Dear Friends,
Ocean City had the honor of hosting a session yesterday at the 2019 New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference on opening waterways and improving the resiliency of back bays.
The idea that Ocean City’s program is a model for the rest of the state is a testament to the success of the team we have put together. By working together with residents, businesses, our consulting ACT Engineers, the state Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Transportation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ocean City has been able to restore navigable waterways and create a sustainable long-term program to maintain the health of our back bay.
I want to thank the DOT’s Genevieve Clifton, the DEP’s Ginger Kopkash, the Army Corps’ Edward Bonner, ACT’s Carol Beske and Eric Rosina, and Ocean City CFO Frank Donato for speaking at the session.
I want to encourage you all to attend the annual Community Thanksgiving Service, which will be held this year at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26 at the Ocean City Tabernacle (550 Wesley Avenue).
The gathering is sponsored by the interdenominational Ocean City Ecumenical Council, and people of all faiths are invited to attend. Please bring a donation of canned goods for the local Food Cupboard to the service, and plan to stay afterwards for a dessert reception with your neighbors.
On the same night, the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce will honor its Citizen of the Year and give awards in a variety of categories to local businesses. I want to congratulate Carrie Merritt, an Ocean City Primary School teacher and community volunteer, on being named Citizen of the Year. I also want to pay tribute to all the businesses that will be honored and that contribute to making Ocean City the exceptional destination that it is.
Our downtown is now decorated for the holidays, and the “Earlier than the Bird” shopping extravaganza will be tomorrow (Saturday, Nov. 23). This unique downtown event invites everyone to shop in their pajamas to take advantage of early-bird specials. The fun starts at 8 a.m. Free turkeys will be awarded to the best-dressed, and you can register for chances to win gift certificates and other prizes.
Seasonal beach tags for summer 2020 will go on sale starting next week. A production issue delayed this weekend’s scheduled launch, but the 2020 tags should be on hand in time for next Friday’s Christmas in the Downtown celebration. They will be available at a discounted $20 and can be purchased at the City Hall Welcome Center and other locations throughout town or online at www.ocnj.us/beachtags.
First Night admission buttons are also on sale now. Attendance for our family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration is capped at 10,000 and the event sells out year after year. So don’t miss out. Information on the event, the schedule and how to purchase buttons is available at firstnightocnj.com . The buttons are available at a discounted $15 through the end of the month. But the price goes up to $20 on Dec. 1.
There are only three days a year when trash and recycling are not picked up on a regular schedule: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. For Thanksgiving, the Thursday routes move to Friday, and the Friday routes move to Saturday. See more detail on the holiday schedule.
The lights on the Route 52 causeway bridges will remain purple for the remainder of November in recognition of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. It’s one small gesture to celebrate survivors, to honor loved ones who have fought the disease, and to raise awareness about the importance of research.
Warm regards,
Mayor Jay A. Gillian
