Michael Allegretto Re-elected as City Council President

Michael Allegretto will serve another one-year term as president of City Council.

Allegretto was elected in unanimous vote Friday afternoon at the city's annual reorganization meeting. City Council also returned Karen Bergman to the vice president's seat in another unanimous vote.

Allegretto and Bergman will serve July 1 to June 30, 2012. They were elected by their peers on the seven-member council, and there was no discussion or nominations of other council members.

Allegretto is an at-large councilman who was elected to his second four-year term in 2010. A lifelong resident and graduate of Ocean City High School, Allegretto is a real estate agent for Prudential Fox & Roach.

Bergman represents the downtown's Second Ward, and is in the final year of a four-year term. She is the director of catering at the Flanders Hotel.

In other business, City Clerk Linda MacIntyre was reappointed to another term. Colleagues, council members and members of the public praised MacIntyre for her work ethic, expertise and commitment to Ocean City.

City Council also appointed Scott Ping to replace Roy Wagner as council's representative on the Planning Board.

Wagner, who served for three years on the board, said he wanted to continue his work and see projects through to completion, but he conceded defeat with a gracious welcome to Ping.

"I am a realist," Wagner said. "And I know that I do not have the votes."

Ping was among all the council members who thanked Wagner for his service and dedication to detail as a member of the Planning Board.

Ping, who was on the Planning Board five years ago, said "a new set of eyes and a new set of ideas" might help the board's work.

In public comment, Ocean City resident Sam Lavner praised Wagner for his independence, attention to aesthetics and "rigorous application of the rules." He encouraged Ping to adopt the same attributes.