OCMD Rental Alliance

09/04/2026

Last year Mayor Meehan went on the Lap Dog Show and accused Terry and me of violating Maryland election law for “providing something of value” while we were still figuring out how to do a petition and organize community events. The City Solicitor even sent me a letter accusing me of such claims. We are not politicians, we didn’t know election campaign laws, we have integrity and we took the accusations personally.

So it was quite a surprise to get an email today that Mayor Meehan is now hosting a free lunch in our community—the largest voting block in Ocean City, less than 60 days before the election.

Maryland Election Law § 13-602 prohibits giving a gift or any other “valuable thing” to induce a person to vote. Free lunch kind of feels like something of value. If that is the standard, I assume the City Solicitor will send the Mayor the same notice we received. Hopefully with a little extra emphasis, since he actually knows the rules because he is a career politician.

Now I don’t want to deprive my fellow Montego Bay neighbors of a free lunch from the Mayor, however, I cannot go without calling out this obvious hypocrisy.

09/02/2026

To be clear: The Bulldog Show stated this morning that they do not edit interviews and that they did not edit out Councilwoman Proctor’s interview from yesterday.

The attached screenshot from yesterday shows the September 1st episode listed at 1:42. This morning, that same episode is listed at 2:08. Proctor’s interview was about 25 minutes.

The timestamps speak for themselves. They cut the interview. They edited the episode. And they only posted the full version after being called out.

It’s laughable that Lap Dog tried to dismiss this as “keyboard warrior” behavior. If pointing out the truth is what keeps a local radio show honest, I’ll wear that label as a badge of honor.

And for the record, calling into the show is not worth my time or energy.

09/02/2026

Residents: Call the second-rate propaganda machine known as “The Rude Awakening Show” and ask Lap Dog why his team is censoring a 30-minute segment with sitting Council member Carol Proctor.

What did she say about the Sports Complex discussion that was so dangerous residents shouldn’t be allowed to hear it?

This show will happily hand that buffoon John Gehrig a microphone to deliver lies, misinformation, and a basic inability to grasp facts. When honest residents push back with facts and logic? Censored.

This is a poor excuse for a radio show. Maybe after Lap Dog finishes his weekly stroking of the Mayor this morning, he can load Councilwoman Proctor’s segment from yesterday so residents can hear it and decide for themselves.
Text or call the Lap Dog Show: 1 (410) 723-9626.

09/01/2026

Councilwoman Carol Proctor appeared on the Bulldog Show this morning and addressed the Sports Complex and provided a segment on the topic. I later went to the on-demand recording to hear the discussion.

Her comments on that topic appear to have been removed from the archived version.
This is not the first time a recording has been edited when someone questions the prevailing local narrative. Residents deserve the full conversation, especially remarks from a sitting Council member.

Ocean 98.1 and the Bulldog Show must restore the complete segment. Regardless of one’s opinion about the sports complex, the deletion of this segment should be alarming, especially when large amounts of tax dollars are at stake. The public has a right to hear what was actually said.

Update: they posted the full video this morning which showed that the interview was edited by about 25 minutes from what was posted yesterday.

09/01/2026

In my opinion, OCMD needs to figure out a way to come up with their own type of Schelleville for the Christmas season. This place is a major hit with families and draws large crowds. Yes, we have Winterfest, but it is somewhat antiquated and nowhere near the level of Schellville. (I’m not hating on Winterfest).

There are definitely opportunities for some creative thinking.

08/28/2026

A sports complex will not reverse Ocean City’s downward trend. It doubles down on the same missteps that helped create it.

Councilman Gehrig should stop telling residents this project is the fix. It is not. Tournament play is concentrated on weekends. Yes, sports tourism is a thing and the town should use its assets to maximize that sub-market. However, it will not generate the volume of visitors needed to offset what families are already walking away from.

Ocean City needs to reinvest in itself and return to its core strengths: an accessible beach town that treats families like guests, not ATMs. It is the small things that send people elsewhere.

Families, including ours, do not want to pay for hotel parking on top of $6/hr for inlet parking, 3% credit card fees, multiple food and beverage taxes, overpriced drinks, and overpriced bar food. People will pay for a quality meal. However, $20 for the same sandwich they can get at home for $10 is not quality, it’s a smack in the face.

The town has overplayed its hand. It has snubbed and priced out its core market. It has treated its visitors and secondary owners as an inconvenience versus the lifeblood of the local economy.

Tourism leadership and parts of town government have failed the businesses and residents who depend on visitors to survive.

Ocean City has the location and the assets. People naturally want to come here. It takes a surprising amount of effort to push them toward other destinations, but the town has been successful in doing so.

What the town actually needs is common-sense leadership, competent management, and a return to hospitality.

The town can bounce back if good decisions are made, regains a sense of hospitality and learns to respects and appreciates the lifeblood of this town, tourism and secondary homeownership.

Before a crowded room in City Hall last week, Councilman John Gehrig spent 20 minutes arguing why a sports complex was needed in Worcester County.

08/25/2026

Brainstorming ideas about Sports Tourism and the Sports Complex Discussion:

Unfortunately, I’ve given the idea of a sports complex far more thought than I ever intended. However, as I sit down to schedule my 10U travel softball team’s fall tournaments, one fact stands out: there are no softball tournaments in Ocean City this fall. It got me brainstorming a little bit. There are 112 events scheduled this fall for Fast pitch softball. I can go to Salisbury, Rehoboth, Centerville and other places, but not Ocean City, which would obviously be my first choice.

That is surprising. I do not dispute that sports tourism is real and growing. But it only delivers meaningful value to Ocean City if the games are played close enough for families to stay here, eat here, and treat the weekend as both a tournament and a trip to the beach.

Ocean City already has a strong asset in Northside Park. Combined with potential coordinated fields in Worcester County, and the existing regional partnership that already includes Salisbury, it could immediately become an off-season major destination for softball tournaments on the Delmarva Peninsula. Salisbury hosted its major event this summer and Ocean City participated. I beleive the economic impact was quoted at $22M. Why isn’t Ocean City being the lead on this event or similar ones?

This is something that can be done now, does not require a $160 million complex and only requires some coordination, outside the box thinking and relationship building.

Ocean City could serve as the central hub for softball or baseball in the region— Not lacrosse or Soccer like DE Turf.

Each softball tournament would bring dozens of teams with family members. Teams would stay in Ocean City hotels AND STRs. Families would spend money in Ocean City restaurants and on the Boardwalk. The economic benefit would flow here, not somewhere else.

While those softball weekends are being maximized, the Town can simultaneously push the Convention Center as a high-volume indoor venue for volleyball, cheerleading, basketball, and similar sports. Those events already fit the building and are being done, they already drive room nights.

Sports tourism is something that Ocean City tourism should maximize, however, not at a significant financial investment. Ocean City already has the fields, the indoor space, the hotels, the beach, and the regional relationships. What it has not yet done is fully use what it already owns.

Maximize the resources we have first. The market is there. The infrastructure is there. The opportunity appears to be there.

Maybe I’m missing something so I am curious of other’s thoughts on this opportunity or other options.

08/21/2026

Would someone mind clarifying something from the other night’s Council meeting?

When questioned, the Solicitor stated that a $250,000 deposit would be paid and placed in escrow after the ordinance was approved on first reading. From Heather’s comments, my understanding is that the seller only returns that $250,000 if the ordinance goes to a referendum and fails. It’s obvious that there are many hurdles that this property would face, but a referendum was the only real contingency which seemed very strange to me.

What also struck me as odd is that the Mayor, when asked about this $250,000 on the Bulldog Show, largely deflected the question.

So my question to the group is: Is a $250,000 deposit under these terms normal procedure?

If Council is expected to pass something on first reading and only then complete its due diligence, why is the seller already receiving $250,000 that appears basically non refundable?

I could be wrong, but IMO, the whole arrangement seems odd and not in the best interest of the taxpayers.

08/18/2026

Great job to the residents of Ocean City and Worcester County who came out tonight and raised their concerns. Council President James, Will Savage, Jeff Heiser, and Carol Proctor also deserve recognition for the leadership they displayed.

John Gehrig’s repeated outbursts need to be addressed. It is increasingly clear whose interests he is prioritizing, and how D3 Marketing stands to benefit directly from the sports complex proposal.

As I’ve said before, I am generally supportive of a sports complex — provided the process is handled transparently and correctly.

08/17/2026

There is significant interest and passion surrounding the proposed purchase of property for a sports complex. I encourage everyone who cares about this issue to attend tonight’s council meeting and share their concerns.
Full disclosure: I am generally supportive of a sports complex if the process is handled correctly and the project truly serves the best interests of the community.

As a parent with kids in travel ball, I understand a little the needs of these families.

A few points that stand out to me at this stage:

• $8.7 million for agricultural land appears high. Something about the valuation feels off. If the Harrisons own the property and stand to benefit directly from future tournaments, a donation (or heavily discounted sale) would seem far more appropriate than the town overpaying for land that is not even currently zoned for a sports complex. If this facility is truly expected to deliver major tourism benefits, a donation would represent a relatively small contribution in exchange for a large return.

• The proposed location appears to benefit hotels and restaurants in Berlin and Salisbury far more than Ocean City. While some families may make a day trip to the Boardwalk, most will not travel back and forth to the resort for games. Salisbury is the more logical lodging base for this site, which means relatively few Ocean City businesses stand to gain.

• A sports complex at this location is unlikely to be a major economic driver for Ocean City tourism. Direct investment in Ocean City itself would almost certainly deliver stronger returns for local businesses and the broader community.

• Councilman Gehrig’s strong advocacy for this project raises questions. If he or D3 Marketing (or any related entity) stands to benefit in any way, he should recuse himself from the vote.

I believe targeted investment in Ocean City would produce far greater benefits for the community and local businesses than this particular proposal as currently structured.

Tonight’s discussion should be informative. I hope the Council ultimately chooses the path that best serves Ocean City’s long-term interests and not just this new shiny object.