Mayor's Update - July 15

Dear Friends, I’m sad to report on the passing of Byron T. Mercer last Friday. He lived in Ocean City for more than 50 years, and many remember him as the long-time advertising director of the Ocean City Sentinel Ledger. He was a Navy veteran, serving during the Korean War, and he was a member of St. Peters United Methodist Church, an Ocean City Housing Authority commissioner, Ocean City Free Public Library publicity chairman, Cape May County Parks and Zoo commissioner, Ocean City Arts Center board member, and a past master of Ocean City’s Masonic Lodge. Mercer was buried yesterday at Cape May County Veterans Cemetery after a Masonic service with full military honors. Byron’s service to country and community is a great example to all of us. Michele and I would like to extend our deepest condolences to his family and honor Byron for a life well-lived.

I’d like to welcome Nastia Liukin to Ocean City. The Olympic gymnastics gold medalist will lead our annual Night in Venice boat parade on Saturday. She’ll make a public appearance on the boardwalk in front of the Ocean City Music Pier at 12:15 p.m. The parade begins and 6:30 p.m. and travels along the bayside from the Ocean City-Longport toll bridge to Tennessee Avenue. A new fireworks display will follow the parade. As of Friday afternoon, there were still a few tickets left for spots at the Bayside Center, where the Good Tymes Band will play and children’s activities will be offered. You can get tickets at City Hall or online at ocnj.us/boxoffice.

I encourage all of you to attend and to take advantage of free shuttle services that will operate from the Ocean City Municipal Airport, the Ocean City Community Center and the soccer fields off Tennessee Avenue. Remember, driving-while-intoxicated laws are always strictly enforced. And I ask everybody to be safe, patient and courteous with a lot of pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles sharing the roads. Finally, I want to remind everybody about a public meeting 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday (July 18) in Room 111 at the Ocean City Free Public Library. Cape May County will share information about its project to redeck the 34^th Street Bridge. The work will lead to lane closings and travel delays in the off-season. The county will hold another public meeting on the same day to share information about the replacement of the bridge and culvert on W. 17^th Street. That meeting will be held 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Room 116 at the library. Warm regards, Jay A. Gillian Mayor