Thoughts From The Publisher’s Desk – September 23, 2016

Thoughts From The Publisher’s Desk – September 23, 2016
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Free speech can at times be painful and a microcosm of the issue has been on display in recent weeks regarding the always controversial Boardwalk buskers.

Two weeks ago, Worcester County Commissioner and former Ocean City Councilman Joe Mitrecic came before the Mayor and Council with a spirited diatribe on a certain Boardwalk street performer and the perceived violation of his own personal rights to enjoy a night out at a restaurant without the clamor of a violinist not far from his restaurant dinner table.

This week, a private citizen got up during the public comment period and criticized Mitrecic’s comments about the violinist, suggesting the commissioner should visit a different restaurant if he is not happy with the music. Finally, the violinist in question this week fired off his own opposition to Mitrecic’s characterization of his performance in a letter to the editor.

Music and art are certainly subjective and the courts have been clear about the buskers’ rights to perform on the Boardwalk, but some of Mitrecic’s comments are valid. Likewise, some of the private citizen’s comments about Mitrecic’s statements two weeks ago ring true. Certainly, the violinist in question has a right to defend himself against the personal attacks levied against him and his talent. The fundamental issue is freedom of speech, and in an era when basic freedom is under increasing attack, Mayor Rick Meehan tried to provide a voice of reason amid the swirling accusations.

“The way I have to look at it overall is the buskers have a right to perform on the Boardwalk. The private citizen has the right to come before the Mayor and Council and criticize Joe Mitrecic’s comments and Joe Mitrecic has a right to come before the Mayor and Council and make those comments,” Meehan said. “They’re all the same thing. They’re all the right to freedom of speech, and whether you agree or disagree with any of the three, they all have the right to make those statements.”

In less than two weeks, Berlin voters will head to the polls in what will arguably be the most consequential election in recent history. Contrary to what has been the case in recent elections, residents need to take the time to vote Oct. 4 because the make-up of the council is on the line.

For the first time in many years, this election will mean a lot. Two years ago, the big and only news of the Berlin election was that long-time Council member Paula Lynch was stepping down after 26 years. To the disappointment of many, only one person — Thom Gulyas — filed to run for her at-large seat. With Councilmen Dean Burrell and Troy Purnell unopposed for their seats, the election was subsequently cancelled, and Lynch’s seat was just handed over to Gulyas. I was embarrassed for Berlin that nobody felt the itch to run. The thought of voters not having a choice annoyed me so much that I vowed privately (and now publicly) to run for the District 2 seat this year if nobody opposed Lisa Hall in her re-election bid.

Of course, all that changed with Hall giving up her seat to challenge Mayor Gee Williams. With Hall clear about her intentions to challenge Williams for the last couple years, there was plenty of time for suitors to evaluate their chances. The result was two upstart politicians, Jack Orris and Zackery Tyndall, filing to run in what looks to be a tight contest.

I also predict the mayor’s race to be close. Williams was promoted to mayor in 2008 while a councilman after the unexpected passing of then-Mayor Tom Cardinale. Williams then knocked off former Mayor Rex Hailey in the fall of 2008 and faced no official challengers in his re-election bid in 2012. Although unopposed, that 2012 election was not without its controversy, as write-in candidate Ellen Lang secured 122 votes compared to the 335 earned by Williams.

There’s a clear choice for mayor in Berlin as Hall and Williams are polar opposites from personality, ideology and political standpoints. Voters have two more weeks to make up their minds, but my guess is most already know how they will vote. At this point, the key is for Berlin to do what it hasn’t typically done — vote in impressive numbers. This important election is the time to end the recent voter apathy trend in town.

Prior to this week’s meeting in Snow Hill, it looked like the Showell Elementary School reconstruction project was going to finally get approved by the County Commissioners. That didn’t happen this week and it’s unclear now when another vote will take place.

I believe this project will get approved eventually because it’s desperately needed, but what took place this week again shined the light on the fractured relationship between county government and the school system.

In this space recently, I endorsed Lou Taylor as the next superintendent of schools. One of the reasons was my belief he could help iron out the strained relationship between the school board and County Commissioners. Both County Commission President Jim Bunting and Worcester County Board of Education President Jonathan Cook took mild exception to my description of the relations between the two governing bodies, saying everything copasetic now.

That may be the case, but it certainly didn’t look like it at this week’s meeting. Whether this was a bump in the road or something more significant will depend on when the school project comes back before the commissioners. I hope it’s next month.

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.