Dear Friends, I’m sad to report on the passing of Mario Gallelli, who ran the Tahiti Inn in Ocean City with his family. Mario was a faithful member of St. Damien Parish, he was beloved by many in town, and he was an important part of our local hospitality industry. A viewing for Mario will be held 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. tonight at the Godfrey Funeral Home, 4008 English Creek Avenue in Egg Harbor Township and again 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church in Ocean City. A funeral Mass will follow. I hope you all will join Michele and me in extending our deepest condolences to his wife, Triestina, their children, grandchildren, and all of their friends and family. Starting on Monday, Bay Avenue will be closed from Eighth Street to Ninth Street as part of the Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority project to replace the main that carries our wastewater to the treatment facility at 46th Street. Please plan to use West Avenue to travel southbound or to access the outbound lanes of Ninth Street. This pattern will remain in effect until the county’s work crews can excavate an access pit and make all the necessary tie-ins. Work continues on other parts of Bay Avenue and 31st Street. To follow updates on this project and to sign up for email notifications, visit www.ocnj.us/projectupdate. I want to thank you all for your patience and understanding as the county completes work on this important repair project. A public town hall meeting will be held at 10 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday, Feb. 8) to provide updates on Ørsted’s offshore wind project. The meeting will be held at the Ocean City Tabernacle (550 Wesley Avenue). The public is encouraged to attend to learn more about Ørsted and the Ocean Wind Project, which is expected to power more than half a million New Jersey homes by 2024. Ørsted is exploring different locations where underground cables could connect to the grid – one includes the former B.L. England Generating Station in Beesley’s Point, where clean energy would replace what was once produced at the coal-burning plant. Ocean City Intermediate School students, under the guidance and direction of the Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority, are launching a new program to collect plastic bags and film packaging for recycling. Everybody is invited to drop off recyclable plastic at any one of five locations in Ocean City:• Ocean City Intermediate School, 18th Street and Bay Avenue
• City Hall, 9th Street and Asbury Avenue• Henry Knight Building, 12th Street and Haven Avenue• Ocean City Community Center, 1735 Simpson Avenue• Shelter Road Recycling Center, Shelter Road off Tennessee AvenueMost drop-off locations are indoors and subject to building hours of operation. All materials collected will be used to create composite decking and railing products. Click here for more information. The Ocean City Board of Realtors has launched its “Food Is Love” winter food drive to collect non-perishable food items for the local Ecumenical Council Food Cupboard. Donations can be dropped off through Feb. 29 at the board office at 405 22nd Street. Contributors also can call the office at 609-399-0128 for pickup service. Warm regards, Mayor Jay A. Gillian
