By MADDY VITALE
Ocean City Councilman Tom Rotondi held his first Second Ward meeting Saturday, listened to a resident’s parking concerns, and laid out what he has done in the short time he has been in office.
“I’ve lived on the island for 13 years. My family is growing. I have three children. My wife and I work from Ocean City,” Rotondi said during in his introduction on the Zoom meeting.
The Second Ward encompasses the south side of Fourth Street to the north side of 12th Street
“The reason I ran is I love Ocean City,” Rotondi said. “I not only want to promote it as a family town, but also as one with a growing tourism. We also have to keep taxes down and continue to provide for the residents.”
In the wake of COVID-19, he stressed that Ocean City, like other shore towns, is suffering the consequences of the shutdown financially, especially the business owners.
“Businesses are being harmed, some irreparably. I’m hoping we can do something to help these businesses make up for what they lost in the first half of COVID,” he noted.
Rotondi, a U.S. Army veteran and former Lower Township police officer, currently works as a consultant specializing in health and benefits for nonprofits and municipalities and lives by the philosophy to learn all you can, research and implement a strategy.
“I am here to listen to everybody,” he said.
Resident John Martin had parking concerns he wanted to discuss with Rotondi during the Zoom meeting. He lives on Simpson Avenue between 11th and 12th streets and said that he and his wife are handicapped and need access to the sidewalk, which is often blocked by renters and/or owners of properties nearby.
“I start at Ninth Street and go to 18th Street and this is the only block east and west side of the street where there is parking on the sidewalk. The sidewalk responsibility is on the owner, but when we put handicapped ramps in it means the city is responsible. I have a right to use it,” Martin said of the area blocked by cars. “My wife has trouble walking. We don’t have enough room.”
Rotondi said when Martin first called him about the matter, he got on it right away.
“As soon as you gave that information to me, I went down there, and I took pictures and took them to Michael Allegretto (a city official). We are in the research process,” Rotondi explained. “We are working on it. It is definitely a challenge. It’s wrong.”
Martin replied, “Thank you very much.”
Since taking office on July 1, Rotondi has worked to develop an understanding of how the city’s government works, he pointed out.
“So far, I met with all of the heads of the departments, the chief of police, Dottie McCrosson, (city solicitor), Frank Donato, (chief financial officer) and DPW (Department of Public Works). I want to have a full understanding of everything,” Rotondi said.
Specifically, in a conversation with Donato, they discussed a project to install a pumping station at Ninth Street and 36th Street, which is part of the city’s capital improvements to improve drainage throughout town.
In recent weeks, Rotondi also spoke to several community groups to hear what they have to say.
“I met with a couple of neighborhood organizations to hear their concerns. I also met with the Ocean City flooding group (Flooding Committee) with Councilmen (Bob) Barr and (Jody) Levchuk.”
Rotondi noted that the flooding committee has “concerns about overdevelopment.” He added that the goal is to work with them to have a “more transparent relationship with them."
During the brief meeting, Rotondi urged residents to contact him with all of their concerns, even if it is not specific to his ward.
“Don’t hesitate to call me. There is nothing I won’t help you with. Feel free to reach out to me with questions,” he said. “I am always willing to help.”
To speak with Councilman Tom Rotondi call 609-374-5636.
