Dear Friends,
I had the pleasure on Monday of showing New Jersey’s new Department of Environmental Protection commissioner some of the sites where Ocean City is working to protect the shoreline, enhance wetlands, dredge shallow waterways and remediate for flooding. Catherine McCabe visited with Assistant Commissioners Dave Rosenblatt and Ginger Kopkash, Chief of Staff Eric Wachter and Assistant to the Commissioner Chris Gough.
Local, state and federal government share many common goals, and successful partnerships are essential to getting things done in an environment that can include multiple layers of red tape. The city team and ACT Engineers reviewed plans to restore Shooting Island, to add acres of wetlands and potential shellfish habitat, and to provide a buffer against storm surge and a possible site for re-depositing some of the sediment that erodes from the island.
McCabe was excited to see a municipality taking a leadership role in developing innovative solutions and also in investing to make them happen. I want to thank the entire DEP team for their visit and for working closely with us to develop new programs that could be used to help municipalities throughout the state. I look forward to a great working relationship with McCabe and the DEP.
The forecast looks great for Night in Venice tomorrow, and Ocean City continues to be extremely busy as we enter the heart of the summer. I want to take a moment to thank all the members of our police and fire departments and their families. These men and women work hard and are ready to risk their lives year-round. But with so many people in town, their jobs in the summer are long, varied and demanding. Yet response times and public safety remain exceptional. I’m proud of our team and grateful for their service.
I hope you all have a fun and safe weekend.
Warm regards,
Jay A. Gillian
Mayor
