Dear Friends,I want to remind you all that the public hearing on our proposed 2019 municipal budget is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday (April 11) in City Council Chambers at City Hall. The budget outlines all planned expenses and projected revenues for the year. It continues our aggressive schedule of infrastructure improvements, and it includes zero increase to the municipal tax rate.The milder spring weather is allowing us to push toward closing out spring projects, and there is a lot of concrete and paving work taking place throughout town. As always, I thank you for your patience and understanding as we invest in fixing our roads and drainage.The Army Corps of Engineers and the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) visited Ocean City this week to review and discuss the next beach replenishment project. A contract is expected to be awarded by fall of this year and cover both the northern and southern ends of the island.Hauling of dredged material from the site off Roosevelt Boulevard is in progress and will be completed prior to Memorial Day Weekend. Part of the routine maintenance of the site includes the use of lime. This process is expected to create steam rising from the site on Saturday. Please know that this is planned, harmless and no cause for alarm.The Public Works team continues to repair a collapsed outfall pipe at Moorlyn Terrace. The repair is expected to fix flooding at the foot of the Boardwalk ramp leading up to the Music Pier.
Most of all, I’d like to welcome all of the women, families and superheroes who will storm the town for Girls Weekend and the OC-Con Festival this weekend. It will be exciting to see the town fill up for another great spring season in Ocean City.Girls Weekend opens tonight with a fashion show at Glazed Over (704 Asbury Avenue) with local models showing off clothes from local stores. The rest of the weekend’s events will highlight everything our Asbury Avenue shopping district has to offer. I’d like to thank the Downtown Merchants Association and Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce for their work in putting this event together.I’d also like to thank everybody involved in producing OC-Con. This year’s event features a guest appearance by “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Roots” star LeVar Burton, superhero races, a Cosplay Contest, the Galactic Empire Band, the Batmobile, the DeLorean from “Back to the Future” and much more.With the Doo Dah Parade and Mr. Mature Pageant featuring grand marshal and celebrity host Barbara Eden coming up in a week, followed by Easter events, we’re off and running toward another great year in 2019. I hope you all take the time to enjoy everything Ocean City has to offer.Warm regards,Mayor Jay A. Gillian
