Mayor Jay Gillian: Gas and Water Line Upgrades on the Way

Dear Friends: I would like to use my letter this week to update you on several ongoing items. The city team met with South Jersey Gas and New Jersey American Water representatives this week to discuss road projects. Both companies are committed to continued investment in Ocean City, and residents can expect to see projects starting in the weeks ahead. South Jersey Gas specifically will be upgrading to high pressure lines in many areas of town, and will begin work next week in the Corinthian neighborhood. Residents will be notified directly by South Jersey Gas. South Jersey Gas is committed to providing safe and reliable service to all current and future customers. At the high school football game this past Friday, the scoreboard had an issue and was not operational. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. The scoreboard was fully operational on Thursday during testing. The outage was caused, we believe, by a power surge that negatively impacted the signal. We have been working with the scoreboard company to replace the parts and take proactive steps to protect the scoreboard from future surges. The beach replenishment project has reached 59th Street and is expected to be completed shortly. All beaches in Ocean City are open this weekend with the exception of 59th Street. Access to Corson’s Inlet State Park at 59th Street and Central Avenue is currently closed for safety reasons. On Sunday, over 450 Corvettes will be displayed on the Boardwalk from 6th to 14th Street beginning at 11:30 AM. The show is one of the largest in the East with Corvette owners from Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and entries from as far away as Ohio, Indiana and Florida. The awards ceremony will be held at 3:30 PM in front of the Music Pier. The show is held rain or shine and proceeds from registration fees benefit local charities. Along with the Corvette Show, there are many great events and performances scheduled throughout the fall. Please visit www.oceancityvacation.com for the latest information. On Oct. 23, the Ocean City Tabernacle will present a special evening with Bethany Hamilton, the American professional surfer who lost her arm to a shark attack. Attendees will hear her moving life story and enjoy dinner and music. The proceeds from this event will benefit the Tabernacle’s programs for children and youth. More information on this event can be found at the Ocean City Tabernacle website www.octabernacle.org. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Warm regards, Jay A. Gillian Mayor