Dear Friends,
I take a tour every Friday afternoon with city team members to check on the status of various projects in the works. I’m happy to report that by next weekend, walkers, runners and bicyclists will be able to travel the full length of the boardwalk. The reconstruction project between Eighth Street and 10th Street is making good progress, and the contractor will have a stretch of completed decking in place along the storefronts. Work to restore the full width of the boardwalk and re-install railings and light posts will continue. The Ocean City Boardwalk is perhaps our greatest treasure, and I want to thank everybody for their patience during this important project.
On Thursday, City Council approved a five-year capital plan to fund improvements to every part of Ocean City. The biggest portion of the plan is dedicated to road and drainage projects, and it addresses countless other needs from the beach to the bay. As part of the plan, we moved financing for a proposed public safety building renovation/addition back by a year. The concept of a new public safety building has been a multiyear process for us, and like any other major project, it’s important to gather the facts and present the concept at a town hall meeting. Before we make such a substantial investment, we will hold a public meeting with details from our professionals and seek input from the community. (See
summary of full five-year plan .)
Council also approved a contract for work to begin on a major drainage project for the area between 26th Street and 34th Street. A pre-construction meeting was held today and work will begin shortly. While no drainage system can possibly stop all flooding in Ocean City, residents of that neighborhood should see long-awaited relief soon.
As part of its commitment to community education and safety, the Ocean City Fire Department is organizing classes for CPR, AED and First Aid training. For people with busy schedules, an online course is available for the classroom portion -- with fire personnel later conducting skills checks in person. For more information on the program and to sign up, visit
ocnj.us/cpr.
I hope you all have a great weekend.
Warm regards,
Jay A. Gillian
Mayor
