Council News In Brief

New Hangar Being Priced

OCEAN CITY - During the Mayor and City Council work session Tuesday, Public Works Director Hal Adkins asked permission to solicit bids for the construction of a new hangar for the Ocean City Airport.

According to Adkins, out of the 63-unit capacity the airport currently has only two units left, pending their lease, and they are for smaller aircraft such as a Cessna 172. However, the city has a growing list of individuals desiring to base their larger aircraft, such as a Cheyenne 400, in Ocean City

'It is my desire to pursue bids from pre-engineered metal building erectors in an effort to determine what the current market pricing would be and whether we can afford to build such a two-unit box style structure whose debt would be covered by the rent revenues,' Adkins said.

The council approved Adkins' request with a 6-1 vote, with Council member Margaret Pillas in opposition.

Two Colors For Scopers

With the recent merger of two beach photo franchises, Sun Beach Studio owner Patrick McLaughlin came before the council with a request to amend the beach photo franchise requirement that says each franchise is given a single color to differentiate themselves from other franchises.

McLaughlin was seeking an amendment that would raise the number to three colors for a few reasons. Before the merge, the two franchise owners had the colors blue and red, however with the merge, they are required to pick one. However, McLaughlin said allowing at least two would allow the franchises to attend to a customer base that has grown used to the two-color scheme.

Council members said they understood McLaughlin's reasoning for the third color but didn't like the idea because another franchise can come in and also have three colors.

A motion by Councilman Jim Hall was then made to allow for the use of two colors instead and was unanimously approved.

Picnic Table Fees Increase

An annual request by City Clerk Carol Jacobs Tuesday at the Mayor and City Council work session concerning the renewal of picnic table agreements on the Boardwalk ended with the base fee being raised.

Currently there are three vendors who are allowed to set up the picnic tables along the Boardwalk for an annual base fee of $150 plus $25 for each additional table.

City officials said the fees hadn't been touched since they were introduced in the early '90s so the council raised the base fee to $200, leaving the additional cost per table alone.