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Worcester County Maryland News
School board drafts $89.2 million FY 11 budget
Rota L. Knott
Editor
In an effort to create a budget with reduced funds while sustaining the high-performing school system, the Worcester County Board of Education has given initial approval to an $89.2 million spending plan for next fiscal year.
The proposed operating budget for next year includes reductions of $320,000 in textbooks and classroom supplies, $230,000 in instructional salaries, $16,300 in instructional support and $9,070 in student transportation.
During a February meeting, the board adopted the proposed FY 2011 operating budget, which satisfies the minimum Maintenance of Effort mandate. MOE uses the per-student funding of the current year to calculate minimal local funding levels for the next fiscal year.
The budget includes a $614,992 decrease in county Maintenance of Effort funding and uses an estimated increase in State aid of approximately $640,000. The increased state aid is due to an increase in the number of our students living in households of poverty.
Published: March 04, 2010
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School board prevails in contract dispute
Rota L. Knott
Editor
The Worcester County Board of Education has won its appeal of a legal dispute with the contractor hired to perform site work for construction of Ocean City Elementary School more than five years ago.
“We are very pleased that the Court of Special Appeals thoroughly reviewed the basis of our appeal and found that the trial and ruling of the Circuit Court was to be remanded or reversed,” Robert Hulburd, Board of Education president, said. “We are grateful to our Board attorney for his diligence in representing us, as well as to our county commissioners for their support throughout the process.”
The Maryland Court of Special Appeals reversed an earlier judgment by a substitute judge for the Circuit Court of Worcester County against the Board of Education in its contract dispute with BEKA Industries. Local sitting judges recused themselves from hearing the case.
The Court of Special Appeals agreed with the school board’s position that the Circuit Court should have allowed the board to pursue its claims against BEKA and that the Circuit Court’s judgment against the board in the sum of $1.1 million was not substantiated by evidence in the judge’s ruling.
Published: March 04, 2010
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Dem committee chair signals more partisanship
Press Release
Press Release
If the chairman of the Worcester County Democratic Central Committee has his way, elections for Worcester County Commission this year will have a more partisan tone, at least by the relatively non-partisan standard of past campaigns.
A press release issued in early March by Charles “Chuck” Herbert, chair of the Democratic Central Committee of Worcester County (DCCWC), said “the Democratic Party and its candidates must serve as a voice for what the voters want in county government.”
Herbert said Democrats should be able to vote with confidence “that if they support a Democratic candidate, that candidate is committed to working to solve the county’s problems. We believe that you should be able to tell the difference between a Republican and a Democrat and expect Democrats to work hard making government work for Worcester County citizens.”
Published: March 04, 2010
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Ocean Pines voters will have lots of choices in 2010 elections
Tom Stauss
Publisher
Ready or not, 2010 promises to be a political year with more than the usual drama and uncertainty, as races are shaping up for the state House of Delegates and state Senate, as well as Worcester County Commissioner, that will give Ocean Pines voters some real choices at the ballot box.
It’s even possible, before the dust settles, that local voters will help decide whether the state reelects its governor, incumbent Gov. Martin O’Malley, or goes back to the future with a new “old” one.
Published: February 07, 2010
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Local delegates busy in early going of state legislature
Rota L. Knott
Editor
With the General Assembly now in session in Annapolis, bills are being introduced in the House of Delegates that could have an impact on Worcester County residents.
Among the list of bills sponsored by District 38B Delegate Jim Mathias so far this session is HB 140, which would require that minors wear protective headgear when riding bicycles, mopeds and motor scooters. Ocean City officials requested introduction of the bill.
If approved, it would prohibit anyone under age 18 years from operating or riding as a passenger on a bicycle, moped, or motor scooter unless the person is wearing protective headgear. It would increase to 18 years the age below which the operator or passenger of a bicycle is required to wear protective headgear and clarify that the defined term “bicycle” includes a moped.
Both Mathias and Delegate Norman Conway have put their names on HB 191, which would make it a crime to sell novelty lighters. The bill would prohibit a person from selling at retail, offering for sale at retail, or distributing for retail sale in the state a novelty lighter
Published: February 07, 2010
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General Assembly ponders changes to sex offender laws
Rota L. Knott
Editor
Making good on a promise to try to tighten sex offender laws following the abduction and murder of 11-year-old Pittsville girl Sarah Haley Foxwell, legislators have introduced in the General Assembly a series of initiatives targeted at protecting Maryland families from sexual predators and strict enforcement of sex offender laws.
One bill would require that courts sentence to mandatory lifetime supervision certain serious sex offenders convicted of crimes like first or second degree rape, first degree sexual offense, certain second and third degree sexual offenses, sexual abuse of a minor and sexual offenders with multiple offenses. This lifetime supervision would be consecutive to any sentence or probationary term imposed for the underlying offense. The sentencing court would order a pre-sentence investigation prior to imposing the conditions of this lifetime supervision, which may include GPS monitoring. The bill also provides for criminal penalties for violations and provides that any sentence imposed for a violation of lifetime su
Published: February 07, 2010
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Worcester property reassessments sharply lower
Rota L. Knott
Editor
Worcester County experienced the second largest decrease in Maryland in the assessed value of all properties as part of a tri-annual reassessment by the state, according to state-wide assessment data released in January.
In Worcester 95.21 percent of the properties reassessed dropped in value and residential properties that were reassessed, primarily in the Ocean Pines area, saw a more than 23 percent decline in their value. Overall the state experienced the largest decrease in real estate values for residential properties in the history of the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation.
Properties revalued this year were last reassessed in 2007. Statewide during the last three years residential property values in the group have experienced a decline in value with 93 percent of them decreasing. On average the residential values in this group decreased by 20 percent while commercial property values increased by just five percent over the three year period.
Published: January 16, 2010
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Mathias, Conway push slots bill in General Assembly
Rota L. Knott
Editor
While he acknowledges that much of the General Assembly’s 2010 legislative session will focus on funding for the state’s budget – or rather the lack thereof – District 38B Delegate Jim Mathias has some priorities that hit closer to home. Mathias has already pre-filed a bill to allow service clubs to have slot machines, is pushing for statewide regulations against the drug Salvia and is drafting a sex offender’s bill in response to the kidnapping and murder of a Salisbury girl.
“Legislation is an interesting process,” Mathias said, adding that he and his fellow legislators work year long to try to build networks and relationships that can be beneficial during the next session of the General Assembly. He said that way when his district has a specific need other legislators will be willing to lend a helping hand. And “they know that’s we’re agreeable to work with them as well,” he said.”
Published: January 16, 2010
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State designates grant funds for Worcester projects
Rota L. Knott
Editor
Worcester County has received grant funding for a park project in Berlin and for the preservation of land through the Rural Legacy Program.
The Maryland Board of Public Works has designated Berlin to receive $10,040 through a Community Parks and Playgrounds Grant to remove old playground equipment and replace it with a modern play structure at Stephen Decatur Park. The funding will also be used to install a safety playing surface with requisite curbing and site preparation.
An additional $165,600 was previously approved by the Board of Public Works for this project.
“We continue to take the necessary steps to improve our recreational areas, to make them safe and enjoyable for all Marylanders’ children and families,” Gov. Martin O’Malley said.
Published: December 23, 2009
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Church elected commissioner president
Rota L. Knott
Editor
The newly elected president of the Worcester County Commissioners says the county is facing unprecedented budgetary challenges, dealing with declining revenues and escalating expenses and continued uncertainty over the extent of state contributions for local schools.
Bud Church said he learned in a Dec. 7 meeting with county commissioners from the Lower Shore and the local delegation to the General Assembly that there is movement in Annapolis to pass legislation that would allow counties in the state to waive the so-called “maintenance of effort” regulation with respect to local funding for the Board of Education.
Published: December 13, 2009
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