Dear Friends,
I want to thank all of our essential workers for their dedication – not just the doctors, nurses, health care workers and first responders on the front lines of the fight against this pandemic – but all of the people who are working in grocery stores, picking up our trash and recycling every week, and providing all of the other vital services we need.
I want you to know that I will continue to do everything I can, within the law, to keep you and your families safe and healthy. We can get through this together.
I also want you to know that I will do everything I can to get everybody back to work, so you can continue to feed your families, pay your bills and return to some sense of normalcy.
This process will be guided by the facts and in full consultation with experts. I am talking with the governor’s office, county officials, mayors of other shore towns, the local hospital and others about when we might start this process and how we can do it safely.
It is too soon to know exactly when we can begin to open things back up. These decisions will start to be made in the coming weeks as we get more information.
In the meantime, everyone should understand that staying safe depends on your individual behavior. The most effective ways to protect yourself and your family are to:
- Stay home except for essential travel
- Wear a cloth face covering when you do go out
- Stay home when you are sick
- Avoid contact with sick people
- Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
- If you are experiencing symptoms, call your doctor
- Practice social distancing. Maintain at least six feet of space between yourself and other individuals when out in public
- Avoid close contact with crowds of any size
These precautions will become the new normal in the coming months, but as Americans and Ocean City residents I’m confident that we can all adapt. Please look after your friends, neighbors and anybody who may be living alone to make sure they are OK and have everything they need.
I want to remind you that Ocean City officially has achieved Class 4 in the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System (CRS), and most policies that renew after May 1 should see the savings.
The designation means all NFIP policy holders with compliant structures in Ocean City will now receive a 30 percent discount on their flood insurance. The new rating means Ocean City’s approximately 17,000 policy holders will collectively save almost $4 million every year – an average savings of about $245 per participating home.
The Ocean City Yacht Club will host an American Red Cross Blood Drive 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday May 7. All residents, groups and businesses are invited to donate.
The Red Cross needs the help of blood and platelet donors to maintain a sufficient blood supply for weeks to come. American Red Cross will ensure proper COVID-19 protocols for the safety of the donors.
Appointments are preferred, but not required. To make an appointment, contact the Red Cross at 800-RED CROSS or sign up online at
www.redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code OC YACHT CLUB. The Yacht Club is at 100 Bay Avenue in Ocean City.
Warm regards,
Mayor Jay A. Gillian
