Karen Bergman: A Passionate Voice to Keep Ocean City Moving Forward

Paid for by the campaign of Karen Bergman, Pete Madden and Tony Polcini Hello, my name is Karen Bergman and I am asking for your support to be re-elected to Councilwoman At-Large. I have been a strong female voice on Council for a collective 11 years, always focusing on common sense and approachability. In 2008, I was elected and served as the 2nd Ward Councilwoman. During those first four years, I never shied away from asking the difficult questions that the residents of Ocean City deserved to hear the answers to, through two administrations. In 2015, I was unanimously appointed to fill the unexpired Council At-Large term of Michael Allegretto. Then I was humbled to be re-elected to continue to serve in 2016 and 2018. As Director of Catering at the Flanders Hotel, I have the privilege of serving our community’s social needs. Working with the local residents, business groups and organizations, second homeowners and tourists alike to plan their social events gives me a good perspective on the complex needs of the community I serve. I also serve as the Council representative to the Tourism Commission and Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce. I collectively work with the other members of the board to determine the best use of the tourism dollars to have a unified voice to attract visitors and businesses to Ocean City. There seems to be a few hot topics this campaign season, so I wanted to take the opportunity to detail my opinions and thoughts on them here. It is important to note though, that if given the opportunity to be re-elected, my voice is just one of seven on Council and we are elected to represent the collective voice of the constituents. Some of the potential projects and issues we are facing as a town are decisions made at a county, state or national level. High-Rise Hotels – I am not in favor of high-rise hotels. I do not believe we have adequate parking to support the addition of high-rise hotels in town with the influx of daily, weekly and seasonal visitors as it currently stands. I am proud of the effort made by the current administration and Council to pilot the jitney program to provide transportation opportunities to our downtown businesses, Boardwalk and beaches. BYOB – When I was on Council in 2012, the BYOB question went to a referendum and was voted down three-to-one. I believe our brand as America’s Greatest Family Resort with its family-first attitude is what keeps it one of the top-rated places to live and visit, and the lack of alcohol sales and consumption in public play a large part in that. Again, I am a singular voice on Council, representing what the constituents want and there was, and is overwhelming support to keep Ocean City alcohol-free. Wind Farm – I am personally against the implementation of the wind mills off the coastline. From what I have researched, it does not sound like a feasible option --environmentally or economically. The concept is too new for anyone to be able to access the long-term effect on our ocean environment. We can offer our opinions on the wind farm installation, but these decisions are made at a level that is above City Council’s reach. Openness, honesty, and approachability are essential in all forms of service. They are also qualities I strive for in my own character. I believe I have the experience and temperament to best represent you. I will always listen to your concerns and vote on each issue individually, making informed decisions based upon the information I have researched, and received. I believe in working as team with the help of the professionals to tackle the tough issues we face.