Dear Friends,
The city has received a number of inquiries about restrictions on swimming pools. I want it to be clear that the city has taken no action to prevent swimming pools from opening. We do not have that authority.
The governor of New Jersey closed pools by executive order. At his news conference today, he said he will make an announcement about outdoor pools on Monday (June 8). The administration is doing everything in its power to get the governor to reopen our city and to provide immediate relief from many of these restrictions. Health officials and the CDC indicate there is little risk of transmitting a virus through properly treated pool water. With mechanisms in place to limit capacity and to maintain social distancing, these facilities should be allowed to open.
On a pre-construction conference call yesterday, the federal Army Corps of Engineers contractor indicated that our north end beach replenishment project is now anticipated to begin about June 22. The work will bring more than 1.4 million cubic yards of new sand to some of the narrowest beaches on the island.
A pipeline from the “borrow area” offshore will land on the beach near Morningside Road, and work will progress from there toward the southern terminus of the project area at 13th Street over the course of about six weeks. When that is complete, work will proceed for another two weeks from Morningside to the northern terminus at Seaview Road. About two blocks of beach will be closed at any time as the project moves down the beach.
I understand that this will be an inconvenience, but our beach replenishment program is funded largely by the federal Army Corps and the state Department of Environmental Protection, and we have to work with their schedule. As I’m sure you are all aware, these beaches desperately need sand and this work provides protection for all of our properties. As always, I want to thank our partners for this vital work.
Road projects in the vicinity of 10th Street to 14th Street, 25th Street to 30th Street, and 47th Street to 55th Street are now complete. Due to the unsafe and unacceptable condition of the road, I have asked the Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority to suspend work on its Bay Avenue wastewater main replacement project until the fall and to begin temporary pavement restoration.
Warm regards,
Mayor Jay A. Gillian
