Five Things to Know About Thursday's Council Meeting

Ocean City Council on Thursday approved $4.5 million in spending on roads and a new skateboard park and reported on efforts to keep Ocean City lagoons dredged, but here are five other things from Thursday's meeting that might be of interest:

• Surfers vs. Hobies: Ocean City residents Mary Faust and Chuck Deal expressed concerns about the safety of allowing surfing for the first time this year on the beach at 29th Street designated for sailing. Deal called it an "accident waiting to happen," and Business Administrator Mike Dattilo said he would look into it.
• Tax Rate: Business Administrator Mike Dattilo reported that the combined tax rate (schools, city and county) has been certified at 84.2 cents per $100 of assessed value. About 20,000 tax bills will be in the mail soon. A payment extension is possible. Dattilo said that after two consecutive years of tax appeals that reduced assessed property values by more than $100 each year, this year 204 appeals have been settled, totaling only $15 million. 
• South End Sand: Dattilo reported that Ocean City still has no confirmed timetable on when the Army Corps of Engineers will start an approved project to pump sand to Ocean City's south end. The city is collecting easements (and still needs about 100) in preparation for work this winter.
• Docks at Bayside Center: City Council approved spending $35,000 for an EZ Dock System (floating docks) for public use at the Bayside Center (between Fifth and Sixth streets off Bay Avenue). The docks are available for anybody to launch a kayak or small craft, temporarily dock a recreational boat and to serve the growing Ocean City Sailing Foundation.
• McCrosson and Stanton: City Council voted to give a contract to the McCrosson and Stanton firm of Ocean City for legal services for the rest of 2013 and the first half of 2014.