Mayor Jay Gillian: City Will 'Communicate Proactively' on Beach Project

Dear Friends, This week I learned of the planned schedule for the beach replenishment project in the south end of Ocean City from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). We are being told that in Ocean City, mobilization of the dredging equipment will begin in early April 2015 with pumping beginning in early May 2015, going from north to south.  The dredging company will use two dredges, one for Ocean City and one for Strathmere and Sea Isle. This is great news for Ocean City, and we are grateful that this project is moving forward.  It will serve to protect billions of dollars of public and private property in the years ahead. We expect to hear more detailed information at an upcoming preconstruction meeting. We like the concept of using two dredges and believe that is beneficial to the communities. We have some reservations about the May start date but will wait to hear more details at the preconstruction meeting. Ocean City looks forward to working with the Army Corps of Engineers and the NJ DEP on another successful project. We will start meeting now with key stakeholders so that we can communicate the project proactively, and minimize any possible inconveniences for our residents and guests during the summer season.  I will continue to update you on this project as more information becomes available in the months ahead. I am also happy to share that the new pumps installed as part of the Merion Park road and drainage project became fully operational on Thursday.  Please note that the pumps were not yet operational during Tuesday’s storm.  Thank you again to all of the Merion Park residents who have patiently cooperated with the city through this project. Today, we hosted the Cape Mayor County Mayor’s lunch and participated in a discussion regarding the ongoing drug problem in our County.  It is now more important than ever that families secure and monitor their prescription drugs, as we learned that children as young as nine years old are becoming regular drug users.  I plan to provide more information and resources on this topic in a future letter, but ask that during this holiday season all parents and guardians establish an open dialogue with their children regarding the dangers of drug use. Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the over 60 participants in last week’s Christmas Parade. We had a great crowd on Asbury Avenue and I hope everyone enjoyed the parade.  I would like to offer a special thanks to the Downtown Merchants, the Chamber of Commerce, City Council and City team members for their support and commitment to the parade. I hope you all have a great weekend. Warm regards, Jay A. Gillian Mayor