Seven Candidates Vie for Vacancy on City Council

By DONALD WITTKOWSKI Seven candidates with varied backgrounds are in the running to fill a vacancy on Ocean City’s governing body created by the resignation of First Ward Councilman Michael DeVlieger. Candidates had until 4:30 p.m. Friday to submit their paperwork to the City Clerk’s Office to be considered for the position. Each candidate will be interviewed by City Council in closed session at the start of the Aug. 26 meeting at 6 p.m., City Clerk Melissa Rasner said. Council will have the option of appointing one of the candidates as DeVlieger’s temporary successor until the November election or simply leaving the position open for the time being. “There’s no obligation. They can leave it vacant if they so choose and wait until the November election,” Rasner said. If Council does appoint someone, that person would serve as the First Ward representative until the Nov. 2 general election. The same person and other candidates would then be free to run in the November election to fill the remainder of DeVlieger’s unexpired term until June 30, 2024. DeVlieger resigned on Aug. 12, saying that he needed to channel his energies into other matters at this time, and that he owed it to the city to step down. Noting his multitude of responsibilities as an elected official, business executive and family man, he said he was leaving Council to avoid being overwhelmed by his workload. He stressed that his family and health are paramount. The November election will decide who will fill the unexpired term of former Councilman Michael DeVlieger through June 30, 2024. During his last Council meeting Aug. 12, DeVlieger threw his support behind Ocean City Planning Board member Terrence Crowley Jr. as his successor for the First Ward seat. “I have known Terry for about a dozen years. I have sought his counsel on matters and he has come to me. He has been on the Planning Board for the last five years and has a track record of independent voting based on the facts. I know that he does his research and cares about Ocean City,” DeVlieger said. Crowley is one of the seven candidates seeking appointment to the open First Ward seat. The candidates follow in alphabetical order. Biographical information was taken from their paperwork or resumes submitted to the City Clerk’s Office.

• Richard D. Bennett: He is a retired teacher who has lived in Ocean City for 70 years.

• Terrence Crowley Jr: He serves on the Ocean City Planning Board and works as an executive sales representative for the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company.

• Donna Swan DeRocher: She sells custom window coverings for Budget Blinds in Somers Point and formerly worked as an afterschool teacher for the Ocean City Tabernacle.

• Robert “Bob” Idell: He is a sales executive with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach Realtors at the Ninth Street Office in Ocean City and is a former member of the Ocean City Zoning Board. His family owns the Dockside Kitchen, Sand House Kitchen, Drip N Scoop, Dead End Bake House, Sunrise Cafe and Monkey Bread eateries in Ocean City.

• Donna Moore: She is a retired art teacher and circulation assistant at the Ocean City Free Public Library. She formerly served on the Ocean Environmental Commission and Ocean City Shade Tree Commission. She is also a local environmental advocate who was instrumental in Ocean City’s decision to switch to chemical-free, organic landscaping on public grounds.

• Ferid “Fred” Pleho: He formerly worked for the media group RTL Koln in Germany. He moved to the United States from Germany in 1994 and has lived in the First Ward since 1995. He owns multiple properties in the First Ward.

• Gloria J. Votta: She is a real estate agent for RE/Max at the Shore in Ocean City. She has served as chairwoman of the Community Services Committee for the Ocean City Board of Realtors, overseeing the annual clothing and food drives by the Board of Realtors.