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Council Agenda: Undo Departmental Changes?

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City Hall in Ocean City

At its public meeting on Thursday (Aug. 13), City Council will consider the first reading of an ordinance that would restructure city departments to look a lot like they did two years ago.

In May 2013, the city merged the Public Works Department and Community Services Department into a new Department of Community Operations. Roger McLarnon was hired to lead the new department, based on his qualifications in engineering, zoning, planning and capital projects.

In August 2014, the city re-established the Community Services Department to handle recreation and public relations services, among other tasks. Kristin Gallagher was hired in September 2014 to lead the department, but she resigned in May, and the position has not yet been filled.

The new ordinance would bring back the Public Works Department and retain the Community Services Department in a structure similar to what existed before May 2013. See attached PDF for full documentation on the reassignment of duties.

The ordinance and supporting documentation mention nothing of the personnel or employee headcount associated with the changes.

At Thursday’s meeting, Council also will consider the following agenda items:

  • 2014 Audit Report: Council will hear a report on a 2014 audit of city finances by an outside accounting firm. For the past several years, the city has received clean audit reports, with no major corrective findings.
  • Life Saving Station Update: Council will hear an update from the nonprofit U.S. Life Saving Station No. 30 group on the status of efforts to repay $750,000 the city has invested in restoration of the historic building (the city’s half of a matching grant). The city purchased the building in 2010 for about $1 million to preserve it.
  • North End Beach Replenishment: Council will vote on the second reading of an ordinance that would finance the city’s portion of a beach replenishment project for the north end of the island. Bids are expected to be opened with the next couple weeks, and specifications call for the work to be done by March 1. The measure is part of a larger bond ordinance that would authorize spending $2,693,000 with $2,558,350 of that total borrowed. The ordinance includes authorizations to spend $1,350,000 for beach and bay improvements including the Army Corps project.

See PDF below for complete documentation of all agenda items.

Download (PDF, 7.86MB)