Donald Wittkowski

It appears that Ocean City’s chief financial officer will be temporarily helping out in Sea Isle City after all. Sea Isle’s City Council is expected to approve a resolution at its meeting Tuesday formally appointing Frank Donato as the interim CFO until March 7. The move comes less than two weeks after Ocean City’s Council rejected a proposed shared services agreement with Sea Isle that would have allowed Donato to serve as Sea Isle’s interim CFO, in addition to performing his duties in Ocean City.

Twenty-eight years ago, Eric W. Jones showed up at the Somers Point Fire Department Company 1 headquarters and asked how he could become a volunteer firefighter. Fire Chief Michael Sweeney recalled that Jones was soft-spoken and a bit shy at that time. Sweeney also remembered that Jones quietly confided something about himself – he had only one leg. Jones, who grew up in Ocean City, had his right leg amputated as a boy when he had cancer, but he was still determined to become a firefighter. And he did, overcoming a disability that likely would have prevented virtually anyone else from becoming a firefighter, friends and family members noted. Family members, friends, loved ones and firefighters throughout South Jersey spoke of Eric Jones’ perseverance, courage and heroism during the funeral service Saturday for a man affectionately known as “Jonesey.”

The Cape May County agency that operates the Corsons Inlet Bridge has received all of the permits that are needed to move ahead with the rehabilitation of the 75-year-old structure. Also planned is a patching job to fill in the potholes that have pockmarked the bridge’s concrete decking.

Ocean City is unwilling to share its “rock star” chief financial officer with another town – even on a temporary basis. City Council on Thursday night shot down a proposed shared services agreement that would have allowed Ocean City CFO Frank Donato to temporarily help out Sea Isle City with its finances following the retirement of Sea Isle’s CFO Paula Doll.

Mayor Jay Gillian touted his accomplishments ranging from Ocean City’s recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy to the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic while launching his re-election bid Sunday for a fourth term. In what is a major theme of his campaign leading up to the May 10 municipal election, he focused on the city’s extensive infrastructure program to improve the beaches, Boardwalk, roads and drainage systems during his 11 years in office.

The Cape May County Bridge Commission, emphasizing the need for more revenue to maintain its network of aging bridges, approved a three-stage toll increase Thursday that will double the fare from what motorists pay now. Tolls will increase by 50 cents in 2022, 50 cents in 2023 and 50 cents in 2024. The current toll of $1.50 for cars will double to $3 once the increase is fully implemented by 2024.

Hoping to protect traffic from floodwaters seeping out of the marshlands, Cape May County has plans to elevate a vital roadway that links Ocean City and the Marmora section of Upper Township. Bob Church, the county engineer, said the project for the Roosevelt Boulevard-34th Street corridor is currently in the conceptual phase.

Ocean City’s public housing authority Tuesday approved a series of preliminary steps that represent a crucial part of plans to develop a 60-unit affordable housing project that will replace the flood-prone Pecks Beach Village housing complex.

Their black shoes were polished to a high gloss. Their silver badges glistened in the auditorium lights. Their light blue uniforms were crisply ironed, not a wrinkle to be seen. Shane Rauner and Jacob Diggons looked every bit the part of professional police officers ready to begin their critical job of protecting the community. On Monday, that’s exactly what they will do when they start work as the newest officers with the Ocean City Police Department. Rauner, 25, and Diggons, 22, took the first step toward becoming rookie cops when they graduated Friday evening from the Cape May County Police Academy during a packed ceremony at the Performing Arts Center at Middle Township High School in Cape May Court House.

Mayor Jay Gillian announced plans for Ocean City to have a consulting firm study potential locations for the construction of “one or more” parking garages on public property. Speaking during a City Council meeting Thursday night, Gillian said that during the past few months he has talked with some business owners from both the Boardwalk and the downtown about the need for parking. The city has solicited a proposal from a nationally recognized parking consultant to study six potential city-owned sites for a parking garage, he said.