Fallston family still not sure if they will pay Ocean City more than $1,100 to repair
When Brian King bought a “Boardwalk Dedicated Bench” eight years ago to honor deceased family members, he wasn’t anticipating any additional expenses.
That’s why the Fallston resident was surprised to receive a letter in March from Ocean City asking for more than $1,100 to cover repair costs for the bench.
“It was a shock,” he said. “It came completely out of the blue.”
In September 2008, King paid $1,370 dollars for a bench and plaque dedicated to his in-laws in front of the Ocean Mecca Hotel on the Boardwalk at 23rd Street.
“That’s where my wife’s family would go on vacation when they were kids,” he said.
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19 comments:
He "bought" a bench. It doesn't last forever. Nothing does. He can "buy" another one, or pay for repairs to the one he already "bought". If he had the money to buy the first one, he should have the money to repair or replace it, after eight years of use and exposure to the harsh elements of sunlight and salt air. OC City has a duty to see that the benches are maintained and will not cause any harm to the tourists (boards breaking, ruined clothes, or causing injury) due to lack of maintenance. He "bought" the bench so that he could name the bench. He is responsible for upkeep. Sorry Brian, there are others waiting to take your place.
Ok, I understand fiscal responsibility, but what's with OC this year. I can't imagine their budget is that tight. First, they didn't want to go e the $5k they pay for the first white marlin caught, now they want to charge for the repair of in "in memorial" donations after 8 years. Seems rather petty to me.
Not surprising whatsoever - go into a venture without a STRATEGIC PLAN.
Dare: "We really didn’t stop and think one of these days those benches are going to be dilapidated,” he said."
Then someone's lightbulb popped when the first set of benches started getting old. HAHA
Just returned from a couple of weeks in south FLA. Spent a couple of days in Ft. Lauderdale oceanfront and low/behold aside from a nice beach, the A1A, restaurants, ability to move folks across streets and streetcorners without the need for walls/fences in the middle of the A1A, I saw large commercial tankers/ships anchored out in the ocean. Why for those who don't know?? Lauderdale has a major port for commercial shipping. Bring this up because of all the moaning about "potential" wind machines (HAHA) that could be an eyesore. At shore-level, the ships looked to be on the horizon, but when I went to a higher level (including a 40 level high rise), that ship was much closer than at eye-level. Something like that needs to be factored in when/IF wind machines come to town.
Other item while traveling to the Keys - a stopped by a fast food chain (golden arches) to get some fries. My 1st experience with Kiosks and it was awful. I was the only one in the establishment and they had someone waiting next to the kiosk to "help" me. Unfortunately there was a "language" barrier and the difficulty for me to navigate the kiosk...and not because I'm from the older generation. All I wanted was fries and saw the person waiting at the checkout waiting for me to place my order. Both the helper and a manager kept telling me "no no no, you must click here.." I didn't want to look at combo's I only wanted fries.
Needless to say, I left without fries..prob best. But I have to wonder with $14/$15 min wage in the future how much frustration will be out there.
Enjoyed the weather and different "lifestyles" of South FLA - but glad I'm back, look forward to next weeks WARM WEATHER and all the FUN stories this season will bring from our OC CITY HALL!!!!!
"Councilman Dennis Dare said the bench program was started more than a decade ago during his tenure as city manager. At that time, the city undertook an effort to remodel the Boardwalk, which included new light poles and trashcans.
“We really didn’t stop and think one of these days those benches are going to be dilapidated,” he said."
Mr. Dare prior to being a councilman and city manager was the city engineer for OC. What a stupid thing for a supposedly educated man to say. What he really meant was 'we were looking for a way for people to pay for us to spruce up the boardwalk without the city having to pay for it and now it is time for them to pay some more to keep the boardwalk looking nice'.
Speaking of the boardwalk how about those boards they put down 6-7 years ago that already need replacing.
Should have inquired about future repairs BEFORE buying the bench.. Problem is, nobody seems to look ahead any more and plan for the future..
Everyone on here complaining about him not looking out for the future of a BENCH. Probably commenting from your double wide
When u but them there is no mention of upkeep..so it is assumed that oc will keep them up or replace them..especially since the cost was nothing to the town and they even made a profit..also the benches are a asset to the tourism industry..of is being petty..if I were the people I would ask for them to place the plaques on a wall on the boards or replace the bench with one of thier choosing and remount the plaque..they aren't going to get rid of benches and not replace them.
"Councilman Dennis Dare said the bench program was started more than a decade ago during his tenure as city manager."
He was a piss poor city manager and those idiots elected him to their city council. ROTFLMFAO
I would like to see one of the original agreements.
1:09 Apparently some did and were told they would be maintained.
It's the owners bench and not the City of OC. It he wants to keep it there on the Boardwalk, they should pay for the maintenance and repairs and not the city. If not, then the City of OC has every right to remove it.
ha ha 123pm..throwing stones in your glass throne again D?
OC's going to have to eat the cost of the upkeep or end up in court where they will ultimately lose.
Selling something as a memorial implies perpetuity even when it's not spelled out.
The other mystery besides the supposed "educated" illustrious councilman saying “We really didn’t stop and think one of these days those benches are going to be dilapidated"----- is why legal advice wasn't sought prior the introduction of this endeavor years ago. There is a little thing called a "perpetual care trust fund" which should have been put in place at the time to pay for upkeep. Cemeteries are required to maintain such a trust and those selling memorials who do their homework know how important this fund is.
As I've noted before - Ocean City is getting VERY GREEDY! They've lowered the time you can be on the parking lot for free from 30 mins to 20 mins.
I would tell them to pound sand and that I will take the bench that I paid for and put it somewhere else
3:24 is exactly correct. Unless it was stipulated at purchase they can not retire the benches because the donor won't or can't pay a fee. A big mistake selling them in honor and in memory. Should have just sold "tribute plagues." Something they would have known had they consulted competent legal advice.
Other Einsteins are that Hartman and that Knight. His comments to the media were asinine and evidently Knight who speaks like and sports a mouth that constantly looks like she trying to keep her false teeth in place became very condescending to someone who called her on this issue. Old prune looking thing needs to crawl back in her hole from where she emerged until she learns how to behave. If the old dried up skank can't take the heat then get out and let a professional step in.
What would President Ronald Reagan say?
Tear down that bench, Mr. King
This should not surprise anyone. That whole council are not only low class and nasty they are as dumb as the day is long. This goes to show what poor upbringings they had. Dogs raise their young better. They or their predecessors made a mistake and instead of owning it like decent human beings they are passing the buck-literally. This is indicative of the lower class and of people whose own parents were nothing but slop cans. Immoral wastes of oxygen are what they are.
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