ocean city’s · 3/2/2019 · ocean city’s greater ocean city, md chamber of commerce ... we...
TRANSCRIPT
In this issue
Mark Your Calendars P.2 Renewing Members P.3
Welcome New Members P.4 Upcoming Events P.5
Young Professionals P.10
Warmest Regards,
Melanie Pursel President & CEO
410.213.0144 ext 102
Ocean City’s Greater Ocean City, MD Chamber of Commerce 12320 Ocean Gateway Ocean City, MD 21842
For
www.oceancity.org [email protected]
Office 410.213.0144
Fax 410.213.7521
March 2019
Business
Lowers the percentages for the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) providers and establishes rate increases for seven other community provider
groups
Increases the minimum wage from the current $10.10/hour to $11.00/hour effective 01 January 2020; then increasing 0.75/hour until reaching $13.25 effective 01 January 2024. Effective 01 January 2025, the minimum wage moves to $15.00/hour.
Permits the Board of Public Works (BPW) to temporarily suspend a scheduled increase in the minimum wage rate one time, for a one-year period, if they
determine that the seasonally-adjusted total employment figure (as determined by (USDOL) has decreased
Leaves the scope of the current Wage and Hour law in place, which means the current exemptions for commission employees; employees engaged in the canning, packing or freezing industries; three types of farm workers;
Lowers from 20 to 18 the maximum age that an employer can pay a rate equal to 85% of the minimum wage. This subminimum rate applies up to the age of
18; the six-month training wage limitation is eliminated.
Maintains Maryland’s current law regarding tipped wages
Leaves in place Maryland’s current law regarding enforcement and remedy provisions, and eliminates the proposed changes to the evidentiary standards
Eliminates the proposed CPI/cost-of-living
Now, we are working on the Senate Finance committee to include a geographic/regional exception for Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore. It is critical that you as business owners contact members of the committee, specifically the Chair Delores Kelly [email protected] as well as senate President Mike Miller—[email protected].
There are lots of other exciting events coming up over the next month including our Business After Hours at the Greene Turtle West on March 7th, and the HMRA Spring Trade Expo March 3-4th. All of these events may be found on our website www.oceancity.org/events.
Also, please mark your calendars for the Annual J-1 Summer Work Travel Employer Conference planned for April 11th at the Grand Hotel and Spa starting at 8:30 am. This is an excellent forum for employers of J-1 students, where new regulatory issues as well as upcoming changes at the state and federal level will be discussed. This is a free event and we encourage all employers and hiring managers to attend. Hope to see you around town!
March is finally here and after a mild yet rainy winter we are looking forward to a gorgeous spring! The official kick off to spring will be the St. Patrick’s Day Parade planned for March 16th and sponsored by the Delmarva Irish American Club. The entire parade will be broadcast live on WRDE so even if you can’t be on site, please be sure to have it on at your businesses, so guests and staff can watch it live! In addition, the chamber will be having a float for the fourth year in a row- our Ambassador Committee and Young Professionals have partnered to put on an amazing display promoting Ocean City to our guests in attendance…. be sure to look for us on parade day!
There have been a number of issues that the chamber has been actively engaged on during the legislative session, including the “fight for fifteen”, post labor day school start repeal, and the 120 day seasonal worker exemption from paid leave as well as the limited residential lodging bills, and the COMAR pool regulations. I want to sincerely thank our legislators and the many business owners who have written testimony, replied to our surveys and calls to action and testified in person at these hearings. Your voice is definitely being heard! If you have not already, please take a moment to fill out the min wage impact survey by clicking https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Min_Wage_Survey . The bill has passed the House with a number of amendments noted below:
Mark Your Calendars
Ocean City Job Fair March 30
General Membership Meeting
September 5
2019 Awards Celebration September 2019
Date TBA
15th OC Chamber Crab Feast October 10
OC Chamber Open House April 26
Soiree on the Bay May 1
Chamber Golf Tournament May 23
DEADLINE IS
MARCH 18!
Renewing Members January 26, 2019 - February 25, 2019
28th St. Pit and Pub
http://www.pitandpub.com
Backshore Brewing Company/
Hammerheads Raw Bar
http://www.backshorebrew.com/
Berlin Little League
http://www.berlinlittleleague.org
Cambria Resort & Conference Center
Coastal Property Management, Inc.
http://
www.CoastalPropertyManagementOC.com
Domino's
http://www.dominos.com
East Coast Tile & Flooring
http://www.eastcoastttileinc.com
Eastern Shore IMBA
http://www.esimba.org
Edward Jones / Charles Adams
https://www.edwardjones.com
EZ Beach Rentals LLC
http://www.ezbeachrentals.net/
Fisher's Popcorn
http://fisherspopcorn.com
Food Lion LLC
http://www.foodlion.com
GoGlass
http://www.mrgoglass.com
GSB Media LLC, CTG
http://www.ctgvariety.com
Ireland RnR Golf
http://www.irelandrnr.com/golf
Just-Rite Marine Structures, Inc.
http://www.justritemarineinc.com
Lyme Disease Association of Delmarva
M & T Bank
http://www.mtb.com
Mail Movers
http://www.mailmovers.net
Marisol's Market and Cafe
http://www.marisolsmarketandcafe.com
Massage Envy - Ocean City
https://locations.massageenvy.com/md/
ocean-pines/11001-manklin-creek-rd.html
MBC Consulting, LLC - Mary Beth Carozza
Nick's Mini Golf-125th St.
http://www.nicksminigolf.com
Nick's Mini Golf-18th St.
http://www.nicksminigolf.com
OCRooms.com
http://www.ocrooms.com
Old Dominion Investment Corp
http://www.odicoc.com
Pam's Ocean City Golf Getaways
http://www.pamsgolfoc.com
Pines Property Management, Inc
http://borderlinksresort.com/
Re/Max Advantage Realty
http://www.thehomesadvantage.com
Ron Jon Surf Shop
http://www.ronjonsurfshop.com
Sea Rocket Adventures
http://www.searocket.com
South Beach Apartments
http://www.ocrooms.com
Sposato Landscape
http://www.sposatolandscape.com
TCC Verizon
http://tccrocks.com
The Digital Architects
http://www.tdai.net/
Thrashers French Fries
http://thrashersfries.com/
Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLC
Thank You!
Ocean City Power Squadron Dale Christensen Ocean City, MD 21842 (410) 259-5686 http://www.ocusps.org Ocean City Power Squadron, a unit of the US Sail & Power Squadrons, District 5, the largest boating organization in the US. Our members are sailors, paddlers & power boaters.
Shades Home Improvements, LLC. Ashley Furbay 10035 Bonita Drive Ocean City, MD 21842 (443) 497-0284 http://www.shadeshomeimprovements.com No job is too big or small, kitchen & bathroom remodel, painting, decking, storm, water & wind damage, leaks, siding, window and door replacement, general maintenance, HVAC, plumbing, roof repair.
Light It Up, LLC Lisa McAteer 10320 North Road Ocean City, MD 21842 (410) 459-3200 http://www.lightitupoc.com We offer holiday, wedding and event lighting/decor.
Mac Outdoor, LLC Kyle McAteer 10320 North Road Ocean City, MD 21842 (410) 808-8811 http://macoutdooroc.com We offer services for storm water, drainage, land clearing, excavation, grading, landscape mitigation and erosion control.
Delmarva Irish American Club Kellie Meehan 220 16th Street Ocean City, Maryland 21842 (410) 289-6156 http://www.delmarvairish.com
Omega Restaurant Joanne Farley 2606 Philadelphia Avenue Ocean City, Maryland 21842 (410) 289-9179 Full service breakfast & lunch restaurant
Meck Services and Designs Dustin Meck Proudly Serving Maryland & Delaware (302) 212-9800 Proudly serving Maryland & Delaware. Offering both interior & exterior home, patio & lawn services such as repair & maintenance, flooring, drywall, painting, hardscaping, pavers, landscaping and more!
Welcome New Members
Thank you for choosing us to promote your business!
We’re in the Parade!
Saturday, March 16, 2019 Noon
Would you like your logo on our banner? Cost $50 — Email [email protected] today!!
Or call 410-213-0144 ext. 104
Important Things to Remember as the Season Approaches
Login to your membership account :
Verify that all company & representative information for your business is correct
Make sure you are utilizing all key words, descriptions, mapping, email addresses, photos etc.
Contact Vera Spalt, Membership Services Manager 410-213-0144 ext. 103 • [email protected]
Post Hot Deals - Upcoming Events & Job Openings
Host a Business After Hours
Host Business Breakfast
Become an Event Sponsor
Contact Lisa Layfield, Events Director 410-213-0144 ext. 104 • [email protected]
HOT DEALS | JOB OPENINGS | SPONSOR EVENTS
Upcoming March Events
DATE EVENT LOCATION TIME
Mar. 3-
4
HMRA Spring Trade Show
Learn More
OC Convention Center 11am
Mar. 6 Town Hall on Offshore Drilling
Learn More
Dunes Manor Hotel, 28th St. 4pm
Mar. 7 Business After Hours
Learn More
Greene Turtle West OC 5-7pm
Mar. 13 YP Monthly Meeting OC Chamber 8:30am
Mar 14 Business Breakfast
Learn More
The Captain’s Table Restau-
rant, Courtyard by Marriott,
15th St.
8-9:30am
Mar. 16 St. Patrick’s Day Parade &
Festival
60th St. to 45th St.
Ocean City
11am-4pm
Mar. 18 Chamber Foundation
Scholarship App. Deadline
Learn More
Mar. 21 Executive Committee Meeting OC Chamber 8:30am
Mar. 21 Board of Directors Meeting OC Chamber 9am
Mar. 26 Ambassadors Meeting OC Chamber 4-5pm
Mar. 27 YP Monthly Mixer: Paint Night
with TC Studios
Learn More
Tailchasers, 122nd St. 6pm
Mar. 30 2019 Ocean City Job Fair Learn More
Convention Center 9am-1pm
March Business Breakfast
Thurs, March 14
8-9:30am
No Charge! Seating Limited to 60 Guests
The Captain’s Table Restaurant,
Courtyard by Marriott 15th St.
Partnering With:
AGH President/CEO
Michael A. Franklin will
present the Annual Update
DATE LOCATION
March 7 Greene Turtle WOC
April 4 Windmill Creek Winery
May 1 Soiree on the Bay @ Macky’s
June 6 Frontier Town
Future Business After Hours 5-7pm
Informational Town Hall on Offshore Drilling Hosted by the Ocean City and Ocean Pines Chambers of Commerce
The Ocean City and Ocean Pines Chambers of Commerce will host an informational town hall focused on how Maryland’s business community can comment on the new federal offshore drilling plans that will impact the regions’ tourism-based economy.
Guests: Maryland, Delaware, New York, and Washington, DC organizers from leading Ocean conservation group, Oceana. Expert panel will include local elected, business, and fishing representatives.
WHO: Ocean Pines Chamber of Commerce, Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, Business Alliance for Protecting the Atlantic Coast, Coastal Association of Realtors, and Oceana.
WHEN: Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at 4:00 pm
WHERE: Dunes Manor Hotel, 2800 Baltimore Ave, Ocean City, MD 2184 Note: Parking is located at the front of the building. Event organizers will have signage directing guests where to park and enter. The room will be an “ocean front” room.
BACKGROUND: As the Trump administration continues to move forward with plans to open areas off the Delmarva Coast to oil and gas development, the Greater Ocean City and Ocean Pines Chambers of Commerce are working together to host an informational meeting about the prospect of drilling off our coast and how citizens and members of the business community can weigh in.
“We have a robust tourism economy. Our greatest economic driver in this region is our clean beaches. We need to make sure they stay that way,” said Melanie Pursel of the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce. A public comment period for the offshore drilling plan is anticipated to open in the coming weeks and both the Greater Ocean City and Ocean Pines Chambers want to make sure residents are informed and ready to engage. “People need to know what’s being proposed off our coast and how they can bring their voice to the table. That’s what this event is all about.” said Kerrie Bunting of the Ocean Pines Chamber. The group issued a press release expressing opposition to seismic surveys for oil and gas off the Delmarva Coast earlier this year. National and State-Specific Opposition to Offshore Drilling and Seismic Airgun Blasting:
National Opposition: ● Governors of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut,
Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, California, Oregon and Washington ● More than 300 East and West Coast municipalities ● Over 2,000 local, state and federal bipartisan officials ● East and West Coast alliances representing over 43,000 businesses, 500,000 fishing families Maryland Opposition: ● Worcester County Commissioners: Voted to send letter expressing opposition to seismic testing and drilling for oil and gas in
the Mid-Atlantic 2/19/19 ● Ocean Pines Chamber of Commerce: Put out statement opposing any form of seismic testing in offshore waters 1/15/2019 ● Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce: Sent letter to President Obama 12/13/2016 (offshore drilling and seismic blasting) ● Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association: Sent letter to BOEM 2/29/2016 (offshore drilling and seismic blasting) ● Ocean City Chamber of Commerce: Sent letter to Governor Hogan 1/25/2016 (offshore drilling and seismic blasting)
Coastal Hospice Receives Honors
for Veterans Program
Nancy Stewart, access department manager of Coastal
Hospice, was recently recognized as a “Hospice Champion”
by the Hospice Veteran-Partnership of Maryland for her
dedication to the We Honor Veterans Program.
We Honor Veterans Program is a hospice service that increases access and improves the quality of care for veterans in the community. Together, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization developed the program to empower hospices to meet the unique needs of veterans and their families. Coastal Hospice was recently designated as a Level 4, the highest level of partnership.
“I am extremely honored and proud to receive this recognition on behalf of Coastal Hospice,” Stewart said. “We are so fortunate on the Lower Shore to have such a generous community who understands the importance and special needs of veterans at the end of life. I am able to grow this important program through the dedication of our volunteers.”
Because of Stewart’s commitment to the program, approximately 17-18 percent of Coastal Hospice patients enjoy We Honor Veterans ceremonies. That’s approximately 80 percent of all veterans served by Coastal Hospice.
“Nancy almost single-handedly drove the implementation of the We Honor Veterans Program at Coastal Hospice,” said Coastal Hospice President Alane Capen.
This is the first year the Maryland coalition has held a Hospice Champion Awards ceremony. The recognition celebrates individuals from hospices who inspire compassion, caring and leadership within the organization.
Hospice-Veteran Partnerships are coalitions of the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, community hospices, state hospice organizations and others working together to ensure that excellent care at the end of life is available for our nation’s veterans and their families.
Founded in 1980, Coastal Hospice is a nonprofit health care organization that cares for individuals facing life-limiting conditions but who want to remain as active and engaged as possible. Coastal Hospice cares for patients in their home, nursing home, assisted living facility or at Coastal Hospice at the Lake. The organization serves Wicomico, Worcester, Dorchester and Somerset counties.
MD Sales & Use—Worcester County January 2019
# Returns Filed 1,869
Food & Beverage $3,527,917
Apparel $506,978
General Merchandise $1,123,690
Automotive $252,014
Furniture & Appliances $94,967
Building & Industrial Supplies $938,081
Utilities & Transportation $98,999
Hardware, Machinery & Equipment $98,263
Misc. $1,204,199
Subtotal $7,845,107
Assessment Collections $3,408
Total Collections $7,848,514
Donation to Worcester County Education Foundation
from Carousel Group
Michael James, of the Carousel Group, recently presented a check
for $12,500 to the Worcester County Education Foundation. The
WCEF was established in August of 2013 as a 501(c)3 non-profit to
establish a proactive partnership between the community and the
public school system by linking community resources with the
educational needs of its students to prepare them to succeed. For
more information on the Worcester County Education Foundation,
please visit our website at www.wced.foundation or call Hope
Palmer at 410-632-5038.
Pictured: Greg Shockley, Vice Chair of WCEF, Michael James, Carousel Group, Ray Thompson, Chair of WCEF and Worcester County Public Schools Superintendent, Lou Taylor.
Back left to right: Coastal Hospice management team members Renee Smith, Stacey Cottingham, Bob Miller, and Mark Massey. Front left to right: Coastal Hospice President Alane Capen, Department of Veterans Affairs’ We Honor Veterans Community Hospice Coordinator Cindy Dresser, and award recipient Nancy Stewart of Coastal Hospice.
The 2019 Planners are Here!
Provide them to guests/customers.
It’s FREE and we deliver!
Email Nancy or call 410-213-0144 x106
Ribbon Cuttings & Events
TCC Verizon Wireless Ribbon Cutting
February Business After Hours Dry 85
12th Annual OC Chamber Business Marketplace Expo Grand Hotel & Spa
Photos by: Robert J. Banach Photography OceanCityCool.com
Minimum Wage Hearing Annapolis
Death By Chocolate
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The Greater Ocean City, Maryland Chamber of Commerce "Where Business is a Pleasure"
OUR MISSION
The mission of the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce is to enhance the economic growth of the region by providing leadership, inspiration, education and development opportunities to support and promote all segments of the business and tourism community.
Brett Wolf • Professional Mortgage Services
Joe Wilson • Coastal Life Realty Group
Buck Mann • Polynesian Condo
Bobbi Sample • Ocean Downs Casino
Sal Fasano • LaQuinta Hotel & Suites
Steve Pastusak • Jolly Rogers Amusements
Chris Woodley • Williams, Moore, Shockley
& Harrison , LLC
Ruth Waters • Harrison Group Resort Hotels
Madlyn Carder • BJ’s On the Water
Cole Taustin • Embers Restaurant/Blu
Crabhouse/Mad Fish Bar & Grill
Sallie Johnson • Farmers Bank of Willards
Joe Groves • The Plaza Condominium/DCMA
COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES
Economic Development Committee
Hotel-Motel Restaurant Association
Downtown Association
Ocean City Development Corporation
Town of Ocean City
Melanie Pursel, President/CEO
Lisa Layfield, Events Director
Danielle Davis, Financial Officer
Nancy Schwendeman, Publications Mgr.
Vera Spalt, Membership Services Mgr.
Jill Brady, E-Marketing Mgr.
CHAMBER STAFF
VISITOR CENTER STAFF
Richard Ohanlon
Karen Lynn
Sharon Craven
Kathleen Smith
Ed Colbert
Deb Haas
BOARD 2018-2019
Stephanie Meehan - Chair Funcade
Toni Keiser - Chair-Elect Atlantic General Hospital
Bob Thompson - Treasurer OC Aquafit
Phillip Cheung - Secretary CG Accounting Group, LLC
John Gehrig - Immediate Past Chair D3
DIRECTORS 2018-2019
Ocean City’s Voice for Business is published the first of each month. Ads and articles may be submitted for publication no later than the 20th of the preceding month. Items received after the 20th may be published in a later newsletter, or if time sensitive, published in the next weekly e-lert.