Dear Friends,
I remain in contact with the local hospital and doctors, and trends in COVID cases and hospitalizations continue to decrease. Fortunately, we have seen no spike, even as our seasonal population increases. I want to thank everybody for their vigilance, but I also want to urge everybody not to let their guard down. We all must strictly adhere to social distancing and face covering guidance.
On Monday, retail stores can open for indoor shopping and restaurants can open for outdoor dining (with some restrictions in place). The city is working with owners to make whatever reasonable accommodations we can to help them do business under the new guidelines.
On June 22, outdoor pools and outdoor recreation businesses can open. The governor has lifted stay-at-home orders, and as many as 50 people are now allowed to gather indoors for things like church services. By July 3, it is expected that up to 500 people will be allowed to gather outside. Under this new guidance, the city is working with the school district on plans for a high school graduation ceremony tentatively on Thursday, July 9.
I am happy to report that we are planning for a safe Fourth of July with fireworks and for Night in Venice on July 18. I think it’s important for the city to maintain these traditional celebrations in a year in which we have all sacrificed so much. We will provide further guidance as the planning process continues.
Working in partnership with Cape May County and the Municipal Utilities Authority, we were able to mill and temporarily pave Bay Avenue on Wednesday and Thursday. The work restored the road to a safe and drivable condition for the summer. The county will be back in the fall to complete the project and do final paving. Because it maintains a working wastewater system, this project is extremely important to everybody in Ocean City.
At a preconstruction meeting on Thursday, the city learned that beach replenishment is now expected to begin on June 27. The work will restore beaches between Seaview Road and 13th Street over the course of about eight weeks.
I also want to let you know that twice-a-week pickup for trash and recycling begins on Monday, June 15. This schedule will be in effect until Sept. 12, and there are no changes to the normal pickup days for Independence Day and Labor Day holidays.
I hope you all have a great weekend.
Warm regards,
Mayor Jay A. Gillian
