Dear Friends,
I’m happy to report that City Council last night extended our shared services agreement with Sea Isle City for George Savastano to work as our business administrator and municipal engineer. George has been extremely effective in project management, budget control, and in leading the city team during a short-term agreement this summer. I’m very excited by the potential of what we can accomplish together over the next four years.
The agreement represents a substantial savings to both towns, and the shared knowledge and resources will be invaluable. I know Sea Isle City Mayor Lenny Desiderio is equally excited, and both of us will continue to look for more opportunities for shared services and shared solutions on behalf of our taxpayers.
With a new moon coming tomorrow, predictions for exceptionally high tides are in the forecast for tonight (at 8:17 p.m.), Saturday night (9:07 p.m.) and Sunday night (9:57 p.m.). Flooding on low-lying streets – including the Haven Avenue and Simpson Avenue corridors – is possible, particularly on Saturday evening, if predicted rain coincides with high tide. Residents and guests should monitor conditions and be prepared to move vehicles.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities has announced that southern New Jersey will receive a new 640 area code for telephone calls. That means that starting Aug. 18, all callers making local calls within the 609 area will be required to dial 1 + area code + the seven-digit telephone number. The new system will be an inconvenience but is necessary because of the increasing number of telephone numbers in our area. Smartphone users can start now to update contacts to make sure area codes are included.
I received an email this week from a Philadelphia grandmother who was at the beach with her daughter and two young granddaughters when one of the girls – just 22 months old – choked on a snack and stopped breathing. Ocean City Beach Patrol lifeguards Colt Lacovara and Kelly Catania were able to revive the child with the assistance of guard Kyle Pietro.
“I was amazed at his gift of handling this situation so well. And when he performed the procedure he was so efficient and professional. I owe Colt a world of gratitude for saving my granddaughter's life,” she wrote.
The attending emergency room doctor also conveyed to our staff that “due to their quick intervention a nearly fatal incident was averted.”
OCBP will compete in the South Jersey Lifeguard Championships tonight, but it is truly rescues like this that will always make our patrol the best, and I’d like to commend all our guards for their good work.
Warm regards,
Jay A. Gillian
Mayor
