Dear Friends,City Council last night approved the first reading of an ordinance that repeals the funding for the city’s proposed purchase of the Klause Enterprises property next to the Ocean City Community Center. My position on this issue has been the same from the beginning: I don’t want to see the property developed with more housing. I believe I’m representing the vast majority of citizens in this belief.I will ask representatives of the city to resume talks with all stakeholders. I want to make sure the city makes every effort to preserve the property before it’s too late.Residents in the neighborhood of our north end drainage project shared concerns about a property in the area that has no bulkhead – a potential limit to the effectiveness of the project. First, I want everybody to know that the project corrects many other failures in our aging storm drainage system that contribute to flooding in the neighborhood. Second, the project includes new street elevations that will help prevent tidal waters from breaching Bay Avenue. But most importantly, we are working with owners to make sure a continuous bulkhead is put in place along that section of bayfront.Our hydraulic dredging contractor continues to make good progress with work now complete at Clubhouse Lagoon and Bluefish Lagoon (on opposite sides of Waterway Road) and at Carnival Bayou and Venetian Bayou (on opposite sides of W. 17th Street). Work will now move into its final phase at Waterview near 34th Street. Mechanical dredging is finished at Snug Harbor and the Bay Bridge area near Ninth Street and at parts of Sunny Harbor. It will continue on the bayfront at Third Street and at other parts of Sunny Harbor and South Harbor. I’m excited to finally see tangible results from many years of hard work and investment in making our bay waters safe and accessible to all our residents and guests.
Owners interested in learning more about contracting to have their private boat slips dredged can reach out to ACT Engineers at [email protected].Work on the neighborhood drainage project in the Fourth Ward will continue with activation of the pumping station at the end of 28th Street expected by the end of next week and at 30th Street and Haven Avenue the following week.Expect delays and detours along Bay Avenue between Second Street and Eighth Street for the next month as work crews lay pipe, pour concrete, elevate sections of the roadway and repave as part of the north end drainage project.I also want to congratulate Jon and Patty Talese. At an Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce awards ceremony on Tuesday, they will be named Citizens of the Year. The Taleses have contributed to the Downtown Merchants Association, the Ocean City Tourism Development Commission and other organizations throughout town. The ceremony on Tuesday also will recognize outstanding businesses in town. The Ocean City Board of Realtors has launched its Warmth for the Winter drive. They are collecting coats, sweaters, blankets, snow boots, hats, scarves and more for families in need.Donations can be dropped off at the Board of Realtors’ office at 405 22nd Street or you can call 609-399-0128 to arrange to have somebody pick up donations. Finally, I want to remind everybody that our annual Veterans Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Monday (Nov. 12) indoors at the Ocean City Tabernacle at 550 Wesley Avenue. I encourage everybody to attend and honor the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.Warm regards,Mayor Jay A. Gillian
