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Saturday, October 17, 2020

A burning desire for a fire, leads to a $50k budget surplus in Ocean City

Tuesday's budget presentation revealed that the bonfire permit program was totally hot this summer.

While most other sources of entertainment went up in flames for the resort city, due to Covid-19 restrictions, it appears, visitors opted to spend their time on the beach in the evening enjoying their friends, family, fresh air, and fires!

Budget Manager Jennie Knapp said the program came in $50,000 over budget, which is significant considering the price tag for a permit is $75.

Mayor Meehan agreed that the program was a huge money maker. That means there were an additional 660 bonfires,” he said. “That number is above what was budgeted, so I’m guessing we’re probably closer to 1,000 bonfires on the beach.”

There were days in July when there were 50 individual permits issued for beach bonfires, sometimes two at the same street. There were 34 bonfire permits issued on a Saturday in mid-August, as another example.

With the arrival of fall and cooler weather, the program still appears to be going strong. For example, there were 14 bonfire permits issued last Friday and another 26 last Saturday. Already, as of this past Thursday, there were 23 bonfire permits issued for today.

Meehan, said he believes one thing that has attributed to the increase is the ease of obtaining a permit.

A couple of years ago, the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office adopted an online platform to allow visitors and residents to apply for beach bonfire permits, streamlining the former in-person method.

8 comments:

  1. One thousand bonfires? Damn what about all that carbon monoxide these bonfires are producing. This must be stopped immediately

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    Replies
    1. I know 557, and what about the kids playing with matches. They could possibly burn down the beach destroying the sandcrab's and sandpipers habitat.

      Delete
  2. Oh My God,
    your going to have more earthquakes now,
    and it will be cold in the Winters,
    and Hot in the summers now.

    ReplyDelete
  3. $75.00 to let you have a bonfire ?
    Always finding away to rip people off

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  4. how much of a budget surplus did they make off of traffic tickets, parking violations, etc?

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  5. Many years several have opined about doing this....for years trying to think of other revenue generators. The yearly calendar is exactly the same all the time - nothing happens on the 10 miles of beach pretty much from Oct - Mar...not to mention the evenings during vacationer season.

    Idea? Bonfires. Finally a revenue surplus in something that well was frowned upon for the last 30 years.

    Funny how everyone pats themselves on the back when our elected officials are suppose to do their damn jobs.

    Nov 3 - VOTE!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ocean city needs to change its direction from a crazy out of control drug fueled party town to something more subdued

    ReplyDelete

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