By Donald Wittkowski
Mayor Jay Gillian has declined an invitation to debate his election opponent John Flood, citing lawsuits Flood and his son have filed against Ocean City.
Flood responded that Gillian “seems awfully shy to talk or answer questions” about his record in office and is using the litigation as an excuse to avoid the debate.
The government watchdog group Fairness in Taxes invited both candidates to a 90-minute debate on Friday night at the Ocean City Free Public Library. The League of Women Voters was scheduled to moderate, but withdrew because there would only be one candidate and it would not constitute a real debate.
Gillian said he had to decline the invitation based on the advice of his legal counsel about two suits that Flood and his son, Justin, have filed against the city related to housing projects they want to build.
“I’d like to thank both Fairness In Taxes and the League of Women Voters for offering to sponsor a mayoral debate. However, because my opponent is involved in two lawsuits against the city, legal counsel has advised me not to participate in the upcoming debate in order to avoid prejudicing the city in the pending litigation. I intend to heed that advice and must respectfully decline the invitation,” Gillian said in a statement.
Flood expressed disappointment with Gillian’s decision, saying that “I know our residents will be disappointed too.”
“Four years ago, when Jay ran for his first re-election, he declined that debate invitation as well. The mayor wants to run on his record but seems awfully shy to talk or answer questions about it to the public,” Flood said in a statement.
John Flood says he is disappointed with the mayor's decision not to debate him.
Gillian, who won election in 2010 and 2014, said he has established an open-door policy with voters during his time in office.
“I am confident that the voters are aware of my record, particularly in light of my practice of conducting open town hall meetings over the past eight years,” the mayor said. “As always, any voter who has questions is welcome to contact me for information.”
With only two weeks to go before the May 8 municipal election, Flood said he fears voters will never have a chance to see the two candidates square off in a face-to-face debate.
“What better way for the community to make a decision than to see them face-to-face giving their views of how the city has been run in the past, present and most importantly their vision for the future? I hope the mayor changes his mind and has the courage to show up as the community deserves nothing less.” Flood said.
Flood added that he would be willing not to discuss the lawsuits if that’s what it would take to persuade Gillian to debate him. Despite the mayor’s absence, Flood said he still plans to show up 7 p.m. Friday at the library at the Fairness In Taxes forum to answer questions from the public.
Flood said his litigation against the city has nothing to do with his campaign for mayor. His development company, Palmer Center LLC, filed suit after City Council voted in 2016 to revoke a controversial type of housing that has polarized the community and ignited complaints from surrounding neighborhoods.
The zoning ordinance approved then by Council eliminated so-called “coastal cottages” from a redevelopment area where they were supposed to be clustered in the center of town along Haven Avenue.
Flood has proposed building 10 coastal cottages on property he owns on 16th Street and Haven Avenue.
The coastal cottage concept was originally approved by Council in 2013 as a way to create smaller, affordable homes that would attract more year-round residents, particularly younger families, to Ocean City.
However, the lone coastal cottage project that was built on Haven Avenue was shadowed by complaints that it exacerbated flooding, parking and overcrowding problems in surrounding neighborhoods. In response to those complaints, Council voted to revoke coastal cottages from the Haven Avenue development corridor.
Flood’s suit seeks a court order overturning the Council vote, according to City Solicitor Dorothy McCrosson.
Justin Flood, John Flood's son, has also filed a lawsuit against the city over a housing project he plans to build.
Meanwhile, Flood’s son, Justin, is suing the city over a 110-unit, multifamily development he has proposed on Eighth Street near the Boardwalk. Related to Justin Flood’s project on Eighth Street is his offer to build affordable housing on 16th Street, McCrosson said.
McCrosson said the proposed site for Justin Flood’s affordable housing project is owned by John Flood, which links the mayoral candidate to the second lawsuit filed against Ocean City.
The city has filed for a declaratory judgment in Superior Court asking for confirmation of its proposed plan to meet its state-mandated affordable housing obligations. However, Justin Flood has filed a motion to intervene in the city’s request for declaratory judgment because of his plans to build affordable housing on 16th Street.
McCrosson said Justin Flood, through his company Flood Development LLC, has offered to develop affordable housing on 16th Street in exchange for approvals for his 110-unit project on Eighth Street at market prices. She said the number of affordable housing units he has proposed would equate to 15 percent of his larger project.
