Dear Friends,
I want to thank the Ocean City School District for sponsoring the vaping awareness presentation on Wednesday at the high school and at two separate assemblies for students. Protecting the health of our youth should always be a priority.
Acknowledging and sharing information on trends that threaten the health of our children is always a good step toward keeping them safe.
I just returned from a gathering hosted by Sea Isle City Mayor and Cape May County Commissioner Len Desiderio.
City and law enforcement officials shared ideas for addressing issues related to increasingly large groups of young teens gathering on the beach and other public places during the summer.
It was great to see that the Ocean City Police Department had already implemented so many successful strategies last summer for monitoring behavior but not escalating situations.
Administration and City Council members met in executive session after last night’s public council meeting to discuss Ocean Wind’s petition to run transmission lines through Ocean City without seeking local approval.
While I cannot share details about the closed meeting, I want to assure everybody that we are considering all of our options.
Ocean Wind is seeking this permission even though an extensive review period for the overall offshore wind project is just getting underway. That timeline does not work for Ocean City. As always, we will gather facts first, before making any decision on how to move forward.
I’m sad to report on the passing of Jim Riviello, one of the founding fathers of our local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6650. Jim was a Korean War veteran, a regular participant in our annual Veterans Day ceremonies and an active leader in the VFW.
We owe a debt of gratitude to veterans like Jim, who give so much to their country and community. Michele and I would like to extend deepest condolences to his family, friends and fellow post members.
The latest forecast suggests that Ocean City will avoid a significant snowfall on Sunday, but it’s likely that the roads will be slick. Please use caution if you’re traveling to and from Super Bowl parties.
I want to wish you all a Happy Valentine’s Day and hope you get to spend it with loved ones, family and friends. We’ll light the bridge red on Monday in honor of the occasion.
Warm regards,
Mayor Jay A. Gillian
