Donald Wittkowski

Fallout from Ocean City’s proposed $9 million purchase of property that would be protected from high-density housing construction has embroiled Mayor Jay Gillian and a commercial real estate developer in a testy exchange of words. Developer John Flood, a former city councilman who lost to Gillian in last May’s mayoral election, is accusing the city of exaggerating the possibility that the land may be used as a site for “coastal cottages,” a type of housing that would be tightly packed together in one location. Gillian fired back Tuesday afternoon with his own statement, saying that the court order does exist and that Flood has gotten the issue wrong.

Mayor Jay Gillian gave a spirited defense in favor of Ocean City’s proposed $9 million purchase of a large piece of property that would be protected from high-density housing, but he acknowledged the deal is threatened by a petition drive for a public referendum. Speaking at a City Council meeting Thursday night, Gillian said the transaction offers the city the rare opportunity to acquire strategically located land that could be preserved as open space or possibly serve as the site for a new police station.

Ocean City’s public housing agency faces a pivotal – and expensive – decision whether to build an even larger expansion project to replace its flood-prone Pecks Beach Village housing complex for senior citizens. During the Ocean City Housing Authority’s monthly board meeting on Tuesday, it became clear just how easily the area can flood. Torrential rain from the remnants of once-Hurricane Florence left knee-deep storm water Tuesday evening on Fourth Street in front of Pecks Beach Village as well as the housing authority’s administrative office across the street.

More than 450 Corvettes will take over the Ocean City Boardwalk on Sunday, Sept. 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual Corvette Show includes a range of models dating back to Corvette’s first in 1953 and extending to the present. The 10th annual Walk for the Wounded will be held Saturday, Sept. 22, on the Boardwalk. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. in front of the Music Pier. A ceremony honoring soldiers is at 9:30 a.m., and the walk begins at 10 a.m. The entire extended Ocean City community has always come out in full support of this important fundraising event.

Ocean City Beach Patrol will have lifeguards at six beaches until Sept. 23 and then will close out the summer season. They include: St. Charles Place, Brighton Place, 8th Street, 9th Street, 12th Street and 34th Street.

The Ocean City Police Department handled a total of 570 calls for the week of Sept. 9-15. The daily average was 81 calls.

A Cape May County contractor, Landberg Construction, will work at 41st Street and West Avenue to replace the existing storm sewer crossing at that intersection starting on Monday, Sept. 24. The work was originally scheduled to occur last May, but pipe was back-ordered and unavailable at the time of the planned construction. Due to the need to dewater the site, West Avenue will be closed with a two-block detour to Asbury Avenue between 40th Street and 42nd Street.

This week’s wild ride of weather forecasts for Hurricane Florence was no match for the 2018 Ocean City Boardwalk Aerobatic Air Show held Sunday between Sixth Street and 14th Street. The two-hour show, featuring some of the best stunt pilots and aerobatic champions in the world, laid claim to the wild week with spine-tingling, heart-racing midair death-defying rolls, twists and loops performed at breakneck speed.

At exactly 12 noon Saturday, the spectators peered overhead and began pointing to what appeared to be three tiny white clouds that looked like fluffy cotton balls. As the seconds ticked away and the white objects moved closer to earth, it became clear that they were actually the billowing parachute canopies of three skydivers descending on the Ocean City Municipal Airport for its annual air festival.

City Council agreed Thursday night to pay $9 million to buy a strategically located tract of land that will now be protected from high-density housing construction and may be preserved as open space or serve as the home for a new Ocean City police station. The 7-0 vote capped some testy exchanges between the governing body and a handful of local residents, who argued that the city is overpaying for the property and should not buy it until there are specific plans for the site.