Dear Friends,
City Council last night approved a bond ordinance that includes potential funding for the installation of geotubes on the eroded beach in the area surrounding Fifth Street. I have instructed the city team to work with the Army Corps of Engineers and the state Department of Environmental Protection to see if it’s possible to use this technology there. Geotubes are giant cylinders made of plastic fabric and stuffed with sand, then buried by more sand and dune grass. Geotubes are in place under the dunes along East Atlantic Boulevard, and they were the only thing that saved many north-end properties during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Council also approved a bond ordinance that would allow the city to acquire the former American Legion post on the 3300 block of Bay Avenue. This property is owned by Cape May County and would be used to help the city offset some of its affordable housing obligations and to support Ocean City High School crew programs.
Contracts for three road and drainage projects were approved. Residents can anticipate work on many roads in the area of 10th Street to 14th Street, 25th Street to 30th Street, and 48th Street to 54th Street. For more detail on exactly which roads will be affected, visit www.ocnj.us/Capital-Projects-Roads-and-Drainage.
The New Jersey American Water project to replace the wastewater main at the intersection of Third Street and West Avenue is near complete. The West Avenue detour is expected to be removed tomorrow. The Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority project to replace wastewater mains under Bay Avenue will continue to move northward through the winter. Traffic is detoured between 24th Street and 34th Street on Bay, but I have asked the contractors to make sure the detours are removed on weekends.
The forecast looks mostly dry for the Clean Ocean Action Beach Sweep and the Ocean City Fishing Club’s 51st annual Surf Fishing Tournament on Saturday. Both events offer a great chance to get outside and enjoy the beach while the mild fall weather lasts. For more information, visit oceancityvacation.com .
Warm regards,
Jay A. Gillian
Mayor
