Council Votes 3-3 On New Golf Marketing Strategy

OCEAN CITY – The Mayor and City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission held separate meetings this week to discuss a few items surfacing in town.

Tourism Director Deb Turk and Eagles Landing Golf Pro Bob Croll presented the Mayor and City Council with a new marketing plan to enhance Ocean City for its golf courses and as a destination.

The strategy would set aside an amount of money from the golf marketing budget to be used as a match with golf packagers. The packager would have the opportunity to match their percentage of package rounds with the town, doubling the money used in golf marketing.

Half of the council favored the plan thinking that it would give the city “more bang for our buck.” Other council members were concerned over the partnership with Pam’s Golf Course due to past history, even though it is under new ownership. Another concern was that golf packagers would manipulate their share if the town would match it, having the taxpayers pick up the packagers’ slack.

The council came to a split vote of 3-3 leaving the motion to approve the marketing strategy to die.
City Clerk Kathy Mathias presented the policy of the town’s AM advisory radio station WQKF.

The station’s primary use is to inform the public of emergency conditions and how to respond to them. In non-emergency situations the station broadcasts community information.

Emergency messages will be approved by the Emergency Services Director, the City Manager and the Mayor and City Council. Non-emergency messages will be coordinated through the Town’s Communications Manager.

The council voted unanimously to approve the policy for the AM radio station.

The Ocean City Development Corporation (OCDC) has purchased three properties on the east side of Philadelphia Ave., and it is intended to become a public and leased parking lot for this summer season.

Prior to OCDC purchasing the land, it housed three buildings used for seasonal workers but due to the buildings’ poor conditions they were demolished. None of the buildings were eligible for historic consideration.

The parking lot will contain 33 parking spaces and will hold pervious landscaping with a decorative fence.

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve OCDC’s request for the parking lot’s site approval.