Thoughts From The Publisher’s Desk – September 2, 2016

Thoughts From The Publisher’s Desk – September 2, 2016
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For this year, it’s fitting that Labor Day weekend, the traditional end to the summer season, could potentially be impacted by a tropical system. As of yesterday afternoon, the weather looks to be a major player this weekend, although the full impact would not be known until Friday afternoon.

While acknowledging gauging business success or failure in Ocean City is tricky due to different types of businesses faring better than others each season, the common theme I hear is it has been an average season for the majority. Most businesses do not seem to be meeting their numbers from last year, but they concede 2015 was a banner season. There’s no real cause for concern. It’s just one of those things. Some seasons are better than others and this one got off to an inauspicious start thanks to soggy weather on the weekends. Without question, the second half of the summer was much better, but for many the loss of business caused by the bad early weekends proved too much to overcome when it came to comparing year-to-date numbers.

Another thing most would agree on is the season took a sharp turn down after the White Marlin Open. The tournament is always held the first full week of August and the calendar this year pushed it back a little further into the month than usual. That first full week after the tournament there was a noticeable drop in the crowds, especially during the week but it was even seen on the weekends. It was an unremarkable season, which is completely fine. It’s unrealistic to think every single year will be a banner one.

Along with varied business success, there were the tragedies that have taken place that dominated the news. More people lost their lives this year in the Ocean City area than any over the last decade.

The takeaway from this season to date for me is the large number of high-profile tragic incidents that occurred, such as this week’s fatality on Assateague Island when a Pennsylvania father died while swimming with his teenage son. It’s a summer that will probably be remembered for all the wrong reasons, but here’s to hoping this weekend’s weather provides a positive ending to the traditional season.

The fact that professional boat captains working the bays behind Ocean City are concerned about safety should mean something. Their concerns are quite revealing.

These are the folks who are out on the water daily and know what’s happening. They see it firsthand and their observations should be relied on when it comes to determining if the current safety practices of rental companies are adequate.

Clearly that does not appear to be the case. As is the situation in most industries, the majority of operators are meeting the expectations when it comes to providing safety lessons to renters going on the water. However, there are others who are not as diligent and there have been major incidents this summer as a result.

Further complicating things is the fact users will oftentimes be deceptive when renting. It’s not uncommon for a boat to be rented from a local operation, taken to a rental house with a dock nearby and for multiple individuals to pile on the boat, exceeding the maximum capacity and putting everyone in danger.

The boat captains maintain this call for heightened safety protocols is not a direct result of last month’s death of a child on a rented boat along with the summer trend of multiple injuries. However, it’s a good place to prove a point nonetheless.

What happens next? It’s a great thing the boat captains have organized together and they need to express their collective voice to the state agencies in charge of training and licenses. It wouldn’t hurt to get their state legislators involved in the process as well. Change is needed.

It was a good week for Senator Jim Mathias, who saw two of his legislative priorities score big wins thanks to Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. Additionally, he learned he would become a grandfather for the first time as well.

Mathias a Democrat by official party affiliation, proudly talks of his ability to work with both sides of the aisle on matters at hand. Some proverbial feathers were certainly put in his cap this week by Hogan.

First came word from the governor that a bill he sponsored this year calling for an environmental study to be conducted on the possibility of a third Bay Bridge span would be acted on with haste. The full legislature did not approve the bill, as it died in a House committee, but Hogan blessed the effort this week with the announcement that funding would be made available immediately to carry out the effort.

“It’s without question that a third bridge span will be required to accommodate future traffic congestion along Route 50,” said Mathias in a statement. “Recent studies have projected severe and regular vehicular backups for Bay Bridge travelers up to 14 miles. This clearly sends a strong message – to residents, visitors, and business people on the Eastern Shore.”

The good week for Mathias continued on Wednesday when an issue that he has been intricately involved with for years — the effort to require all schools in Maryland open after Labor Day — became a reality with Hogan signing an Executive Order making it happen.

About The Author: Steven Green

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The writer has been with The Dispatch in various capacities since 1995, including serving as editor and publisher since 2004. His previous titles were managing editor, staff writer, sports editor, sales account manager and copy editor. Growing up in Salisbury before moving to Berlin, Green graduated from Worcester Preparatory School in 1993 and graduated from Loyola University Baltimore in 1997 with degrees in Communications (journalism concentration) and Political Science.