White to compete in Dew Tour

OCEAN CITY -- When the Flying Tomato comes to the beach, does he get a tan?
Shaun White, the extreme sports icon whose nickname is derived from his long, curly red hair, heads up the list of more than 40 professional competitors coming to town for this month's kickoff of the 2011 Dew Tour.

White, who initially made a name for himself in Olympic snowboarding, will compete in the skate vert competition. He'll be joined by Bob Burnquist, Bucky Lasek and 2010 skate vert champion Pierre-Luc Gagnon.

Pedro Barros, Rune Glifberg and Andy MacDonald will compete in the debut of the Dew Tour's skate bowl competition, and many athletes are participating in both skateboarding competitions.
Daniel Dhers will defend his standing as BMX Park champion against veteran Ryan Nyquist -- who designed the park course -- and 16-year-old Brett Banasiewicz, while Chad Kagy will look to repeat as BMX Vert champ against Steve McCann and Francisco Zurita.

The event, now dubbed the Pantech Open after a mobile phone manufacturing company sponsoring it, will take place from July 21-24. It's the first of four Dew Tour stops this summer. The tour determines its champions based on a cumulative points system after the final stop in Las Vegas. After Ocean City, the tour will continue on to Portland, Ore., and then Salt Lake City.

The event will be broadcast live on NBC Sports and is also broadcast on MTV, MTV2 and USA. It's also broadcast on various international channels. The broadcast schedule has yet to be determined.
Preparation crews will come into town Monday to start setting up for the competition a full 10 days before it starts. The setup will take place during nighttime hours, a suggestion made by the Town Council to help avoid interference with the town's normal activities.

Work was initially supposed to begin Wednesday, but the council granted permission to Chris Prybylo, vice president at Alli Sports, to begin work earlier.

"We just want to make sure we have enough time to do everything in the hours that you would like us to," Prybylo said at a June 20 council meeting, during which he briefly outlined some of the construction plans that will take place in an area of the beach that will span several blocks coming north from the pier.

One feature of the setup will be a plastic road installed at Dorchester Street that will extend onto the beach. The road will give the 40 or so tractor-trailers the direct sand access needed to load and unload equipment for the event.

Alli plans to lessen the burden on the town by contracting its own security entity and providing a medical staff to serve participants and spectators. Both will supplement the police and EMS departments' normal patrolling of the area, to lessen overtime costs.

The Ocean City police presence in the area of the event will be at normal levels for most of the event, with extra forces slated to work during the concert portion, said City Manager Dennis Dare. The artists who will perform have yet to be named.

"I've talked to many of the participants, and they're really looking forward to Ocean City," Prybylo said, singling out Nyquist, who has two children and said he was looking forward to bringing his family to town. "I think this is going to be a huge impact."

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

 

Phillips' legacy not just crab empire

OCEAN CITY -- Brice R. Phillips made a name for himself with the famous seafood empire he and his wife, Shirley, built from a modest foundation in 1956 when they opened a small carryout crab shack in Ocean City.

The legacy he leaves with those who were close to him, however, will span far beyond the business realm.

Phillips died July 1 at age 90 in his Ocean City home. He was referred to in interviews as one of the nicest men his friends ever knew. The sentiment was also stated in the late William Donald Schaefer's will, released in May. The Baltimore mayor and former Maryland governor left Phillips $2,500, and his words about Phillips' kindness were the only personal remembrance of any kind in the will, according to The Baltimore Sun.

"He was a constant gentleman," Sen. Jim Mathias said. "He was always dressed like one, and he and
Shirley were just the couple you would want to help represent a family resort."

Brice Phillips grew up on Hoopers Island in Dorchester County, where he met Shirley Flowers Phillips, his childhood girlfriend who became his wife of 68 years. Leonard Berger, who owns the Clarion hotel complex in Ocean City, recalls the graciousness and generosity of the Phillips family.

When Berger became engaged to his wife, Shirley Phillips insisted on hosting the shower at their home, he said.

"They were always doing things like that, and they were very active in charities. They were always willing to give a helping hand for someone who needed it," Berger said.

Former mayor Roland E. "Fish" Powell remembers when Brice and Shirley Phillips moved to the resort with their sons, Stephen and Jeffrey, and started the business. It began as a way to sell excess crabs from A.E. Phillips & Son, the family's processing plant on Hoopers Island. Powell called it a "one-copper-kettle operation."

It eventually blossomed into what it is today: A family business that includes 19 restaurants across the East Coast. The original restaurant, at 21st Street, has expanded into Phillips Crab House, a two-story building that seats more than 1,000 and occupies an entire block.

"We lifelong Marylanders got to watch the Phillips family grow as an enterprise, and they were always one of those families you looked up to," said Mathias, who is in the midst of his 40th summer in town. "Hopefully the Phillipses can be an inspiration for people who dream of building a business and family in Ocean City, and 25 years from now, when people talk about leadership and accomplishment, they'll think of Brice and Shirley."

When Powell was in office, he said he could always count on Brice Phillips when he needed something like a luncheon or another favor.

"He was always there when you needed him," Powell said.

Brice Phillips served in Schaefer's informal "kitchen cabinet," a group of businesspeople, doctors and other thinkers Schaefer used to consult, according to Mathias, who recalled having a nice time on numerous car rides he would take with Brice Phillips to visit the former governor in Baltimore.

Schaefer was integral in helping take the Phillips' restaurants from Ocean City to Baltimore back in 1980, and the two men had been close friends, said John Knorr, the company's senior vice president, in an interview shortly after Schaefer's death.

"I really hope Ocean City's future continues to be conjoined with or supported by people like Brice and Shirley Phillips," Mathias said.

On July 1, Phillips Seafood posted a photograph of Brice Phillips on its Facebook page. It was accompanied by news of his death and an outpouring of sympathetic and tributary comments from friends and workers past and present.

One comment urged the family to continue on with his legacy. Another said Brice Phillips will be "eating all-you-can-eat crab legs with God now," while another said the world lost an "amazing man with a golden heart."

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. today at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center at 40th Street and Coastal Highway. In lieu of flowers, donations in Brice Phillips' memory may be made to Atlantic General Hospital, Critical Care Unit, 9733 Healthway Drive, Berlin, Md. 21811; Atlantic United Methodist Church, 105 Fourth St., Ocean City, Md. 21842; or Coastal Hospice, PO Box 1733, Salisbury, Md. 21802.

 

Presidential guard running for Cardin's Senate seat

BERLIN -- Daniel Bongino describes himself as a controlled but aggressive politician, and the Republican says he's prepared to direct his energies at U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and the "failed ideology" Cardin represents.

Ultimately, the entrepreneur and former U.S. Secret Service agent hopes to oust Cardin from his Senate seat in the 2012 election. He's running on a platform that opposes government price control, third-party payers and coercion, he said when he spoke at the Republican Women of Worcester County's monthly meeting at the Glen Riddle Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Bongino also opposes the proposed Chesapeake Bay Bridge toll increases.

Bongino, 36, warned the women that six more years in office for Cardin and four more years of the current presidential administration's methods of action would fail.

"It is inevitable that government will always fail you," Bongino said. He told the crowd of about 50 there is an "ideological war" going on between liberals and conservatives, and that he's prepared to jump in the ring and give them some punches.

"Ben Cardin has no idea what's coming his way," Bongino said after sharing the old boxing quote, "the best punch is one you don't see coming" with the audience.

Bongino began his career as a New York City police officer, and from there became a member of the U.S. Secret Service. He served on security detail for former President George W. Bush, and said he was one of four on the detail who garnered a perfect security score. He resigned after 12 years so he could seek out a career in politics; his uncommon path to elected office -- through presidential security -- has drawn attention from national news media.

Bongino had a calling to go after Cardin's seat, he said, though "not in a metaphysical way... I just decided you have to get up off the couch and fight these battles for yourselves," Bongino said.

He currently owns three businesses, which impressed the club's vice president, Gail Schuler. "We could certainly use some of that at the top right now," she said. Publicity chair Betty O'Brien said she was "favorably impressed" with Bongino.

Bongino lives in Severna Park, in Anne Arundel County, with his wife and daughter. He plans to come back to the state's coast often during his campaign, he said. "I'm not going to neglect one vote or one person," he said.

Bongino ended his talk by urging attendees to not vote for a Democrat, even if they opt not to vote for him.

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

 

Numbers indicate better tourism year for Ocean City over 2010

By Associated Press, Published: July 5

OCEAN CITY, Md. — If early numbers are an accurate indication, Ocean City has seen a better tourism season so far this year than in the last one, though not as prosperous a summer as 2009’s was by Independence Day.

More people have visited the resort in May and June 2011 than during those months in 2010, according to wastewater flow and room tax figures — two methods town and county officials use to gauge the amount of people visiting.

The demoflush figures — which measure how many times Ocean City’s toilets were flushed, by seeing how much wastewater gets treated -- reflects an approximation of how many people were in the resort.

In May 2011, nearly 893,000 people were in the resort, while about 826,000 came in May 2010. In 2009, however, about 974,000 were here in May. More visited in June 2009 than June 2011 by a margin of about 60,000 people.

The numbers show the resort is trending in a positive direction, said Ocean City spokeswoman Donna Abbott.

“It’s excellent news,” she said.

Abbott attributes the statistics increase to an economy that is beginning to improve as well as calm weather and a concerted effort from town officials to promote the area as a nice vacation destination.

“I think we’ve been proactive in our campaign and that we’ve positioned ourselves very well in the mid-Atlantic,” she said in a phone interview while she was traveling in the Philadelphia area with Mayor Rick Meehan. They were on a trip promoting Ocean City in appearances and media interviews.

Room tax revenue for May this year was more lucrative than in 2010. Statistics show about $1.9 million total taken in so far this year, compared to $1.7 million by this point in 2010. Some of the increase may be due to the fact that some who had been renting condo rooms were neglecting to pay room tax in the past but have since been discovered by the city, according to Susan Jones, executive director of the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association.

Rosemary Sheridan of Ocean Pines said she wouldn’t normally drive into Ocean City for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, but came to the Boardwalk this year because her children and granddaughter were visiting.

“I like the Boardwalk and I always bring my grandchildren,” Sheridan said.

Debbie Keaton of Germantown, Md., made the trip in this year to visit with family from Millsboro.
Sitting on the Boardwalk, Keaton said she wanted to enjoy time in the sun, Thrasher’s french fries and people-watch.

Keaton said she normally tries to come to the resort town on off-weekends, when it can be less crowded, but made an exception this year.

Ocean City Councilman Brent Ashley has said he’s skeptical of how accurately demoflush and room tax numbers represent commerce in the town and maintains that the resort has been in a visitor slump for some time.

Ashley believes visitorship is down partially to ineffective promotion by the town. So Ashley championed a promotional campaign that would see the town stake $100,000 of its advertising budget toward somehow giving away free gas to visitors.

Eventually, the council opted not to go ahead with the promotion, but Ashley decided to continue the effort on his own. He officially kicked off his “Free gas in Ocean City” campaign Wednesday, when he filled up a family of five’s SUV at the Shell gas station on Philadelphia Avenue, just before the Route 50 bridge. The DiSabatos of Tallmadge, Ohio, had been vacationing in Ocean City and were heading to Virginia to visit family. Ashley chose them at random after a few minutes standing outside the station, clad in a suit and toting a “free gas” sign.

“It’s great to get free gas from anybody, and especially a councilman,” said Bob DiSabato, whose wife and two children sat in the car during the fill-up. He said he thinks other resorts should follow suit with gas giveaways.

“I can’t think of a better way to say thank you,” Ashley said. He plans to periodically pump gas for people and to distribute envelopes with “Free Gas!” written on them with an Ocean City logo and message thanking them for visiting.

The statistics in the past three years show unpredictability for what will happen in July and August.

Despite its lower numbers in the beginning of the season, 2010’s visitor numbers eclipsed 2009’s in July, August and September.

Abbott said she believes commerce will continue to look up for the rest of the summer.

“Things should go well from what we’ve been hearing, the weather has been cooperating and we’re looking forward to the rest of summer,” she said.

The town expects the forthcoming Dew Tour on July 21-24 to attract a plethora of visitors to stimulate the local economy as well.

Gas prices have also gone down from the heights they reached earlier this year, when talk of free gas started on the prediction by some town officials that expensive fuel may dissuade some people from driving to the resort.

The summer is “going gangbusters” so far in Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach, according to Carol Everhart, CEO and president of the Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Everhart makes her inferences from room occupancy, visitor center visitation and requests for information submitted via website or telephone.

The room occupancy numbers have been up from 2010’s figures each weekend since the weekend that began May 20, and May’s visitor center visitation was up more than 100 people from 2010.

Everhart has been optimistic about this year’s tourism season since the first few months of the year, when she was seeing increased visitor information interest at a time when many families were planning their summer vacations.

“When you start getting a lot of these in January and February you start saying, ‘We’re going to have a great year,’ ” Everhart said. “Now we’re at Fourth of July, and all indicators seem to say we really are going to have a great summer.”
___
Information from: The Daily Times of Salisbury, Md., http://www.delmarvanow.com/

 

This article was also published in The Washington Post

'Excellent' outlook for OC

Numbers indicate better tourism year than 2010; councilman disagrees

Ocean City Town Councilman Brent Ashley bought gas Wednesday at the Shell station on Coastal Highway for Bob DiSabato of Tallmadge, Ohio. DiSabato was heading home with his wife, Trish, and children, Robert, 7, and Christine, 13, after visiting the resort. / THOMAS MELVILLE/THE DAILY TIMES

OCEAN CITY -- If early numbers are an accurate indication, Ocean City has seen a better tourism season so far this year than in the last one, though not as prosperous a summer as 2009's was by Independence Day.

More people have visited the resort in May and June 2011 than during those months in 2010, according to wastewater flow and room tax figures -- two methods town and county officials use to gauge the amount of people visiting.

The demoflush figures -- which measure how many times Ocean City's toilets were flushed, by seeing how much wastewater gets treated -- reflects an approximation of how many people were in the resort. In May 2011, nearly 893,000 people were in the resort, while about 826,000 came in May 2010. In 2009, however, about 974,000 were here in May. More visited in June 2009 than June 2011 by a margin of about 60,000 people.

The numbers show the resort is trending in a positive direction, said Ocean City spokeswoman Donna Abbott.

"It's excellent news," she said.

Abbott attributes the statistics increase to an economy that is beginning to improve as well as calm weather and a concerted effort from town officials to promote the area as a nice vacation destination.

"I think we've been proactive in our campaign and that we've positioned ourselves very well in the mid-Atlantic," she said in a phone interview while she was traveling in the Philadelphia area with Mayor Rick Meehan. They were on a trip promoting Ocean City in appearances and media interviews.

Room tax revenue for May this year was more lucrative than in 2010. Statistics show about $1.9 million total taken in so far this year, compared to $1.7 million by this point in 2010. Some of the increase may be due to the fact that some who had been renting condo rooms were neglecting to pay room tax in the past but have since been discovered by the city, according to Susan Jones, executive director of the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association.

Rosemary Sheridan of Ocean Pines said she wouldn't normally drive into Ocean City for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, but came to the Boardwalk this year because her children and granddaughter were visiting.

"I like the Boardwalk and I always bring my grandchildren," Sheridan said.

Debbie Keaton of Germantown, Md., made the trip in this year to visit with family from Millsboro. Sitting on the Boardwalk, Keaton said she wanted to enjoy time in the sun, Thrasher's french fries and people-watch.

Keaton said she normally tries to come to the resort town on off-weekends, when it can be less crowded, but made an exception this year.

Free gas campaign

Ocean City Councilman Brent Ashley has said he's skeptical of how accurately demoflush and room tax numbers represent commerce in the town and maintains that the resort has been in a visitor slump for some time.

Ashley believes visitorship is down partially to ineffective promotion by the town. So Ashley championed a promotional campaign that would see the town stake $100,000 of its advertising budget toward somehow giving away free gas to visitors.

Eventually, the council opted not to go ahead with the promotion, but Ashley decided to continue the effort on his own. He officially kicked off his "Free gas in Ocean City" campaign Wednesday, when he filled up a family of five's SUV at the Shell gas station on Philadelphia Avenue, just before the Route 50 bridge. The DiSabatos of Tallmadge, Ohio, had been vacationing in Ocean City and were heading to Virginia to visit family. Ashley chose them at random after a few minutes standing outside the station, clad in a suit and toting a "free gas" sign.

"It's great to get free gas from anybody, and especially a councilman," said Bob DiSabato, whose wife and two children sat in the car during the fill-up. He said he thinks other resorts should follow suit with gas giveaways.

"I can't think of a better way to say thank you," Ashley said. He plans to periodically pump gas for people and to distribute envelopes with "Free Gas!" written on them with an Ocean City logo and message thanking them for visiting.

What's ahead

The statistics in the past three years show unpredictability for what will happen in July and August. Despite its lower numbers in the beginning of the season, 2010's visitor numbers eclipsed 2009's in July, August and September.

Abbott said she believes commerce will continue to look up for the rest of the summer.

"Things should go well from what we've been hearing, the weather has been cooperating and we're looking forward to the rest of summer," she said.

The town expects the forthcoming Dew Tour on July 21-24 to attract a plethora of visitors to stimulate the local economy as well.

Gas prices have also gone down from the heights they reached earlier this year, when talk of free gas started on the prediction by some town officials that expensive fuel may dissuade some people from driving to the resort.

Delaware

The summer is "going gangbusters" so far in Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach, according to Carol Everhart, CEO and president of the Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Everhart makes her inferences from room occupancy, visitor center visitation and requests for information submitted via website or telephone.

The room occupancy numbers have been up from 2010's figures each weekend since the weekend that began May 20, and May's visitor center visitation was up more than 100 people from 2010.

Everhart has been optimistic about this year's tourism season since the first few months of the year, when she was seeing increased visitor information interest at a time when many families were planning their summer vacations.

"When you start getting a lot of these in January and February you start saying, 'We're going to have a great year,' " Everhart said. "Now we're at Fourth of July, and all indicators seem to say we really are going to have a great summer."

 

 

Growth spurt: Seacrets aims to franchise

Seacrets owner Leighton Moore is in the process of franchising his highly successful homegrown Ocean City business, with 70 prospective franchisees looking to bring his take on Jamaica, USA, to locations along the East Coast. / LAURA EMMONS/WORCESTER COUNTY TIMES

 OCEAN CITY -- When Leighton Moore opened Seacrets 23 years ago, he wanted to bring Jamaica to the United States. The business model has worked well; the vacation entertainment complex is one of the most popular spots in Ocean City, brings in millions in revenue each year and employs about 500 people.

Now, Moore wants to take the Jamaican attitude and food all over the country, and is looking to do so by franchising his business. So far, 70 prospective franchisees have sought information about opening a franchise in places like eastern Long Island, N.Y., Florida, Myrtle Beach, S.C., Baltimore and Virginia, among others.

"It's always been one of my goals, but it was a matter of getting the right team and timing together, and now I feel like we're able to split some of our ranks and actually help with managing franchises so they're able to go along with the style we prefer at Seacrets," Moore, owner and CEO, said in an interview.

There are certain requirements and qualifications potential franchisees must meet to be considered, including a waterfront location with a decent amount of acquirable land surrounding it, according to Gary Figgs, Seacrets' vice president and chief financial officer.

Moore and Figgs are fine with establishments starting out small like Seacrets did in 1988, as long as they have a futuristic plan and the wherewithal to eventually expand. When Seacrets opened, it had a capacity of 200. Now, it can handle up to 4,600 customers at a time.

"I wouldn't be adverse to doing the same thing I did (with a franchisee) as long as they have the right demographic, work ethic and land and space," Moore said.

The company is still awaiting approval from Maryland's Office of the Attorney General to be able to franchise the concept in the state, Figgs said, something he hopes will happen soon. Fourteen states have a similar requirement, including New York and Virginia, where Moore said Seacrets has already obtained franchising approval.

Moore is also looking for new locations where mass transit is available, and owners willing to eventually incorporate a hotel into building plans. He doesn't want people to have to worry about driving, something he thinks helps contribute to a laidback, Jamaicanesque experience.

Franchising a homegrown OC business has been done before, by some of Moore's peers. The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille originated in Ocean City, and now has 31 locations all over the East Coast, some of which are franchises. The company started franchising about five years ago -- in April, it awarded its first franchise in Pennsylvania -- and has been successful so far, according to Steve Pappas, an owner and one of the chain's founders.

Greene Turtles' original owners had been opening new locations on their own for years before they decided to franchise, a decision they made because they didn't have the money to expand as broadly and quickly as they wanted to, according to Pappas.

"The important thing (when you're franchising) is to make sure you keep your same brand, and I think we've done a pretty good job with that," said Pappas. "The places aren't always going to be the same, but we're able to keep the same atmosphere and food, and we still have the same mugs and peanuts and some of the other things we started with here in Ocean City."

Pappas pointed out that Seacrets' attempt at franchising could be much different, since it's a larger place with a location that's more difficult to replicate.

"We can put a Greene Turtle pretty much anywhere, but they have to have water and a more complex theme," he said.

"This isn't something we're going to rush," Moore said, adding that he and the rest of his group would do their due diligence when looking into possible locations. "We're looking for quality right now, and then quantity can come later."

Prospective franchisees will have to shell out an initial investment of $1.6 million-$3.1 million, plus a $45,000 franchise fee. Seacrets will take six percent in royalties and 10 percent from complexes with hotel operations. The company directs hopeful investors to seacretsfranchising.com for more information.

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

 

 

Retirees take to trams with gusto

Husband and wife Dan and Rose Filbey take a moment to say hello as their respective trains pass each other on the Ocean City Boardwalk. / THOMAS MELVILLE/WORCESTER COUNTY TIMES

OCEAN CITY -- For years, Dan Filbey would sit on the balcony of the condo he used to own that overlooked the Boardwalk and watch the trams go by.

He often told his wife that if he ever decided to retire from his full-time job in Baltimore, he'd like to work as a driver during the summer season. Three years ago, he made good on his pledge, and has been piloting a tram up and down the planks ever since.

During his first summer on the job, his wife, Rose Filbey, would watch from that same balcony, and see her husband clearly enjoying himself as he drove by.

He looked like he was having way too much fun, she said, so the next summer she decided to get in on the action as well. She took up a part-time career as a conductor -- the people who sit in the back of the tram, giving direction and collecting cash from customers before they board.

Both enjoy the job, and Dan Filbey says he'll do it until it isn't fun anymore, a time he says he can't really imagine just yet.

"As far as working goes -- what better office can you have?" he said.

The Filbeys have since relocated to a year-round home in Fenwick Island and come into town together five days a week or so. They always work the same shift, but typically don't work on the same tram, a kind of unwritten tram operator policy that helps avoid backseat driver syndrome.

Their favorite shift is the late one, 5 p.m-1 a.m., because it's a period of high activity and low sun on the boards. They see each other every now and then when the trams pass each other.

"I get to say, 'Hi, babe,' as he goes by," Rose Filbey said. Sometimes, she'll tell passengers they're about to cross paths with her husband. Everyone on the tram will greet him in unison.

The Filbeys relish their constant interaction with riders, most of whom are on vacation and "happy about it," Rose Filbey said. They serve as makeshift tour guides for those who have just come to the resort for the first time, but they're always careful not to show bias toward certain restaurants or events, according to Dan Filbey. They just suggest "a lot of good places," he said.

"Wherever you go, the tram is a good place to start off a date," Rose Filbey said, citing a couple who had ridden recently on their 50th wedding anniversary. They'd come to Ocean City for their honeymoon, and decided to come back after half a century for another celebration. "It's great getting to meet people like that."

The Filbeys also find amusement in the excitement many younger children seem to have regarding the tram. They have two grandchildren who are in awe of their position as tram operators, they said.

"Whenever Danny started driving, you would have thought he was some kind of superstar," Rose Filbey said.

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

 

 

Ashley says his pay will fuel gas offer

OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City government has chosen not to shell out a portion of the town's advertising money to purchase gas for a tourist giveaway. But a councilman says he'll see to it the town buys a free-gas promotion -- with his own municipal salary.

Councilman Brent Ashley pledged to use his council salary -- about $10,000, he said -- as the foundation for a giveaway that will be supplemented by Joe Kro-Art and other members of the resort's business community.

The amount of the giveaway will be different than what council was considering, Ashley said, but the intent will remain the same. Ashley and others will attempt to show their appreciation to visitors by helping them with travel costs.

Kro-Art, owner of Ocean Gallery on the Boardwalk at Second Street, pioneered the idea of a giveaway in May, and has been championing it since. He says he will be involved in Ashley's project "in every aspect, for whatever he needs." He didn't name an amount he intends to contribute to the cause.

"It's not the amount. It's the intention and credibility," he said.

Council decided on June 14 to take $100,000 it had allotted for a free-gas offer and dedicate it to promoting the fact that visitors can already get free fuel, via promotions, from area hotels, motels and condominium complexes. Council made the decision in a 4-3 vote during a closed session Tuesday afternoon, following a presentation on potential methods for conducting a free gas campaign by Andy Malis, president of MGH, a Baltimore-based advertising firm.

"We accepted enough ideas, and realized for us, since hotels are already giving away gas cards, we can promote that," said council President Jim Hall. "We've decided not to approve the $100,000 for actual free gas."

Ashley, who initially brought to council the idea of a gas giveaway, said he felt the change of direction was unconscionable.

"I feel I made a promise to do this, and I'm going to do this," Ashley said in an interview Tuesday, when he announced the plan to launch his own promotion. Ashley is still working on the logicstics of the promotion: where will the gas come from? How will it be given out? But said he thinks some of the ideas, when finalized, will be "innovative and cute."

Mayor Rick Meehan said he supported council's vote to abandon the direct gas purchase, although he felt the free gas concept was presented with good intentions. Meehan maintains the town should base its efforts more on promoting what the resort already has to offer, including the many free activities.

"We have so many great things to say about the town, and we're continuing to try and enhance the value of a trip to Ocean City for tourists," said Meehan. "I think it's best to concentrate in those areas."
He said the town didn't want to compete with the private businesses already offering fuel promotions.

The existing gasoline incentives can be found at ocvisitor.com, under the "deals" tab. In return for hotel stays of three or four nights, a dozen hotels, motels and condos are offering preloaded gas cards worth $20 to $50.

Councilman Doug Cymek initially voted with Ashley, Margaret Pillas and Joe Hall to allot the money for MGH to somehow give away free fuel, but was convinced to change his vote after he had spoken to more than 50 people in town who were not in support of the idea, he said. Jim Hall, Mary Knight and Lloyd Martin also voted against a gas giveaway.

Ashley said the people he'd spoken with were in favor of the idea. He called Cymek's actions "dirty politics," and told Cymek it wasn't necessary for them to talk in the future, he said. Ashley was upset because he felt Cymek had gone back on his word by changing his vote.

"I told him if I can't trust what you say, don't waste my time," Ashley said, and called council's change of heart an "embarrassment to Ocean City."

In an interview, Cymek reiterated a comment he made at council's May 31 meeting: He wasn't in favor of "just giving away" $100,000 of free gas. After speaking to 57 people on the matter, he'd concluded, it was better to promote the hotels already doing gas deals for guests.

"I made Councilman Ashley aware I didn't have any obligation to report to him," said Cymek. "I wasn't elected to make him happy, but to look out for the interest of citizens of Ocean City."

Councilman Joe Hall, the swing vote to get the gas proposal approved on May 31, was disappointed, he said, especially since Malis had told council a free gasoline promotion could quite possibly be the town's best short-term promotion yet.

Businesspeople in town had varying opinions on council's change of heart, ranging from support to apathy to disgust.

"I think it was smart to back out of it, because that money can be used somewhere else much more efficiently," said Lee Gerachis, owner of Malibu Surf Shop, 713 N. Atlantic Ave. "(Council) came up with an idea and decided it wasn't the right thing to do, so I have no problem with their decision at all."

Gerachis suggested the $100,000 be used instead to give away a weekend of free parking in town. He feels aggressive ticketing in town alienates tourists.

Kro-Art maintains that the town's decision to back out on the free gas campaign, which he and Ashley have both called a "public relations bonanza" on numerous occasions, could result in a loss of millions of dollars for resort businesses. He also said he has been speaking to many people each weekend about their excitement at the prospect of free gas.

"I've been in this town for over 40 years, and something like this makes me want to consider moving my business to Delaware," said Kro-Art after town yanked the funding. He added that council had made the biggest public relations mistake it has ever made.

"They just shot themselves in the foot," he said.

Michael James, general manager of Carousel Resort Hotel and Condominiums, on 117th Street, pointed out that even if $100,000 in free gas was given away, it wouldn't affect more than a small fraction of the town's visitors. He said he doesn't think people base their trip to the resort on gas prices, and that a giveaway might be more appropriate if there was an actual shortage of gasoline, as opposed to high prices.

Todd Ferrante, owner of Park Place Jewelers at Second Street and the Boardwalk, said he was happy council had been "thinking outside the box," but that gas prices have been going down recently, making a giveaway less of a necessity.

Dave Wissman, a 69-year-old from Solomons, Md., has been coming to town at least once a year since he was 16. If there was a chance at free gas to help pay his way for the trip home, he said he could see it being an incentive.

"If it wasn't, though, put it this way: I'd still be here," Wissman said as he sat on a Boardwalk bench.

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

 

Resort street is off limits to performers

OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City Council voted unanimously to forbid street performers and others from setting up shop and putting on performances that could draw crowds in the area of North Division Street.

Mayor Rick Meehan signed an emergency ordinance at council's meeting, making the new rule effective immediately. The ordinance was proposed after Ocean City Fire Department Chief Chris Larmore told council about safety issues that can be caused by large crowd gatherings in the area.

North Divison is the main avenue of entry to the Boardwalk and beach for EMS and fire vehicles and apparatus, according to Larmore.

Mark Chase, a graffiti artist who performs each day in that location, told council he felt the ban on the area was unconstitutional.

He said police could be held liable if they prevent him from performing in the area, and that council could be liable as well.

"You don't have the right to take away our rights," said Chase, who opined that council was hiding behind public safety rationales, but that there were other reasons for their ban.

"The people here have a right to have an unobstructed emergency route," said Councilman Doug Cymek. "If you were on that beach having a massive heart attack, you would appreciate having that."
In other business, council voted unanimously to pass a $73.8 million budget for the 2012 fiscal year.

Also, a golf co-op marketing plan that was previously approved was killed; it had been passed simultaneously with a plan to give away free gas. Councilman Brent Ashley reasoned that since the gas promotion had been canceled by council -- in a move that created discord between Ashley and Cymek -- the golf plan should follow suit. Ashley's motion passed with a 4-3 vote. Joe Hall, Jim Hall and Margaret Pillas voted with Ashley, and Cymek, Mary Knight and Lloyd Martin voted against.

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

 

Statements by wounded defendant not ruled out

OCEAN CITY -- A Worcester County Circuit Court Judge denied motions to suppress at a trial several statements made by a Berlin man facing attempted murder charges in the moments after he had been shot by an Ocean City police officer.

In December 2010, Marvin Jefferson Mitchell, 27, of Berlin, allegedly had a knife and assaulted his wife in view of Ocean City police officers who had arrived to the scene of a 911 call. Cpl. Rick Wawrzeniak shot Mitchell to stop his attack. The officer fired three rounds, two of which struck Mitchell, Wawrzeniak said at a motions hearing.

Judge Richard Bloxom also denied a motion to suppress various text messages between Marvin Jefferson Mitchell, 27, of Berlin, and his wife, Shanna Mitchell, also 27. The messages were found on two cell phones seized by police during a search of a home on 82nd Street in Ocean City where the incident took place.

Marvin Mitchell's public defender, Chasity Simpson, said Mitchell's statements to officers in the home after being shot were involuntary due to the duress he was under as a result of being shot and held at gunpoint by police. She asked the statements made to Sgt. Chasity Blades of the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit, while Marvin Mitchell was being treated at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, be suppressed as well.

Simpson told Bloxom she felt the text messages should be suppressed because Marvin Mitchell had a right to privacy pertaining to his cell phone, although it was owned and paid for by his wife.

"I don't find anything involuntary with respect to the spontaneous statements Mr. Mitchell made," said Bloxom, in deciding the statements were fair to use at trial. He also ruled that the text messages were usable during trial, since they were collected by police on a valid search and seizure warrant, and since Shanna Mitchell had given Blades permission to search both phones.

Marvin Mitchell's trial is scheduled for July 11-12.

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