OCEAN CITY, Md. — The Ocean City Council on Wednesday discussed questions surrounding the residency status of fellow council member Tony DeLuca, a matter that could prompt future changes to the town’s charter.
Under the town charter, council members are required to reside in Ocean City for at least four months. Whether DeLuca meets that requirement was debated during the meeting, though no formal action was taken and DeLuca remains on the council for now.
Annapolis property is on the left. Ocean City property is on the right.
Several council members raised concerns about DeLuca owning two properties, one in Ocean City and another in Annapolis, and questioned which residence serves as his primary home. Council members also referenced DeLuca’s E-ZPass records, which they said show the frequency of his travel between the two locations.
DeLuca addressed the council during the meeting, saying he meets all residency requirements. He said he has been traveling to Annapolis more frequently due to family-related issues.
Council members also referenced DeLuca’s E-ZPass records, which they said show the frequency of his travel between the two locations.
Despite those concerns, city officials said DeLuca is permitted to continue serving on the council under current rules.
In a statement to CoastTV News after the meeting, DeLuca said the following:
"I appreciated the opportunity to address these matters today, before the mayor and city council, and I look forward to continuing to serve."Â
The council voted to review potential changes to the city charter regarding residency requirements for sitting council members during a future work session.
Some council members said that if new requirements are adopted and DeLuca does not meet them, they hope he would voluntarily resign.
For now, no changes have been made, and DeLuca remains a member of the Ocean City Council.