie be retired so Campbell could assume ownership and pay for the 7-year-old German shepherd's medical care.

Council President Jim Hall brought the idea of a payment up after he said he and the council had not been aware of the happenings in the police department as they transpired, and that the council had also had nothing to do with any of the decisions that were made during the sequence of events.

"We had no part in the situation," Hall said, but since the dog was in the employ of the town at the time it got injured, he said he felt a reimbursement would be "the right thing to do."

Council members Jim Hall, Doug Cymek, Lloyd Martin and Mary Knight voted in favor of reaching out to Campbell with the offer, while Brent Ashley and Joe Hall voted against it. Margaret Pillas was absent.






Charlie is recovering from surgery to remove scar tissue that was putting pressure on his spine. Campbell said recently the dog is doing well, and has been walking.

Ocean City will pay for K-9's surgery

OCEAN CITY — The Town Council voted to offer former police officer Earl Campbell a monetary reimbursement for his longtime K-9 partner’s surgery.

Campbell ended his relationship with the Ocean City Police Department by way of resignation Dec. 5, the same day Charlie, the dog, was retired. Campbell was upset with the way police leaders responded to his urging Charlie be retired so Campbell could assume ownership and pay for the 7-year-old German shepherd’s medical care.

At Monday night’s meeting, President Jim Hall suggested the council move to have Police Chief Bernadette DiPino contact Campbell about a reimbursement from the town.

Hall brought the idea of a payment up after he stated publicly that he and the council had not been aware of the controversial happenings in the police department as they transpired, and the council also had nothing to do with any decisions made during the sequence of events.

“We had no part in the situation,” he said, adding because the dog was an employee of the town when he was injured, a reimbursement would be “the right thing to do.”

In an email, Campbell wrote he appreciates Hall’s comments but the real concern is “making sure this never happens again. Sure, it hurt my pocket to spend the money, but the money isn’t anything compared to the suffering Charlie went through.”

Campbell said he will wait and see if he is contacted by town officials.

Councilmen Doug Cymek, Lloyd Martin, Jim Hall and Councilwoman Mary Knight voted in favor of the measure. Councilmen Joe Hall and Brent Ashley voted against it. Councilwoman Margaret Pillas was absent.

“As a K-9, (Charlie) helped make a lot of arrests,” Cymek said.

Joe Hall said he didn’t have enough specific information on the situation to vote for the motion, though he was not against the idea itself. He maintained a document he’d seen from Charlie’s veterinarian recommended he be removed from police service, but the note also said the dog could have been made comfortable through medication. He wanted to seek more information — including an opinion from the veterinarian — on the situation before opting to pay.

When asked by Ashley moments before the vote, DiPino said the department had followed the proper procedures in place for the situation. Ashley said her answer helped him make his decision.

“I don’t know why the council got involved,” he said. “I think that sets a bad precedent.”

DiPino pointed out that Campbell had not asked OCPD at any point to contribute money for Charlie’s surgery, and if he had done so, the department would have considered it.

smuska@dmg.gannett.com

K-9 officer resigns over dog's health

OCEAN CITY -- Earl Campbell walked into Ocean City Police Department headquarters on Dec. 5 and paid $1 to become the owner of Charlie, his longtime K-9 partner who was in urgent need of surgery.

Campbell then walked out to his car and told his wife he couldn't abide the way the department had let the dog suffer, in pain, for the past week. It was enough, he felt, for him to resign in protest. The former OCPD officer tendered his resignation by email from the passenger seat on the way home. Then they took Charlie to undergo a surgical procedure from which he is now recovering.

Campbell said in an interview he was deeply upset with the way police leaders responded to his urging that his dog be retired, so he could assume ownership and pay for the seven-year-old German shepherd's medical care. He first requested that the dog be retired on Nov. 28, but was unable to garner department approval until a week later.

"I basically couldn't honestly put my dog out on the street and put someone in danger," Campbell said of Charlie, who was losing more and more feeling in his hind legs. Campbell himself was also on medical leave. On Nov. 30, Campbell determined his dog was suffering and would need a surgery as soon as possible. As Charlie's condition worsened, the delay grew increasingly unacceptable to him, he said.

The reasons for Campbell's disgruntlement and resignation were likely a result of miscommunication and misunderstanding, and so was the delay in the retirement, according to Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette DiPino.

Charlie had been injured on-duty in 2009 and underwent surgery to remove three vertebrae from his spine. Scar tissue formed that began to put pressure on his spinal cord, which caused a loss of use in his hind legs. It initially minor but went quickly downhill over a recent two-week period.

The dog needed a $6,000 surgery to remove the tissue, and Campbell knew OCPD was unlikely to spend more to keep Charlie on active duty. He said he didn't expect them to, since they had spent a great deal of money in the past to ensure Charlie's health. Campbell and DiPino both say Campbell never, at any point, asked the department to pay for the surgery.

To act in accordance with OCPD policy, DiPino has to personally approve the retirement, and a document must be provided by a veterinarian stating the dog is no longer fit for police work, she said in an interview. DiPino was first informed of Charlie's situation on Dec. 5, she said. While Campbell was pressing the department to retire Charlie, she was in Baltimore, needed for testimony in a
wrongful termination suit against the department.

On Dec. 5 DiPino retired Charlie without hesitation, she said, before even seeing the note from the vet. It was one of the quickest retirements she's ever done.

"I trusted the handler to tell me the condition of his animal, and we allowed (Campbell) to get the pup for $1," she said. "I know of nothing else we could do but take the officer at face value, and I think our police department responded properly and in a heartfelt manner. We care about our police dogs and horses as much as we do the police officers; we consider them a member of the police department family, and their care is quite important to us."

Campbell first contacted Lt. Scott Kirkpatrick, the officer in charge of the K-9 unit, about Charlie's need to retire. Campbell is adamant that Kirkpatrick told him many times he was unable to make a decision to retire Charlie, and that it would require Town Council approval -- with the next council meeting several days away. He said also that Kirkpatrick was lax about returning his emails and phone calls, and that he wasn't told until Friday evening he needed to get documentation from a vet, when it was too late for him to reach the animal doctor until after the weekend.

According to DiPino, council only came up in the conversation because the veterinary documentation is needed for OCPD to justify the need for a new dog during the fiscal budgeting season. DiPino said also that Kirkpatrick was out sick during the week when Campbell was pressing for the retirement.

"(Kirkpatrick) wasn't saying council had to approve... He was saying we need a letter from a vet to get another K-9 dog. I believe it was a miscommunication," DiPino said. She said Kirkpatrick would not have done anything intentionally to delay Campbell's request, saying he is a former K-9 officer who cares deeply for the animals.

Campbell, however, disagrees, saying Kirkpatrick is "a compulsive liar who has gotten away with it for years," and that many officers have lost their jobs because of him. The department declined to make Kirkpatrick available for comment.

Since Campbell went public with his story, he has heard from people who want to help him pay for the surgery, something he said he isn't seeking. The reason he quit, he said, was to bring attention to the fact that Charlie had suffered for days.

DiPino said she maintains an open door policy, that all of the officers have her cell phone number and know where she lives. "I've had officers contact me in unusual times and situations, and I encourage them to do that," DiPino said.

Shortly after resigning, Campbell told his story to the blog Salisbury News, which reported -- wrongly, he says -- he had tried to convince the town to pay for the surgery. The post was met with anonymous reader comments that disenchanted him. Some were supportive, but many others levied accusations and criticism at Campbell, OCPD, DiPino, Kirkpatrick and others.

"Going to (the blog) was probably the worst thing I ever did," Campbell said.

smuska@dmg.gannett.com
410-213-9442, ext. 14

Council, ex-city manager settle severance package

OCEAN CITY -- Former City Manager Dennis Dare and Ocean City Town Council have come to terms on a severance package that will allow him to collect a full salary and generous benefits through March of 2012.

Since Dare's Sept. 9 resignation at the behest of a 4-3 council vote, he has received full pay in accordance with his pay rate at the time, which was set at slightly less than $173,500 a year.
From April 1-Oct. 31, the town will pay Dare based on joint and survivor pension benefits that will equal out to $6,665 a month.

Then at the end of October, Dare will be eligible for unreduced pension benefits based on 30 years of employment with the town. Dare became city manager on April 1, 1990, and served as city engineer for about 10 years before that promotion. According to the agreement, the town deems the offered package "generous, fair and reasonable."

The town will likely hire a new city manager before Dare's pension kicks in. Councilwoman Mary Knight said council has been told a new manager could be put in place somewhere around April 1, and she said she anticipates a low-end starting salary of about $130,000, not including benefits. If this happens, the town will essentially be paying two people to fill one position.

"That's a very expensive undertaking," said Councilman Doug Cymek.

Before Dare's pension kicks in, he will be paid by the town about $133,000 for a period in which he has not reported to City Hall. Added to this will be the payment of 397 vacation hours, 16 personal hours and five holiday hours that Dare accrued but did not use.

"As they say, the devil is in the details, and we spent quite a bit of time investigating how to fulfill the promise," Dare said, referring to the contract that was in effect at the time of his resignation. If things had been worked out differently, he said, the town could have ended up parting ways with as much as four to five times the amount they will provide him.

"I think we found the most economical and most responsible way," Dare said in a phone interview on Friday. He and his wife were en route to "a little getaway," he said, something he'd been looking forward to but had been unable to act on since he'd been "buckled down" dealing with the agreement for the past three months or so.

Jim Hall, Joe Hall, Brent Ashley and Margaret Pillas voted in September to ask Dare for his resignation, and Lloyd Martin, Knight and Cymek voted against it. Those three, along with Mayor Rick Meehan, who is serving also as interim city manager, have been adamant in their opinion Dare should not have been forced out.

In a closed session on Tuesday, council voted 5-2 to approve the severance package, with Ashley and Pillas as the dissenting votes. The arrangement was first reported Friday by the Maryland Coast Dispatch.

"I fully appreciate the five councilmembers that voted on this agreement, and for keeping their promise," Dare said.

Ashley confirmed his vote, but said he was not happy it had been made public. He said also he couldn't comment on the reasons for his vote. "A closed session is supposed to be confidential," Ashley said.

Dare plans on staying in Ocean City and doesn't see himself pursuing another city manager job. He's been enjoying retirement, he says, and doesn't think he wants to relocate and pledge years of work to another municipality.

"You have to understand that for the last 21 years, I've been on call every day all day, and I've gotta say, these last three months have been great. It's been really wonderful leaving all that stress behind," he said. "Of course, I have one more year before I hit the magic 30 years, and you know, I intended to work through that, but it looks like I got there a year early."

Dare, who recently turned 63, said he is looking forward to an opportunity to spend more time with his family and neighbors. He was recently elected president of the Caine Woods Community Association.

If he ever gets bored, he can always hit the links. One facet of his agreement is free rounds of golf for life at Eagle's Landing.

"Ocean City is a great place to live," he said, "and a lot of people tell me it's a great place to retire."

smuska@dmg.gannett.com
410-213-9442, ext. 14

Prosecutor re-opens rape case

OCEAN CITY -- An Ocean City man accused of repeatedly raping a mentally disabled adopted relative during a 17-year period faces multiple sexual charges, including second-degree rape.

Charles Wynter McCready Jr., 63, of Bradley Road was initially investigated for the allegations in 2007 and 2008, but was not prosecuted. The case was reopened this year after reevaluation by the Ocean City Police Department and the Worcester County State's Attorney's Office, a review initiated after prosecutor Beau Oglesby took office.

A combination of information from two investigations has now prompted the state's attorney to file second-degree rape and second-and third-degree sex offense charges against McCready. The victim of his alleged actions, which allegedly took place as recently at February 2010, is now 32 years old. She was born with fetal alcohol syndrome and other disabilities and health problems, according to police notes from the 2008 inquiry.

During the initial investigation, McCready admitted to an OCPD detective -- verbally and in writing -- that he'd had intercourse and oral sex with the alleged victim. McCready said he and the victim had a sexual relationship for 10 years, according to police documents.

The victim alleged McCready had been having unwanted intercourse with her, and engaging in other sexual acts, since she was 12 years old. They were living in Carroll County at this time, the victim said, and the abuse continued when McCready moved to Ocean City in 1999, when the victim was 18, according to police.

Oglesby said weighing whether to charge McCready with sexually assaulting the victim when she was underage is a matter for the Carroll County State's Attorney's Office, because of jurisdictional reasons.

His office has been in contact with those prosecutors, he said.
A preliminary hearing for McCready is scheduled for Dec. 19 at 9 a.m. in Ocean City District Court.

"We'll be re-examining, and if we feel there are additional charges we want to incorporate, we'll certainly evaluate the grand jury for additional charges," Oglesby said.

When the investigation was reopened in June, the victim reiterated an account of her allegations to a forensic interviewer in Mississippi, where she now lives. They were similar to accounts she gave Martin, according to Ocean City police.

The victim also reported McCready controlled the money she obtained from disability checks, and would tell her she "owed" him whenever he would give her food, money or help.

Woman charged with harassing councilmen

OCEAN CITY -- Three Ocean City Town councilmen allegedly received multiple early morning calls of a harrassing nature from an Ocean City woman.

Amy Lee Durham, 39, of Ocean City, was charged by the Worcester County State's Attorney's office with three counts of telephone misuse. The charges stemmed from calls Durham allegedly placed on Oct. 4 and 5 to Councilmen Jim Hall, Joe Hall and Brent Ashley, according to charging documents viewed Friday.

Ashley confirmed he received a number of early-morning phone calls in October from a private number, but declined to answer further questions. The three councilmen said they had been instructed to direct inquiries to the State's Attorney's office, and they wished to follow those instructions. Ocean City Mayor and interim city manager Rick Meehan also declined to comment.

Durham misused telephone facilities and equipment for repeated calls with intent to "annoy, abuse, torment or harass" the three councilmen, according to the charging files. The files do not state the specifics regarding the exact time or nature of the calls.

Assistant State's Attorney Paul Haskell is handling the case, and would not comment further on the allegations except to confirm that he had filed charges.

The calls came at a time when the three councilmen and Margaret Pillas were facing scrutiny from some town residents over a 4-3 vote they made to ask longtime city manager Dennis Dare for his resignation.

A preliminary hearing in Durham's case is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Dec. 12 in Ocean City District Court.

smuska@dmg.gannett.com
410-213-9442, ext. 14

State: Evacuation made sense

OCEAN CITY -- Richard Muth, Maryland's director of emergency management, says he backs the timing and the reasoning of Ocean City officials who evacuated the resort in anticipation of Hurricane Irene.

Muth visited a Town Council work session where officials from the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association voiced questions and concerns they had with the way the evacuation was executed.

Muth said numerous factors -- including the necessity to close the Chesapeake Bay Bridge when winds hit a certain speed, and the evacuation of multiple low-lying areas in Delmarva and the immediate area -- made the decision to evacuate in the days before the storm hit a prudent one.

"It was the right decision made based on the information they had at the time," Muth said of the Aug. 26 evacuation date, echoing a comment Mayor Rick Meehan has made about the decisions. The brunt of the storm came about a day later.

Fishtales owner and HMRA member Shawn Harman pointed out during the discussion that Ocean City had been evacuated before places like Cape Hatteras, N.C., an area that was hit by the storm hours before Ocean City.

Muth said it didn't matter to his staff what other states and towns had handed down evacuation orders when Ocean City did, adding that in that situation, places often look for a town elsewhere to make the initial move before following suit.

By leaving Ocean City early, people were able to get away from the Eastern Shore without some of the traffic congestion some areas of Delaware saw when they evacuated later, Muth said.

"If the Bay Bridge had been closed when people were trying to leave, that would have taken away a very important route," he said.

Councilman Joe Hall said the storm was a real threat, and that town officials took it as one. If Ocean City had felt the force of the storm that some areas north and south of the resort had, there wouldn't be a discussion about the evacuation, he said. Instead, there would be one about rebuilding the town.

"We did the right thing for the town of Ocean City," Hall said.

HMRA Executive Director Susan Jones said the association did not wish to question the decision to evacuate, but wanted to speak with council in an effort to make practical improvements in the event another natural disaster looms on the town's horizon.

The town's official press release on the evacuation was confusing, and calls to a hotline listed on the release gave HMRA members conflicting reports on what they were to do, Jones said. Meehan and the council acknowledged that improvements can certainly be made.

Ocean City spokeswoman Donna Abbott recommended the town make plans to establish a joint information committee that can be assembled in the event of another impending disaster. The group could form a comprehensive communication plan, and training for facets of the group could be provided by the town. Muth pledged the state's help with training if necessary.

Councilwoman Margaret Pillas commended the community on its actions in the time leading up to the hurricane.

"You have criticisms, but you still followed through and complied," Pillas said.

The Ocean City Fire Department has already been analyzing its actions before and during the storm, as part of an effort to create a department plan that will allow them to begin planning for a storm up to 96 hours before it hits, Chief Chris Larmore said later in the meeting.

smuska@dmg.gannett.com
410-213-9442, ext. 14

Street performer eyes bayside park as venue

OCEAN CITY -- Popular Boardwalk magician George Gilbert is taking initiative to begin a new street performer tradition in Ocean City.

It's not involved in a lawsuit, and will likely avoid blowback from town officials -- two pluses that buskers lately haven't been used to. It could even help alleviate some of the tension that has built up through the year among performers, town officials and a selection of Boardwalk merchants.

Gilbert, who has been performing in town the past eight summers, wants to set up a "Sunset Celebration" in the town's rarely-booked Sunset Park, on the west side of Philadelphia Avenue near the Inlet.

He proposes a nightly event where street performers would entertain guests for two or three hours both before and after that evening's sunset, with a specified main event beginning immediately after the sun goes down. The performers would bow out on nights when other park events are scheduled. The Sunset Park Party Nights concert series takes place Thursdays during the summer, but the park is void of any official celebrations most other nights.

Gilbert calls the area beautiful, but underused. "Basically, my goal is to create this to enhance the Ocean City experience," said Gilbert, who is spending the off-season performing in Florida and other places. "We want to open up a new artistic venue that gives our guests a unique artistic and family friendly experience."

Performers would be allowed to set up at the park without council approval, since it is one of the areas in town where buskers are greenlit to display their talents, according to mayor and interim city manager Rick Meehan. He said it's a great location, and a great idea. There would be no need for permitting, either, he added.

"If they want to organize and do that, that'd be terrific," said Meehan. "We would love to have the performers at Sunset Park." If council approval had been needed, Meehan said he didn't believe council would object to the celebration.

Gilbert wants to take on the planning and execution responsibilities for the celebration. He doesn't want the city to incur any cost or departmental headaches. He simply wants access to the venue, he says -- the rest would be organized and taken care of by performers.

For some time, Meehan and the council have been working to ramp up laws constraining public performances, especially on the Boardwalk. For years, performers have had to register with the town and attain a permit to perform on the planks.

In June, Town Council voted unanimously to forbid street performers and others from putting on shows in the North Division Street access area of the Boardwalk. The decision was made for safety reasons, and Meehan signed the rule into law as an emergency ordinance. Graffiti artist Mark Chase took exception to the law, calling it unconstitutional, and lodged a First Amendment complaint against the town.

In September, U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander ruled that performers are allowed to sell their wares on the Boardwalk without having to be permitted by the city, a ruling that will stand at least until the trial's end.

Chase is all for what Gilbert is doing, he said. However, Chase still plans to set up on the Boardwalk to "help progress" his First Amendment battle.

Inspiration for an OC Sunset Celebration came from similar events Gilbert has seen during his travels. The system he has come up with is a combination of what he feels are the best ideas from setups all over the country; one of the most popular has been a tradition at Mallory Square Dock, in Key West, Fla., for years.

"It's really huge (in Key West), and everybody looks forward to it," said Councilman Brent Ashley, who initially brought Gilbert's idea to council's attention during a November meeting. "Whether we could get to that level or not, I'm not sure, but it would be a similar celebration that would attract people to Sunset Park. I don't see any negative in it at all."

Movement of some performers to the park could lessen Boardwalk congestion while giving vacationers an additional in-resort entertainment option, Ashley added.

Gilbert is actively seeking performers who want to be involved with the show who would begin this summer. He'll pick the acts as part of his organizational responsibilities, and invites those interested to contact him at george@george-gilbert.com.

His qualifications for making the selections are, according to Gilbert, his own extensive experience with many things street performer-related.

"I'm a variety performer; I'm a juggler, magician and balloon artist," Gilbert said. "I eat fires. This is what I do all over the country."
smuska@dmg.gannett.com
410-213-9442, ext. 14

Pole workout proves popular

Angela Houck, owner of The Pole Power Studio in West Ocean City, teaches a class. / ERIC DOERZBACH/THE DAILY TIMES

OCEAN CITY -- Angela Houck will get you to climb 12 feet on a shiny silver pole, high enough to slap the roof of her studio, in eight weeks or less.

In the four or so years since she's been teaching pole dancing for fitness, every single one of her students has gotten to the top of her Pole Power studios, where they snag one of the silver markers -- affixed to the ceiling -- and sign the black surface.

Houck's flawless success rate is part of the reason she's been named the East Coast's best pole dancing instructor for this year. Her two locations in West Ocean City and Salisbury were named the best studios, as well, by Pole Dance International Magazine, a trade publication for the tight-knit pole dancing subculture. The magazine makes its judgments based on nominations and votes from students who have taken to the poles. Houck says most of her pupils are 30 to 50 years old, but she's had students who are 18 and 80.

Some of Houck's students say they come to the hardwood-floored building in West OC with mirrored walls and poles raised all around the room to gain, or regain, some self-confidence. Others enjoy the camaraderie that comes with the all-female workout, and a few are looking for a new and challenging exercise method to break up the monotony that sometimes comes with more traditional fitness measures. For some, it's all three.

Houck was a critical care nurse who gravitated toward pole dancing when she was trying to get back in shape after having two children. She gave up nursing to open her first studio in 2007, in hopes she could help other women feel the mental and physical transformation she found in dancing.

"We have a lot of girls who come in here who are in 'Mommy Mode,' and I think seeing their faces when they begin to rediscover and get in touch again with who they really are is what made me fall in love with teaching," Houck said.

During Houck's hour-long classes, in dim lighting with high-paced music, the women sweat and share laughs while they watch themselves work in the floor-to-ceiling mirrors.

"It's really just hanging out with the girls and having fun," said Coleen Catrino, who has been taking classes for about three years.

"This is much more personable than a gym," added Terri Street after she'd just completed her first session. And the ladies applauded wildly when Nina Wheeler climbed to the roof after completing only two sessions.

"This is just something new and something fun," Wheeler said.

Houck says many are hesitant to come in the door due to a stigma that equates pole dancing with stripping, she says. Once they're in the studio, they're often self-conscious about pole climbing, but the feeling usually dissipates after a session or two, when they really start to get into it.

"I think everyone who comes in here is a little intimidated at first, but after a while they all leave with more confidence," says Sandra Kerstetter, one of Houck's co-instructors.

It's addicting, Houck says, because there are so many facets and moves that can be learned, and once a woman masters one she often wants to advance to the next.

Houck says she's optimistic about the elimination of the stripper stigma. It is nearly non-existent in many other countries, and in some more urban parts of the United States, she said, to where it isn't uncommon for men and children to get pole-centric workouts. A recent issue of Pole Dance International even featured an article on the future of pole dancing fitness for children.

"I think the goal is to get people out of that typical mindset (regarding pole dancing)," Houck said.

"It's not like the gym. It's a challenging and rewarding type of exercise, and we'd like to push thought it in that direction."

Houck doesn't offer under-18 or co-ed classes, but said she'd consider involving men if interest was shown. On occasion, usually around Valentine's Day, she'll convince some guys to give climbing a shot. They usually leave admitting it's a more difficult and physically demanding practice than they'd thought, she said.

Houck is holding an open house Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 at the Salisbury and West Ocean City studios, respectively, and new eight-week sessions begin Oct. 17.

 

OC fans find lots to 'like'

Facebook, Twitter feeds a hit with visitors

OCEAN CITY — By the end of September, nearly 362,000 people had clicked the “like” button on Ocean City’s official Facebook page.

That’s about 30,000 more people than were physically in town for Fourth of July weekend, when the year’s population hit its highest point. It’s also more clicks than any of the other resort destinations in the region can boast — by a long shot, in most cases — according to Andy Malis, president of MGH, a Baltimore-based advertising firm that has been creating campaigns under contract for the resort for years.

The people who like the page see Ocean City’s frequent updates, posted mostly by city and MGH staff, on its Facebook newsfeed. Updates promote events like Sunfest and Winefest on the Beach; keep residents and visitors privy to emergency information; and sometimes are just for fun, like on Sept. 29 when a status urged fans to post some of their favorite beach photographs from the summer.

No matter what the subject matter, the updates almost always get a smattering of user comments.

“It has served as a very good tool of outreach for people who are interested in what’s going on in town,” said Ocean City spokeswoman Donna Abbott. The town also has an official Twitter feed, too, where many of the same information is posted to nearly 3,000 followers. And Mayor Rick Meehan is embracing Twitter with his own account.

The virtual fan count grows daily, and so far Ocean City has blown most of the other vacation destinations in the region out of the water with its grip on social media and other online marketing efforts, Malis said. The town began taking social networking sites seriously four years ago. Since then, Ocean City’s social media presence has grown exponentially, to the point Malis thinks it will be hard for other towns to ever catch up.

So what good comes of all the tweeting and posting? Tourism Director Deborah Turk said social media use is critical and calls it one of the greatest tools in the town’s marketing arsenal.

“Social mediums have become a full-time job, and I really credit (MGH) with being on the cutting edge of knowing what’s coming next,” Turk said. “We’re always one step ahead, and never ever behind, which is a good place to be.”

Social media outreach is low-cost, and it allows city officials to monitor feedback immediately. Both are huge advantages in marketing, said Ryan Goff, MGH’s director of social media.

“Our large networks are like an ongoing focus group,” he said.

“You get to see what people are saying about things going on in Ocean City, so it’s a two-way communication avenue,” said Abbott.

MGH often submits recommendations on using the social media megaphones to attract more visitors to the area. Visitor acquisition and retention have been at the forefront of council discussion and action in recent months. It has become a rarity for meeting agendas not to include at least one item pertaining to the subject.

Among MGH’s recent ideas is a “check-in” mechanism Malis hopes to add to the resort’s official smartphone application. The feature would use a phone’s GPS sensors to allow people to announce they’ve showed up at a bar, restaurant or other business. The idea mirrors one brought to prominence by the Foursquare app and Facebook’s check-in feature.

Each time a person “checks in” to a participating business, they would be alerted to any special deals at that business, and they would also be automatically entered in a drawing for a free week’s vacation to take place in 2013, according to Malis’ proposal to council. The idea would need council approval to be included in a proposed “Summer of Thanks” campaign.

Turk said she sees more and more people using existing check-in features and anticipates a positive response if Ocean City decides to include it in its app.
It can be good for individual businesses, as well.

“This location stuff is really giving exposure for a lot of these businesses that might not have otherwise gotten it,” Goff said. “You’re able to see how many friends have been to a place, and they can leave tips and recommendations, so it’s an engaging way for people to discover things.”

People use mobile devices to access the Internet much more now than in the recent past, Goff said, so to focus on smartphone-friendly tools can be beneficial.

“People just aren’t tethered to their computers anymore,” he said.

People are also plugged into more sites and programs, so the town has to cross-post things simultaneously to its Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Flickr accounts.

The convenience factor is appealing to Nicole Ciarapica, a Greenbackville, Va., resident who gets all her resort news from the Facebook page. She sees an update on her news feed most days, she said, which is how she found out about an unexpected tornado that hit the 75th Street area near her grandparent’s condo in September.

“I found out and called them, and I was thankful for that information,” Ciarapica said. “It’s an easy way for me to find out what’s going on rather quickly.”

Ocean City’s Chamber of Commerce has followed the town’s lead by setting up its own Facebook and Twitter they use to publicize events, deals and specials for its members. Social media marketing is pushed to people who have opted in to the information by liking a page or following a feed, which is helping replace cold calls or random mailings, said Chamber Executive Director Melanie Pursel.

“It’s someone who has expressed interest, so you know they really truly want to receive info about what’s going on with the organization,” she said.

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410-213-9442, ext. 14

Council talks about former OC manager

OCEAN CITY -- Council members ended their silence on why they voted former City Manager Dennis Dare out of his job, revealing dissatisfaction with his performance over a period of time.

"I lost my confidence in Dennis," said Council President Jim Hall to a standing-room-only Council Chamber during a meeting. "It wasn't one incident. There is no dirty laundry to air out here and no straw that broke the camel's back."

Hall and Councilwoman Margaret Pillas said there were times when they felt Dare hadn't fulfilled his responsibility to present complete information about government operations to all of the council members. They voted along with Joe Hall and Brent Ashley in a Sept. 8 closed meeting to remove Dare. Lloyd Martin, Doug Cymek and Mary Knight voted against the decision.

Pillas said there were times when she'd asked Dare for information that she didn't end up getting, resulting in her decision to abstain from certain votes due to a lack of knowledge. She said there had been occasions in which she had placed votes without having enough information and that she would take those votes back if she could.

Joe Hall said he and Dare had disagreed on the way the municipal government should be run, and Ashley said he preferred not to get into specifics.

Dare, reached by phone, declined to comment Tuesday.

Joe Hall said the financial health of the town was another factor, an assertion Mayor Rick Meehan took exception to. Meehan said there had been a series of ordinances passed by the majority that would have cost the town $1.5 million this year, if not for a mayoral veto. He pointed out also that the council had opted against a choice when changing retirement benefit plans that would have saved the town another $1.5 million.

Martin said in his experience, whenever he had a question for Dare or any other town staff member, he got it, and called Dare's removal "a total injustice." His statement was greeted with applause from the crowd.

The council has entered discussions behind closed doors pertaining to finding a replacement for Dare.

In a closed meeting before Monday night's regular meeting, Knight made a motion to begin a nationwide search for a new city manager. Cymek and Martin voted in favor of the motion, which was voted down 4-3. After the vote, Knight and Cymek left the closed meeting, and said Martin would have as well if he didn't have an obligation as council secretary to stay.

Knight said the council members who remained in the meeting spoke then with a potential city manager replacement. Longtime Public Works Director Hal Adkins joined the closed session for a discussion during which no action was taken, Jim Hall reported.

When asked Tuesday whether he would have interest in becoming city manager, Adkins said that Dare was aware he aspired to the city manager position when Dare chose to retire on his own. Adkins wrote he had felt the opportunity would present itself in three to five years.

If a national search was conducted, Adkins said he would consider applying for the position in competition with the other applicants the process would generate.

"Let me be crystal clear that, as part of the evolution of the interviewing process and the local reaction that will naturally surface at that time, I would want assurance that the citizens, business community and full-time staff of the town of Ocean City, that I have served for the last 27 (plus) years, were in support of me holding the position," Adkins wrote. "If they were not, I will gladly continue my role as Public Works director and provide the levels of service that our community has grown to expect. ... I work for the people of this town."

Numerous residents expressed disdain during the meeting that the council wouldn't consider a nationwide search, and Knight said she hopes the majority will reconsider.

Meehan said he thinks the council should have a "cooling off period" to evaluate the situation. He acknowledged there are internal employees who would make good candidates, and that he hopes they apply for the position.

"I just think there shouldn't be a shotgun decision like the one that was just made," Meehan said in an interview after Monday's meeting.

Meehan is serving as interim city manager, a fact he made several jokes about Monday night.

The council majority has been heavily criticized since Dare's removal, and Jim Hall said the criticism directed toward him has been warranted. Much of it has come from a group who has rallied under the name Citizens for the Preservation of O.C. The group organized mainly on Facebook, and many members were present for Monday night's meeting.

Joe Groves, a spokesman for the group, challenged Joe Hall to lead the council, and for the members to work as a team. The council's resemblance to the nation's often divisive government is not beneficial for Ocean City or its residents, he said.

"I think you've awakened a sleeping giant, and each of you think it'll go away in a couple of weeks," Groves said of the group and others who are upset with council's actions. "That's not the case. It's not gonna go away this time."

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410-213-9442, ext. 14

Tornado whips through Ocean City

A condominium building on 75th Street in Ocean City sustained damage during a tornado, which first touched down around 77th Street. / THOMAS MELVILLE/DELAWARE WAVE

OCEAN CITY -- A tornado careened across Ocean City in the 75th Street area, damaging buildings and blowing out the glass windows of cars.

A slew of witnesses said they saw a funnel cloud come sweeping into the resort from the Assawoman Bay around 77th Street, where it touched down briefly before rising again and continuing south across the beach.

Ryan Haley saw the tornado coming from the west toward his business, Atlantic Shore Realty on Coastal Highway's ocean side at 75th Street. He was filming the cloud with his cellphone at first but he retreated inside to hunker down when it came close to the building.

Haley said it "went crazy" for about 10 seconds and that he could hear things crashing around outside.
Surveying the damage afterward, windows were broken on his building and on both the vehicles parked in front of it. Debris riddled the parking lot and the streets nearby. Town staff were working with a backhoe to clear a few trees from Coastal Highway's median that had fallen to the street. Other debris, including a mattress, had blown onto the road as well.

The cloud was unofficially called a tornado by Accuweather meteorologist Frank Strait.

"It started out as a waterspout, which is basically a tornado over water, and if it touched down on land, then it's classified as a tornado," he said.

The National Weather Service later confirmed that the funnel cloud was a tornado.

Police had cordoned off most of the ocean side of 75th Street, where there was extensive damage to the outside of some buildings. Siding and parts of roofs had been blown off multiple condo complexes, and the 75th Street Medical Center's sign was nearly obliterated. A good portion of the roof of the Ocean Villas condos was blown onto the beach below.

Ocean City Town Councilman Doug Cymek said he'd heard most of the damage was located in that area. He and Ocean City Director of Emergency Services Joe Theobald were at the scene shortly after the event, which took place at about 3:45 p.m.

No injuries had been reported, and to Theobald's knowledge, the tornado only touched down in the damaged area, he said.

Theobald's strategy for post-storm management was simple: "We make sure nobody's hurt, and then we start putting it back together again," he said.

At 75th Street Medical, the staff saw it coming and quickly moved a handful of patients inside to an X-ray room, said radiology technician Jessica Slower.

"Oh my god, that was freaky," said 75th Street Medical receptionist Shelly Highsmith. "It came pretty quick and it stopped pretty quick. It blew me up the steps and into the building."

Dan Hillegas and Chris Bright were riding their motorcycles southbound on Coastal Highway when they saw the cloud and felt the wind.

"We were almost in it," Bright said.

Hillegas said they saw it touch down and sweep across the highway. One of their friends had been so overwhelmed by wind she had been knocked off her motorcycle.

Donna Starr and George Abell were riding a bus north at about 65th Street when she heard reports of a funnel cloud come across the driver's radio.

"It got extremely dark and windy first," Starr said, before she saw the cloud. "I was just sitting there, dazed. There wasn't much we could do."

"It was freakin' huge," Abell added.

The tornado was formed under atypical circumstances and was an isolated incident, he said. It was an "unusual situation" for a tornado to touch down in the area at that time, he said.

Tornadoes are typically formed when there a large amount of wind shear -- the change in speed or direction of wind over a short distance or time period -- is present.

The atmosphere was a "little unstable" Thursday, with a combination of warm weather and an incoming cold front, which could have caused enough churning in the atmosphere to create a tornado, Strait said.

"It wouldn't have been a classic tornado superstorm like you often see in the plains area, but that cold front could have caused it," he said.

The trajectory of the cloud wasn't immediately apparent, but Doug Antos and other residents who live on 62nd Street said they'd seen a funnel cloud in that area.

"You could see it swirling around," Antos said, adding that power in the area had abruptly gone out moments before he saw it.

Mike Terveer was visiting from Baltimore, staying at a condo at the Sandpiper along the 75th Street ocean block when he saw the clouds swirling over the bay, and thought, "That ain't good."

"It definitely sounds like a freight train, like they say," he said. "Stuff just flying everywhere. It's kind of cool, actually, as long as nobody got hurt. It's been a hell of a summer -- earthquakes, hurricanes."

-- Staff Writer Brian Shane contributed to this report.

A divided OC council votes to remove Dare

OCEAN CITY -- Dennis Dare's tenure as city manager ended Friday at the request of a slim majority of the Ocean City Council, who met to make the decision to remove him in two closed-door meetings.

Councilman Jim Hall said the council voted 4-3 Thursday afternoon to ask for Dare to resign his position by the end of business Friday. Dare had held the position since 1990. Voting to remove Dare were Joe Hall, Jim Hall, Margaret Pillas and Brent Ashley, a majority bloc that's carried several votes since the 2010 election. Voting to keep him were Doug Cymek, Mary Knight and Lloyd Martin.

The council reconvened for another meeting Friday morning, and members moved to go into closed session again. But Knight, Cymek and Mayor Rick Meehan protested the minutes of the Thursday afternoon meeting had to be approved first, and when that didn't happen, those three refused to leave council chambers to attend the closed session in another room. Martin said he would have refused as well if it wasn't his duty as council secretary to record the session.

"The vote should have been reported to the public," Meehan said.

Knight and Cymek said they did not join the closed session partially because City Solicitor Guy Ayres was not present. Jim Hall had told them Ayres would be in attendance, they said, adding they were uncomfortable proceeding without him the day before. Jim Hall disputed those claims, and said Ayres was out of town, unable to attend.

"I was told there was going to be legal counsel here this morning, and that's the only reason I'm here," said Knight while she waited for the closed session to end. Cymek said Jim Hall lied by saying he hadn't told them Ayres would be there.

In their absence, the remaining councilmembers voted to fire Dare if his resignation letter wasn't filed by the end of the business day. After that closed session ended, the council re-entered open session, and Jim Hall explained what votes had been taken in the past 24 hours to a crowd of about 40 residents and reporters.

Jim Hall said it was a tough decision, but the council majority wants Dare replaced because "it's time to take the town in a new direction." He, Joe Hall, Pillas and Ashley declined to comment on any specifics pertaining to the direction.

Dare declined to comment for this story, town spokeswoman Donna Abbott said.

Ocean City's code gives the council sole authority to hire and fire city managers, the town attorney, its clerk and its auditor -- and to establish a municpal orchestra or suppress "bawdy houses," among a long list of other specified powers. The mayor has a vote in the hiring of police chiefs, but not city managers, although the mayor is the acting city manager in case of a vacancy.

Jim Hall said Dare had done a "wonderful, wonderful" job for the town, and after the meeting said they want to give him an unqualified recommendation for whatever his next career move, if any, might be. Jim Hall and Ashley said the decision hadn't been made for budgetary reasons.

Dare follows the direction of the mayor and council, and those elected positions are where change should come from, said Meehan.

Knight and Martin both referred to Dare as an "extremely good city manager," citing his ability to help generate budgets for the town during a lengthy recession, and his help in funding the multimillion-dollar Boardwalk reconstruction project without raising tax rates for the fiscal year 2012.

"I mean, I've got an amazing wife and two great kids. I'm not going to try and change that just because there might possibly be someone better out there," Martin said in an interview after the meeting. While in the closed session, he said, the only thing he voted "yes" for was to end it, saying it was "sick." He said there hadn't been any specific explanation for the ousting of Dare.

Knight said he's upset and concerned for the future of the town in light of the seniority and knowledge it's losing in key positions. The town offered buyouts in 2010 to employees who were eligible for retirement and had not yet done so.

In exchange for his resignation, the council majority said they would pay Dare through Dec. 31 of this year and honor any of his benefits, including a full 30-year retirement package and health pension, Jim Hall said.

Dare was operating on a yearly contract with the town which was renewed automatically in April. Jim Hall said they would honor it "and pay accordingly" in the event of a firing.

The contract would have allowed Dare to be paid his salary in full for 120 days after the contract's termination, but he would not have received the retirement package.

Several residents showed up to wait out the closed session, and many of them voiced disdain with council's decision to conduct such business away from the public. Maryland's laws permit town councils to discuss personnel matters behind closed doors if they like, but doing so in open session is also allowed.

"What you're doing in closed government won't bode well for the future election of some council members," Leonard Berger, the owner of Clarion Hotel and Fontainebleau Resort, said to council before they went into the second closed session. The crowd applauded his comment.

After Dare's removal, a meeting was planned by a group of residents to be held at 10 a.m. Sept. 26 at the Clarion Hotel. They've been publicizing the meeting mostly on Facebook, through a group called "Citizens for the Preservation of our Town of Ocean City Community." John Murphy, one of the group's administrators, said it had been formed when some residents had opposed council decisions they felt were being discussed too heavily behind closed doors.

"Our argument is not over whether a city manager should've been fired or not fired. We just want to make sure the people of this town are being heard," said meeting organizer Joe Groves.

Jim Hall said Ayres advised him he did not have to report on Thursday's closed-door session before entering another, since it was "a continuation" of the first meeting.

Meehan disputed this, saying Ayres had told him council was legally obligated to inform the public of the vote that took place.

Maryland law states that at any open meeting subsequent to a closed meeting, the minutes must include "a listing of the topics of discussion, persons present and each action taken during the session."

Meehan said he hadn't been told about Friday morning's meeting. He found out about it, he said, by browsing Facebook. Interim City Clerk Wayne Pryor said he'd been officially informed about the meeting Friday morning, and his office then faxed notices to the media.

Storm doesn't delay Bethany shore work

OCEAN CITY -- Post-storm evaluations by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indicate its efforts in conjunction with Ocean City to protect resort beaches played a role in preventing damage from Hurricane Irene.

Sand dunes are the main facet of the Maryland Hurricane Shoreline Protection Project, completed in 1991 with a price tag of $42 million, and they held up for the most part over the weekend. Surf reached the dunes during the storm, but did not overtake them -- partially because the storm's strongest moments occurred during low tide.

"The dunes did their job, and I'm glad they're still there," said Mayor Rick Meehan.

Ocean City's beaches are periodically replenished; the most recent work took place in May.

The project also included a concrete-capped sheetpile bulkhead along the Boardwalk and the placement of 3.6 million cubic yards of sand along the coastline that widened the beach.

"Ocean City appears to be in great shape, and we're proud to say that is a direct result of this project," said Baltimore District Commander Col. Dave Anderson, who visited the town with Project Manager Kevin Brennan on Monday.

The Corps finished a beach replenishment project on Fenwick Island Aug. 13 which allowed the beaches to hold up very well during the storm, according to Town Manager Win Abbott.

During the storm, some of the beach had moved about 30 yards out toward the ocean, but that change is expected to be short-lived, with the sand migrating back onto the shore.

"With natural wind and wave action, it'll build right back up again," Abbott said, adding the project probably paid for itself many times over with the protection it provided during Irene alone.

The Corps' Philadelphia District is slated to begin work on a similar project in Bethany Beach soon after Labor Day, and spokesman Ed Voigt said it is still on schedule despite the storm.

At Assateague Island National Seashore, park rangers allow the beach to experience its natural progression, and haven't designed any projects to minimize storm damage. Irene moved a lot of sand around and changed the shoreline "fairly dramatically," but there wasn't any ocean to bay overwash that reduces beach on the east and adds to the west side of the island, according to Carl Zimmerman, a management assistant at the park.

Park staff were cleaning up the island Monday for a Tuesday reopening. Some of the campgrounds were flooded during the storm, however, and Zimmerman says they won't open until Wednesday, with some staying closed until closer to the holiday weekend.

Ocean City 'dodged a missile' with Irene

OCEAN CITY -- Hurricane Irene fell well short of expectations when she passed within 50 miles of Ocean City's beaches early Sunday morning.

The result went over well with residents, town officials and business owners, along with vacationers past and future, most of whom were preparing for crippling damages.

Instead of the heavily publicized worst-case scenarios, Ocean City is back open for business, and has been since noon Sunday -- less than 12 hours after the storm's most significant period.

No injuries were reported, and the storm brought only minimal structural damage and minor flooding in low-lying areas that is typical of a severe thunderstorm.

"We dodged a missile," said Mayor Rick Meehan on Sunday morning. "I think we're all happy to see how we fared."

The town was able to allow residents and business owners back into town at 9 a.m. Sunday so they could prepare to reopen when tourists began streaming across the Routes 50 and 90 bridges three hours later. The quickness of the re-entry was something Meehan said he didn't think anyone had expected.

Police Chief Bernadette DiPino said emergency service personnel were able to complete their evaluation of the town in a short amount of time due to the fact that most of the damage was "superficial" in comparison to expectations.

Two well-known resort landmarks were damaged during the storm: a portion toward the tip of the Inlet Pier was ravaged and the jetty tower at the entrance to the Inlet was toppled and washed away.

The hurricane passed within 50 miles of the resort's coast early in the morning on Sunday; it brought sustained winds of 60 mph, with the top-recorded wind speed measured at 80 mph. Rainfall totaled 12 inches, and there was a storm surge of about 5 feet, according to information released by Ocean City officials Sunday morning.

Wind and rains were most intense from a period just after 1 a.m. that lasted less than an hour-and-a-half. The storm reduced in power afterward. The beach's sand dunes, which are in place to prevent surges entering town, held up through the storm.

Many who rode out the storm in town were underwhelmed. Steve Vider, a longtime resident who lives on Somerset Street, said he's seen nor'easters do much more damage than Irene. He was strolling around the Boardwalk early Saturday morning, where most of the damage was aesthetic in nature. Some sand had been swept onto the planks, making it difficult to discern where the beach ended and the boards began. There was, somewhat ironically, damage to the facade at Quiet Storm Surf Shop on the Boardwalk and North Division Street.

Fourth Street resident LeAnn Price was nonplussed by the storm, as well. She'd decided to stay because Ocean City is her home, she said with a shrug as she walked around town surveying the limited aftermath. She didn't object to the town's decision to impose a mandatory evacuation, she said.

"It's better to be safe than sorry," Price said.

Meehan stuck by his decision to evacuate the town, even if damages from the storm end up outweighing the staggering loss in tourism dollars an empty summer weekend will produce. The information officials had when they made the decision to evacuate made it the right action to take, he said, adding that Saturday night and Sunday morning's conditions were not ones most people would want to vacation in or feel safe being exposed to.

Joe Theobald, Worcester County Emergency Services director, said he considered the actions taken during Irene to be a "successful exercise" that could be beneficial for efficient action in case of future storms.

"If something like this happens next year, they'll remember this year," Theobald said.

Emergency service personnel were pulled off the streets at around 9 p.m. Saturday, when winds reached 50 mph for a span of longer than 10 minutes. There were no 911 calls they were unable to respond to, according to Theobald.

The National Guard was called to the resort but were dismissed by town officials early in the morning to travel to parts of southern Maryland, where more aid would be useful.

"We felt it was responsible to alleviate them of their duties here," DiPino said.

DiPino's Saturday morning prediction that looting wouldn't be a problem held true for the most part:
There was one break-in in which a person took a case of beer but ended up leaving it at the scene.

They were either scared by someone or unable to carry it in the high winds, DiPino guessed.

The sun was shining early Sunday afternoon and people were coming back into town, where they were taking to the Boardwalk and the beaches in droves to enjoy the end of the weekend. Many surfers were quickly in the water, taking advantage of the lingering waves from the storm that are atypical in Ocean City.

The beach was open, but surf access was limited due to the waters. Beach Patrol Capt. Butch Arbin warns the rough surf could continue for the next few days.

"This is the time you really have to be careful, because after these storms it gets really nice and sunny out, and people want to get to the beach and in the water," he said. "You have to realize the water isn't going to calm so quickly."

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Wind, surf, rain batter OC

Purchase Image

Palm trees and pirate flags at the nightclub Seacrets in Ocean City take the brunt of the ever-increasing wind from Hurricane Irene on Saturday afternoon. / THOMAS MELVILLE/THE DAILY TIMES

OCEAN CITY -- The officials and residents who stayed in Ocean City despite a resortwide evacuation were hunkered down indoors Saturday evening and into this morning waiting out the myriad of damages Hurricane Irene was expected to bring.

They were treated to what Worcester County Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald referred to as a "three-course meal" of sustained hurricane-force winds at about 79 mph with gusts up to 90 mph, a 4-6 foot storm surge and 8-12 inches of rainfall. The "meal" was expected to peak for as long as six hours, starting at 9 p.m. and calming down between 2-3 a.m. today, according to Mayor Rick Meehan.

The rains and increased winds came as a precursor to the heavier action starting early Saturday morning, bringing the first indications of the storm after an eerily quiet and meteorologically clear Friday night. The hurricane was expected to hover in the higher points of the Category 1 designation, but Theobald said it could make it to Category 2.

Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette DiPino said about 300 nonemergency personnel had stayed in town in disobeyance of Meehan's mandatory evacuation order, based on a door-to-door check executed Friday. A typical late-August weekend sees a population of at least 200,000 in the resort, she said.

DiPino said those who remained may not have been able to get town assistance in case of an emergency after about 5 p.m., when gale force winds were expected to kick in. They couldn't risk their officers, especially in light of an evacuation order that was very publicized.

"When those winds hit about 50 miles per hour, we call them out," said Theobald of the police and firefighters who patrolled the area through the day.

Two Bulgarian students named Mustafa and Ianis opted to stay, even though they are among the group of international students who were the first ordered to evacuate on Thursday morning. They withheld their last names, so as not to get in trouble with the agencies who helped them acquire a work assignment on the coast for the summer. On Saturday afternoon, they were standing outside on the balcony of their apartment on Philadelphia Avenue, watching the wind and rain.

They noted that many of the other international students had left two days before for a shelter in Baltimore, and that they felt better in their temporary home in town.

"It's hard to make a decision when you don't know what's going to happen," said Ianis, who said his main storm-related concern was that the roof of their building might fly off.

If conditions got too dicey, they planned to go across the Route 50 Bridge to the shelter at Stephen Decatur High School. They had a couple other friends down the street who had a car who would pick them up if they all decided to leave.

Phil Stoer, a 24-year-old local who works at the Holiday Inn on 17th Street, wanted to be around for Irene. He stayed in town with about 30 other employees to help prepare the building for the storm. They'd spent most of Friday filling bags with sand and lugging them up on the beach in an effort to prevent flooding of the hotel's ground floor.

He and the other employees planned to ride the storm out in hotel rooms, so they could help begin needed repairs as soon as the storm allowed.

"How many times are you going to have the opportunity to be oceanfront for a hurricane?" Stoer said, adding he didn't think the damages would be as extensive as the worst-case scenarios people had been predicting.

In some cases, people who had originally planned to stay had left after experiencing second thoughts.

Among them was Andrew Webster, a 23-year-old who lives on 38th Street. Some of his friends had decided to leave, and he didn't want to stick around alone.

"We wanted to stick around so we could go surfing, but we got kicked out of the water anyway," Webster said.

City Manager Dennis Dare spent the storm at the Public Safety Building on 65th Street with many other city officials, including Meehan, Theobold, council members and representatives from all of the city's emergency service entities. They had set up an outpost, and Councilwoman Mary Knight and many others came through the doors Saturday morning wielding trays of food for everyone.

Dare said any preparations that could have been taken were already in place by Saturday morning, and that the town was already looking toward recovery before the storm even hit.

"It's just a matter of how hard it hits," Dare said. "Some things are going to float that have never floated before, and some things are going to blow that have never blown before. It's just a matter of what the weaknesses are."

Senator Jim Mathias stayed at his family home in town until about 11 a.m. Saturday morning, monitoring the storm for Royal Plus, Inc. a disaster management company he works for. Mathias often travels to hurricane and other natural disaster sites for the company, and was heading to Snow Hill, where they had set up a command center to continue monitoring the storm and to contribute to recovery efforts.

Mathias' two children had left the area earlier in the week to avoid the storm, he said.

"My family is safe, and Kathy is up in Heaven, so she's watching us," Mathias said of his wife, a longtime city employee who recently passed away.

Meehan was optimistic about the way the town's structures might handle the storm, saying Ocean City's buildings typically exceed code requirements. He and DiPino also said they didn't think looting would be a problem during or after the storm.

"That's just not the kind of community we have in Ocean City," DiPino said.

An assessment of the damage would immediately follow the storm, and would be used to make a decision on when people might be allowed back across the bridges into town to survey their property, Meehan said.

"This is Ocean City. We usually get through it," Theobald said.

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410-213-9442, ext. 14

 

 

As prepared as we can be

People in Ocean City fill up bags with sand in preparation for Hurricane Irene on Friday. / MARK WILSON/GETTY IMAGES

OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City's streets were vacant Friday afternoon, on a day when they're normally teeming with people. The reason was an uninvited guest: Hurricane Irene.

Mayor Rick Meehan said he guessed at least 90 percent of people in Ocean City heeded instructions to evacuate.

"People are understanding the severity of the storm," Meehan said. Asked if there would be fines imposed on those who decided to stay, he said, "The fine is not being bright."

Meehan said he and several Ocean City department heads, along with some police and first responders, would ride out the storm in the Public Safety Building, which was built to serve as storm headquarters.

But he said when the storm is at its strongest, beginning this afternoon, it would become too dangerous to send rescue crews to emergency calls.

From 6 p.m. today and until at least Sunday evening, Ocean City will shut down its sewer system; a toilet would likely overflow when flushed. Since Ocean City's plant serves much of West Ocean City as well, county officials ordered an evacuation of West Ocean City and the area east of Route 611. They did the same for all properties in South Point, including Cape Isle of Wight, Mystic Harbour, Snug Harbor, Assateague Point, Frontier Town campground and Castaways.

Worcester County officials said their Top 3 concerns are rainfall, wind and storm surge. The county can expect 6-12 inches of rain, 3-5 feet of storm surge above the high tide levels, and sustained winds of at least 75 mph with gusts up to 100 mph, according to Teresa Owens, director of Worcester County Emergency Services.

Projected hurricane paths based on meteorological computer models usually show varying routes as a storm churns up the coastline, Owens said. Not with Irene.

"All models have been exactly the same, within miles of each other," she said. "Bottom line, best-case scenario, we are going to get flooded, we are going to get wind damage. The ground is going to be saturated. We're going to get hammered all night Saturday."

She said any county employees who had planned vacations have been called back. All hands are on
deck until the storm and its aftermath have been handled.

"Most of you have been training a long, long time for this," Bud Church, president of the Worcester County Commissioners, told a room full of department heads and members of law enforcement at an emergency planning meeting Friday. "We're as well-prepared as we can possibly be."

Church's remarks were interrupted by his own ringing cellphone. "It's the Board of Education," he told the assembled staffers, with a smile. Church put the phone on speaker so everyone could hear the robocall explaining how schools would be closed Monday.

Monday was supposed to be the first day of school for Worcester County students, but the board put that on hold so some of its buildings could be made available as shelters. Those schools are Stephen Decatur Middle School (pets OK), Stephen Decatur High, Snow Hill High and Pocomoke High (pets OK).

The school year won't begin until evacuees are safely out of shelters. Shelters will remain open as needed and more will be made available based on demand.

Owens expected they will soon fill up because nobody will be turned away.

"They're going to rough it," she said. "They're not coming to the shelters to be comfortable. You're going to be on the floor. They will be safe but not real comfortable."

The Casino at Ocean Downs decided to close today and Sunday, after initially announcing a closure not beginning until Sunday. In Ocean Pines, the homeowners association encouraged waterfront properties and places prone to flooding to vacate. But no broad evacuation advisory had been issued for Ocean Pines as of Friday afternoon. The Assateague waterfront parks were cleared out Friday.

County crews have been "working feverishly" since Tuesday, laying sandbags at public buildings prone to flooding, inspecting bridges and securing loose items at construction sites, said Public Works Director John Tustin.

Fire companies will not respond to calls for service once sustained winds reach 45 mph, said Worcester County Fire Marshall Jeff McMahon. "While you still have time to evacuate, you should," he said.
For county law enforcement, a major area of concern is the low-lying property between Stockton and Bishopville, said Worcester County Sheriff Reggie Mason.

Mason will have extra deputies in those areas to make sure people get out safely, in addition to the 25 deputies patrolling the entire county sector-by-sector for the duration. Another 20-25 deputies will be on call should more manpower become necessary, he said.

"I want people to know we're out there," Mason said. "If you need help, we're there. Right now, I feel prepared and ready to go."

Mason expects main roads to be inaccessible as a result of flooding and fallen trees, especially around the Pocomoke Forest area.

If deputies on patrol see any residents in dangerous places riding out the storm at home, they'll take down the residents' names and the names of their next of kin. The deputies will come back later to check on those people, Mason said.

» Staff Writer Charlene Sharpe contributed to this report.

 

OC empties ahead of Irene

OCEAN CITY -- An insistent evacuation of Ocean City began at midnight, and the resort hoped to
have all residents and visitors out of town by 5 p.m. today, as a hurricane heads for Delmarva.

At midnight, Phase 3 of the resort's evacuation plan went into effect, meaning everyone other than
emergency workers had to make their way across the bridges and out of town.

The decision was made late Thursday after overnight forecasts nudged the projected path of Hurricane Irene closer to the Delmarva coastline than had been expected Wednesday. Mayor Rick Meehan signed a local state of emergency declaration, which essentially shuts down the entire town. The sale of alcohol is banned, and all businesses were asked to close.

For Ocean City, Irene's eye "will pass very close by or just offshore later Saturday night into Sunday morning," Accuweather Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said Thursday.

It will bring heavy rain -- a predicted 9.5 inches in town -- that is expected to cause substantial coastal flooding, along with sustained hurricane-force winds reaching 90 mph, with gusts near 120 mph.

The highest wind speeds from the hurricane should occur at about 9 a.m. Sunday morning, according to an evacuation notification from Ocean City officials on Thursday. Gale-force winds are expected to begin affecting the resort Saturday at about 5 p.m., with hurricane-force winds kicking in Sunday at about 4 a.m.

"You got people with no idea what the hell's about to happen to them," said Worcester County Commissioner Virgil Shockley, who said he thinks not everyone will follow the evacuation order.

"You'll have people on the top floor of some hotel for a hurricane party."

Shockley said people need to get where they need to be by tonight, and they need to stay there. He likened the storm's potential to a "real nor'easter" multiplied by three.

If people don't heed the evacuation notice and stay in Ocean City, police who encounter them will take their name and next of kin information, said Ocean City police spokesman Mike Levy.

"After that, you're on your own," Levy said. If the town goes to Phase 4 of its plan, police and fire services will be suspended until the storm is over, he said.

After 5 p.m. today, the public will not be allowed to drive, bike or walk into town, Levy said.

Ed McDonough, spokesman for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, said he didn't anticipate mandatory evacuations for all of Worcester, Wicomico and surrounding counties, but that it hadn't been ruled out.

He said evacuees are more likely to be sent to local shelters than across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. If wind speeds in the area of the bridge reach 55 mph or higher during Irene's duration, the bridge will close.

In Somerset County, officials were expected to begin evacuating Smith Island, according to Yvette Sterling, assistant director of emergency services. Irene is expected to hit that area Saturday night at around the same time as high tide in Crisfield and Deal Island.

Somerset could see 6-12 inches of rain and tidal surges of 2-4 feet, which could cause serious flooding in coastal areas.

"I think Sunday morning's going to be a mess," Sterling said.

Ocean City's evacuation began with its first phase Thursday morning, when it asked planned visitors to stay away from town and began to evacuate its foreign-student summer work force. They were taken from the Roland Powell Convention Center by municipal bus first to Arthur W. Perdue Stadium, and then to a shelter in Baltimore.

The evacuation of some 4,000 students is expected to be completed sometime this morning.

"I'm not that scared, but it's good they're doing this," Elena Viscovatih, a native of Moldova, said while she waited with a bag to board a bus. "When we came here, we didn't expect to meet a hurricane. Last year, nothing like this happened."

One student from Moscow was distressed about the evacuation. She had a plane ticket for Saturday that would take her to New York. From there, she had planned to fly back to her home country.

"I don't know what I am supposed to do," she said in tears. "What do I do?"

» Staff Writers Liz Holland, Brian Shane and Jennifer Shutt contributed to this report.

Ocean City officials order evacuation on Friday

Purchase Image

A crew at Sunset Marina in West Ocean City lifts a boat from the water on Wednesday as Hurricane Irene strengthened. The couple that owns the boat, Dream Catcher, also has property in Florida and decided to shore up both locations as the path of the storm was uncertain. / LAURA EMMONS/THE DAILY TIMES

OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation starting at midnight tonight.

At that time, phase 3 of the resort's evacuation plan will go into effect, meaning everyone other than emergency personnel must leave.

A town statement said effective at midnight, "All persons other than identified emergency personnel are ordered to evacuate. Visitors are asked to return to their principal residences. Ocean City residents are asked to seek shelter elsewhere.

"Utilizing the authority under a local State of Emergency, the Mayor is banning the sale of all alcohol in Ocean City and requests that all businesses close beginning at midnight. All incoming traffic to Ocean City, Maryland, will be limited to emergency personnel."

The full statement is at fb.me/X8Ihj2zy

The decision was made this afternoon after overnight forecasts nudged the projected path of Hurricane Irene closer to the Delmarva coastline than had been expected during the day Wednesday.

Irene's eye "will pass very close by or just offshore [of Ocean City] later Saturday night into Sunday morning," AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said Thursday.

"Periods of heavy rain, damaging sustained tropical storm-force winds with hurricane-force wind gusts (95 mph), and serious coastal flooding will occur Saturday night into Sunday. Expect significant beach erosion with a storm surge averaging 2 to 4 feet, but locally it can be higher. There will be waves topping seawalls Saturday night," Sosnowski forecasted.

The predictions are subject to revision as the storm progresses north from Outer Banks, N.C., on Saturday.

Resort officials are monitoring the situation constantly and are prepared to get any messages regarding the storm out to the public quickly, according to Joe Theobald, Worcester Emergency Services director.

Weather updates will be posted on the town's website, offered via a recorded information line at 410-723-6666 and on 1670 AM.
 

"As of now, use common sense and pay attention to what's going on, and be prepared for a strong storm," Theobald said from his office Wednesday. "Everyone should have a personal plan."

 

Ocean City hasn't been evacuated since 1985, when Hurricane Gloria, a Category 5 storm, passed about 50 miles offshore and practically destroyed the Boardwalk. The town has since become much less vulnerable to storm damage due to beach replenishment efforts.

Theobald said there is a likelihood of stormwater accumulation downtown, a commonplace occurrence during downpours.

"It's going to be bad weather most of the weekend," said AccuWeather forecaster John Gresiak, who added waters will still be "very rough" through Sunday, even after the storm passes.

"I wouldn't recommend going swimming Sunday, even if the skies are beginning to clear," he said.

Time for dry dock

Ocean City Councilman Joe Hall said it's important to be concerned and prepared, but not worried, due to the "ample warning" the town typically has in regards to hurricanes.

"You just have to take the precautions necessary to protect life and property," Hall said. One of the preemptive measures he has taken is to remove his boat from the water and put it in storage, a commonality among boat owners in the area in the days before a serious storm.

The phone has been ringing off the hook at Harbor Marine, a boat sales, service and storage business on Sunset Avenue in West Ocean City. Customers are calling now to get their vessels out of the water before Saturday, when they'll keep them in until October, according to office manager Monica Shoemaker.

News of a forthcoming hurricane can cause mixed feelings for surfers in the area, said Lee Gerachis, owner of Malibu Surf Shop. Many are excited at the potential to see surf of a quality rare to the area but they also don't want any destruction.

Ideally, the surfing community hopes for the storm to be trapped about 150 miles off the coast, which
generates a good surf with beautiful weather, Gerachis said. If it's close enough to cause much damage, the winds are often too powerful for surfing safely.
 

"According to the generated computer models I've seen, it's not looking too favorable," he said.

 

In Wicomico County, David Shipley, the newly appointed director of emergency management, as well as officials from the county's Department of Public Works are closely watching storm models.

"The track of the storm is really going to drive exactly what we do," said Shipley.





Public Works and first responders get periodic updates from Shipley, who said he plans on communicating with the public through news releases. If the power goes out and limits media access, the county can use its reverse 911 system to place automated messages to landlines and registered cellphones.

Watermen bracing for the hurricane began pulling up crab pots Wednesday; they expect to lose out financially because of the storm.

"I'm probably not going to work for another week or so," said Billy Welch, a waterman out of Crisfield.

He pulled 250 crab pots on Wednesday, and anticipates pulling another 250 today.

"They cost about $30 apiece and they won't stand a lot of wind; they will get rolled up and lost."
Power outages could affect the area even further during the storm, and the Maryland State Fire Marshal urged residents Wednesday to use flashlights instead of candles, if possible, and to proceed cautiously if using and refueling a portable generator.
 

» Staff Writer Jennifer Shutt contributed to this report.