Dear Friends,
I want to take a moment to pay tribute to George Herbert Walker Bush, who served with distinction as our 41st president. President Bush dedicated his life to public service and to his country. I always appreciated his willingness to put America first and to build consensus. He was part of a generation – along with our long-time U.S. Rep. Bill Hughes – that taught me the importance of working together as a team.
Respect for everybody – whether they’re political allies or not – is the foundation of good government. It’s a lesson I’ve tried to follow as mayor, and I’m grateful to the former president for providing such a good example. I hope you’ll all join me in mourning the loss of this great American.
I’m happy to report that all four pumping stations in the Fourth Ward neighborhood drainage project are up and running. This represents a major milestone, and residents in the area should now begin to see the benefits of this flood remediation effort. City Council last night awarded the contract for the final phase of work, the paving of alleys in the project area, which will take place in the winter and spring.
City Council also awarded a contract for a study and concept plan for using the existing berm that runs along the bayside marshes between 36th Street and 52nd Street for improved resilience to tidal flooding. The study is the first step in what could be major improvements for this part of town.
Contractors have begun mobilizing for the restoration of the northern and western shorelines of Shooting Island in the bay off the area between West 17th Street and Tennessee Avenue. They will be working Mondays through Saturdays to install 2,700 linear feet of rock sill and 1,450 linear feet of oyster habitat.
The sill will function as protection for the Shooting Island wetlands and will absorb energy from the waves and currents. The oyster habitat blocks will be spaced to promote the flow of tidal water between the marsh and bay.
This work represents the start of the longest living shoreline project in New Jersey. This first phase will help provide coastal resiliency and reduction of storm impacts. The shoreline of the island has receded nearly 60 feet since 1978. More than 150 acres of tidal wetlands will be restored and protected.
We were successful in acquiring permits from multiple federal and state agencies, and these will allow us to move forward with a long-range plan for dredging, maintenance and restoration of our beautiful back bay recreational area. The effort will serve as a model for other shore communities in addressing similar issues in their efforts to keep their waterways open.
First Night admission buttons are on sale now. Our family-friendly event is a great and safe way to celebrate New Year’s Eve, and this year’s entertainment lineup is excellent. Visit firstnightocnj.com for more information and to purchase your buttons while they last.
Finally, I want to congratulate Ocean City Fire Department Capt. Gary Green, who retired after 35 years of service to Ocean City. City Council honored him and six other members of his family who collectively dedicated more than 220 years to Ocean City. Each of the Greens served with distinction, and I’m grateful to their entire family for their commitment to our community.
Warm regards,
Mayor Jay A. Gillian
